There’s only one hiccup. Accepting the job of your dreams would require you to complete a challenging, long-distance relocation in a very short period of time. The clock is ticking. You have to decide fast. How can you execute this move without making a big, critical mistake in the process?
The chances are, without proper planning and know-how, you might. As experienced long-distance movers, we’ve seen countless relocation errors. Often the consequences of these mistakes are costly, both financially and psychologically. We’ve outlined some of the most important and most common mistakes we see and explain how you can avoid them.
1. You Haven’t Adequately Researched Your New Location
Most people relocate because of their jobs. They entertain an offer, visit the desired new location, explore the areas and its culture, and look at neighborhoods and homes. If they have children, they’ll ask around about the best school systems. Then, once they’ve decided they’ll accept the job offer, they select a place to live based on their budget and the new home’s proximity to work.
Let’s check out what these people didn’t do during this seemingly thorough process. They didn’t examine the cost of living in different neighborhoods throughout the area. They didn’t do a commuting test run, driving from each potential new home to their new office. They didn’t network with other professionals their age or ask these local business people for their advice.
In other words, they didn’t sufficiently research their new location.
You can circumvent this issue by building a network of local contacts and calling them. Your relocation research shouldn’t be all internet-based. Facts and figures help you determine if you can afford to pay your mortgage in a new place. They can’t help you determine if you’ll fit in there and if your new life will run smoothly.
2. You Didn’t Work With an Effective Realtor to Sell Your Home and Buy a New One
Many people find a realtor through a family member or a friend’s referral. However, not all referrals are completely trustworthy.
Instead of relying solely on a friend’s recommendation, choose a knowledgeable, effective realtor to help you sell your current home and buy a new one. If you go with someone less qualified, you may experience extraordinary delays in buying or selling your home.
Also, it’s not a good idea to try to sell your own home. It’s an exceptionally time-consuming, paperwork-laden process that should be left to the professionals.
3. You Didn’t Secure Temporary Housing in Between Locations
It’s rare that you can sell your home, buy another home, and experience a seamless transition when you need to move within a week or two. In most cases, you’ll need to find a place to live for a month or two while the transactions and corresponding paperwork process.
One of the biggest, most avoidable mistakes we see is when people overlook temporary housing. Hotel stays get expensive after a few weeks, and AirBnB rentals are generally limited to 29 days. Therefore, you should check local listings and talk to realtors about finding a short-term rental.
4. You Tried a DIY Relocation
DIY relocations have risks. Aside from the prohibitive costs, inefficient procedures, and potential injuries, DIY moves take a significant psychological toll on the person performing them.
You’ll literally spend hours gathering the packing materials you need, packing up your entire home, driving yourself and your belongings, and then unpacking your stuff. It will be labor-intensive and mentally strenuous.
Instead of adding stress to an already challenging relocation, hire professional movers to do the job for you. They can handle the workload and let you focus on settling into your new job.
5. You Underestimated the Commute to Your New Office or Overestimated Your Raise
Commutes and living costs have more value than the numbers we assign them. For example, you might be considering a job offer with a $20,000 raise. However, in addition to the relocation, the position could be located in an expensive city like San Francisco.
In order to afford living near your new job, you’d have to find a small home at least a half hour away. You’d also have to commute over an hour each way, five days a week. This commute takes a toll on your quality of life.
To avoid making this mistake, reexamine where you can live, how long your commute is, and whether or not you’d feel comfortable accepting more money for more time in the car.
Before you accept your new job offer, review our list of common relocation mistakes and how to avoid them. Remember that it’s more cost effective, safe, and efficient to hire a reputable moving service like Bekins Van Lines. We’re a one-stop shop with a wide array of household moving and international moving services.
