There’s no doubt that under regular circumstances, moving can be stressful. Throw in a worldwide pandemic and the process gets even more complex.
When newlyweds Brian and Katrina Foster decided to start looking for their forever home back in December, Bradford seemed like a perfect family-friendly town to build their new life together.
“It has everything we need, and is the perfect place to start a family,” said Katrina.
After countless open houses and multiple bidding wars, the couple finally landed their dream home on a quiet court in the older part of town.
“It was a dream come true,” said Katrina.
Soon it was March, and Katrina and Brian were slowly starting to pack up their belongings at their rental home in Etobicoke, excitedly preparing for their April closing date.
“Our family and friends were going to help us move. It was going to be a fun, family affair,” said Katrina.
On March 12, after WHO declared a worldwide pandemic due to COVID-19, the government halted non-essential business.
“At first we thought we weren’t going to be able to move,” said Katrina.
Thankfully, real estate is deemed an essential service, so the couple were still able to go ahead with their move, just not in the way they had originally planned. With gatherings limited to groups of five people or less, their plan to have family and friends help them settle in was kiboshed.
“It kind of put a damper on moving,” explained Katrina.
On closing day, they then met with their lawyer virtually to finalize the closing.
“The lawyer was on video walking us through it, we sat in a room alone, we had to put gloves on and sanitize before we came in,” explained Katrina.
The couple said they felt safe and protected throughout the process.
“Honestly, it was fine. I felt everything was clean. The receptionist wiped down the room before we went in,” said Katrina.
To save money, they decided to move themselves over the course of a few weeks. Their one day move turned into a two week affair.
And while they are happy to be starting this next chapter of their lives together, they are also sad. There will be no champagne housewarming celebrations, rather, virtual house tours with family and friends over FaceTime.
“It’s weird,” described Katrina. “It’s our first house. And no one can be here to share in this exciting moment with us.”
They are eager to meet their new neighbours and immerse themselves into the neighbourhood, but can't just yet.
“I feel like we can’t really get to know our neighbours. We’ve said hi and bye to some but not to the extent that we normally could have (got to know them),” said Katrina.
If there is one silver lining to moving during a pandemic, it’s getting more time to unpack and organize, they said.
“It gives us stuff to do while locked up,” said Katrina.
They were looking forward to embracing Bradford culture fully this summer, with the weekly Farmers’ Market at the BWG Library, CarrotFest in August, and golfing at Bradford Highlands Golf Club, but as of now, aren't counting on it.
“We hope by then we will at least be able to do some of the things we had planned."
