Conference turris::womannotes-v3

    In addition to the following discussion, please see also:
    
    DIGITAL
    5 - relocation
    29 - relocating within DEC
    123 - relocation - a hindrance!
    189 - relocation blues
    195 - more on relocation - homebuying
    300 - DEC relocation and house-buying
    470 - relocation ???
    724 - international relocation
    897 - relocation - broker selection
    947 - relocation can be taxing
    1053 - more relocation blues
    
    -Jody
    

    
    I've not had any experience but the first thing I'd do is get a
    subscription to a Sunday paper in the target town(s)/city(ies).
    
    CQ

    Why do  you  want to move? If you have a job there, or someone you
    want  to  live with, that solves half the problems. Otherwise, you
    have to first figure out where you want to move to, and then start
    looking  for  jobs and housing in the area. You may find that head
    hunters  can  find  you interviews in the area, though I've had no
    luck  with  them,  but  more likely you'll have to go and read the
    papers, both for jobs and for housing. It really helps if you know
    someone  who  can give you some idea about where to live, and it's
    even  better  if  they can give you a place to stay while you look
    for housing. It's very helpful to have an address and phone number
    while looking for work.

    
    I have done this once, from Pittsburgh, PA to Boston-area, MA.
    Things were easier for me, however, because I was recruited out
    of college by several companies and I just picked the job I liked
    the best, packed my bags and took off!
    
    If I were you, I'd do the following:
    - pick some target cities, call their chamber of commerce and get
    demographics info, (ie: average age of residents, politics ...)
    - decide which city you like the best and subscribe to their biggest
    newspaper.  You can use this to learn the real crime problems, jobs
    available, bad/good nneighborhoods ...
    - You also might look into Digital transfering you.
    - When you get a job, try to get a housing trip to find a place to
    live.  Century 21 usually has rental agents who could help you or
    the company might have suggestions.
    - (You might also go to the local police for suggestions.  They're 
    usually pretty friendly in this type if situation, in my experience.
    - Do it!!!
    
    Rachael
    

    I flew from Indiana to the Colorado Springs training facility a few
    years ago.  The flight was late, and landed when it was dark.  The
    next morning, as I walked out of the hotel room, I happened to look up,
    in a Westerly direction, and was stunned at the beauty of the view of
    Pikes Peak.  I knew right then and there that this was where I wanted
    to live.  With that decision made, it was just a matter of finding a
    job within Digital that was located here.

    Once I found the job, Digital paid for a househunting trip, and most of
    the relocating was relatively easy.  The hard part was adjusting to
    such a different environment, where the climate, vegetation, driving
    habits, and population distribution was so different from what I was
    used to.  Ah, but those mountains, along with the mild winters and the
    pleasant summers, made it worth it.

    -- Mike

    I moved from southern NH to Washington state two years ago.  If you
    don't know where you want to move, a good place to start is the Places
    Rated Almanac.  I transferred with DEC so finding a job was relatively
    painless.
    
    						Jan

    
    	RE: .5  Mike Valenza
    
    	Well, I don't know why you were surprised at the beauty of
    	Colorado Springs, Mike.  When you asked me over VAXPhone what
    	it was like, I *told* you it was dazzling (with a panoramic
    	view of gorgeous mountains from almost everywhere here.)  ;^)
    
    	The way I put it, as I recall, was ... like a picture postcard.
    

    I remember that VAXphone conversation well, Suzanne.  :-)
    
    -- Mike

    I relocated (not through DEC, but I was employed by DEC at the time and
    was lucky enough to transfer down here) from the Boston office to the
    Washington, DC area.  I went to Out of Town News in Harvard Square,
    Cambridge, MA, every Sunday to get copies of the Washington Post to
    search for jobs (wasn't sure if I could transfer or not with DEC).  I
    also got addresses and phone numbers for realtors at that time.  I made
    a preliminary house-hunting trip two months before I moved.  I found a
    great little apartment and put a down payment on it.  I am lucky this
    area is really transient and most apartments are complexes, not peoples
    homes, triplexes or duplexes, like in MA.  It allowed me 2 luxuries 1)
    a small down payment, no 1st months' rent, last months' rent like in MA
    and 2) the ability to reserve an apartment almost 3 months before I was
    to move.
    
    Once I learned I had the job here, I then shopped around for moving
    vans.  I packed and loaded myself, thus saving a couple thou.  I also
    rented a tow dolly to attach my car to the van.  The cheapest van cost
    1K and that was 3 years ago.  Ryder ended up being the cheapest.  The
    tow dolly cost $100.  Then I loaded the van and moved into my place.  I
    had no friends but my sister was here.  I literally forced myself to
    make friends when I first moved down here and it paid off.  I forced
    myself every day to drive places I'd never been before and take roads
    I'd never travelled so I would know my way around (without using a map,
    no less!).  I also went out, a lot!  I wanted to take advantage of
    where I was living.  When I lived back home, my life revolved around my
    family and I took all the sights and sounds and nightlife and
    everything for granted.  My life revolves still around my family, but
    it's harder now that they are 400 miles away.  So family visits and
    holidays mean so much more, they really are precious now.
    
    That's what I did, and it was relatively painless.  If you are
    organized and take things step-by-step, you won't have any problem. 
    Make sure you have a job first.  It's easier to find an apartment than
    to find a job!  Make sure you know what the cost of living is in the
    area, as well as ideas for rental prices.  Can you afford to live where
    you want to move?  The cost of living in DC is the same if not a bit
    higher than MA.  As for roomates, it is easy to find one if you can't
    afford to rent or buy your own place.  They always have roomies
    sections in the major papers for the state you want to move to.
    
    If you do move, you may find it difficult for the first few months. 
    Give it time.  I would not move back home if you gave me $1M, now!
    
    Good luck!
    
    Tammi
    

    Human::Digital
    
    -Jody
    

    cvg::digital is shadow, read-only copy.  Much easier to get a link to.

    A second read only copy of the DIGITAL file is
    
    CNOTES::NOTES$SHADOWED:DIGITAL
    
    		Alfred (host of the CVG copy)

I totally agree with .9.  Brush up that resume and then brush it up again. And
get it out there.  I recently moved (away from my family for the first time,
gasp!) to a whole different environment than I was used to.  At the time I
was married so I had some support for the move.

Initially, we sold our house and lived in temporary housing in order to help
us time things and wrap up loose ends (and boy is there a lot of those.)  It
helped that we had a PO Box on the other end so that our mail could be 
forwarded before we left.  And a local address for the resume (if possible
ask someone you know on the other end to take your job search phone calls).

I can't stress enough on getting newspapers and talking to EVERYONE you know
about jobs on the other ends.  I got leads from some of the stranges places.
Even people I didn't really know forwarded my resume or made suggestions on
who to contact.  I had several interviews lined up before I even left town.

Before I was here a month I had 3 job offers including DEC.  It gave me the
opportunity to make decisions, choose the best offer (and when we decided to
get a divorce) choose where I wanted to live in relation to work and play.  

The phone company and all the moving companies have booklets on what you
should do & when before a move.  Even if you don't do it when they say, it
may help you check off things that need to be done.  Including things like;
how to care for your pet before, during & after the move; how to pack
breakables; what to have shut off & when; etc.

Most importantly be realistic.  Moving is scary & fun & exciting & depressing
and chances are you will be homesick - initially.  Just be prepared the best
you can and try not to put to much off till the last minute.

Good luck in your new HOME!

-Andrea