Brought to you by RPS Relocation Service
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having enough details & demographics about your new hometown.
Gather as much information as possible about your new destination, from sources such as
the RPS community information page, Chamber of Commerce newcomer packages, information sites
like CLICKCITY, location magazines (see our on-line
bookstore) and your Realtor. You can receive a FREE "INSIDERS
GUIDE TO RELOCATION Handbook" through our request
form
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having your home priced and showable for selling.
Check your home thoroughly for all needed repairs before listing it for sale.
pay attention to details such as gapped caulking, chipped tiles, paint...it's often these
little things that potential buyers will notice. Have the home professionally cleaned,
including carpets. Check out "Preparing
to Sell Your Home," a checklist of items to make your home more marketable.
If you haven't had your home appraised in the last two years, do it before putting the
home up for sale. Also, have one or two Realtors give you a Comparable Market
Analysis. This will show what other comparable home in your neighborhood
have sold for recently. Overpricing your home at the outset will result in slow
showings and a delay in selling.
- Poor
research of what your money can buy in your new city.
Many factors such as differing salary, cost of living, taxes and housing prices
affect what the same dollar can buy in different parts of the country. Go to our mortgage
page for salary and financial calculators; also, resources such as the Chamber of
Commerce, Realtors, and Runzheimer Reports can give you this information. Also, new
programs such as "My Relo Software" (available in our on-line
bookstore and computer stores) take your personal financial data and apply it to the
city you plug it into, giving you a detailed personalized report.
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getting a mortgage pre-qualification letter before house-hunting.
While pre-qualifying with a mortgage company doesn't provide final loan approval, it
does give you a realistic price guideline and shows sellers that you are a serious and
qualified buyer. A good Relocation
Realtor can provide you with mortgage options to pre-qualify within 24 hours.
See our mortgage
page for loan calculators, salary calculators and dozens of invaluable articles and
tips on mortgages and buying a home. Another valuable tool is your credit
report...it's smart to see what it contains clear up any inaccurate information before
pre-qualification. you can obtain a copy of
your credit report on-line from QSpace, an RPS Partner.
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protecting yourself with the best home inspection possible.
This goes for both the home you're selling as well as the one you're buying, although
who pays for the inspection (buyer or seller) is negotiable in each separate
contract. A good inspector should be: A member of the ASHI (American Society of
Home Inspectors); Bonded, licensed & insured; Able to provide references; Upfront
about their fees and what is included (are termite inspections extra, for
example.) Your RPS counselor, Realtor or mortgage loan officer can recommend a
certified inspection company.
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setting up adequate interim housing between destinations.
When you first arrive in your new town, you'll most likely need to have temporary
housing arrangements until you can close and move into a new home, or find a permanent
rental. Doing adequate research and working with a reputable company to arrange your
temporary housing will make all the difference in the world to the initial adjustment
period of your move. Quality temporary housing, including worry-free customer
response and all-inclusive service, will ensure that all the details are taken care of and
allow you to arrive in your new city in comfort. not having to worry about cramped
hotel rooms, utility connections or what the apartment really looks like (gee,
the pictures were nice!) allows you to concentrate on your new job, your family and
arranging for your permanent housing. Your RPS counselor can research and prepare a
proposal of quality temporary housing options for you, free of charge.
- Your
spouse having difficulty with a career transition.
If your spouse had to quit his or her job for the relocation, or if you are both
looking for new opportunities via the move, this aspect is vital to the economic and
emotional well-being of your family. most people fail to utilize and take advantage
of all the resources available for their career needs. The key to this endeavor is
building and cultivating a network of contacts. this network can be established
starting with friends and colleagues in your departure city; be sure everyone you know and
come in contact with knows about your search, and ask them for referrals.
subscribing to the newspaper and business journals in your destination city, making use of
on-line job databanks and employment agencies, recruiters, career counselors, professional
and networking associations and any resources your employer provides strengthens your
network. The RPS Careers
page gives more resources, as can your RPS counselor.
- Difficulty
finding the best schools and daycare providers in the new city.
Families considering a relocation are wise to place the quality of their children's
education and care at the top of their priority list. Evaluating school districts and
child care options of each neighborhood before you make final housing decisions is
important. You can do this by looking up school
profiles on our website, and then contacting the individual school district for
complete packages which most will mail to you complimentary. If possible, take your
children (or at least your spouse) on a visit to the schools under consideration. You
can also call the National Committe for Citizens in Education (1-800-NET-WORK) for their
excellent low cost education brochures available in English and Spanish. Our Schools
page also has a resource for finding and evaluating day cares nationwide.
- Fears
that your children are not adjusting well to the move.
Children may feel lost and experience a wide range of emotions during a relocation.
They may feel sad or angry about leaving their friends and familiar surroundings.
Moving can be a traumatic or a positive experience, and often how we present and handle it
is what swings the pendulum one way or another. Often we, as adults, are under so
much stress and have so many details to handle during a relocation that we can become too
focused on what needs to get done. The temptation is to get settled in as soon as
possible so the family will feel at home in your new surroundings; but taking time to talk
with your children about their feelings and allowing them time to adjust is vital. Our Kids
Issues page tells you what is the most prevalent problem among different age groups,
as well as tips on how to make the move easier for your kids.
- Being
hit with a case of "culture shock" after your move.
When people are physically removed from their cozy secure existence and transplanted
into another culture, the changes can be traumatizing. Culture shock can manifest
itself in feelings ranging from mild apathy to severe anxiety, and may display itself in
headaches, stomachaches, impatience, difficulty sleeping and possibly anger. These
feelings can and do pass in time; if they do not, consider seeing a physician. One
coping method is to make your new life as pleasant as possible and incorporate things that
were pleasant to you in the past. this can mean plants, books, treasured momentos;
or finding local classes, organizations, and activities that you were involved in
before. You should be able to talk to someone about your adjustments; occassional
trips back home may help. It usually takes six to ten months for someone to feel at
home in a new environment.
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