Consider these factors when planning a move to a new city

This week’s column was written by Eliot Ward, a Realtor with Harvest Park Group in Draper, Utah. Prior to being an active real estate agent in Utah, Ward was a real estate broker in California, and was the broker of record for a property-management company with close to 2,000 leases.

Perhaps you recently accepted a job offer in a new city, or maybe you just needed a change of scenery and decided now was the time to make that change.

Uprooting your life isn’t an easy feat — but it’s exciting and new. You’ll get to explore a whole new place and all that new place has to offer! There’ll be new activities, new restaurants, new neighbors, new parks and more.

What should you know about your new hometown? What research should you do ahead of time to ensure you relocate to a place you’ll be comfortable living in?

Here’s what you need to do before moving: • Look up the neighborhoods before buying (or renting).

The neighborhood makes your home what it is. Check out Google Maps before your big move, and get to know the neighborhoods prior to settling on a new place. You might even make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of neighborhood you’re considering; doing so can help make the decision easier.

If your kids are in school, you’ll likely want a educational facility close by. Do you want them to attend a private or public school? Is there one close by?

And what about grocery shopping? Is it easy to get to?

Do you like to have a gym you can walk to? Are there parks in the neighborhood?

Ask yourself these questions ahead of time. Determine their importance of each to you and your family.

• Research the local “big” activities and events.

With a new city comes a new list of annual events and festivals. Find out what big attractions take place in the area.

If your family is into skiing or mountain biking, for instance, look to see if there is a place close by where you can partake in these activities.

Finding activities and fun events to look forward to can lessen any negative impacts of a move, such as being far away from friends and family.

A major move is exciting, but it can also be really tough. Make the best of it!

• Research the living costs of your new city. This is a big one.

Cities come with different price tags. For example, housing prices in the downtown areas of a large city such as New York are going to be far costlier than a small town in the same state, such as Cold Spring, New York. Make sure you know what you’ll be spending before you commit.

Even grocery prices tend to change in different areas. In California, you’ll see grocery prices skyrocket in Los Angeles compared to surrounding towns.

Calculate what you can expect to spend in your new city and decide if it works for your budget. One of the worst things that could happen would be moving and then finding out you can’t afford your new city. Financial planning makes all the difference, and it can help you avoid future panic or crises.

Moving to a new city can be a great change of pace. Enjoy it — but don’t forget to plan for it. Do your research ahead of time, and make sure the new city you choose is right for you.

— Reprinted from blog.rismedia.com with permission of RISMedia

House to House is distributed by the Arkansas Realtors Association. For more information about homeownership in Arkansas, visit www.ArkansasRealtors.com.