Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
The Move to Your Second Home in a New State - There are many benefits of living in two different states. One of the main reasons is that you can live in a state with a lower cost of living and work in a state with a higher cost of living.
The tax rates are also different between the two states. You might be able to save some money by paying taxes where there is no income tax or property tax, which can help you out financially.
Or you may want to have the luxury of living in different states to avoid extreme weather. Whatever the reason, there are definitely quite a few things to consider when choosing where and how to be a multi-state homeowner.
Making the Move
The first step to becoming a multi-state homeowner is to identify what state you want to spend the most time living in. This will be your primary residence and the place where you will spend most of your time. Or you may want to divide your time equally between the two. If you do, you can register your cars, get your auto insurance policy, and even health insurance in the state with cheaper options.
Rather than pay for cable for two homes, choose streaming options over cable. This ensures you can watch whatever you want wherever you are.
The housing market is very different in every state. The cost of living, the median income, and the availability of jobs can all change from state to state. If you are considering moving across states, make sure that you understand how your new location will affect your budget and what you can expect in terms of cost of living.
Moving With Your Pet
If you’re moving with your pet, start early, helping them cope with the stress of the move. Some experts advise putting empty boxes around the house early just so they get used to seeing them and don’t become anxious when the real move begins.
Make certain your pet is micro-chipped since the risk of them going missing is greatly increased during a move. Look for pet insurance since the likelihood of illness or injury also increased during a move.
You’ll want to check with either the landlord or homeowner’s association before making a commitment to a home or apartment. If your pet is a service or therapy animal, get the necessary paperwork before you move so there are no last-minute worries.
“Have a safe space set up in your old home, and then set up a similar safe space with those same items in your new home. This gives your pet something familiar and comforting that's consistent between the two places, like a quiet and secluded resting area, water, comforting toys, and a piece of your clothing.” – Tip by Tampa Buyers Agents
Cost Varies State to State
When you’re budgeting your new multi-state way of life, there are a lot more steps than when budgeting for a single-state home status.
If you’re going to rent a storage space, use a search tool for finding which of the two states your homes are in will cost you less. For instance, the trick to finding storage in Las Vegas is by using a website that allows you to enter the zip code you’re searching to give you a choice of several locations and pricing options.
Housing prices can be wildly different depending on what state you’re looking at. The average three-bedroom, two-bath home in Florida is $367,000, while in Oklahoma, that home averages $196,000.
The average annual auto insurance premium in Michigan is $2,497, while in Maine, that cost is $589 annually.
California, Hawaii, and Washington, D.C., are the most expensive for vet care, averaging more than $1,400 annually, while North Dakota and Arkansas have much lower costs, averaging $769 annually.
Checking into prices for things like housing, storage units, insurance, and vet care when creating your budget ensures you won’t run into surprises after you’ve already moved. And remember to spend some time getting your pet ready for the move so that you can all enjoy a stress-free life in your new second home.
Thank you for your moving advice. I recently made the decision to relocate to another state. I will follow your advice, and I appreciate you sharing this post.