Interstitial Cystitis Advice

Article written by Heather Matthews (Queensweater)

Moving can be a stressful time for everyone, but it’s especially hard on someone who is not in the best of health. This article looks to address many concerns, and to provide some hints and suggestions to make the move as easy as possible.

Whether you’re looking for a house or an apartment, figure out what it is your criteria are and stick to them. These can include price, utilities, location, amenities, size, etc. Look around, and compare the pros and cons of each place.

House

Upon deciding to look for a house, go to your bank to see if you can be approved for a mortgage. Once you’re pre-approved, look around, and make sure to find a realtor you like and trust. This is a big decision, and you don’t want to be jumping into it with someone you don’t trust. A good realtor will show you the house, and answer any questions you may have. It’s a good idea to find out whether or not your water and sewer are municipal, or if it’s your responsibility. Many municipalities include these in property taxes. The realtor should also explain the process of making an offer, and everything that follows upon the acceptance of the offer.

When you have found a house, and your offer has been accepted, phone around to banks and mortgage brokers and find the best deal you can get on payments and interest. It was recommended to me, by a friend who works at a credit union, that if you’re going to use a mortgage broker, Class A is preferable to Class B or C, although I’m not sure what the difference is. Don't pay them any commission for finding you the best mortgage rate; if they ask for a finder’s fee, find another broker. Make sure you really check around as rates and conditions vary from bank to bank. When you get the best rate and overall best deal, suggest the same deal to your bank; they will most likely match it.

Another thing to look into is what your options are regarding down payments and monthly payments. Some banks allow people with good enough credit to buy a house with no down payment, but that will mean your monthly payment and interest rate will be higher. Another thing to consider is whether or not there is a penalty for paying extra on your mortgage from time to time. Often times, there is a penalty, so if you intend to occasionally pay extra to reduce the principal, make sure you will not be penalized. Also make sure you find out how much the closing costs will be. Those costs will be a certain percentage of the purchase price, usually anywhere from 1-5%. This will cover the legal fees.

Once your offer has been approved, and before you sign any documents with the lawyer, ask your realtor if he/she can recommend a good house inspector. Try to get the inspection done as early as possible, as the results could affect further stages of the process. A house inspection is not usually required, but it is a good idea. Figure this to be a few hundred dollars, but it could save you money in the long run. The inspector will look at everything from the foundation to the plumbing, electrical, roof, walls, doors and windows to make sure everything is sound. Upon his or her recommendations, you can then request that certain things, such as replacing some shingles or fixing a heater that doesn’t work, be looked after before you take possession. Plus it will give you piece of mind to know that nothing major should go wrong soon after you move in.

In order to finalize the legal documents, you need to have home insurance in place, so you’ll need to phone around for that as well. Many insurance companies will give you a discount if you also get your car insurance through them. Make sure to find out what’s included in the amount you are quoted, such as fire, flood, wind, ice, sewer, plumbing and electrical, and of course tax. Get quotes for different deductible amounts as well. You may find it more beneficial to opt for the lower payment with a higher deductible.

One thing to keep in mind with all of these steps is that each of them will require your time. Signing the paper to make an offer could take an hour or two, depending on the regulations where you live, and how many questions you may have. Meeting with the mortgage broker or bank will be another few hours over the span of multiple meetings, and a home inspection could take a few hours as well, depending on the size of the property. The lawyer’s visit could take a while as well, as he or she will go over everything to make sure you understand the legalities of it all. So try to space these meetings out accordingly, especially if you’re in a flare.

Apartment

There’s not nearly so much to look into for an apartment as there is for a house. But there are a few differences between renting basement apartments or part of a house as compared to renting in a building.

If you prefer to live in an apartment building, find out from the leasing agent or superintendent whether or not it’s a concrete or wooden building. Sound travels easier in wooden structures, as does fire. Find out if anything is flame retardent, such as the flooring, walls, or doors. Also keep in mind that older buildings may not have ceiling sprinklers in case of fire. You may also want to know the demographics of the building, whether it’s mostly families, elderly people, or students, as any of those could factor into the noise level and foot traffic in the halls. Many older buildings do not have elevators, so keep that in mind if you have trouble walking or climbing stairs. Find out whether your apartment will have a hook-up for washer/dryer, or if you will have to go to the building’s laundry room or nearby Laundromat. If you have to pay for coin laundry, factor that into the cost. If you have a car, or multiple vehicles, find out if parking is included or if you have to pay a weekly/monthly/annual fee.

A great benefit to living in a building is that your heating costs will be lower than in a basement or in a house. And if you live in a newer building, there are often great security features for less risk of break and enters. These include doormen/women, cameras, and buzz entry, among others.

However, if you prefer to live in a basement apartment, make sure to find out who lives upstairs. Young children will make lots of noise running across the floor above your head, as will dogs. Another thing to keep in mind is if smokers live upstairs, some of that smoke will eventually end up downstairs. Some basement apartments include utilities, but often then the heat is a furnace, with the thermostat controlled upstairs. If this is the case, you may want to invest in a small portable heater, since upstairs will always be warmer in winter than the basement. Chances are in a basement you will have access to on-site laundry, which is a bonus. You also get more privacy in a basement than you might otherwise have in a building. Make sure to find out about parking, either in a driveway, or on-street, and if there are any parking restrictions in winter. Many municipalities have overnight parking bans on streets in winter.

Packing and cleaning

So you’ve found a place you like, and everything has been approved and finalized for you to move in. What next? You’ll have a lot of packing to do, cleaning to do, and utilities and services to contact. But before you do anything, figure out what needs to be done and make a list. The earlier you start this, the better since you will have more time to pace yourself. Don’t forget about contacting cable, phone, electric, water, insurance, your bank, and anywhere you regularly receive bills from. Canada Post offers a service of forwarding your mail, for a small fee, for a few months, just in case you missed someone. I’m sure that other countries’ postal carriers must also have a similar service.

If you can afford it, hiring movers to pack and move for you is a great idea, but otherwise, you’ll have to do it yourself so be sure to pace yourself. You’ll probably want to go through everything to see what can be gotten rid of. Think of it as the opportune time to do your spring-cleaning or have a yard sale. Many charities and shelters will welcome used items, such as old beds, chairs, toasters, etc, so if you discover you have one or two to spare, call them up and let them know what you have available. Chances are it will be greatly appreciated. Try packing books or ornaments and accessories around the house first. Then maybe tackle a closet, with things stored away, or not worn often.

When it comes to cleaning, tackle one project at a time. Consult the list you’ve made (see above), and figure out what can be done just before moving, then tackle the others. For instance, cleaning the inside of a closet can be done anytime, whereas a bathroom and kitchen should be done immediately before the move. Keep in mind that you’re moving into a place that may or may not have been cleaned to your standards, so be prepared to also do some cleaning when you move into your new place.

Hopefully, this article has provided some great suggestions to ease the stress of moving. Remember to also keep in mind that moving will require extra money in the form of connection fees for utilities. Happy moving!