My husband got a BIG promotion he applied for. But It means we have to relocate. The wierd part is we get to "pick" where. He'll have a very large territory he'll be responsible for, so we just have to pick somewhere within that territory. We are so overwhelmed! Where to begin?
Obviously we want somewhere w/ good schools and reasonable taxes. We'd like to stay within 2-3 hours of our family. We have found a few cities that look good. But again never being in these places, how do you know? The company will pay our realty fees, so once we narrow down the areas a realtor can help us find a more specific location. But in the meantime how do we narrow down the search?? We plan on buying a home, and staying where ever we end up, so it has to be the right fit!! HELP!!!!!
Post where you are going...maybe there are other mamas from the area on this site that can give some insight.
Personally I would list your questions here. List the city and your key points you are interested in, then wait for the responses. Everyone loves to jump in and help with these questions.
I would see if you could match an areas income level close to yours. That is usually right where you will fit in.
Google houses for sale in the city you are looking at. You might have to sign up to get the detailed information, but they will allow you a price range. You will see what areas are pricey and what areas are rough. Once you find your area, google the area and crime. I don't know that I would want to ride in a cop car (yikes).
You might want to consider not buying a house right away. You could rent for a year. This would give you the chance to really learn the area and get to know people and schools and decide where you'd really like to buy.
I friend of mine was moving to the DC area. They chose to rent a house for the first year, and they chose a house in a school district that came very highly recommended. Well, it was not a good fit for their daughter. But! During that year, she had the opportunity to really do her research and learn about nearby communities. They did buy a house the next year, and are very happy with their decision.
Try not to put so much pressure on yourself to make the perfect decision. Try and think about ways that you could make a really good "1 year" decision that allows for the possibility of some change.
Personally, I would consider weather before most anything else.
That might sound silly to some, but I've been miserable and biding my time until my son graduates high school to get away from the area I've lived in for a very long time.
Certain weather conditions are a deal breaker for me.
I hate the unsettled feeling that comes with moving, but renting before jumping into a home purchase might not be a bad idea.
If you give a little more specifics about your possibilities as far as locations, I'm sure you will get some feedback from moms.
Best wishes.
RENT first, it's a huge mistake to jump the gun and purchase a home when you don't know the area....
What states are you considering? More info would be very helpful
I would recommend you renting for 6 months after you move. You will be surprised how much more you will learn about your new city after having lived there for 6 months. Then you can take advantage of all the new knowledge you have. I've found this to be an advantage worth the bother of moving 6 months after you have "arrived".
Sometimes moving just a couple of blocks away can make a big difference.
Go to the police department and tell them you want to ride along and see how their police operate, but you want some action and don't want to sit in the car and be bored to death. (I'm NOT saying you should actually go for the ride along.) That will be the "high crime" areas. And you DON'T want to live there. Then ask where the boring patrols are and the no crime areas are. That's where you want to live. Also look up the locations of Megan's law registrants (sexual preditors) and don't live in an area with lots of them. (But also keep in mind that you can be labeled a "sexual preditor" because you got caught topless on a beach or skinny dipping.)
Ask here on mam-pedia where they would recommend you live and where you don't want to live. That would be very valuable info. And most realators won't tell you becaue of laws made to prevent you from avoiding areas where your race is not represented or very underrepresentated.
At one point in my life I had a chance to live on a lake because it was in my territory and I could have afforded it, but I chose not to because I would had to have been in a slightly smaller home and a much smaller yard. If you have a chance to have a nice view or a recreational location (like a resort) then when you get home it will be like coming home to a resort every night. When I moved here, I didn't know I was going to be in the home I was going to retire in. I'm sssoooo glad I picked a home with a view. I cannot tell you how much I enjoy watching the beautiful sunsets from my back patio. And I get to see them every day.
ETA: I studied the rush hour traffic patterns and freeway access and chose a location close to the freeway and where I was going against the typical commute. It saved me LOTS of TIME.
Good luck to you and yours.
How would I start? Consider the weather you can NOT tolerate!! Can you tolerate 105 degrees for months straight in the summer? Can you tolerate 2 feet of snow and being snowed into your house? Can you tolerate the threat of hurricanes or tornadoes every year? Those types of questions are what I wold consider first. Then, I would research online and start a pro/con list of the places where I could tolerate the weather.
How exciting! (And yes, overwhelming!) Can you give us some more information? What area are you looking...what states....what cities?
I've moved across country 4 times....only this last time with kids. We're done moving. This last move was definitely the hardest.....we needed take into account the kids more than anything.
Let us know WHERE you're looking and then you can get some feedback of the places.....but, it's all personal preference.
How soon is the move? Would you be able to take a family trip and check out the areas to get a feel for them???
What geography are you talking about? Is he going to be flying to other territories to work with colleagues? You will need very airport friendly, it makes a huge difference. More info needed! Congrats on hubby's big promotion!
We just had the same thing, (except his company paid for NOTHING, and it wasn't a promotion, we just hate where we live now, so we asked to be transferred LOL!) We chose a few cities based on internet searches....posted on here to see if other moms had information (and they did...great info) talked to everyone about our decision. You'd be amazed how 'small the world is'. We found many people with family there...and we ultimately chose a city where one of our teachers here grew up (from AZ to IA). We looked at school reviews, recreation, location. The internet is a wealth of information....people give reviews of their city all the time. When we settled on two different cities, I visited them both...saw a ton of homes and chose one.
We are now waiting to move...and do have that creeping feeling like 'did I make the right choice'....but there was not a bad choice to make. I could have chosen either place and it would have been great.
Many people told me to rent. But I have to disagree with that. We did a LOT of research before...and I know that can never take the place of living there....but I do NOT want to move twice....and have 4 kids, 3 in school and I would not consider changing schools on them just to rent for a while. No place is perfect....but choose a place that has everything (or close to it) on your list and I don't think you will be unhappy.
Good luck!
ooo, what a wonderful dilemma to have!
first of all, google those 'best place to live' lists in the area you're moving. they factor in schools, recreation, taxes, entertainment. i don't always agree with their assessments, but it's a good place to start.
then you, or you and a kid or two, should take a mini-trip and do an overnight in a few of the towns you find most promising so you can get a feel. let your gut have full rein! we often spend too much time being logical and over-riding our inner voices.
and i agree with the advice to rent for a year first. that'll give you time to nestle in a bit, talk to other moms, visit nearby towns and cities, and make a better determination before you buy.
have fun! good luck!
:) khairete
S.
I agree with the renting first.
Give a little more information if you'd like to see if anyone is from that area. They may be able to shed some insight.
If I were being given the chance to move and had a whole state to choose from I would be at a loss too. Say I was given the chance to move to Florida. I have never been there but would probably know that Miami was not someplace I would want to live. It is a large city and crime would be high, cost of living would be high, etc.....I would probably get maps out and see where hubby's office would be, what the roads are like for him to have to drive, before even thinking about any of the other stuff. If hubby had to drive an hour every day just to get to work then it would not matter what the schools or anything else were, I would rather not have someone on the road every day that much. It would cost too much in the long run.
Yes, rent first..and which states/cities?
