Are You Cool with Moving to a New Climate?

• By: moving.biz Staff
• Date Posted: December 10, 2017
• Category: Moving Plans

You don’t have to cross mountains or move to a different time zone to experience significant climate changes. Sometimes, just moving within your state or even metropolitan area can make a big difference weather-wise. If you’re relocating, you need to consider the effects on your lifestyle and wallet.

When moving to another locale, heat and cold play a big factor. Possible increases in expenses due to cooling and heating bills or water usage are obvious. However, you also might need to buy necessary items to keep yourself, your home, and your vehicle protected from heat or cold. Consider the following factors, and use these tips to help you adjust to a new climate.

Plan for Different Gear

You’ll need to budget for gear according to climate. Costs for items such as parkas, leaf blowers, rain gear and snow blowers add up. Even hot climates come with expenses, especially when you only have a cold weather wardrobe.

Expect the Unexpected

Even if you have researched the area, some things you can only learn by first-hand experience. This applies especially to micro climates where a 10-minute driving distance can lead to cooler or hotter weather. Additionally, keep in mind that areas such as the Midwest can experience 30-degree temperature swings within a 24-hour time span.

Be Flexible

Moving to a different climate might have an impact on your daily routine. For example, jogging in the mornings in Minnesota might not be as good an idea as it is in Arizona. If you’re having trouble adjusting behavior patterns or habits, you might have to invest a bit of extra effort to become more flexible.

Talk to Other Transplants

Carrying an umbrella in Portland, Oregon might make you feel smart and prepared. However, you’ll actually stand out because locals don’t carry them, they wear rain gear instead. Talking to others who relocated to the area will help get inside info that websites don’t specify. This applies especially to tidbits that aren’t worthy of advertisement such as flying cockroaches in some southern climates.

Talk to Your Realtor

A realtor might not engage in idle chit-chat about the weather, but he can tell you how the local climate might impact a home. Here are some important inquiries to consider:

What are the chances of flooding, even if the zone isn’t designated as such?
Will pipes freeze?
Do I need to pay for a storm shelter?
Is the area prone to high winds that create drafts?
How often do gutters need cleaning?

If possible, ask for a relocation expert. This is a type of realtor who received extra training to gain extensive knowledge in matters related to moving. He can also help you get around your new area.

Most importantly, ignore reputations and find the positive. For example, many people associate Salt Lake City with lots of snow because it hosted the Winter Olympics. In reality, the nearby mountains get the bulk of it while the city only gets moderate amounts of cold precipitation.