Helping Kids Adjust to a Relocation - Things for Kids to Do in Carlsbad and Nearby

Relocating to a new community from a distance with kids, especially older ones, can be a challenge. Leaving friends behind and everything they enjoy and are familiar with is tough on everyone.

When you couple that with the fact they may not know anything about the new community, which makes it feel that much more foreign, plus having to meet new kids and start a new school, you have a major emotional situation, for kids and their parent(s).

Bringing some reality to the move by a visit or two, combined with some fun times and activities the kids enjoy – sort of a vacation - can help make the move feel perhaps a bit more comfortable before it actually happens.

Taking time to learn about the new home, and all that the community offers, can help bridge the gap of old and new. And with kids’ familiarity with technology these days learning about the new home is relative easy. Plus they might really enjoy the research.

As with listings, I think photos and videos help to make the new home more of a reality for those who are relocating, and our blogs can do just that for kids who are moving. The visuals make the new home real, and something they can more readily identify with.

Providing guidance to those who are relocating and information about the new community, and especially things to do and see, could make a huge difference. They are buying a community, not just a house, so it’s useful to cover a broad range of information.

Take it a step further and target your information to the specific interests of the kids and parents? Find out what they like to do – hobbies, activities, interests, lifestyle – and provide more personal details. You can send emails with links to blog articles that specifically address these targeted interests, such as sports. You can also send along newspapers and local magazines (we have a bimonthly Carlsbad magazine that is chock full of great information about all there is to do here).

Being a resource for where to find information, such as schools (e.g., School Digger, Great Schools) is also important.

In Part 2 we’ll cover some specifics of things to do and see in Carlsbad from a real-life long distance relocation.

I'm sorry, but I don't mean to question your lifestyle, but I must.

Really, I have to in order to be helpful. It's not that I disapprove of your lifestyle and how you want to live your life - you certainly have the right to live the way you want - but since you are moving here to the Carlsbad area (or elsewhere in North San Diego County on or near the coast where I work) it's important that I know certain things about how you live. 

Hopefully you will understand my nosiness and be comfortable sharing the way you like to live, and perhaps more importantly the lifestyle you desire once you relocate here to Southern California. 

In case you are concerned about where this may be leading, don't be. 

Southern California offers a different lifestyle for many because of the great weather we have, and much of what folks in SoCal really like about being here is the fact that they can enjoy the outdoors most if not all the year - sports, recreation, dining and much more. So that's a big piece of what folks are looking for when they move here. And perhaps many of you are not even aware how different your lifestyle might be after leaving the upper Midwest or New England, for example.

READ MORE:

Carlsbad Homes - Outdoor Living, Dining and Cooking

Carlsbad - Outdoor Living at Its Best in Southern California

I work with a lot of folks who are relocating a significant distance, and in many cases from areas where the weather and other components of how they live are rather different than in SoCal. So finding out not only how you live but what you are seeking when you move here is essential so I can guide you in the right direction. Here are a few examples. 

• Some neighborhoods will not work for you if you want to be within walking distance to the beach, or directly on the beach
• If you want to live along a golf course, that eliminates many neighborhoods and narrows the search to certain areas and price ranges
• Do you want to be able to walk to the beach and amenities or is a car drive OK
• Pools and spas are more prevalent here (it's a weather thing!) so if that's important your search criteria should include that, or perhaps a willingness to install a pool or spa. 

I created a questionnaire to target buyer's home search criteria they are seeking and ask buyers to complete this, or at least to look at it to help sort through what's really important. You can download this questionnaire on the Savvy Buyers page of my real estate website. 

My new questionnaire focuses on Buyer's Lifestyles, since I have found many buyers have fairly specific expectations of what they are seeking in their move to Southern California and they vary quite a bit from person to person.

These expectations can impact the type of home, location, neighborhood, access to amenities and many other factors that we need to sort through to find the right property. 

Even if you don't complete the questionnaire, it will help you sort through the issues that matter to you most, and we can talk further about your desired lifestyle as part of the home searching process. 

