How To Make Relocating Easier And Less Stressful

Kyle Hiscock

Kyle Hiscock | Greater Rochester NY Real Estate | Pittsford NY Realtor at RE/MAX Realty Group

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How To Make Relocating Easier & Less Stressful

How To Make Relocating Easier & Less Stressful

Moving is normally something that people do not look forward to or have fun doing.  It requires lots of preparation and hard work.  The process can be very stressful to some people.  This is normally the case even if you’re moving a short distance to the next community over from your current one.

Relocating across the country can add a ton of addition emotions and feelings.  There are many reasons people relocate, whether it’s to be closer to family or for a brand new job.  The process can be overwhelming and stressful.  While it’s unlikely a cross country relocation or relocation 3 hours away will ever be completely stress free and overwhelming, there are certain tips that can help make the process seem less of a monumental task.

It’s important to understand there are things you should be doing before you decide to relocate, during the relocation, and even after you have arrived to your new hometown.  So before you agree to relocate to a new city, state, or country, make sure you read the following tips on making your relocation easier and less stressful.

What You Should Do Before Relocating

Before you decide to pack up your family and belongings, there are some things you should do before making that huge decision.  Below are several things that you should do before relocating.

Research Your New Community

Before moving to your new city, state, or country, it’s important you know what to expect from your new community.  If you have a family or are expecting to have a family in the future, you need to know how the local school district is within the potential community.  There are many ways you can obtain information on local school districts.  One top way to obtain information on schools is by picking up the phone and calling the school district directly.  They should be able to provide you information and statistics on their district.  Another popular way to find information on schools is by searching online.  One very popular website for school information and data is GreatSchools.  The quality of the school district is not only important to know if you have children or are planning to have children, but also the schools in a community can impact the home values.

Another important piece of information to know about your potential new community is the crime information and data.  The information and data for crime can substantially vary from one town to another, even if they are very close in proximity.  A great way to find the information on crime in a community is by contacting the local municipality and ask for statistics.  Many times you will be able to speak with somebody in the police department.  Like schools, you can also find some information online, but always remember to take what you read online about a community with a “grain of salt.”

Healthcare providers and availability in the potential community is important.  This is true whether you have a large family or not.  Finding out if there are local hospitals close by and other services is something that you should know before deciding if the potential community is somewhere you’d like to relocate too.  The United States Department of Health and Human Services website is a great resource to find information on healthcare in any community.

Research Local Real Estate Market

When relocating to a new community, you will need a place to reside.  Whether you plan on renting or buying a home, knowing the local real estate market is something you should research before committing to a relocation.  If you plan on renting in your new community, what are the apartments or homes costing to rent for a month?  Are they within your budget?

If you plan on purchasing a home when relocating, is the housing affordable?  Most people have an idea of what they are looking for in a potential home, whether it be a 3 bedroom ranch, a condominium, or something else.  In the real estate market you’re potentially relocating to, can you afford what you’re looking for?  Housing prices and real estate taxes can vary significantly from town to town and state to state, so do your research beforehand.

A great way to find information on the local real estate market of your potential relocation destination is online.  It’s extremely important though to remember that the most accurate real estate market information is going to come from a local website.  Third party websites like Trulia and Zillow can often provide information on real estate markets that is very inaccurate.

Research The Local Economy

If you’re relocating to a new community for a new job that, knowing what to expect of the local economy is important.  Find out what the cost of living will be in your new community.  Even though you may be receiving a significant raise in pay, always remember, the cost of living can vary from city to city and your raise in pay actually may not be as significant as you once thought if the cost of gas, groceries, and other necessities are significantly more.

If you are relocating and have a spouse or family, knowing how the local job market is in the community is critical.  It’s wonderful if you have a new job offer, but if your spouse or significant other cannot find work, it could be a problem.  To find information on the local economy, a great place to start is the local economic development department.  They should be able to provide statistics on the area.

What You Should Do While Relocating

Now that you’re comfortable with the community in which you’re relocating to, there still are some things that need to be done.  Here are some of the top things you should do while relocating.

Select Top Notch Real Estate Agent(s)

Depending on your circumstances, you may have a home to sell in your current community and you may also need to purchase a new one.  Whether you need to sell and buy, just buy a new home, or just sell your current home, make sure you select a top notch real estate agent.  The best way to find a top notch real estate agent is by properly interviewing potential Realtors.

If you’re relocating for a new job, many companies will offer a relocation incentive and provide a relocation company.  If this is the case, you may not have the option to interview potential Realtors, as many relocation companies already have top notch Realtors handling their transactions.  Many companies will offer their employees an incentive to relocate by covering the costs of the real estate commissions and other expenses.  This can potentially save thousands of dollars and also take some of the stress of selecting a top real estate agent out of the equation.

Hire a Quality Moving Company When Relocating!

Hire a Quality Moving Company When Relocating!

