While moving into a new home is a big and exciting step in our lives, moving to a new city at the same time is a major event. This article by Devon Thorsby, Real Estate reporter at U.S. News, offers some valuable advice for those who are considering a big move to a new hometown.
Ever have the urge to live somewhere else?
Lauren Modery did. In 2008, she packed up her car and drove from Los Angeles to Austin, Texas.
“I really needed to get out of the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, but I still wanted to go to a bigger city that had a lot of culture and art,” says Modery, a writer and creator of the blog Hipstercrite. “Austin seemed like the spot, so I got rid of everything I could, put everything in my car and I drove to Austin.”
Whether you’ve got Austin or another city in your sights, the decision to move is a major one, and you’ve got several factors to take into account before you pack up everything and hit the road. Where will you live? How will you make money? And will the job you land be enough to live in that city?
How do you know when you’re ready to make the move? The trigger is different for everyone – whether it’s the job you want, reuniting with a loved one who lives elsewhere or searching for a better climate – but you should be careful to take every necessary factor into account before going to live the dream.
Regina Leeds, a professional organizer, offers a few tips to help you decide if a move is right, and if it’s right for you now:
Visit the city before you go there. It might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to get wrapped up in the romantic idea of a place away from your current home. Visit it in the offseason, whether that’s the coldest New York winter weekend or at the height of humidity in Washington, D.C., and figure out easily overlooked logistics, such as whether you need a new wardrobe for different seasonal weather. If you’re moving for a relationship, Leeds stresses you should clarify the move is mutual before you uproot your life, plus work out details such as if you’ll live together, who pays for what costs and when the right time to move is.
Do your research. Research the general cost of the city, from housing and public transportation to the cost of moving, the most optimal way to sell off belongings you don’t need and more factors you’ll encounter with a move. If you have a family, you’ll want to research the schools in the area and decide which neighborhood and school would be the best fit for your children.
