There are two ways to relocate for a new job: 1) on your own or 2) through a professional relocation service.
It goes without saying that relocating with a professional relocation expert is easier than doing it all by yourself, but what does each path actually look like? Is it really necessary to hire a relocation company to manage your move? Maybe, maybe not. The answer will be different for different people.
Let us guide you through the two approaches to relocating, and then we’ll let you decide which moving method is best for your current situation.
How to Relocate on Your Own
When you’re flying solo, the world is your oyster of opportunity, but those opportunities also become your responsibility during a relocation. Here’s the step-by-step approach to managing it all:
Visit the City
It’s important to get the feel for a new city before you move there. Find out which neighborhoods are ideal and which ones are not. When you’re researching a city online, you can easily pick ideal neighborhoods based on proximity, but it takes an in-person visit to decide if you can actually see yourself living there with your significant other, pet, or family.
When you’re browsing neighborhoods online, watch out for misleading headlines that advertise apartments in a “trendy, up-and-coming neighborhood!” This is a phrase that’s vague at best, and sometimes (not always) it’s code for the not-so-great part of town. If it’s a new enough establishment, you won’t be able to rely on past customers’ reviews either. Better to play it safe and see for yourself.
Shop Around
Once you choose a neighborhood, you have a plethora of apartment options to explore. That’s great, but if you’re trying to relocate on a short timeline, then you don’t have much time to spend touring and talking to leasing agents. Chances are, you’ll tour one, two, or maybe three apartments and then make a decision based on necessity alone. That’s not the best way to relocate, but sometimes you just don’t have a choice.
Negotiate a Lease
If you’re relocating temporarily or indefinitely, then you’ll need to sign a month-to-month lease agreement, which is — as we all know — overpriced. Nevertheless it’s smarter to pay a little more each month than it is to sign a year-long contract and then get penalized thousands of dollars when you break it.
Move Your Furniture
Even if you hire a moving crew to do the heavy lifting, there’s something especially exhausting about moving furniture into an apartment that is only temporary. It’s a lot of work to pack everything you own, load it into a moving truck, drop it off at your new apartment, and then unpack — all the while knowing that you might have to do it all again in a few months.
Go Shopping
When you first move into a new apartment, you never have everything you need. It’s practically guaranteed that you won’t be able to find your toothbrush, you’ll be out of coffee, and you will have forgotten that you threw your old shower curtain away when you were packing.
So, you do the last thing you want to do after a long day of moving: You go to the store. You buy everything on your must-have list and more, hoping that you didn’t forget anything you need before your first day on the new job tomorrow morning. Speaking of work… You need to get to bed because you’re exhausted!
What It’s Like to Move with Relocation Services
If the previous scenario sounded like something you’ve been through before, or something you want to avoid at all costs, then consider what it’s like to move when you’re partnering with a relocation service.
Talk to a Professional Who Knows the Area
Many people simply don’t have time or money to fly out to Greenville, SC or Asheville, NC and scope out the neighborhoods. If you have relocation company, that’s okay. You can pick up the phone and talk to your relocation expert about the part of town you’d like to be in as well as how close you need to be from work.
While Corporate Connection’s relocation experts can certainly hook you up with a trendy, up-and-coming area (if that’s what you’re looking for), they will also only recommend neighborhoods that are safe with plenty of things to see and do nearby.
Tour Apartments (If You Want To)
Most relocation companies have strong relationships with local apartment communities, making it very easy for them to pop in and set up apartment tours. With the help of a relocation expert, you can take a more focused tour of specific properties, rather than randomly selecting a few communities and potentially missing out on better options.
If you don’t have time to tour apartments, or you’re not in town, a relocation expert can send you a list of options with their personal recommendations. It’s not the same as touring them in person, but it is still helpful to get a personal and professional opinion.
Sign a Flexible Lease
Relocation companies typically rent furnished apartments at select apartment communities year round. Because they’re paying for the apartment anyway, relocation providers are able to offer flexible lease terms to short-term renters. In other words, instead of trying to get a good deal on a month-to-month lease, you can sign a lease with your relocation company, and they’ll work with you on your indefinite timeline without punishing you for a shorter lease.
Leave Your Furniture Behind
Alleviate the biggest headache of moving by renting a fully furnished apartment. Relocation companies provide all of the furniture and household essentials that make an apartment move-in ready, which means you don’t have to pack, load, unload, or unpack. Just show up!
Relax and Settle In
That dreaded post-move convenience store run is a non-issue when you’re moving into a fully furnished apartment. Corporate Connection not only provides the main furnishings like couches, bedding, and dining room furniture, but your apartment will also have decorative pieces such as artwork and plants — not to mention a shower curtain and plenty of coffee so you can show up to your first day of work feeling fresh!
Relocate with Corporate Connection!
You’ll absolutely feel the difference a relocation expert can make during your move. They don’t just pick up the slack; they trail blaze the whole process! Contact us today to discuss your upcoming relocation and let’s get you where you need to be.
