The best part of moving and relocating to a new town or city is the newness of the whole thing. Getting to know the amenities, finding a new favourite eatery, new parks, new people and a new lifestyle is exciting relocating stuff.
The most challenging aspect of relocating to a new area is finding a place to live, especially if your new town is a significant distance from where you now live. It is a challenge that is, thankfully, not insurmountable.
Secure the Services of a Real Estate Agent
Your number one source of neighbourhood information should be your real estate agent. Have you chosen one yet? Let’s take a look at some quick tips for finding an agent in a new area.
Check real estate agents’ websites
Be aware that when you do an online search for “real estate agents in” whatever city you’ll be relocating to, the first page of results may be filled with the big real estate aggregator sites, which are useless for your purposes.
Scroll down until the actual agents’ sites start appearing in the search results. You may have to view several pages of search engine results to find a handful of agents to consider.
Take a deep dive into the websites, looking for someone who offers lots of local and neighbourhood information about the new area you are relocating to. Since you’re new in town, this information is vital in helping you find your ideal neighbourhood.
Call the agents
Calling the agent for the first time is an important step in the process as it presents the first “test” of whether or not to work with the agent. Schedule a call
Get to Know the Area
The problem with being an “outsider” is that it’s difficult to know which neighbourhoods suit your lifestyle.
Sure, you can go online, do a Google Earth/Google Maps search and check out the surrounding areas, but that really tells you little about what it’s like to actually live in the different areas of any town or city. That type of information is best obtained by asking folks who actually live in the area.
Visits to the area before relocating present the best opportunity to get a feel for what it will be like to live there. Even if you can’t visit, however, you should use the Internet and your real estate agent to research the following items, if they are important to you:
- Cost of living
- Home prices
- Schools
- Transportation
- Crime rates
Don’t forget to determine commute times from the neighbourhoods you’re interested in relocating to and the cost of parking if you’ll work in a downtown building. These outlays can add significantly to the cost of living in a new area.
While most people will tell you that finding a house when relocating to a new area is stressful, don’t believe it. With the right real estate agent to guide you, it should be adventurous and exciting.
Here is some helpful information if you are relocating to Tauranga, Mount Maunganui or Papamoa.
Call us if you’d like a referral to an agent in your new hometown. We’re happy to help – Matt Wineera 0274 951 536
