I plant year round as long as the ground is not frozen.
Right now is a great time to plant.

I agree, this is the best time of year for most trees and shrubs you find offered for sale.

Just read up on each type you're planting because cold,wet conditons on rootpruned stock can make for a quick death to trees/shrubs planted too deeply. In primarily clay soil wet conditions can result in a bowl of water in that hole you dug.
You're saving a great deal of $$ doing the planting yourself but you could be losing a great deal of $$ by doing the planting yourself..incorrectly. Read up on each plant before you put it in so it goes in at the right depth and in the right location for its long-term health and your enjoyment.
Top-heavys like skypencil and crapes are going to need staking for a couple of years so the wind or ice storms don't move the rootball and break the new roots. Read up on that too.