Fall – the perfect time to buy a new home or condo

Ah, autumn, when summer tapers off and fall takes over with cool, crisp air and changing leaves. This is also the time of year for new beginnings, often for people shopping for new homes or getting ready to move into them. A good percentage of buyers are moving to more compact spaces that have a condominium component. They may be outright condominiums or lowrise homes with shared exterior upkeep. Either way, preparing to live in less square footage – or as I call it, right-sizing – takes some planning.

Uncluttered space

This is a great time of year to de-clutter. You have a floorplan of your new home or condo, which should be to scale. Do yourself a favour and make scale paper cutouts of your furniture to figure out what will fit where. You’ll also discover which pieces you need to get rid of. Depending on their condition, you can donate them, sell them online or through an auction, pass them along to family members or put them out for trash pick-up.

Then there are accessories. You know, those Florida seashells, China teapots, macrame hangers, vases in all shapes and sizes, garden gnomes. Keep in mind that an uncluttered space “lives” larger than one filled with knickknacks. Before you assume anything, ask your kids or family members if they want any of your “stuff.” You might be surprised that younger generations are less likely to want to fill their lives with items the way their parents did. There will be, however, someone out there who considers these items treasures. Fall is a great time to hold yard sales. You can use the money toward purchasing some multi-purpose furnishings for your new digs.

On an even more practical note, make a checklist of everything you need to do before your move, including booking a condo elevator and loading bay. If you are shopping for a new home or condo, a checklist is just as important. As I always advise, make yourself must-have and nice-to-have lists. When you shop, take note of things such as square footages, standard features and finishes, location, amenities – and then compare fairly.

Lifestyle investment

Whether you are going new home shopping or counting down the days to your exciting move-in, a little prep work now will save headaches later. I congratulate you for buying new. You will benefit from the most up-to-date materials and construction techniques. And as with a new car, when you slide into your new home, you get that never-been-lived-in-before clean smell. It is glorious. You will also feel at home right away, especially if you purchase early enough in the project marketing cycle to select the features and finishes that reflect your personality.

Remember, a new home or condo is one of the largest financial and lifestyle investments you will ever make – so whether you are shopping or moving in, make this fall one of the best times of your life.