Our current national economy is forcing a lot of relocations.  Now is not the best time to relocate just because you would like to experience living on a different coast.  However, relocating for a job has become a harsh reality for many employees.  While relocating will always involve a certain element of stress, there are ways to make this process more manageable.  If New Jersey is on your list of possible relocation sites, a local Summit NJ real estate agent can be a good source of advice and information on this area and its amenities.  Here are a few ways to minimize you stress when you relocate.

Research
As with most topics, the Internet is a treasure trove of information on relocation and moving.  You can get tips and advice on any number of subjects, from neighborhoods to packing.  You can get a great deal of information on your new community, too.  Most local newspapers are on-line as are school systems and individual schools.  You can research properties on-line and estimate your new cost of living with one of several calculators. 

Budget the Move
Don’t waste any time cleaning out your house and purging your belongings with yard, garage or tag sales.  Get referrals and estimates for moving companies.  Plan a budget for your move and stick to it.

Plan Your Tax Break
Relocating may qualify you for a sizable tax deduction if your new job is more than 50 miles farther from your home than your old job was and if you work full-time for the first year.  That means at least 39 hours per week.  You may be able to deduct the cost of shipping your vehicle and pets, packing and transporting your belongings and your lodging along the way.  Check our www.irs.gov for all the requirements and details and consult your accountant.

Make a Visit
Don’t try to do everything remotely.  Take some time and visit the area.  Make an appointment with a Summit NJ real estate agent to learn more about our area.  Drive around you new workplace and see what the commute is like.  See the city for yourself.

Don’t Forget Your Pet
Make arrangements for your pets early.  If you are relocating from another country, they could be quarantined for a short while or be required to have certain vaccinations.  Proof of health from a vet is almost always required.

Connect when you Arrive
Connect with an alumni group, professional organization or church when you arrive.  This will help you get involved in your new community.

Schedule Some Down Time
Schedule a time to rest when your relocation is complete.  You’ll need a few days to recover before jumping back into work.

With some planning and time to rest, relocation won’t be so stressful.

There was time when moving meant getting a few pizzas and calling in a few favors.  Once you have more than a futon and bean bag to move, you will probably want to find a professional mover to help you.  They won’t work for pizza but you might actually be able to trust them to keep your favorite chair from falling off the truck.
Step away from the computer.

Yes, that’s right.  Take your hands off the keyboard and call a few real estate agents.  Get recommendations from them and from anyone else you know who has moved lately.  The Internet is a great resource but start with actual people.  Try to get names for at least 3 or 4 companies to compare.

Check them out.
Next, check out the names you’ve found with your local Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been filed.  See is you can find out how long they have been in business through your state’s secretary of states’ office.  Older is better in this case.  You can go back to your computer now and run a few searches on the company names.  Disgruntled customers are not shy about publishing their negative experiences on-line, but take these reports with a grain of salt.  Those people may have had other motivations for their reports, but if a pattern begins to develop you’re better off trying the next company on your list.  Sites like movingscam.com are a good resource for consumer comments.  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s site protectyourmove.gov is a treasure trove of information regarding safety and compliance with regulations.

Make an appointment
Call the companies that have made the cut so far and ask them to come to your home and give you a written estimate.  Anyone who won’t give an estimate should be crossed off the list, immediately.  Reputable companies will give you their rates upfront and won’t change them on your moving day.  Be sure to ask if they subcontract moves.  That should eliminate a company from your list, too.  After this, it will be your turn to go visit them.  Check out their facilities, offices and vehicles to be sure they are who they say they are.  If the company looks a little shady, chances are it is.  Make absolutely sure that they are insured and find out what their policies are regarding damages and claims.

Negotiate
By the end of this process you will likely have a favorite company.  If their price is higher that some of the others on the list, ask if they are willing to negotiate and show them the estimates you have gathered.  Keep in mind, they may offer services the others don’t but you have nothing to lose by asking.

Moving is a stressful enough time.  Don’t make it worse by hiring a mover without researching them first.  Moving may have gotten a bit more complicated as you’ve grown up but at least you don’t have to sleep on that futon anymore!

There are very few times in our lives where we are caught in a more confusing and stressful whirlwind than during moving time. Even for those of us that have undergone several major moves, it always seems that new problems crop up and take us by surprise. While every move is different, you can follow these tips laid out below to significantly reduce unforeseen circumstances during your next moving experience.

Know When To Ask For Help
According to industry experts, we all move around 5-6 times in our life. Some of those moves are on the small side, such as moving out of your parents at 18 or moving from your college dorm to your first apartment, while other moves tend to be on the giant size. We all want our moves to be as inexpensive as possible and some of us are loathe to call in professionals, but if you are moving from a two bedroom home to a three bedroom home, you don’t want to handle it yourself. Sometimes, there are more important things than saving money and having a move with less stress, less physical labour and less headaches is one of those times.

Organization is Key
Ask anyone who is experienced at moving and they will tell you that organization is key. Make sure that you assign every box a number and that every box only contains items for a particular room or area, so when the movers drop off your boxes, you can play sentry and stand by the door telling each mover where to put each box. This will make unloading and putting things away incredibly easy and stress free. Remember, your movers are required to put the boxes and items where you tell them, they can’t just dump them in your foyer.

Don’t Forget the Kids and Pets
As stressful as moving is for you, it puts an incredible toll on young children and on your pets. Make sure they are far away from the move site on the day everything happens. See if a family member can babysit or, if you have to, have your pets put in a kennel for the day. Try to have the majority of things unpacked so there is at least a semblance of a home for your kids to come back to. You also may want to keep a close eye on dogs and cats once you are at your new home as they can get disoriented very quickly.