Key Takeaways
- Before you move, take time to evaluate the financial, emotional and career impact of relocating to make sure it’s the right decision for you and your family.
- Hiring movers typically costs around $2,700 for a local move and $4,000 for a long-distance move—but you can cut other costs by asking your employer about relocation assistance and selling items you no longer need.1
- When selling your home, work with an experienced agent, stage your home both inside and out, and avoid buying a new house before your current one sells.
- When buying in a new city, choose an expert local agent, stick to a realistic housing budget, and prioritize resale value.
If you’re thinking about relocating, you probably have lots of questions. How do you figure out where to move in the first place? How can you save money on relocation costs? How do you make smart real estate decisions when you don’t know the area you’re moving to?
Well, you’ve come to the right place—because we’ve got some relocation tips that can help you answer those questions and understand the process a little bit better. That way, you can make a smooth and confident transition. Let’s get started!
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- Questions to Ask Before Relocating
- What Areas Are Popular Relocation Destinations?
- How Much Does Relocating Cost?
- How to Save Money on Relocation Costs
- Tips for Selling Your House When Relocating
- Tips for Buying a House When Relocating
Questions to Ask Before Relocating
Moving might be on your radar—but before you start packing boxes, make sure it’s the right step. After all, relocating is a big deal! Here are some questions to consider as you decide whether it’s time to hit the road:
- Do the costs make sense? Consider the cost of moving to and living in your new destination. If you’re relocating to a city with a higher cost of living, make sure you’ll still be able to make progress on your financial goals. Our Cost of Living Calculator can show you a breakdown of how your current city’s monthly expenses compare to another city’s.
- Do you like the area? Moving isn’t just a math problem—you’ve got to think about your emotions too. Visiting the area before you move could give you a good idea of what it’d be like to live there.
- If you’re married, is your spouse on board? Making a move can be tough, and it’s important to be on the same page as your spouse if you’re married. You’ll also want to consider how a move will impact your spouse’s career and every other aspect of their life.
And if you’re planning to relocate for a new job, make sure you answer these questions too:
- Are you excited about the job opportunity? It doesn’t make sense to move for a job you know you’ll hate—even if it pays more money. So make sure you get a job you love lined up before you move.
- Is the company culture a good fit? Moving won’t be very much fun if you don’t fit in at your new office or don’t get along with your coworkers.
- Is there a long-term benefit? Think about your five-year plans for your career and your life. Will this move help you accomplish your goals?
Asking these questions will cover the basics. For a more detailed, step-by-step plan that’ll walk you through how to answer all these questions about moving and more, check out our free Ramsey Relocation Guide.
What Areas Are Popular Relocation Destinations?
If you’re moving for a job—or just to be closer to family—you may not have a ton of say in where you go. But if you do get to choose your next home base, take some time to research your options. Some cities offer more affordable housing and lower costs of living, while others stand out for great schools and top-notch local perks.
Once you know what matters most to you, it’ll be easier to narrow down your search. To help you get started, here are five of the fastest-growing metro areas in the U.S. for job opportunities:
- Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Boise, Idaho
- Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
- Albany, New York
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin2
Not feeling drawn to any of those? No problem. Widen your search a little, and you’ll find no shortage of great places to call home. Here are five states that are seeing a big relocation boom:
Buy or Sell Your Home With an Agent Who Puts You First
Finding a reliable agent who actually cares can be a headache. But RamseyTrusted® makes it easy—connecting you with local market experts who’ll fight for you to get the best deal.
How Much Does Relocating Cost?
The cost of your move depends on your specific situation—especially if you’re moving to another state, which usually costs more. For example, hauling your stuff a couple cities over will be much cheaper than moving from, say, California to Florida.
How much cheaper? For a standard three to four bedroom home, hiring professional movers will typically cost around $2,700 for a local move (like to the next town over). But if you’re moving long-distance, expect to pay closer to $4,000 on average.4
And don’t forget—you’ve got extra costs to factor in too, like:
- Closing costs on a home sale
- Cost for breaking your lease
- Security deposits for a rental
- Fees to turn on/off utilities
- Closing costs on a new home purchase
- Repairs/updates to a new home
How to Save Money on Relocation Costs
After seeing all the expenses involved in a relocation, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But there’s good news: It’s still possible to save money when you relocate! Here are two ways you can do just that.
- Find out if your new employer offers relocation assistance. If you’re moving for a job, many companies offer lump-sum relocation packages to help employees cover the cost of moving. Ask your new employer if they offer relocation assistance to help you save some money.
