If you are looking to move to another part of the country then it can add another layer of stress to an already difficult time. Time may be in short supply, you are no doubt dealing with the logistics of a new job, moving the kid’s schools and everything else. But it’s important not to neglect to source the right house as this is a long-term decision that can seriously affect your enjoyment of life.
Research Areas & Neighbourhoods Online
You know where your new job is but how do you assess the quality of a neighborhood if you are completely unfamiliar with the area? Well, the obvious answer would usually be to ask around and take a look around to see what it feels like and what people say about it, but can this be done from a distance? Of course it can. Sites like trulia.com can show you features of an area such as schools etc as well as providing info by locals living in the area. Most places also have Facebook groups and pages about local culture and history, this is better than static websites as you can interact with real locals this way.
Have A Good Realtor In the Area
Being absent from the house-hunting process can bring it’s problems so having the correct realtor or estate agent is essential. If you can find one who is pro-active working to search the local available properties to match against your criteria and, most importantly, get in touch with you regularly when they have any updates on the search. This can save you a huge amount of stress and hassle.
Get A Good Moving Company
Even before you have decided on the exact property you should look to have in place your long-distance movers as some of these providers are in high demand and can be booked up in advance. Take time to find the right one, some of the services vary and it’s important to know if they take everything, how much packing you need to do yourself etc.
Check Out Floor Plans & Pics Of New Properties
So you should be getting close to making a decision so before making a final decision it is a good idea to get detailed pictures of every room, from various angles, and also the garden space. You should ask for accurate floor plans made to scale so that you can assess the layout and how your furniture would work in this property. This way you can compare various properties to create a short-list.
Visit If At All Possible
Now that you have narrowed it down to just a few properties on the short-list then it makes sense to try and make time to visit if at all possible. There can be many hidden problems and issues that you just won’t get a feel for from pictures and at least with you having a short-list now then it shouldn’t be as big a task and can visit all of them in one short visit.
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