Moving out of state is a fast-growing trend. In my hometown in North Carolina, we had more than five thousand new students last year, many coming from out of state. Moving anywhere is not easy. Moving out of state is  far harder. There are a million and one things to think about and consider before you begin. I have prepared this guide that might help to make it a little easier.

Access a Computer

Your computer can become your best friend for planning a move out of state. With it you can find real estate listings, employment advertisements, school and tax information, along with crime rates, neighborhood statistics, nearby shopping centers and restaurants. If you do not own a computer, borrow a friend’s or visit a public library. Most libraries have computers available for use by anyone with a library card.

The Chamber of Commerce

It is a good idea to visit the Chamber of Commerce, either online or in person, for the area you are considering. They can provide you with maps of the area and also relevant business opportunities and job listings. You can find a listing for the Chamber of commerce in your area by doing a keyword search using the phrase Chamber of Commerce.

Newspapers Online and off

When moving out of state, the newspaper can be the equivalent of a gold mine. Find the local newspaper online and subscribe to it. You will be able to find job listings, real estate and other pertinent information. By reading the paper for a few weeks you will also get a feel for the neighborhood and get a good idea about the people that live there and what is important to them. You can find the location of many local newspaper’s web sites by doing an internet search using the key word newspapers.

After you have checked out the online edition, it is a good idea to get a temporary subscription to the printed version. It costs a bit more for the postage but it contains even more useful information including more of everything mentioned and advertisements for the local area, which will help you get an idea of what things will cost in your new area.

Find a Home

You can also search for real estate that is available in the area by going online and typing the words real estate into a search engine. Once there you can run a web site search by providing either the city’s name or the zip code of the area you are considering. You will be able to look for housing in your own particular price range and with your own specifications such as two bedrooms or three, carport or garage etc. Once you find a home that looks interesting and affordable you will find all the information needed to contact the local real estate agent who is handling that property. When you have an agent, they will be more than happy to assist you in looking for exactly the home that you want either by telephone or e-mail. If you prefer to rent first, they can help you with that also.

After you’ve located a few houses in the area you are thinking about moving to, you’ll need to plan a trip there to take a look at them in person. Remember that the real estate office’s have professional photographers taking the pictures of the houses you are viewing online. Never take their word for it. Go there and see for yourself if the home is up to your standards. In our search for a home we were fooled more than once with the glossy pictures at the web site.

Spend Some Quality Time There

Your computer can help you immensely with the initial planning but the most important thing you need to do before moving to a new and unfamiliar area is to go and spend some time there. Go shopping at the local stores and meet the people that are shopping along side you there. Drive around the neighborhoods to see if they are well kept. Look for excessive pot holes in the road to see if the town has money for repairs. Pull into a gas station and ask for directions. Attend a local festival, museum or movie theater to get a feel for the place. Eat at a Mom and Pop type restaurant there. Of course visiting is never the same as living there but by spending time in many different kinds of places you will get a good idea about the people and culture that abound in the area.

Moving Expenses

When you’ve found the perfect new place to live, you will need to start thinking about moving all of your belongings there. Keep in mind that moving your belongings out of state is not cheap and with gas prices always going crazy, it isn’t going to get any cheaper. Your best bet is to take as little as possible along with you. Weigh the cost of getting the item there against the cost of replacing it once you’ve moved. When you call a moving company, they usually charge by the pound and the mileage. Depending on how much stuff you plan to bring along and how far away you are moving, you may be surprised to find that it is actually more affordable to buy a new set of dishes than it is to bring the old ones that are missing a few pieces anyway. Select your most precious items to take and then have a yard sale with the rest of your things. In the long run, you will be glad you did and besides, its fun to decorate a new house with a few new knickknacks.

It may be more cost effective to rent a truck and do the moving yourself. But be aware that these rentals can also be quite pricey and unless you are a professional mover, you may lose a few breakables along the way.

When we made our 550 mile move, we actually purchased a used van and made several trips back and forth with it to get all of our things here. Although it may sound like an inconvenience, for us this was the best way to go and we still have the van.

When it gets close to the time when you will actually be packing up, you should start collecting boxes. Boxes and packing material expenses can add up rather quickly. Your best bet is to find out when your supermarket gets their weekly delivery and ask them if you could have some of the boxes that they would be getting rid of anyway. Drug stores and Liquor stores are also good places to find used boxes. Save all of your old newspapers to be used as packing material. If you need to purchase boxes, go to your nearest storage company or mailing center. If you are hiring a moving company, they may be able to supply you with boxes for an additional fee.

If you are packing breakables, it is a good idea to incorporate some of them in with your clothing. To get my China cabinet here in one piece I packed up the glass cabinets with sheets and blankets and then wrapped the outside with bubble wrap. It worked beautifully.

When to Move

If you have children, you will need to try to make your move when it won’t affect their education too badly. The summer is the ultimate time to do this. If you are not able to move during this vacation period, try to move during another one. We were able to move during the winter recess break from school. Keep in mind that schools in different parts of the country keep different yearly schedules. Call the new school to find out theirs and try to make the move when there are vacations at both schools that coincide.

If there are no children to worry about, the summer may not be the best time for you to move as it is the peak season for people who are moving. We all know that the price of anything is higher during peak seasons.

By following a few or all of these suggestions you should have an easier time when making your move to a new state. Good luck in your new home!