Contributed
Are you planning to relocate to another state? Are you sure you already know all what you should know about your destination state? Moving is both easy and difficult. It depends on how you handle it. Moving can be easy when you are armed with adequate knowledge about your destination and you are fully prepared for it. It can also be difficult when you are not knowledgeable enough about the place. In fact, if you don’t have the necessary information about the state you are moving to, you can’t possibly be fully prepared for it.
You must be aware of the phrase – Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it. Relocation is the last thing to apply the rule to. What if there are hungry and wild animals at the other end of the bridge? What if the bridge is very slippery? What if the bridge does not lead to your intended destination? Getting the right information is a necessity and not an option. As a guide, here are some of the things to find out.
Employment/Career prospects
If you are a job seeker, you need to find out the employment rate in the destination state and also confirm that your profession or field is in demand. Find out how competitive it is. On the other hand, if you are going to start your business there, carry out a feasibility study first. Will your services or products be in demand? Be sure that your niche is not already saturated over there.
Consider the weather
Some states sometimes witness relatively higher temperature. If you are coming from a colder region, it may be difficult for you and your family to acclimatize in those states. Florida and a few other states are prone to thunderstorms during which they have to evacuate their houses temporarily. Are you prepared for that too?
Verify the cost of moving your things
This is important as it is costlier than relocating within the same state. It may be cheaper to sell off or dispose some of your personal belongings because the amount of truck space you consume will determine your charges. You also need to choose a moving company with good reputation. You don’t receive your items with any of them broken or missing. If you are moving from New Jersey and you can afford it, nothing stops you from hiring the best moving company New Jersey has to offer. One way to achieve this is by checking the reviews of all your prospective moving companies since there are many moving companies in the city but the quality of their services varies widely. Some of them offer better moving services than others.
Study tax laws and rates
Tax rates and laws differ from state to state. You don’t want to see a surprise dip in your pocket. It is important to know how much you will be left with after tax. Tax evasion is a big crime and ignorance is not an excuse. The only mistake IRS understands is when you pay more tax than necessary. It is a different matter when the reverse happens mistakenly or deliberately.
What about the housing situation?
You can afford to rent a townhome in your state does not mean you can afford it in other states. You may have to settle for an apartment where you are going. And how likely will you get a house to rent? You don’t want to be confronted by a rude shock.
Cost of living/ Healthcare
Of course, there is healthcare in every state but can you afford the one in your destination? You will definitely need new healthcare providers and you also need new health insurance policies. Find out the cost of the policies and what they cover. It is also important to find out the cost of groceries, gas, utilities, and other amenities.
There are other factors like the culture of the people and transportation, but they are not heavy enough to tip the scale of your decision. To summarize it all, you need information about cost of living, the cost of healthcare, housing, tax, weather, and employment in the state you are moving to as this information will enable you prepare yourself for it. The information marks the line between ease and difficulty in relocating.