People move for a variety of different reasons.  Some are happy moves and some are not.  Because of the numerous reasons for moving, there are always people on the go at  all times of the year.  February is usually a very busy month for purchases.  Many people are suffering from cabin fever from being cooped up all winter. 

Also this is a good time to buy if you want to be moved in to enjoy the summer in the new house.  Here is a list of many of the top reasons why a For Sale sign goes on the front lawn.

1.Home is too small --- an increase in family size can cause the "starter home" to shrink especially with the size of baby toys and apparatus these days.


2. Downsizing --- the opposite of number 1. Empty nesters need less space. Some DON'T want to have extra rooms for the "kids" to come back home.

3. Aging systems and decor  ---  A home gets to a certain age when you must replace the roof, windows, furnace, air conditioner, kitchen, bathrooms, etc. Some people prefer to move to a new house before these large ticket items need replacing.

4. Purchase a new build-- In communities of large growth and development, new subdivisions offer homes with all the bells and whistles and the buyer gets to go shopping to pick out their upgrades, colours, etc.

 5. New home build wasn't  as expected --- Many people who buy from house plans and move in to the newly built  homes find that when the fences go up, the lot sizes are too small, the driveways aren't big enough, there is too much vehicle congestion on the street and nowhere for children to play.

6. Change in family circumstances -- Family separation or divorce, blending of families, just married, mother-in-law moving in.

7. Retirement --- Time  to choose an alternate lifestyle --- condos, moving to a warmer climate or to their recreational property, moving closer to their children.

8. Moving closer to elderly parents --- The  younger generation is moving to be closer to their elderly parents to help care for them. 

9. Seniors moving to retirement homes and nursing homes --- many have been in their homes for 40+ years. This is a large adjustment and requires much care and understanding from their REALTOR.

10. Health Reasons ---  Another sector of people must move due to physical ailments. Knee or back problems can force the need to move from a two storey or split level home to a bungalow to reduce the number of stairs.

11. Neighbourhood changes --- Anticipating highway construction, new home or condo development, changes to school boundaries, are some reasons that people decide to leave a neighbourhood before the situations arise, often because they feel the value of their homes may decrease with these changes.

12. Commute to work --- Many people are relocating closer to their place of employment because of the long commute.

13. Corporate transfer --- Job relocations often take homeowners to a different province or out of the country. 

14.Renovating and Flipping ---- There are a percentage of homeowners who enjoy buying fixer uppers and renovating them only to turn around and try to sell them to see a monetary return on their investment. This type of buyer must be very careful to know what is happening with house values and know whether the market is favouring the buyer or the seller everytime they start a new project.

 15. Cashing out --- Some homeowners decide that the time is right for them to take advantage of the equity that is in their home and sell so that they can buy a motorhome and travel, purchase recreational property up north or abroad or just rent in the city..

16. Financial Stress ---Some homeowners must sell if they become unemployed or are finding the mortgage payments too difficult to make.

17. Difficult Neighbours --- Many people end up selling if they cannot get along with their neighbours.  Often this is due to shared driveways, issues with children, pets, fences, etc.