Prepare For The Move

Moving is not something that most people look forward too.  It can be a very stressful experience and also time consuming.  A move can be especially stressful on children and pets.  For children, not only are they having to leave all of their friends, local family members, and teachers, but you’re also asking them to leave the comfort of their current environment.  Make sure when relocating with children that you have their new school already selected as well as their healthcare providers to help ease the transition.  It can be helpful to show them photos of your new community, show them their new school, and other neat features of your relocation destination.

Moving with pets is stressful on your pets but also on their owners.  There are many tips for moving with pets that can help ease the stress of the move.  Before leaving your current community, make sure you discuss your move with your Veterinarian.  They will need to provide you the records of your pet and also can give you some tips to making the move a little less stressful on your furry friends.  Make sure you have researched Veterinarians in your new community and make sure they are accepting new patients, as it maybe possible the top Veterinarians may not be currently accepting new patients.

The last but certainly not the least person to prepare for the move is yourself.  Mentally prepare yourself for the actual move and know that there will be some stressful times ahead.  Hopefully you’re relocating to a new community for a new opportunity, so remember all the positive reasons why the relocation is happening.

Hire A Quality Moving Company

Just like selecting a top real estate agent is important, hiring a quality moving company is very important when relocating.  A quality moving company will help ease the stress of the move.  Worrying about your belongings arriving safely at your new destination is something you should not need to be concerned over.  A top quality moving company will ensure this happens.

If you’re relocating for a new job opportunity, ask your new employer if they offer any moving services.  There is a good probability that they have quality moving companies they work with and they also could possibly pay for the cost of the move.

Once you or your company has selected a top quality moving company, remember “Think Before You Pack.”  It’s natural that over time people accumulate things that they truly have no need for.  A good rule of thumb when packing is to determine whether or not you have used the item or worn the piece of clothing in the last 12 months.  If not, there’s probably a good chance that you do not need to pack and bring to your new destination.

What You Should Do After Arriving To Your New Hometown

Once you have arrived in your new community, the job isn’t completely finished yet.  While the majority of the stressful tasks are completed, there are still somethings to do after relocating.

After Relocating Make It Feel Like Home!

After Relocating Make It Feel Like Home!

Make It Feel Like Home

Unpacking is not a fun task by any stretch of the imagination, however, not as stressful as packing and the move itself.  Once you arrive in your new home, it’s time to start making it feel like home.  As you are unpacking your belongings, if there were items that you brought even though you were unsure if they’d fit in your new home, now is the time to determine whether you should keep them or not.  Ask yourself if you can envision yourself utilizing the item in the next two or three months.  If not, toss it to the curb.  Another option is donating it to the local Salvation Army or Volunteers of America.  Most of these companies who accept donations will even arrange pick-ups for donated items.

Relocating is a great opportunity to de-clutter and get rid of items that you may have no use for.

Inform Those Who Need To Know About Your New Location

Once you have arrived in your new community, there are people and companies that you need to inform.  The first place to inform about your new location is the United States Postal Service.  Changing your address with the postal service will take care of notifying most of the companies who send you mail and also ensure that any mail sent to your old address will be forwarded.  Changing your address can easily be done online at the USPS webpage.

In addition to the USPS, you should inform any family members and friends about the change to your location.  Technology and social media has made it extremely easy to stay in touch with people, even thousands of miles away.  You can inform your friends and family by simply e-mailing them or sending them a Facebook message.

Other Tasks To Complete Once You’ve Relocated

There are a number of other tasks that you should complete once you’ve arrived to your new home.  Here are some of the most common tasks to complete after relocating.

  • Register your vehicle
  • Register to vote
  • Register your children at school (if applicable)
  • Find/Visit your new doctor(s)
  • Find a new bank/financial institution (if necessary)
  • Contact insurance companies for auto, home, and health insurance(s)
  • Contact cable and internet companies

Final Thoughts

Relocating is not as simple as the move itself, as you can see.   It’s important that everyone who will be impacted by the relocation is on-board and agreeable with the move, to a certain degree.  If everyone is not agreeable with a move, it can really make the process become a nightmare.

As you can see, there are many things that need to be considered before agreeing to a relocation, during the relocation, as well as after the relocation is complete.  Relocating is stressful and likely that it will be completely stress-free, however, by properly preparing yourself and your family, it can be significantly less stressful.

Other Resources For Relocating Successfully

If you’re relocating to Rochester, NY or relocating from Rochester, NY, this information will be invaluable.  If you’re looking for advice on relocating, please contact us and we’d be happy to provide you with the resources and contacts to make your transition as stress-free as possible.  If you’d like information relating to any of the Greater Rochester, NY real estate communities, we can provide some detailed guides to our local real estate communities.


About the authors:  The above article “How To Make Relocating Easier and Less Stressful” was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise.

We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY.

Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.

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