Whenever you decide to move to a new area it is both scary and exciting. It is a chance to start new and fresh, but it also means change and becoming comfortable in a new and strange environment. One of the things that can help ease any nerves or tension is to make a list of things that you will need to do in order to make your move successful and do as much recon ahead of time. The more you know about where you are going, and what you are going to do when you get there will help you through the transition and make it a little less overwhelming.
One of the first things you want to do is to know about employment. If you are moving because of a job transfer, than you may not need to worry about this as much but your spouse may if you are married. You can certainly go online and do some job hunting via search engines, but you will likely come up with large nationwide sites that may be difficult to navigate through.
Finding a local paper or job network in the city you are moving to will allow you to have local access before the move. For instance, if you are planning a move to Columbus, OH then checking out the Columbus Dispatch online will give you dozens of local job listings and connections.
Another thing you want to do it to look at the housing market and know what it will cost to actually live there. For houses, Trulia is great but if you are looking to rent then check out Apartment Guide where you can get details on apartments without having to give an e-mail address or other personal information if you don’t want. Also, these sites will let you know about local schools and other important regional information you will need to know.
Areavibes can tell you all about local demographics, crime, amenities, and even cost of living expenses. For instance, if you are moving to New York you will see that utilities may be a little higher and you can connect with sites like www.energyratesnewyork.com to find cheaper alternatives to the local energy companies.
You also want to know about life in general while you are there. What kind of weather will you have to deal with and be prepared for? If you are moving from Texas to Alaska then you will need to make sure you shop for some new clothes and winter gear. Find out what the local entertainment and recreation holds as well. If you decide you want to try the mid-west and head to St. Louis look up stlouis-mo.gov and you can find all that information and more.
If you are moving out of state you will want to make sure that you take care of your vehicle and driver’s license needs too. Look on local DMV or government websites to know what you will need to do, and how much time you will have to do it in. Other important facts may be found like if you are moving to Connecticut not only will you have to register your car, but it will have to pass an emission test before it will be legal. This is added cost and time, and it may mean car repairs as soon as you move so be ready for whatever may happen and don’t be caught off guard.
Moving doesn’t have to be stressful. With a little homework and thought you can lay a lot of groundwork before you move so once you arrive in your new city, it will already start to feel like home.
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