3 tips for moving from the suburbs to the city

There's nothing quite like living within a city. The lights, people and buildings are attractive

to many. However, for those who are transplanting from the suburbs, there are some real considerations to take into account. Often, city apartments are smaller than suburban homes and require spaces to pull double duty. Metro properties also rarely feature the attics and basements traditionally associated with suburbs.

All of these qualities and more can make moving into a city a difficult process. Therefore, follow these three tips for moving from the suburbs to the city:

1. Pare down clothing. Bedrooms are prime real estate in cities. As a result, an individual can pay a lot of money for limited space. With storage at a premium, a walk-in or wall-length closet is considered a hard-to-come-by commodity. Each square foot can cost a pretty penny, and that money can add up. Therefore, new city residents may want to consider going through their closets and paring down their wardrobes. While this may be difficult for some who live in regions with multiple seasons or just love fashion, it is a needed step. Rarely do people require multiple sweaters, t-shirts or black pairs of shoes. Therefore, these items are often easy to streamline.

2. Hire professional movers. A moving and relocation company can drastically improve the entire moving process. Decrease the stress levels of safely getting belongings from point A to point B by hiring professionals who are experienced with not only transporting items, but also moving them up potentially narrow staircases. A company such as Stevens Worldwide Van Lines has the experience necessary to make the transition from suburb to city life easier and get a person to where they are going faster.

3. Measure rooms. Before ever packing up household items, make sure to measure the space of the new apartment. Furniture and the number of home accessories that were ideal for a suburban house may not go with the décor of an apartment. Therefore, use the dimensions of the city apartment to determine what in the current home should be transported and what should be sold, given away or thrown in the trash. It can make the entire moving process easier and advance the quality of the first night spent in a new place.

The best cities for families

When parents decide to relocate their family, there are many factors that contribute to their choice of location. In fact, trying to find the best city to raise a family can become so fraught with importance that accurately weighing the options can feel impossible. Knowing this, the editors at Parenting Magazine decided to compile a list of the nation's best metros for raising children.

Of course, no list can make such a complicated decision for a family, but it can lend insight into which factors to consider when making the choice about where to relocate. Whether moving out of state for a job or just looking to try a new region, the magazine's list can be a useful tool.

Criteria
The makers of the list tried to stick closely to statistics to determine their rankings, but they also included input from readers and more subjective standards such as quality of life.

When relying on data, the source focused most heavily on topics such as education, economy, health, culture and community. In the end, the decision for one region's inclusion over another's was an aggregation of objective and subjective components.

"It wasn't formal. [We] are constantly checking in with our audience via our website and Facebook page, so based on the user comments to last year's Best Cities list and conversations we saw throughout the year, editors took note and made sure to incorporate user feedback as much as possible," Ana Connery, a Parenting editor who oversaw the list, said to The Washington Post.

Patterns
The list covers a wide range of regions and climates. Metro areas ranging from Portland, Maine, to Cheyenne, Wyoming, made the cut. City size also appeared to be inessential, as small and large cities both earned spots.

The Cities
Those metros included on the list were scattered across the country and had a wide variety of strengths. Boston, which topped the list, was chosen for its strong emphasis on education and decorated history.

Other smaller cities, such as Burlington, Vermont, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, were selected for their low unemployment rates and strong senses of community.

Relocation
For those looking to experience some of these family-friendly cities, relocation could be a viable option. With their commitment to education, safe streets and welcoming communities, these metros have been known to entice parents and their children.

If you decide to move to one of the areas on the Best Cities for Families List, hiring relocation and moving services could be a big help. A professional household moving company can make the process of moving simple and straightforward, allowing families to focus on starting their new life in one of these welcoming locations.

What to know about relocation assistance

Moving out of state to begin a new job can be a difficult process. Finding the right moving van lines, learning about the new region and getting all your possessions in order can take a lot of time, energy and patience. However, in these less-than-ideal economic times, moving for the right job may be a wise move, even if it's not easy.

