Consumer advice: the right way to relocate

Moving to another town - or country - is never easy, and homeowners should weigh up their options and plans very carefully before making the decision to do so.

The most common reasons for relocation are a job transfer or a new job, upgrading or downsizing to accommodate a change in family size, a planned change of lifestyle, or simply a fresh start.

But moving impulsively - just to take up a better-paying job, for example - may not actually be in your best interests. You need to make sure that your new area or a different town will also fit your overall lifestyle and long-term career plans.

A young single person might want to live in a more cosmopolitan area with an exciting nightlife and a wide variety of job opportunities, for example, while a homebuyer who is married with children is more likely to focus on the cost of living in the new location, good educational facilities and good future career prospects. 

For someone about to retire, good recreational, shopping and medical facilities may take precedence over business opportunities, and if your plan is to relocate to be closer to family, you may have to weigh up what this would mean to you against a possible career setback or change if there were no jobs available at your level in the new location.

In short, careful consideration ahead of a move is important, not just in terms of the future value of your home, your security, and your leisure time plans, but the direction in which you plan to steer your future.

What is more, even if you're sure relocation is the right move, you will have to face the challenge of finding a new home in an unfamiliar area or city - unless, of course, you have help from an experienced and empathetic agent who understands your needs and is able to show you a few suitable homes to rent or buy as soon as you arrive.

Having access to this type of resident expertise will undoubtedly make the transition to a new environment much easier and, fortunately, thanks to our strong national and global networks, we are now able to ensure that our clients receive exceptional help and service, whenever and wherever they decide to move.