I am proudly associated with the BGRS Integrated Relocation Program (IRP). This program assists members of the Canadian Armed Forces, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and other goverment agencies to purchase a new home, sell their old one or  find rental properties during their posting process.

 

I was a former member of the Canadian Armed Forces with the Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) and am well versed in military protocol. I understand the internal and external dynamics of the DND and other government agenicies and how it relates to their members.

 

​Contact me if you would like to get more information about the IRP program. My availability extends far beyond the GTA and I am able to provide service anywhere from Base Borden to Toronto and beyond. If you are looking for an "IR" solution, I also have an excellent company that I work with and can send referrals to them and they will take care of everything.

 

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Colonels Course August 2020:

 

I generally start to get a lot of calls for posting season around March & April. I want to help members and their families as they begin to plan their HHT to Toronto and understanding the Toronto Market ahead of time can relieve a lot of stress prior to coming out. The transition to Toronto from a small or medium base can sometimes be overwhelming if you are not briefed about pricing, availability and  lease turnover in the GTA.

 

As you know, there are close to 160 canidates for this course and the majority are doing their HHT at the same time. This means that you and your future classmates could be bidding against each other for the  homes and condos that are on the market.

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Previously lived in homes by former students

 

New students have access to a list of homes that were leased by the previous class. In the event that you wish to move into one of those homes, I would suggest that you contact me and I can help you review the lease to ensure you are best protected. BGRS pays me to help you get a home which includes the preparation and / or review of the paperwork.

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NOTE: On a private lease between you and the owner, I cannot represent you, however; I may be able to answer any questions that you have. I want to ensure that each of you gets the level of protection that you deserve.

 

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What to expect:

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When you select me as your rental or purchasing agent, I will begin to send you listings of what homes are currently available and within your budget. Each night, you will get a copy of all the new listings that become available. Keep in mind that the homes that you see in the weeks before your HHT will most likely NOT be there when you arrive. 

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I have been helping military and government families now for about 8 years and am very well versed in leasing strategies and pitfalls that are commonly encountered. I have extensive experience on how to deal with multiple lease offers when they occur.

 

Here are some of the most popular Q&A's:

 

House pricing:

 

A nice one bedroom condo with a den starts at around $1,900 and a two bedroom around $2,500. This will include a parking space and generally water. Gas and Hydro are your responsibility.

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A detached three bedroom home starts at around $2,800 and four bedroom around $3,600+. Utilities are not included. 

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The best value for money is to stay north of the 401.

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Timings: 

 

IRP allows you to take out a one year lease and can provide you with a months rent, in advance, to help secure the home. It really does not make any sense to start searching for a home anything more than 6 weeks out of your lease start date. This is because home owners do not want their income property empty and without revenue for months prior to you taking possession. Because Toronto has such a high turnover, the owners can be very picky about whom they will rent their home to.

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I have had clients that have used part of their additional "purse" money to secure a home three months in advance. I do not know how the process works with BGRS, however; this is a conversation you should have with them ahead of time to feel comfortable with securing a home well in advance of your posting date. When multiple offers come in for your first choice and you need to act fast, there is little time to call a BGRS rep to ask for clarification.

 

HHT's are generally very busy and usually takes two days. There have been numerous occasions where the HHT will run into a third and sometimes fourth day. Don't worry if that happens, we can discuss options that have always worked out. 

 

Expect to view 8-10 properties on your first day and we will submit an offer on your first choice. 

 

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Documents required

 

You will need to bring with you a number of documents to get the lease signed.

 

A rental application which I will forward to you.

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A detailed credit report and score for you and your spouse (not a disclosure of your personal file).

Use Equifax and not Trans Union. This costs about $20 and is generally around 5 pages long.

A letter from your employer which will state your salary and length of service. If you have a spouse that is going to be posted also, then letters for him / her would also be appropriate (joint IRP).

A reference letter from your CO or supervisor has been very helpful in the past. Although this may seem like a pain, it is common to have multiple offers for a lease property, and a nice letter from your supervisor can be really helpful when I sell you to the owners.

Two current pay stub.

Two additional references (letters are nice, but not required).

 

** First and last months rent will be required to secure the lease in a cheque or money order **

 

Pets:

 

A majority of clients bring their pets with them.  Most listings have "no pets" listed on the MLS. Don't be overly concerned about this as we can generally negiotiate the pet into the lease. However, in the event that we are sucessful with adding in the pet, a large pet deposit is usually required.  Be prepared to provide around $500 - $1,000 as an additional refundable pet deposit.

 

Location:

 

I have inclued a map for you to review. This is relatively close to the college which is in the area of Yonge and the 401. The greyed area is where we will do the majority of the searching and there are a number of nice residential areas here. At the top of the map is the 407. This I believe is where the zone line is for your compensation (PLD). The prices for homes are much more reasonable north of the 407, but the commute begins to get very lengthy during rush hour time. 

 

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