One thing that can help is if your future employer agrees to help compensate you in some way. Unfortunately, it can be tough for many people to ask for assistance without feeling like they are putting their new job in jeopardy. However, the right questions and expectations can drastically help a move.

With this in mind, here are few tips for identifying and receiving a good relocation offer.

Ask HR
Going directly to your future boss or the person who hired you can rightfully make you a little anxious. Therefore, directing your inquiries to HR can help you feel confident in your questions. Asking them if they have a document they typically use is a good way to broach the subject. Seeing if you can speak with someone at the company who recently went through a similar process is another good option.

Transportation
One of the costliest parts of moving for a job is, well, the moving. Whether it's airfare or a rental car, you will likely need to spend a lot of money on transportation. It is best to look into reimbursement before you foot the bill yourself. If the company uses a specific airline or rental agency, for example, it is good to have this information as early as possible.

Home buying
If you are lucky, your future employer might even help in the process of buying a home. Whether this is connecting you with a real estate agent or even contributing some of the differential in prices compared to where you came from, this can be a huge service to you. Either way, they likely have information about good locations and deals in the area.

Insurance
The gap between jobs can create a sticky situation in terms of insurance coverage. With relocating involved, it is quite important to see what your new job can offer in the way of health and travel insurance.

Moving expenses
Another thing to discuss with your future employer is reimbursement for hiring a household moving company. Many companies provide assistance in this regard, which can make the process a lot easier - and have you showing up for your first day in good spirits.

Deciding whether to rent or buy

When moving - whether for a new job, a change of scenery or family reasons - deciding on a new home is often a difficult task. What type of neighborhood is right? How big should it be? What household movers should be used in the relocation process? Of course, at the bottom of this, there is an even more fundamental argument: to rent or to buy.

Due to difficult-to-grasp factors such as personal finances, the state of the housing market and the economy's overall health, it is not surprising that many people who are moving out of state don't know how to start making this decision.

However, by keeping a few things in mind, this process can become much clearer. Here are a few ways of approaching the problem.

Know your credit score
Your credit can have a huge impact on your options for finding the right home. If you are hoping to buy, a low score can result in much higher rates from your mortgage. For example, someone with a credit score of 620 would likely pay an extra two percentage points compared to a borrower with a score of 760, according to the American Bankers Association.

The community
Being able to predict the future of a neighborhood can help you decide if buying a home is a good investment. A location that is on the upswing is likely to witness a comparable rise in rents, meaning you'd likely have to pay more the next year, or hire van lines in order to move again.

Conversely, a neighborhood that is becoming more desirable will likely make your home more valuable the longer you stay there - therefore earning you money back on your investment.

"If you buy a good property in a stable community with today's bargain prices and interest rates, it is virtually guaranteed that value will rise by more than that," Karen Eastman Bigos, head of Towne Realty Group, told The New York Times.

Maintenance and taxes
Although it is easier to make monthly payments for a house you own, knowing that it is an investment, there are often many hidden costs to owning a home. Maintenance costs and property taxes are examples of how a home could cost significantly more than renting, at least in the short-run.

It is important to evaluate the property in order to gauge these costs. If the property is worth a lot, you will be paying high taxes on it. Conversely, if the house is in rough shape, you will likely be investing a lot of money into repairs and upkeep. Renting to avoid these costs might be wise in such circumstances.

The upcoming climate for corporate relocation

Corporate relocation can be a good indicator of the economy's health. When times are tight, businesses tend to keep people where they are, rather than devote valuable resources to moving its workers. When things are looking a little more flush, on the other hand, companies are a little more apt to ship off or bring in employees in the interest of their expected growth.

Employee relocation
Based on how employers expect to manage relocations in the coming year, it appears that the economy might be strengthening. The recently released Employee Mobility Survey reports that 40 percent of companies predict increased relocation activity in the next year, while another 54 percent expect them to stay at the same level.

