When Is the “Best” Time to Move? A Contractor-Turned-Realtor’s Take on the Seasons

If you’ve ever asked me, “When is the best time of year to move?” you might expect me to give you a month and a date. But after years in the construction world and now working as a Realtor®, I’ve learned that there really isn’t one perfect time to move. The best time to move depends on what matters most to you; price, selection, weather, convenience, competition, or simply getting the move done with the least amount of stress. And when you combine what I’ve learned as a contractor with what I see in real estate, the seasons can tell us quite a bit.

Spring: More Choices, More Activity

Spring is when things start waking up in real estate.

The snow melts, daylight increases, landscaping starts coming back to life, and buyers who spent the winter thinking about moving start getting serious. Spring is traditionally one of the busiest periods in Canadian real estate. It’s much easier to tackle exterior projects without dealing with extreme heat, frozen ground, snow and ice. If you’re planning to paint, repair a deck, freshen up landscaping, or take care of those exterior items you’ve been putting off, spring gives you a good window to get the work done before summer.

The downside? Everyone else knows spring is a great time to move. More buyers can mean more competition, and more sellers can mean more options. For a buyer, that can be a double-edged sword: you may have more homes to choose from, but the best ones can attract plenty of attention.

My advice: If you’re thinking about a spring move, start preparing before spring actually arrives. Get your financing organized, declutter, make a repair list, and talk to your Realtor® early.

Summer: Convenient, But Busy

Summer is probably the season most people associate with moving. And there are good reasons for that. Kids are out of school, the weather is generally cooperative, there are longer days, and families can make the transition without disrupting the school year. But summer is also peak moving season in Canada. Demand for moving services tends to rise from late spring through summer, which can mean higher costs and less availability.

From my contractor background, I’ll also tell you something else:

Moving in 30-degree heat is not nearly as fun as it sounds. Loading a truck, carrying furniture up stairs, protecting floors, and making multiple trips between houses is physically demanding. Add humidity and a full day of summer heat, and that “perfect moving day” can become a long one. That doesn’t mean summer is a bad time to move. It simply means you need to plan ahead. If summer is your target, book your movers early, give yourself plenty of time, and don’t assume everything will fall into place at the last minute.

Fall: My Underrated Favourite

If I had to pick a season that doesn’t get enough credit, it would probably be fall. September and October can offer a really nice balance. The weather is often more comfortable than the heat of summer, the intense summer moving rush has started to ease, and there is still enough daylight to get things done. The real estate market can also see renewed activity in the fall after the summer vacation period.

And here’s where my contractor brain kicks in again: Fall is a great time to see what a house is really made of. You’re moving toward cooler temperatures. You can pay closer attention to windows, doors, insulation, heating systems, drainage, grading and other components that become particularly important as winter approaches. If you’re buying a home in the fall, don’t just look at the kitchen and bathrooms. Look at the roof, look at the windows, look at the furnace or heat pump, look at the basement, look at how water moves around the property. Those are the things that can save you money later.

Winter: Fewer People, Different Opportunities

Winter gets a bad reputation in real estate. And I’ll admit it: moving snow-covered furniture through a house isn’t anybody’s idea of a good time. But winter can have advantages. Real estate activity generally slows during the colder months, which means there may be fewer buyers competing for a property. For buyers who are flexible and willing to deal with the weather, that can create opportunities for negotiation.

There’s also something I like about looking at a house in the winter: Winter exposes things. You can see how the home handles cold weather. Are the windows drafty? Is the heating system keeping up? Is there moisture or condensation? How does the driveway handle snow and ice? Is the basement comfortable and dry? A house doesn’t get to hide behind beautiful spring landscaping when there’s three feet of snow outside. For sellers, winter requires a little more work. Curb appeal is harder, daylight is limited, and buyers may be less inclined to get out and look at homes. But the buyers who are out there are often serious.

So, When Is the Best Time to Move?

Here’s the answer I give my clients: The best time to move is the time that makes the most sense for your situation, not necessarily the time everyone else is moving. If your priority is selection, spring may be attractive. If your priority is convenience for the family, summer may make the most sense. However, if you’re looking for a comfortable balance of weather and activity, fall can be a fantastic option. If you’re a flexible buyer looking for less competition, winter may be worth considering. And if you’re selling a home, the “best” season isn’t simply about putting a sign on the lawn at the right time. It’s about understanding your local market, your competition, your home’s condition, and what buyers are actually looking for.

My Contractor-Turned-Realtor Advice

This is probably the biggest thing my construction background has taught me:

Don’t just think about the transaction. Think about the house. Before you list or buy, look beyond the paint colours and countertops.

Ask yourself:

• What maintenance is coming?
• What repairs have been deferred?
• How old is the roof?
• What condition are the windows in?
• How is the grading and drainage?
• What does the HVAC system look like?
• What will this house cost me to maintain over the next five years?

A beautiful house is great. A beautiful house that has been properly maintained is even better. And that’s one of the advantages I bring to my clients as someone who came into real estate through the construction side of the industry. I’m not just looking at what a property looks like today. I’m also thinking about what you’re going to own tomorrow.