Making a change in your living location is a big deal. It may be due to a desire to move to where you have always wanted to live, a change in lifestyle, maybe you are moving due to family, or maybe it is the cost of living. Many people don’t take that first step without securing a job first.
Here are some questions to ask yourself before you take that leap.
- Where is the location I am looking to move to? Dive deep into where you want to move and check out the top city’s, best places to work, best places to eat and ask yourself if the new location fits who you want to be. If it’s a location change that is not in your control, find the best neighborhoods or areas that will fit your lifestyle.
- What are the location’s taxes (both state and income and any other city fees, etc.? If you are moving city’s or over state lines, or even country lines, the taxes can change dramatically. This will affect your job and the amount of money you take home.
- How does my cost of living compare to my current cost of living? (such as cost of a home, property insurance, sales tax on items, car insurance, etc.) Again, every location is different. For example, moving from Texas to California will bring you a higher cost of living and higher taxes.
- Have I found a job? You may be able to transfer from your current job, but if you are looking for something new, find a career that fits you and your new location. For example, if you move to the beach you want to enjoy it, if you move to be near family, you want to have weekends free. Local job searches and online career boards can be a great place to start when looking for your new job. Also, securing this will help with one part of the move. Make sure to look at the location of these jobs since you may not want to travel one hour for a commute.
If you plan to continue your education, you can look at online college degrees, online education portholes. You may be able to give yourself a little time and add to your current job with further education, even getting you to that new job in your new location.
Moving to a new location will also include all the questions of how you will move, when you will move, and the financials to cover a move. So whether it’s long-distance or one city over, you should look over each step carefully. In the end, it will be worth that change.
