The first step in moving successfully to a new place is research. We are now very lucky that we live in a world with an abundance of information available to us at the touch of a finger. Spend your evenings looking at different areas, find local blogs about individual towns and also use image sites such as Instagram to further look at the area.

It is important to prioritise your search and stick to it. Are you moving to be nearer to work? Moving to a new school catchment area? Or are you simply looking for a fresh start? Whatever your reason, it is crucial to check the statistics for the local area such as crime rate and school reports. You should also visit the neighbourhood at different times of the day to ensure that it is the perfect place for you. What may seem like a quiet, family-friendly street during the day can soon turn into an undesirable road at night.

Once you’ve committed to the move, found your dream house and packed up the boxes, you need to make your new house feel like home. Joining local social media accounts to keep up to date with the area is one of the easiest ways to feel connected. It is also a great idea to find out where local shops, hospitals and train stations are. Nothing feels like home better than knowing where everything is. In addition to this, before your first day at work or school, make sure you know the fastest route. Nobody needs the added stress of being late on the first day!

No one likes to be the new person but it doesn’t have to be scary. Moving in day is the perfect time to knock on neighbour’s door and introduce yourself. Why not invite them round for drinks later on that evening? Local coffee shops can be a great place to meet local people and if you have a dog, you’ll be surprise at how easy it is to get chatting to others. Likewise, community events and projects will also give you an opportunity to get more involved in the area. Remember just because you’ve moved to a new town or city, it doesn’t have to mean that you lose touch with everything and everyone in the past. Video calls are a great way of catching up with loved ones.

Children may find moving very upsetting but it doesn’t have to be. Create an air of excitement and exploration and make sure to unpack their games first so they can play while you get busy re-organising.

Finally, don’t be afraid to ask questions! Whether it’s your estate agent, a local shop owner or someone in the street – asking question is the easiest way to get to know an area. If you are looking to relocate and have any questions, then please get in touch today.