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These days, you can complete nearly every facet of your move without even setting foot in your new city. There are plenty of tips and tricks to take the stress out of relocating and let you focus on enjoying your life in your new home.
Finding a Realtor
The first step to take is finding a local Realtor. The vast majority of Realtors have Web sites that tell all about their qualifications, their experience, and even their personality, interests and hobbies. Using a search engine to look for Realtors in your new hometown will likely net you hundreds of hits. Spend a little time looking for Realtors who seem likely to be able to appreciate your unique needs.
Choose between three and five likely candidates and conduct brief phone interviews. Remember that when you're moving to another town, particularly one that's far away, you will probably only have a brief time to conduct your home search. Most of us don't have the time or money to spend every weekend traveling to look at homes.
This means your Realtor will be your eyes and ears on the ground. Select someone who seems to really understand your likes and dislikes and can help you narrow down the choices so you won't end up wasting time with homes that aren't right for you.
If you're moving because of a new job, make sure that your Realtor has the address of your new workplace so they can consider your commute time. Be sure to spell out all of your desires, such as being close to schools, shopping, or friends and family in the area.
Besides the basics—such as square footage, number of bedrooms and amenities—make sure your Realtor has a good idea of your personal taste, too. Do you love older homes or new construction? Tudor or southwest? Country or contemporary?
Make sure to introduce your Realtor to your family—virtually, at least. How many cars do you own? Do you have pets? Do your kids dream of having a pool? Is a tree-lined street a must? Does your spouse require a workroom for his job or hobby? Do you need room for a basketball hoop or a place to store your boat?
Consider every angle to avoid wasting your Realtor's time—and your own—with houses that simply won't fit your family's many needs.
Shop Online
Once you've found a Realtor that you're comfortable working with, you can conduct much of your business over the Internet. Your Realtor can send information about promising homes via email, including all the pertinent details and even pictures.
By providing feedback and narrowing down the possibilities, your Realtor can help you select only the most promising candidates and set up appointments to view those homes over a weekend or other convenient time.
This way, you can limit your travel time to a couple of trips to your new city, and you won't waste time driving around or looking at homes that just aren't right. When you've found the perfect new home for you, your Realtor can handle the paperwork, even if you need to return to your old home before the deal is closed.
The Internet is also a valuable resource for learning about your new neighborhood. You can find schools, entertainment venues, local stores, events, places of worship, and even restaurants online these days. You can learn a lot about your new city and new neighborhood with just a few minutes of Web surfing.
Settling Down
Once you've settled into your new home in your new city, your Realtor can still be a valuable resource. Realtors count on repeat business and referrals, so most will do as much as they can to make you feel welcome. They are also usually social people who know the area well, so they can offer you advice on everything from where to eat out to finding a new family doctor.
Making a long-distance move used to be a cause for stress, but today, it's easier than ever. Thanks to modern technology and a helping hand, you can make the transition with little hassle. Invest some time doing your homework beforehand and narrowing down your choices, and it will pay off in the end.
Research thoroughly and get all the information available before buying. Use the Internet to your advantage, and explore your new hometown before you ever set foot in it. You'll be amazed how much easier moving to a new city is when you feel at home there before making the big move.
Moving to a new home is a very big deal for children. Today's society is more nomadic than it used to be 50 years ago. The days of a family unit that bought one home to live in forever are gone. Now, adults often travel to new cities to live. They may be moving because of employment, cost of living or personal preference of location. Divorce and separation play their part as well. No matter what the reasons of needing a new place to live, though, children are greatly affected by this change of environment. Making the move a little easier for kids to cope with is important, and here are some ideas to help:
Include children in visits. Uprooting a child from a place that is familiar and well known to a location completely foreign (even if it is a house just down the street) is a recipe for trouble. Bring children along to visits to new cities, to check out apartments or to houses on the market to help reduce the fear of the unknown. They will know what the place looks like and have an idea of the surrounding area when the move occurs.
Talk to children about their fears, concerns and worries. Never dismiss what a child might be worried about, even if it's a small issue or a non-existent one. Always address the concerns a child raises and do your best to reassure them through discussion. It's frightening for a child to think that he or she will have no friends to play with. Even though adults know that friends don't take too long to make, children aren't mentally developed enough to believe friendship with others will happen.
Make sure to inform yourself on all the potential activities, clubs and groups a child can be involved in at the new location. Joining a group activity is a great way for children to get involved and strike up friendships with other people. They will have a distraction and something to enjoy right from the start of living in a new neighborhood.
Involve children in decorating their own room in the new home. If the time was nearing for new furniture, invite children into helping pick the pieces that will be in their room. If their furniture is in good condition and will be moved to the new home, consider adding a special piece, like a vanity set or a toy chest. Let kids choose the color scheme of the room; they can even help with the painting, too.
Children need to feel like they are part of the family. Even though they may not have the final say in the matter of where to live or which house to choose, including them in the decision is important. They will feel more comfortable and reassured that their voice matters. Try to make sure they are as prepared as possible for the move. Keep the discussions surrounding the move lighthearted and positive, bringing up benefits often while downplaying – but never ignoring – the downsides of leaving behind friends and a home the children knew well. Lastly, on the day of the move, do your best to keep stress levels low, smile often and take frequent breaks to give your kids a hug.