by Bridget Hildreth

Created on: May 13, 2007   Last Updated: May 21, 2007

Choosing a place to live can be accomplished by a map and a moving truck. Finding a place to thrive is far more challenging as well as rewarding. Visualize yourself living in a specific part of the country, then refine your vision through research.

All to often, we romanticize a region due to the reputation or tourist lure that has caught our attention. Maybe the job market appears strong in that area, or the housing is priced low. Regardless of that beacon that draws one to a city or neighborhood, the first step should be a realistic array of imagery created by yourself, yet based on information gathered from readily available sources.

The internet is a wonderful place to start. Information is at your fingertips to help you determine if the desired location is worth further thought. For instance; Florida is a beautiful state with a myriad of attractions and natural beauty, but do you truly want to live there? Visit government web sites that provide details about the actual climate, and not sites that encourage simply the tourism aspect of the state. "Sunny Florida" can be misleading unless you educate yourself concerning the extreme heat several months of the year, and virtually no picture attempting to attract visitors or future residents would dare display scenes of a hurricane aftermath or the electric bills sums that accrue just to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.

This is where the visualization process comes in to play. If you are currently residing in a place with four seasons, and you are used to generally having a snow covered winter holiday, would you see yourself truly enjoying that season when many times it is more than warm enough to swim or go to the beach on Christmas Day? Really think about it. See yourself participating in the holiday rituals that make you happy and determine if it is compatable with the new place of residence. If not, try someplace else if you are truly looking to relocate.

Now, say a blanket of white sandy beach sounds like pure bliss as opposed to a blanket of snow, then move on to the next step. Make a list of priorities that affect you and your family to help determine if this location meets all or most of those needs. You may want to begin with you or a spouse's employment. Does the area provide sufficient demand for workers in your field? Are you willing to commute? Do you need a vehicle that maybe you had no use to own in the past because you currently live in an urban area where mass transit is mainly utilized.

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