How to Relocate - issues (Edina: extended stay, apartment, rentals) - Minneapolis - St. Paul - Minnesota (MN) -Twin Cities - City-Data Forum

mnnysocalmn · 08-24-2016, 10:26 PM

Well we got the job offer and are very happy but house hunting has been hard! How do people relocate? We've scouted areas and are having a hard time juggling a move, lining up housing, and starting school! We do NOT want to live in an apartment, especially since we have a nice new upgraded home (with granite etc) that we will be leaving behind.

Strategies for relocating? Did you go through a realtor ? Who? Are there any who specialize in this? Did you rent first and did you rent a house? How did you find it? Did you rent an apartment month to month to figure it out? What about schools? It's overwhelming and we have a time frame to get it all done in.

To make matters worse, we thought we found a house rental in Edina. We scouted areas and had a rental all ready to go and at the last minute (once they verified income) they came back and raised the rent $500 and started asking for more and more money (and we are already spending a LOT). Which started to make me really nervous. I think it's because the owners originally wanted to sell and can't get their mind around renting. But we had moving vans lined up and everything and I'm not moving for them to keep changing their minds. So. On to the next.

We are so stressed with finding housing and finding schools and starting school etc. and our head is spinning.

Meemur · 08-24-2016, 10:35 PM

Put your furniture into a POD (or something similar) and then live at an Extended Stay hotel until you can get into your rental or buy something. I can't comment on schools.

When you buy or rent, you can have them deliver the POD to your new place.

mnnysocalmn · 08-25-2016, 01:22 AM

We have to think of schools. I have an elementary age child and can't stick my child in any school. That's the crux of it. I have family to stay with it but I don't want to enroll my child for a month here and then enroll a month later somewhere else, I am working hard to avoid this.

It's hard to pick a school randomly. I do tons of research and visited a few online but at the end of the day how do you just decide? I visited a couple but didn't get to tour.

The elementary at my family member's house isn't great so that's out. Just a lot to try to consider and I am trying to find a more long-term place. Plus we have our house to sell.

It's a lot. Overwhelming.

meo92953 · 08-25-2016, 03:15 AM

You haven't given folks a lot to go on except that you were looking at Edina. Please be more specific about what you are looking for. There are many places outside of Edina.

MichelleLC · 08-25-2016, 04:35 AM

We have just relocated to Edina this summer. Spouse moved into extended stay while I sold house and worked with realtor. I first decided on school district then town. Started looking for houses online and was put in contact with Engeks/Volker here in Edina. They were fantastic with the relocation! I came in for one weekend ... They had all of the houses lined up thatcher wanted to look at. We bought a house that weekend and the closing process took about 6 weeks.
We were looking in April at the height of relocation shopping. There appears to be much more housing inventory now and lower prices as the whole summer relocation season is over. Good luck. It is hard but doable. We are so impressed with the Edina schools so far.

Citykid3785 · 08-25-2016, 06:12 AM

From a schools perspective it's going to be harder to find a bad one versus a good one. Question, is the company that's relocating you of no help in this? Typically it's the company that lines up all these things for you

mnnysocalmn · 08-25-2016, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichelleLC

We have just relocated to Edina this summer. Spouse moved into extended stay while I sold house and worked with realtor. I first decided on school district then town. Started looking for houses online and was put in contact with Engeks/Volker here in Edina. They were fantastic with the relocation! I came in for one weekend ... They had all of the houses lined up thatcher wanted to look at. We bought a house that weekend and the closing process took about 6 weeks.
We were looking in April at the height of relocation shopping. There appears to be much more housing inventory now and lower prices as the whole summer relocation season is over. Good luck. It is hard but doable. We are so impressed with the Edina schools so far.

Thanks Michelle!

Yes I was talking to someone at Engels & Volker! I think we don't want to buy right away is also making it hard. We wanted to get "lay of the land" but maybe we do look at buying! Who would've thunk it -- buying in some ways would be so much easier!

mnnysocalmn · 08-25-2016, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Citykid3785

From a schools perspective it's going to be harder to find a bad one versus a good one. Question, is the company that's relocating you of no help in this? Typically it's the company that lines up all these things for you

No there isn't a relo package but they are giving us money towards it. Hence, my question! It's a great position and we're excited and we don't want to sit and wait for the perfect relo package. Companies aren't doing that as much as they used to but I know they still do it. It is a decision we have to make. I'd hate to give up a great opportunity to only wait and maybe never find another one. Plus, we have family there so it's not completely unfamiliar. Corporate housing isn't the greatest either, we've done it before and it costs a fortune and is impersonal and is short term (even though the company pays).

I'd love to know when people relocate what strategies they've found effective.

It's like OMG -- here we go! It's a big change and we have a house to sell on our end.

Ursicinus · 08-25-2016, 06:38 AM

Since you have family in the area, you have a leg up on a lot of people who move here for work. Generally speaking, I have coworkers who sort of cold-moved (is that a phrase?) to the area and worked entirely through a realtor: told them what they wanted, how much they were approved for, etc, and the realtor gave them a shortlist of places to look at. Most of them did keep their stuff in storage and camp out at a hotel (or distant relative's house) during the process, which by the way, seemed to go way quicker than I would have thought.

But basically, for anyone here to give help, we'll need more info. Are you moving soon? (i.e. during the school year?) What specifics are you looking for?

gopherviking · 08-25-2016, 07:23 AM

I can relate. We just moved a year ago wih school aged children and it was very stressful to find housing. I was set on Edina, but we ended up in SW MSP and love it. I had almost signed a lease on an apartment and the house we bought dropped into our price range. Is there a specific school you are looking at or Edina in general? I can PM you a few of the rentals we looked at if you'd like.