Moving to a new city can be an exciting adventure filled with opportunities to experience new things and meet new people. Although moving is filled with excitement and many opportunities to experience new things, you have to be realistic and smart with your approach before you just up and move. You have to consider things like your current lifestyle, the job market, and the cost of living… and if you have children, that’s a whole new set of considerations that you have to factor in before jet setting to another state.
People move for all kinds of different reasons. Some people move to be closer to family and friends and some people move because they simply need a change in scenery… there’s no wrong reason to move but your reason for moving is going to help you determine the city and state you move to and it’s going to play a role in how you prepare to move. The bottom line is, the way you currently live is going to be affected in some kind of way by your new destination.
You may live in a small town where everything is close together. The grocery store is close to your home, your child’s school is within walking distance, and you only have a ten-minute commute to work… Moving to a new city can completely take the ease and convenience of your old location and make life a little bit harder with longer commute times, learning a school bus schedule, and more nights eating out than cooking… You just never know how your life will be affected by a move without doing some research.
The realities of relocating can be a hard pill to swallow but even with that reality, when you have your mind set on moving, you’re going to move, either because you really need or want to or because your job requires it… so in knowing that, it’s important that you do your research and look for the characteristics in a particular city that would make you want to live there. For some people, a city’s job market is what makes them relocate while for others, it’s the cost of housing that help them choose the right city for them… it just depends on what’s at the top of your moving priorities list. Take a look at some of the biggest characteristics to look for in a city when you’re considering relocating.
Job Market For Your Field
Relocating comes with a lot of financial responsibilities, especially when moving to a new city in a totally different state. Some cities have a higher employment rate for certain industries while other industries are tougher to get into in a particular city. So before you move, be sure to check out the job market for the city you’re thinking of relocating to.
If your career is in the healthcare industry, you can feel pretty secure in finding a job because people will always need healthcare. Whether you’re looking for jobs in nursing or if you’re a doctor with a specialty in neurology, you can find neurology positions by state or subspecialty. Researching the job market is definitely something you want to do long before you make a final decision.
Housing Costs
Housing costs are a huge determining factor in making a final decision on where you’ll relocate to. You’ll need to determine if you’re going to buy or rent a house or if you’re going to rent an apartment. Before moving, it’s a good idea to consult with a realtor in that area that can give you the best advice on what to do based on what you want and what you can afford.
One of the worst things ever is to be “house broke.” Being “house broke” is when you have no money left over to do anything after paying all your household expenses… yes, all of your bills are paid and you have a roof over your head but that’s all you have… there’s no extra money for anything else. Do extensive research on this. Instead of going house broke trying to pay for a home you can’t afford, the Huffington Post suggests being time-rich instead of going house broke.
Cost of Living
A city’s cost of living plays a huge role in where you call home. Things like housing costs, transportation, dining out, and even groceries all fall into the category of what it costs to live in a particular city. The cost of living is also what will get you “house broke.” The higher the cost of living a city has, the more money you’re going to need to earn.
Typically, in cities with higher costs of living, they make up for it with bigger salaries and bigger social scenes, so if you really think about it, the boost in salaries to accommodate the cost of living balances out with cities with lower costs of living because the salaries are lower. The only way you won’t survive the cost of living in a city with higher costs of living is if you take a job that doesn’t pay well… you have to find a job that meets the standards of that higher cost of living.
If you can’t find a job in your field that pays what you need to survive, you may need to look at other relocation options. Just as a heads up, major cities with higher costs of living include San Francisco, New York, and Seattle.
