Moving is a daunting task under the best of circumstances. When you’re moving to another state, it can be even more stressful. There are the normal activities of having to get all your things together and pack them and arrange for all your stuff to be moved, but then there are all the other things that will be necessary because you will no longer be living in the same state. Here we’ll take a look at some tips when moving to another state.
Budget Appropriately
Whether you pay for a professional mover or you try and move all your things yourself, it won’t be cheap if you have a lot of things. It is estimated that moving from one state to another can cost as much as $5,000. Even if you feel that you can save money by renting a truck and doing the move yourself, there are still a lot of expenses involved, and when you do it yourself, there’s a lot of hard work and the fact that you aren’t experienced moving your valuables.
When you’re putting together a budget for the move, you need to make sure that you account for all your expenses. If you want to use a professional mover, then you will need to get some estimates on what the charges will be. You’ll also need to factor in all the moving costs that will be involved and other fees such as changing out your license and the plates on your car. Then there are the unexpected expenses that will come up that you weren’t able to anticipate.
If Possible Take a Trip to the New State and the City Where You Plan To Move
It can help more than you think if you’re able to visit the state and city where you plan to move. This will help you get a grasp on the lay of the land and where the good neighborhoods are and where shopping and other amenities will be. If you can, you should put together maps and city guides and any brochures you can get your hands on for exploring the city. As well as visiting there you can get lots of information online about a city you plan to move to.
Taking a trip to the state and city where you plan on moving won’t necessarily save you money. What it might do is give you some sense of relaxation. When you can go there and get a feel for the area you’ll be living; you won’t be as anxious about the move. This can allow you to focus on details of putting stuff together and getting from where you are to where you’re moving to rather than worrying about how the city is going to be.
If You Have Children Then Do Your Research on Schools
If you’re moving to a medium or large city, then there will certainly be many different schools that your children might potentially go to. Usually, if they are attending public school, then the one they go to will be based on where you live. This could play a significant role in choosing the area or the neighborhood that you select. You’ll want to try and find a school that meets your criteria and provides your children with the best circumstances for them.
It’s usually relatively easy to find out which neighborhoods are associated with the schools that are considered to be the best in the area. Once you’ve located those areas, then you can consult with a real estate agent about available homes or apartments in those areas. You can then go and look specifically at places to live in the neighborhoods you’re interested in based on the school system.
Decide On A Place to Live
It’s infinitely more challenging to move to a new city when you don’t have a place to live already. When you do, however, it’s merely a matter of moving your things to that new home or apartment. That’s why you’re going to go ahead and find a place to live and either buy it if you’re getting a home or rent an apartment, whichever the case is. If you use a good realtor, they can often be very helpful in finding the right place for you and your family.
Research Long Distance Movers
Although most moving companies are reputable, we have all heard the horror stories. There’s no reason to take a chance with your valuables. You’ll want to research the different long distance moving companies available so that you are sure you’re getting one that will take care of your things and get them delivered.
If anyone files a complaint against them, they will list that complaint, and they will also let any viewers know how the claim was handled. Often it is not whether or not a company had ever had a complaint but rather how they handled it when they did. If they have proven themselves and take care of their customers by providing good service and when a complaint comes up they handle it appropriately, then that’s a good sign. If, on the other hand, they failed to handle a complaint appropriately, then you might want to keep looking.
Take Care of the Different Incidentals
One of the reasons that moving to a new state is more challenging is there are a lot of incidentals that need to be handled. As an example, you’ll need to change your driver’s license to one that is valid for the new state. Usually, you have a maximum of about 30 days to be able to do that from the time you start living there. The earlier you can do that the more convenient it will be for you.
You’ll also need to make sure your mail is forwarded to your new address. You will likely be getting lots of important letters that you don’t want to miss, which is why you’ll need to go to the Post Office and arrange with them to have all of your mail forwarded to the new address.