Relocating, while exciting, can be stressful and overwhelming. Your moving to-do list may feel neverending as you prepare to move across the country or just across the county!
There are many reasons why you may want to change residences. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 40% of Americans move for housing reasons: for a new or better home or apartment, to purchase their first home, or to live in a better neighborhood.
Whether you’re moving because you finally found your dream home or relocating due to a new job, read these tips to relocating to help you prepare for your journey.
In this article:
Relocating Advice: What to Do Before Relocating
Relocation Tips: What to Do First
How to Make Moving Easy
Atlanta Relocation Tips
Relocating Advice: What to Do Before Relocating
Before you start your move, the best relocating advice we can give is to prepare by thoroughly researching your new neighborhood. You should research the community to confirm it’s a good fit for you as well as the area’s real estate market and local economy.
1. Research the Neighborhood
If you research the community you plan to move to, you’ll learn about the types of stores, restaurants, and activities you’ll soon frequent. You may identify some of your favorite coffee shops in the area or learn about new local coffee shops you’ll enjoy supporting. Our relocation tips involve identifying which lifestyle activities you enjoy most, whether exploring new restaurants, hiking, or visiting museums, and see if the area offers these.
You may also find it helpful to research school ratings if you have children, local hospitals and healthcare ratings, and crime information data. These community characteristics will give you a better sense of the overall quality of life in the area and may indicate how well you’ll enjoy being a part of the community.
2. Investigate the Local Real Estate Market
One of the most essential relocation tips to follow before moving is to research the local real estate market. You can search real estate websites to explore factors like average home price, style, taxes, and availability.
Of all the tips to relocating, this one is important to set expectations for whether or not you can afford to rent or own in your new community. It’s also important to understand the types and styles of homes you’ll be choosing from, such as townhomes, condos, or single family homes.
3. Learn More About the Local Economy
The local economy is important when considering the quality of life in your new neighborhood, especially if you’re relocating for a new job. We share this relocating advice with many of our clients and friends: be sure you understand the local economy’s cost of living. This includes the cost of transportation (or gas), food/groceries, utilities, and taxes.
If you or your partner have a specialized profession, it’s also imperative to get to know the job market in the area. For example, doctors and nurses must be near hospitals and healthcare facilities. You can find employment rates and job outlook studies on many government websites.
However, with the rise in popularity of the work-from-home lifestyle, many workers have the opportunity to choose where they live without switching their employer or profession. This opens the door to relocation based on the lifestyle you want to live, rather than moving to be closer to your office.
Relocation Tips: The First Steps
4. Find a Reputable Real Estate Agent
Whether you plan to purchase or rent your new home, finding a reputable real estate agent is at the top of our list of tips for relocating. If your company is providing relocation assistance, they may also provide you with a real estate agent. However, if you’re moving on your own, our relocating advice is to research the area’s best real estate agents or ask for local recommendations.
Luckily, if you plan to build a home with us, our Brock Built real estate agents can help you with the home-buying process.
5. Explore Homes and Neighborhoods
Now that you’ve settled on your new community, you can fine-tune your home and neighborhood search. Whether you want a large, welcoming community with an active HOA or you’re looking for an active adult community, you can search online or in person for just the right neighborhood for your needs.
6. Go Under Contract on Your Dream Home
Finally, the exciting part is here. After you’ve narrowed down the neighborhood you want to be a part of, it’s time to schedule a tour, make an appointment with a sales agent, and choose your new home.
You thoroughly reviewed the neighborhoods, amenities, school districts, and local activities with your real estate agent. They have brought you this far, and it’s time to seal the deal! If you’re planning to purchase a resale home, it’s time to submit an offer. (If you decide to build a new construction home, the contract process may look a bit different.) No matter what type of home you choose, congratulations on purchasing your new home!
How to Make Moving Easy
Congratulations! You’ve followed all of the tips for relocating involving research and decision-making. Your offer was accepted. Now begins the actual move!
7. Find a Reputable Moving Company
Once you’ve handled the preparation for your move and you have officially closed on your new home, our tips for relocating and how to make moving easy involve selecting the right moving partner.We cannot stress the importance of a reputable moving company enough–especially when making a long, cross-country move!
A reputable moving company will handle your items carefully, carry insurance in case anything goes wrong, and assist by making the move quick and pain-free for you and your family. Your real estate agent should be able to recommend local, honest moving companies.
8. Pack Boxes Inside Boxes (Nesting Technique)
How to make moving easy when you have to do your own packing? It’s possible. Never pack an empty box in a box. Fill items within other items when you can. For example, if you’re packing a suitcase, fill it with clothes or accessories before packing it away. Don’t waste any of that space!
9. Label and Organize Your Moving Boxes
Label your moving boxes by the room they belong in, and organize each box with like items. You can even leave a slip of paper on the top of the box that explains precisely what the package contains. Keep your most essential things, especially those you’ll need right away, in the same box and mark them as important! When you reach your destination, you’ll thank us for this relocating advice.
10. Don’t Procrastinate
Our biggest tip for how to make moving easy? Don’t procrastinate. Start early and stay productive. When working with relocation deadlines, never get behind or risk the moving truck leaving without your most important items!
Atlanta Relocation Tips
If you’re relocating to Atlanta, you’ve found your perfect match. Brock Built specializes in new construction homes in Atlanta’s favorite neighborhoods. Whether you’re looking for townhomes on the BeltLine or single family homes on Atlanta’s Westside, we can help you find your dream home just in time for your move.
Get in touch with our Atlanta Brock Built team to schedule a tour of our available homes today!