Are you getting ready to move to a completely different area of the state or country? There’s a lot more to it than just calling on the long-distance movers to take care of your packing and transport. You’ll want to do some research on the city and neighborhoods before you actually move. 

Thankfully, the internet has all of the information you need right at your fingertips. If you aren’t sure about how to go about doing your due diligence, here are a few ways to find out the deets about your new hometown. 

Finding an Apartment or Home

If you haven’t yet found a place to live in your new potential city, you can use this opportunity to research great neighborhoods and rental properties. City-Data is a website with a load of information about neighborhoods in cities all over the United States. You can click on any state in a map of the country on their homepage and then click on any city and be taken to a detailed profile, usually with neighborhood listings. You can even click on the neighborhood listings to see what income, demographics, and schools are like are for each. 

Another site that makes the search even easier is AreaVibes, which gives users a livability score per neighborhood. This livability score is based on a number of factors including cost of living, crime, amenities, and housing. You might be surprised at what kinds of results AreaVibes comes up with when checking out their recommendations. For instance, the small Gulf Coast town of Seabrook, TX is considered the “Most livable city in America” with a score of 96 out of 100. 

Here’s the livability scores of some major cities around the country:

  • Los Angeles: 59
  • Portland, OR: 66
  • Chicago: 57
  • New York, NY: 62
  • Peabody, MA: 70
  • Miami: 62

Using this information, you can begin the search for a place to live in the neighborhood of your choice. There are lots of websites you can use to track down homes for sale or rental properties, including:

  • Zillow
  • Trulia
  • Apartments.com

Finding Entertainment and Retail

Once you’ve got a home picked out, you’ll want to start learning about your neighborhood’s local amenities and entertainment. This means finding out which grocery stores are in the area and where you can get a delicious meal. 

Consider dropping by Google Maps and entering your address to start your search. You’ll not only get a nice overhead view of the neighborhood, but there is a nifty “nearby” search feature on Google Maps too. Use it to look for grocery stores, restaurants, movie theaters and more. The website will highlight all of the relevant businesses in the search area and you can click on each one to learn more about it. 

Another option is checking out review sites to learn about what restaurants and stores are in the neighborhood and to see what how well they are rated. You can find a lot of information on these sites, such as business hours, menus, and even see pics of food that people upload. Some popular review sites to explore include:

  • Yelp
  • TripAdvisor
  • Facebook

Finding Service Providers and Movers

Another thing to check out before you move is local handymen and other service providers in your area. You might find that there are unexpected repairs or landscaping needed when you get moved into a new home. These sites can even be used to find good local or long-distance movers. A couple of sites to visit are:

  • Angie’s List
  • HomeAdvisor

If you are planning on moving in the Boston, MA area soon, you’ll definitely want to check out some of these websites for research. You can use them to get information about good neighborhoods, schools, restaurants, and service providers. 

You can also turn to R.C. Mason Movers for help with the heavy lifting part of your relocation. We’ve been serving the community as international, out-of-state, and local movers since 1948. Allow us to continue to serve by taking you to your new home during that next move. Give us a call or fill out our online form to get started with a free virtual consultation and cost estimate.