Sarah Percival
HHT (House Hunting Trip)
10 Tips for a Smoother HHT
1. Know the rules around your HHT and if you’re entitled to one. Be sure to read Chapter 4 of the Relocation Directive to determine if you are eligible for an HHT. For example: if you haven’t yet secured a home, you should be eligible for one. If you have secured one, which might be the case if your origin isn’t far from your destination and you’ve been looking informally on your own time and have purchased before a formal HHT, you might only be entitled to a DIT, which is shorter and only covers the expenses of 1 person. It’s important to determine this in advance.
2. Have your BGRS approved lawyer and home inspector pre-selected. Your Realtor can assist you with this and provide recommendations
3. Have your pre-approval already done with a letter if possible. I have an amazing team of mortgage professionals that can ease the purchase process by providing competent advice and documentation to secure financing and make a seller confident in your offer. This is especially important if you’re buying in a hot market where multiple offers are common.
4. Bring slip on shoes or footwear that is easy on and off. You don’t want to be cursing after house 2 and having to tie and untie over and over.
5. Research neighbourhoods and areas of interest ahead of time. I truly recommend joining neighbourhood Facebook groups to be able to ask and get first hand feedback on any of your areas of concern, whether it be school, commutes, doctor availability, local activities, etc. There are usually dedicated mom groups or military family groups in most areas. I’m happy to add you to any of the Ottawa and area groups!
6. Narrow down your list of needs and wants and list them in order of priority. It will help you narrow down the homes you spend time viewing and allow you to really focus and spend your time in homes that tick most, if not all, of the boxes
7. Speak with your realtor in advance about deposits and what the expectation is in the market you are moving to. Every market is different and it’s important to know in advance how much you should have available for a deposit. In a competitive market, a higher deposit can be advantageous. In Ottawa, the expected deposit is at least $5000…and even that could be considered low. If your moving to the National Capital Region, I would try to have at least $10K available
8. Determine in advance your source for deposit: do you have the cash on hand? Does a home equity line of credit need to be secured to free up funds? Do you need an advance through BGRS for certain items to allow you to have availability to funds for the deposit?
9. On the topic of deposits, bring your chequebook or know where your nearest branches are to your hotel so you can get a bank draft. If you are banking with Tangerine, ING or Simplii, please contact them in advance to make arrangements or have the funds moved into a more accessible account. Deposits can often be made electronically, however a draft is often easiest.
10. Know what costs are covered and what costs aren’t with regards to meals, incidentals, lodging, mileage, travel, etc. This can all be found in the Relocation Directive.
GOOD LUCK with your HHT and please reach out if you have any additional questions.
2. Have your BGRS approved lawyer and home inspector pre-selected. Your Realtor can assist you with this and provide recommendations
3. Have your pre-approval already done with a letter if possible. I have an amazing team of mortgage professionals that can ease the purchase process by providing competent advice and documentation to secure financing and make a seller confident in your offer. This is especially important if you’re buying in a hot market where multiple offers are common.
4. Bring slip on shoes or footwear that is easy on and off. You don’t want to be cursing after house 2 and having to tie and untie over and over.
5. Research neighbourhoods and areas of interest ahead of time. I truly recommend joining neighbourhood Facebook groups to be able to ask and get first hand feedback on any of your areas of concern, whether it be school, commutes, doctor availability, local activities, etc. There are usually dedicated mom groups or military family groups in most areas. I’m happy to add you to any of the Ottawa and area groups!
6. Narrow down your list of needs and wants and list them in order of priority. It will help you narrow down the homes you spend time viewing and allow you to really focus and spend your time in homes that tick most, if not all, of the boxes
7. Speak with your realtor in advance about deposits and what the expectation is in the market you are moving to. Every market is different and it’s important to know in advance how much you should have available for a deposit. In a competitive market, a higher deposit can be advantageous. In Ottawa, the expected deposit is at least $5000…and even that could be considered low. If your moving to the National Capital Region, I would try to have at least $10K available
8. Determine in advance your source for deposit: do you have the cash on hand? Does a home equity line of credit need to be secured to free up funds? Do you need an advance through BGRS for certain items to allow you to have availability to funds for the deposit?
9. On the topic of deposits, bring your chequebook or know where your nearest branches are to your hotel so you can get a bank draft. If you are banking with Tangerine, ING or Simplii, please contact them in advance to make arrangements or have the funds moved into a more accessible account. Deposits can often be made electronically, however a draft is often easiest.
10. Know what costs are covered and what costs aren’t with regards to meals, incidentals, lodging, mileage, travel, etc. This can all be found in the Relocation Directive.
GOOD LUCK with your HHT and please reach out if you have any additional questions.