- Sell some personal items. Another way to save money on relocation costs is to sell some stuff! Now’s the perfect time to get rid of junk you don’t need—like the kayak that’s been gathering dust in your garage for years. You’ll save on moving costs since you’ll have fewer things to transport, and you could make some extra cash by selling some items you don’t need. It’s a win-win!
Your Guide to Making Smart Moves to a New City
Follow our simple, step-by-step plan for a smooth relocation process so you can settle into your new city with confidence.
Tips for Selling Your House When Relocating
If you’re planning to relocate and you own a home, you’ll need to sell it! After all, you can’t just give your landlord a 30-day notice like a renter could. So, let’s go over some tips for selling your home when relocating.
1. Work with an expert real estate agent.
Anyone who’s selling a home should work with a real estate agent. But especially when you’re on a tight timeline, you can’t afford to go the DIY route. So if you need to sell your home before the big move, hiring a top-notch agent should be your first step.
How exactly do you find a good agent? We make it easy! With our RamseyTrusted® program, you can easily get connected with top-performing agents in your local area. Our RamseyTrusted agents are committed to serving you with excellence and helping you reach your financial goals.
2. Stage your home—inside and out.
If you really want your home to stand out from the crowd, you’ll need to spend some time and money staging it. Add lamps to dark corners and anywhere else that could use more light. Declutter your closets and counters. Clean everything. Make sure every room has furniture. And take an honest look at your home’s curb appeal—you may need to trim some bushes or add a fresh coat of paint.
Little updates like those can go a long way toward your home selling more quickly and for more money. In fact, nearly 50% of seller’s agents say home staging can decrease a home’s time on the market. And in 2025, 36% of seller's agents said staged homes brought in higher offers compared to similar homes that weren't staged.5
3. Sell your house before you buy a new one.
It may be tempting to buy a new place before your current house sells, but it’s a bad idea. You don’t need the financial risk of having two mortgages—that’s a great way to wind up with a huge financial mess on your hands. Luckily, it’s possible to buy and sell a home at the same time with the right plan.
Tips for Buying a House When Relocating
Unless you’re planning to rent for a while, you’ll need to buy a home in your new city after selling your current one. Here are some tips for getting the job done on that front.
1. Find a real estate agent who’s a market expert.
Just like when you’re selling a home, you need to hire a real estate agent when you’re buying. Specifically, you should work with an agent who’s an expert in the housing market you’re moving to.
Chances are, you’re relocating to an area you don’t know very well. That’s why it’s so important to partner with a real estate agent who can help you figure out what neighborhoods to look at and what kind of homes fit your budget.
Like we talked about earlier, our RamseyTrusted program is a great way to find an agent who can do just that. The agents in our network are experienced high performers and experts in the local areas they serve. You can connect with one today.
2. Figure out your housing budget.
Before you start house hunting, make sure you get clear on your budget by figuring out how much house you can afford. If you’re getting a mortgage, stick to a 15-year fixed-rate loan with a monthly payment that’s no more than 25% of your take-home pay—including private mortgage insurance (PMI), homeowners association (HOA) fees, property taxes and insurance.
You should aim for a 20% down payment, since that would let you avoid PMI. But if you’re moving and buying your first home, putting 5–10% down is okay as long as you can stick to the 25% rule for monthly payments. For an easy way to estimate your monthly payment, use our free Mortgage Calculator.
Knowing your home budget will help you target your search to the neighborhoods and areas of town that fit your budget.
3. Focus on resale value.
Wait, I’m moving into my dream home! Why would I worry about resale value—I’m never going to move. We hear you, but here’s the deal: Half of homeowners sell within 10 years.6 Chances are you’ll move someday—and when you do, you’ll want to make sure your house is worth more than what you paid for it.
How do you make sure you buy a home that’s likely to increase in value? Buy in the bottom price range of the neighborhood, buy a home with a good floor plan that’s attractive from the street, and research whether any developments are planned for the area. Your agent can help you figure all that out.
Get an Agent on Your Side
Relocating is stressful enough. You shouldn’t have to figure out the home-buying or -selling process on your own. That’s why it’s so important to have a RamseyTrusted agent in your corner—someone who’s been vetted by our team and knows how to put your goals first.
These pros bring top-notch service and local market expertise, so you can buy or sell with confidence (and stay on budget).
We trust them—so you can too. Connect with a RamseyTrusted agent today!
Next Steps
- Decide where you want to relocate.
- Use our free Cost of Living and Mortgage Calculators to assess affordability in your new city.
- Connect with a RamseyTrusted real estate agent to guide you through buying or selling with confidence.
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