Moving from a small town or suburb to a larger city like Indianapolis can be an intimidating venture. Here are a few tips to help make your move as painless as possible.
RESEARCH BEFORE YOU MOVE.
It’s important to understand the culture you’re joining. Indianapolis is a vibrant and evolving city, so do your research online and find out about school systems, neighborhoods, parking, weather, public transportation, and laws that are native to that area. If you can, connect with someone who’s lived there before. Unrelated…I know a great realtor whose office is in downtown Indy (Spoiler Alert: It’s me.)
HAVE A PLAN.
There are a lot of steps to go through before you start packing the moving truck. The Indianapolis housing market is booming, so make sure you have a signed contract to your new home before you pack your boxes, or at least know where you’ll stay while you look for a home. Never sign a lease on an apartment that you haven’t seen. If you can’t get there, find a friend or an employer to check for you. Try to line up things like driver’s licenses, car insurance, renter’s insurance, and parking passes ahead of time as well.
GET INVOLVED.
Meeting people in a big city can be daunting, but Hoosiers have a way of making it easier. Don’t expect the neighbors to knock on your door with a casserole in-hand, but they might because that’s what we do. Take the initiative. If there are things you liked to do in your town, find ways to do those things in the city. Indy offers so many opportunities to eat, drink and engage with other people, so venture out and find what you like.
MIND YOUR WALLET.
City life is expensive, but not impossible to manage. You can easily have a night out for less than $30 per person. In fact, Indianapolis was voted one of the best cities for cost of living. Just be careful how you spend, budget appropriately and know where your money is going.