Download the Buyer's Lifestyle Questionnaire (1^st draft 10/09) on my Savvy Buyer's page of my real estate website. 

Here's to YOUR new lifestyle in Carlsbad or elsewhere here in coastal North San Diego County.

As we continue with our Carlsbad relocation tip for finding your new home in Carlsbad, it's time to review the house hunting process - not virtually, but when you make your house hunting trip. If you have the luxury of more than one such trip, or an extended time there, feel free to modify these relocation tips as they make sense to you and your schedule.

At this point in the relocation process you have learned about finding your REALTOR (Part 1), read some tips on finding your community or neighborhood (Part 2), and most recently learned about finding your home on-line in your new location (Part 3). 

If you missed these important articles or wish to review them here they are:

Part 1 - Finding Your REALTOR: Carlsbad Relocation Tips - Finding Your REALTOR, Finding Your Community and Finding Your New Home in Carlsbad 

Part 2 - FInding Your Community:  Carlsbad Relocation Tips - Finding Your REALTOR, Finding Your Community and Finding Your New Home in Carlsbad  

Part 3 - Finding Your Home (On-line searching): Carlsbad Relocation Tips - Finding Your REALTOR, Finding Your Community and Finding Your New Home in Carlsbad  

Your goal should be to be able to head out on a house hunting trip with some specific areas and homes you wish to see, especially if the goal is to BUY on this trip. And hopefully your agent now have a pretty good idea of what you want and can add properties to the mix that make sense, or delete those that don't. Be open minded to a variety of properties, especially if the choices in your price range are limited. 

Don't be afraid to ask about last minute changes - perhaps something new has come on the market. Or, after thinking about it or driving through an area, you may eliminate other homes as unsuitable.

You should have an itinerary, based on your schedule that you presumably have shared with your REALTOR.  Make sure there is time to arrange showings, since some sellers required advance notice. But if you are there for several days you should be fine.

If you are looking at REOs and short sales consider your relocation timing very carefully. While REOs tend to be easier, there is NO guarantee on a short sale - it could be many months, so if you have to buy and move soon, it may be a waste of time to even consider these, unless you can make alternative living arrangements while you wait.

I would plan to spend a good part of the day looking, depending on where you are looking and how many homes you are seeing - touring 10 or more houses in a day is not unreasonable. But allow for some down time, too.

Be sure to have a copy of the MLS printout for each house (your agent should provide this). Also ask for comparison information on homes that have sold in the area (price, etc.). I suggest riding with your REALTOR, or them with you, so you can use the time for Q and A. You can always drive yourself around later, which I recommend, so you can gain a feel for the area on your own terms - check out amenities, commute time, traffic, noise, etc.

Use a digital and or video camera (remember the battery charger). This will help you remember homes and is easier than notes when seeing lots of homes - things can get a bit blurry.

You may want to rank order homes as you go so you can eliminate those that are low on the list. This will help you define what you really like and narrow down the list to your favorites.

Depending on your schedule you may not want to take too much time at each home so you can see everything that you want. You should pay a second visit to the favorites if time permits so you can make an informed decision. Some folks want to think things over. Keep in mind that waiting for a decision may result in you oozing the home your really want. But that's your choice.

Depending on your personal situation and comfort level, I would prepare yourself mentally to make a buying decision when you find the right house. If you have done your research and have a good agent, you will likely find the home you want during your trip, so you need to be prepared to move ahead quickly. If your time is limited and you need to return home, you might want to make an offer and hopefully get it accepted before leaving.

Be prepared for making an offer by bringing your checkbook for a deposit. Also make sure you have a pre-approval letter (or can get one from your lender quickly via email or fax). If you are not financing, bring proof of funds to submit with your offer.

In Part 5 of this series we will discuss handling an offer and transaction from a distance.

********************************

Subscribe in a reader

If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.

