Tag Archives: How to Learn About a New City Before Moving

How to Learn About a New City Before Moving

Moving to a new city before you take the time to learn anything can be a risky gamble. Whichever new city or town you’re considering moving to, it’s best to learn as much as possible before you arrive there. In this short guide, we’ll discuss a few different ways to research a city before moving there so you can make the best decision and know what to expect when moving somewhere new.

Contact People Who Live There

Everyone has something to say about the place they live, so definitely reach out to people you know who live there and see if they like it. If you travel there yourself, start up conversations with friendly locals. They’re the ones who know the place, so it’s a good idea to have a few important questions ready and to ask as many people as you can to gain different perspectives. Everyone has different opinions, but after doing so you should have a solid idea of if the new locale is accommodating to your needs and desires.

Visit in Person

We highly recommend visiting the new city or town in person before moving yourself and all your belongings there. You never know quite how you’ll fit in and like the place until you’re there, so we recommend taking about a week from your schedule to stay in a hotel or AirBnb in the area you’re interested in. While you’re there, try to visualize yourself staying. Start creating a mental map of the city and where things are in relation to different attractions and neighborhoods.  

Join Online Forums

Online forums like Reddit and City-Data contain a wealth of information about almost every city in the US. These places are frequented not only by people who are interested in moving there themselves, but also locals who use them to discuss issues that are important to them. Browsing around should show you some common sentiment towards the city, and since they’re visited by others interested in moving there, some of your pressing questions may have already been asked and answered.

If any remaining questions haven’t been answered, you can make a free account on each of these sites and ask away. You’ll likely hear back from multiple people, and it’s a great way to gather different perspectives. There is also a wide range of statistics and demographic information hosted on City-Data.com. Each city’s profile includes average income, information on local schools, the average age of the population, and much, much more.

Check Out Job Opportunities

It’s important to consider whether the city you’re interested in has the economy necessary to sustain the jobs you’re trained in, are qualified for, and what interests you. Indeed.com is a great way to find specific jobs, but oftentimes cities are known for their different economic specialties. Some are known for their tech fields, and others are known for medical for instance. A simple google search can often reveal up and coming industries.

Wherever you go, it’s important to have a source of income lined up. If you haven’t secured a job already, and it’s not the reason for your move in the first place, be sure you send out your applications and have a prepared resume for companies early on. If you’d like to get there and play it by ear, it’s best to be in touch with a couple reputable job recruiters.  

Familiarize Yourself with Local News

Before you get there, visit the websites of a few different local news stations. If you get a chance to visit in person, pick up a local newspaper. This way you’ll get a feel for what’s going on in each city. Not only do these periodicals contain information about what the community thinks is important, but they often discuss important city council decisions, information on local school boards, and current debates in the state’s legislature that may affect you.

Use Maps to Your Advantage

Remember maps aren’t just for navigation to or from a specific place. There’s a lot to be learned about different areas depending on its geography. If you see a listing that’s significantly less than others in a similar area, keep an eye out for things like nearby airports, rail lines, and highways.

It’s also a great idea to take a virtual walk around the city using Google’s street view. Always cross reference the property you’re interested in with this tool, and feel free to see what’s nearby. The maps are there, so use them to gauge the distance to important facilities like grocery stores, hospitals, and schools.

Investigate Weather

We all know you shouldn’t move to Alaska if you can’t stand harsh winters, but a lack of research on an area’s weather can leave the potential to be caught off guard unexpectedly. Wikipedia offers information on a city’s average temperature and precipitation as well as other interesting and pertinent information. Also, keep an eye out for shared sentiment regarding the weather on the forums we mentioned earlier.

The best way to gauge if the weather and climate will be an issue for you is traveling there and experiencing it yourself. But before you make plans to do even that, take into consideration things like relative humidity and annual rainfall. Also consider the frequency of natural disasters such as, flooding, fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, hail, and tornadoes. Each of these events has the potential to disrupt daily life, so keep in mind how often such things occur.  

RLD Relocation and Logistics is at Your Side

Whether you’re moving locally or across the country, our goal at RLD Relocation is to provide you with all the resources and expertise to make your relocation seamless and stress free. It’s why Ohio families and businesses have been choosing us for over two decades, for all their moving and storage needs. Contact us today if you’d like a free quote or have any questions about our relocation services.