Moving from a suburb or large city to a small town can be an intimidating proposition. Here are a few tips to help make your move as painless as possible.
Research before you move. It’s important to understand the culture you’re joining. Do research online and find out about school systems, neighborhoods, parking, weather, public transportation, and laws that are native to that area. If you can, visit before moving and connect with someone who’s lived there before.
Have a plan. There are a lot of steps to go through before you start packing the moving truck. Find housing before you leave, or at least know where you’ll stay while you look for a home. Never sign a lease on an apartment that you haven’t seen. Rental scams exist in smaller towns too! If you can’t get there, find a friend or an employer to check for you. Have a job waiting for you, or if that’s not possible, know what you’ll do for money in the first few weeks of living there. Try to line up things like driver’s licenses, car insurance, renter’s insurance, and parking passes ahead of time as well.
Get involved. Meeting people in a small town can be more difficult. Don’t expect the neighbors to knock your door down with a casserole when you arrive: locals are often intimidated by newcomers. Take the initiative. If there are things you liked to do in the city find ways to do those things in your new town. Try new things. Volunteer. Smaller towns often provide more leadership opportunities so take a plunge and make a difference!
Pad your savings. City life is expensive. Everything costs more: food, insurance, clothes, rent. There are also a lot more ways to get ripped off, whether legally or criminally. Now that you're in a smaller town, take the opportunity to stash the extra savings away!
Molly McGee serves buyers and sellers in the Monterey Bay Area of Central Coast California including Big Sur, Carmel, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley, Corral de Tierra, Del Rey Oaks, Hwy 68, Marina, Monterey, Monterey-Salinas Highway, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Salinas, Seaside & the South Coast. Contact me today, I am here to answer your questions! 831-601-8424, mollymcgee@kw.com