All content copyright © 2009 Jeff Dowler Carlsbad Homes and Real Estate Tidbits

As the journey continues toward your Carlsbad relocation tips for finding your new home in Carlsbad become even more important. 

Thus far you have received from Relocation Tips finding your REALTOR (Part 1) and some tips on finding your community or neighborhood (Part 2)

 If you missed these important articles or wish to review them you can find them here:

Part 1: Carlsbad Relocation Tips - Finding Your REALTOR, Finding Your Community and Finding Your New Home in Carlsbad 

Part 2:  Carlsbad Relocation Tips - Finding Your REALTOR, Finding Your Community and Finding Your New Home in Carlsbad  

Your home search is a critically important part of your relocation, unless you are planning to move out and rent, then begin looking. But the same principals apply. 

And finding a home from a distance IS very doable, with the help of the Internet and your new REALTOR, with the goal being to come out on a house hunting trip to see the homes that interest you and BUY! 

Budget and Defining Your Criteria 

Starting off, you need to have a pretty good idea of your budget is and what you are looking for. Keep in mind that in you are moving to an area that is very different from where you live (say from Boston to Carlsbad like I did), you will find dramatic differences in the type of housing - we don't have basements or attics here, for the most part, as one example. 

• You can download a checklist that will help refine your criteria and evaluate what is most important (look for "What's Important to You" in the middle of the page for buyers).
• Considering a short sale or REO (or do you know already that will likely be in your price range)? Download my Buyer's Short Sale Checklist on the home page of my website. 

Carlsbad Real Estate Homes Search 

There are numerous sites to search for homes, with varying degrees of information as well as listings - not all sites have all the MLS listings. 

• You can use my search page if you are moving to the Carlsbad area or elsewhere in San Diego, with the ability to refine your search using a variety of parameters and to save searches so you receive updates listing daily.
• Lots of folks also use REALTOR.com, and also like Trulia and Zillow for their searching capabilities and other information you will find there, including ESTIMATES of value (note my emphasis on estimates since these can be off quite a bit) , recent Carlsbad market trends, a Carlsbad home prices and heat map, Carlsbad foreclosures, and much more.
• Some folks like to use RealtyTrac and Foreclosure.com although I find that listings on these sites are often out of date. Check with your agent on the status of properties (and their prices) your find on these sites. 

While you should do a lot of the searching on your own, do not hesitate to ask your REALTOR to send you searches that meet your criteria. I send lists right off the MLS which are the most comprehensive and up to date, and if there are particular homes you come across in the Carlsbad area let me know so more complete information can be obtained for you immediately. If you are working with an agent in your relocation that cannot provide this level of service I would move on to someone who can and will. 

Carlsbad Real Estate Mapping Applications 

Another great resource when looking for homes in a new area is Google Maps and Google Earth. These mapping resources can give you a great idea of major streets and parks, as well as street and aerial views that may help point out high tension towers, malls, railroad tracks and other things that you would prefer to avoid in the areas you are interested in. Google Earth is especially good for checking out the terrain - hills, canyons and the like which may appeal to you. Listings often do not provide this level of detail, although the mapping technology being use for certain MLSs is improving. Of course there is nothing better than a real life view (but you will get to that) but these can work quite well. 

Useful Relocation Services 

Since I specialize in relocation (as do other agents) there are some services I provide relocating buyers during the home search phase when looking at Carlsbad real estate and nearby areas. 

While many listings provide photos, some of them are terrible, or completely lacking. I provide more photos on properties that interest relocating buyers and preview them as well. I also provide videos of homes and the communities (or you will find community videos on my blog for various neighborhoods). 

You goal should be to be able to head out on a house hunting trip with some specific areas and home you wish to see. Perhaps, also, you will be able to give your REALTOR enough information so that additional homes should be scheduled. If you only have 1 trip planned, then your objectives will be much tighter. But more on maximizing your house hunting trips in Part 4 of this series.

*****************************

Subscribe in a reader

If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.

All content copyright © 2009 Jeff Dowler Carlsbad Homes and Real Estate Tidbits