How to “Test Drive" a Community Before Making a Move

You are looking for a new home in a new location, you have narrowed down your choices to a few towns. Once you have determined your top choices you may want to “try them on” to see how they will fit into your daily routine and to find the best match for you. There are a number of ways that you can test drive these communities (literally and figuratively) in just a short amount of time.

Try the Cuisine and Shops

Have a Saturday tradition of hitting the bakery down the street? Find your new favorite spots by exploring the cuSee the source imageisine offerings in and around your new community. If you are a Friday night pizza and game night family check out the local pizza restaurant and see how it compares. If you must have a special coffee in the morning check out the local coffee shop in town or on your commute. Love antiquing? Hit the local antique spots. Drive to the nearest grocery store, Walmart, Target, Costco or whatever stores are most important to you. This allows you to get familiar with the town areas, the local business owners, and the general atmosphere of the town.

Talk to the Locals

While you are out there exploring the restaurants and shops talk with the locals. Ask them what their See the source imagefavorite part of living in town is and find out the must do and see things in the town. If town government is important to you reach out to the local legislatures or town council members and see what draws them to the town and what needs to be improved in town. Ask your Realtor for their experiences and knowledge about the town as well. You can follow up on this new information you get by exploring some of the local hangouts and suggestions!

Find your Passion

Does this new community give you access to the things that you need to See the source imagepursue your hobbies and passions? If you are a cycling fanatic find the nearest cycling studio and assess if it is in close enough proximity to your new community. If you want to lead the local cub scout troop, book club, or lumberjack club make sure there is one in your area. Think about what assets/amenities/groups that you enjoy in your current neighborhood and assess what you just would not be willing to give up and then get to work finding it in your new potential neighborhood.

Test Your Commute

If you are someone who commutes to work or school or another location regulaSee the source imagerly you should  test-drive your commute from your new community at the time that you would normally drive it. This will give you an idea about the traffic, the feel, and the ease or difficulty of what your new commute will be like. Think about what is important to you for your daily commute; do you like to take all back roads? All highways? Need a coffee shop on the way? This can help you envision what your day to day could feel like in this new community.

If you need help finding your new community, contact us today!