These results indicate that companies are feeling hopeful about next year's economic climate. Being willing to spend on employee relocation - for such things as out of state movers and moving van lines - means that they believe business will be good enough to make it worth their while.

Optimism about the economy can lead companies to take more risks not only when offering relocation benefits for employees, but also when it comes to deciding to relocate themselves.

Moving headquarters
Another recent study on the relative operating costs for corporate headquarters lends insight into how some companies decide where to base their business. The report, called BizCosts, analyzed 55 North American cities and compared the prices associated with maintaining offices in those areas.

Based on such factors as taxes, construction costs and power expenses, the report helps companies decide where to base their operations.

New York City, unsurprisingly, topped the list with a projected cost of $47.2 million for a 100,000-square-foot headquarters with 500 employees. On the other end, Halifax, Nova Scotia, came in at $32.9 million.

Long-term savings
With the economy showing signs of recovering, these factors can come into play for a company considering relocating. The expenses of hiring corporate relocation companies or even, in the case of Halifax, an international moving company might seem daunting, but could be worth it when considering the long-term savings associated with a less expensive city.

With a more favorable economic climate expected, next year could be a big time for both employee and corporate relocations.

Tips for moving to a hot climate

Relocating to a new place is rarely easy, but when your new home will be somewhere dramatically hotter than your current location, you have a whole new wrinkle to deal with. Instead of sweating, though, there are a few things you can do to make moving out of state to a warmer climate a breeze.

Pick your month wisely
Although you'll have to adapt to the climate eventually, selecting a cooler month for the travelling and unpacking will help. If you have any flexibility, use it to select the coolest time available.

Keep easy access to fans
While packing, try to keep an eye on things that might help you beat the heat. Knowing where your fans, air conditioning units and coolers are will help you be prepared if you get uncomfortable. Keeping those items in your car, instead of packing them with household moving company - can help you get relief on the car ride.

Start early
Packing earlier in the morning will help you stay out of the heat as well as give you more flexibility when you arrive at your destination. Instead of rushing to get everything unpacked before you go to sleep, arriving at your new home will afford you a more leisurely process.

Stay hydrated
Now that you have that cooler next to you in the car, use it. Drinking plenty of fluids during your travels and as you pack will help you maintain a cooler temperature. Although you're likely anxious to get to your destination, making regular stops to get drinks or just take a breather in an air-conditioned spot will relieve some of the pressure.

Get your car inspected
Having your car fully checked before you depart is a good idea. Ask specifically about the air-conditioner to ensure that you have cold air when you need it. This is also a good opportunity to see if you will need to make any adjustments to it when you begin your life in the hotter climate. Are there any differences in maintenance? What can you do to keep it driving smoothly? Asking a mechanic the right questions before you get there can save you a headache or two.

Pet precautions
Unlike you, your cat or dog can't dress differently in the heat. Ask your vet what you should about keeping your pet happy and healthy in the new location. Also, asking your out of state movers to set you up with professional pet movers can help make things easier for you during the move.

Homesales booming among 55+ buyers

Within the growing optimism among home builders in general, there is a smaller segment of the industry that is experiencing an even more bullish market: new homes marketed towards those 55 years of age or older. The number of Americans in this demographic planning to buy a new home is the largest it has ever been, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

"We are servicing the largest growing group of buyers that we have ever seen in this age category," said Housing Council Chairman W. Don Whyte. "It is a population that is dramatically different from what it was only a few years ago."

One reason for this unpredicted increase might lie in the simultaneously rising resale value of homes, according to National Mortgage Professional. The increasing final sums those in this group are able to receive for their current home  might be the push they need to start making arrangements with out of state movers.

The size of this growing market means that there will likely be a great deal of movement among this group. As they may well have accumulated a great deal of possessions, those 55 and older will likely have a full plate when moving into their new home, and using a household moving company can help the process considerably