7 Tips for Getting to Know a New City Before You Move There

Published - 10 August 2023, Thursday
  • Tiffany Harper

Moving out of a city you’ve always lived in into a totally strange one can be very overwhelming. You're packing all your properties from a familiar space that you call home to some unknown place that you have to convince yourself is now your new home.

It takes a whole lot from people, especially since you are already stable in your former city and house. Now you have to start again from scratch; new city, new house, new job, new neighbours, new friends, new school, new everything. It takes away that stability and could spike fear in some people.

However, you can do yourself a little bit of favour by exploring and getting to know your new city and neighborhood even before you make a move there. This will at least take away the feeling that you're moving to a new and strange place. It is also easier for you to quickly get your footing in this new location. This is an even better take for you if you haven’t gotten home in the new city yet and are still hunting. However, you will still have questions on wherever you can grow in this new location or if you’re welcomed.

You can’t dispute one thing when you are making a move to a new city because you need to do your research, from the healthcare practices in the area to municipal services, best coffee shops, cable providers, etc. You need to know as much as you can about your new city - whether or not you can go there physically.

If you are not able to physically go to the city to get to know the city, you can get all the information you need to know from the Internet.

Whether physical or virtual, the most important thing is getting to know the city you’re moving into beforehand as this will help you acclimate very quickly with the city. So, here are seven tips for you to do this:

  1. Explore the city like you’re a local

If you are moving into a new city, one way to get to know so many things about the city is to feel the place by yourself. However, you have to do better than falling for the main streets that are shiny, especially if it's a touristy location, and go deep into the residential areas where people work, play, and live. To do this, you need to ask questions to help you know more about the local life in that city. Ask the bartenders, Lyft drivers, baristas, etc. You will get an insight into what living in the city is like and other information on where to see, what to eat, etc.

  • Some examples of questions that you can ask the locals in the city are:
  • What are the best parts of the town that tourists might miss out on?
  • Where is the best spot for locals to hang out during the weekends?
  • Which park is the best in the city and isn’t usually crowded already?
  • Are there any “hidden gems” within the city?
  • What’s the best local boutique, brunch spot, dive bar, etc.?

As stated in assignment help, discussing and finding out information from locals is the best way to get to know the new city.

  1. Check online for school reviews.

If you have kids making a move with you into a new city, the most critical piece of information you need to find out for them is the best school for them to continue their education. While you should ask locals for recommendations, it will help your decision-making if you also check for school reviews online.

There’s a famous saying that a great neighborhood is made of great schools. It is also true that residents that give care more about schools also care for the community. So for the sake of your kids (whether you have them already or are planning to have them in the future) and to understand the kind of neighborhood you're moving into, try to know the school system and kind of schools in that area.

Also, if you’re buying a house in the area (which you might resell in the future), make sure they have a sound school system. This is attractive to anyone.

There are platforms online, such as GreatSchools, that publish guides for ranking local schools. Apart from reading the reviews of schools in the area, you could also rate them and see how well they are doing.

  1. Visit during the day and night.

Trying to understand the vibe of a new neighborhood can be difficult. Since you’re trying to know ahead of a move, an excellent hack to know the town is to visit it during the day and night. Many things might catch you by surprise if you move in without knowing how the city works at night since you only visited during the day. It works the same if you only visited at night before moving in.

For many cities, the energy during the day is different during the night. The city can go from bustling during the day to emptying at night. You need to know these things beforehand so that you’re better prepared when you make a move.

  1. Create connections with people

When you start planning your move and are finding out information from the locals, it's essential to develop a connection with them. Developing bonds with the locals helps you settle in quickly and bond with the city itself. You could also create these connections through social media by asking your online community for tips about living in the new city and for people already living there to help.

  1. Check for crime rate.

One of the things that you should check for online while doing your research is the city’s crime rate. You can easily find the information on the official website of the city’s police department. There are also other sources online where you can get information. It doesn’t make sense for you to move from a city where you’re stable and feel safe into a city where you know nothing about security or have any assurance of your safety.

  1. Check the town’s calendar.

Moving into a new city might appear a little similar to being a freshman in college. To adapt quickly, you need to know about the activities in the town and how to involve yourself.

The chamber of commerce might be a good starting point. You’ll get information about town activities such as street fairs, children’s activities, farmer’s markets, parades, festivals, etc.

If you belong to a social or religious group before moving in, find out about these groups and how they are represented in the town’s event.

  1. Create your routine

Before making a move, try to create a daily routine for yourself in the new city. This will reduce the feeling of disorientation that you feel when you move to a new place. It helps if you maintain your regular daily routine in the new city. This will make the transition easy for you.

Making a move is stressful, but you could reduce some of those stress by setting a daily routine for yourself.

Conclusion

Moving out from a city and house that you have got used to and having many memories is tough. It is even more challenging if you’re moving to a completely strange place. You can make a move and transition more manageable for yourself by learning about the new area and trying to get used to it before making a move.

Author Bio

Tiffany Harper is an experienced freelance writer who sometimes helps professional writers with their style and other writing skills. Now she is working on her book in self-motivation and self-growth areas. If Tiffany is not working on research with the assignment help, you can find her walking in the local park or meditating. Do not hesitate to contact her on Twitter.

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