Illinois family moving to Toronto: tips for finding an apartment before arrival

If you find yourself moving from Illinois to Toronto you’ll realize that finding an apartment in Toronto can be difficult. This is even more apparent when you can’t go there to find an apartment ahead of time. Because of this, we have put together this guide for your Illinois family moving to Toronto, to help you have an easy time moving.

Research the market

A good idea for an Illinois family moving to Toronto would be to Familiarize yourself with the local housing market. If you know someone who already lives in Toronto, ask for recommendations. Ask which neighborhoods they recommend, and what the rental or buying process is. Ask if the listings become available months in advance or if they are last minute. Figure out the are you want to move to, then (if you know someone in Toronto) ask around about it, or do your own research online. Remember, proper research is important both before and during planning a move.

Be realistic about your apartment hunt

When you can’t be present for the apartment hunt, you shouldn’t expect everything to work out perfectly. There’s no guarantee nothing will go wrong, even with perfect research and organization. Because of this you should be ready to be flexible, and place a lot of trust in the real estate agent you end up hiring. And while moving twice isn’t fun, if a long-term rental isn’t working, you should consider a short-term lease. By doing this, you can begin the search for a more permanent apartment in person. This could actually be your safest bet if you are moving without a job offer, and you don’t know what your commute might be. An interim apartment gives you a lot more flexibility when it comes to searching for a permanent solution.

Plan for your commute

If you are moving with a job offer already in mind, you should consider your commute. This should be the first thing you do when looking for a new apartment in Toronto, because it will narrow your choices quite a bit. If you know what kind of commute you are comfortable with, you can simply look for an apartment within that distance from your new job. Another thing to consider, if you have children, is the distance from your new apartment to their new school. This could help a lot with helping them adjust to the new school.

Find an agent you trust

A very important tip for an Illinois family moving to Toronto is to find a reliable real estate agent. This is especially important for finding an apartment before arrival. Start by looking for agents with good referrals, and if you already know which area in Toronto you would like to settle in, you should look for a real estate agent with consistent listings in that area. After all, agents who work in the same area often tend to be the neighborhood experts. A neighborhood focused agent will be the best source of information when it comes to pricing, neighborhood amenities and commute times. When you find an agent you trust, make sure they’re willing to work with a client who isn’t physically available. Agent who are willing to send you photos of apartments are very helpful.

Get all of your documents in order

Once you hire a reliable real estate agent, you should find out what information landlords expect from prospective tenants. In a lot of rental markets this list is pretty long. As such, it is important to have these documents ready beforehand and hand them over to your agent as soon as you start your apartment hunt. These documents usually include pay stubs, credit checks, bank statements and so on.

Pack properly

Proper packing is incredibly important, especially if you plan to get an interim apartment. Having to pack and repack can be quite exhausting, so doing it in an effective manner helps cut down on the stress. Even more so when moving out of state, packing things for the day of arrival and the first week after moving into your new apartment can make the adjustment process much easier. If you have some specialty items, or fragile belongings which should be packed properly, you should consider hiring professional packers. After all, professional assistance is the best choice in these cases.

Research your landlord and building

After your agent finds a promising apartment, there is still more you could do. Doing your own research online can be very helpful by keeping you as informed as possible. It would be a good idea to look up details about the building, such as when it was built, how many units it holds and which amenities are included. If the building is owned by a large management company, you can usually find reviews of the company online. You might also be able to find information about smaller landlords on various sites.

Choose reliable movers

Another very important tip would be to look for trusted and experienced movers. Choosing an inexperienced moving company could do more harm than good, so make sure to do your research before you decide on your movers. Experts from Golan’s Moving and Storage recommend that you always look at all reviews you can find online, and if you know someone who has used a moving company’s services before, confirm with them before deciding to hire them. Remember, in any move it is important for your belongings to be safe, and especially in long distance or out of state moves.

In conclusion

Only you can decide what is best for your family. After all, you know best what your family needs and what suits them. But, we hope that this list of tips has helped your Illinois family moving to Toronto have an easy time finding a new apartment, and make your move as easy as possible.