Making a move to a new community across the country or several states away is a challenge in many ways.

It becomes more difficult when the area is vastly different from your current home, you don't have a good idea of where you want to live, and you cannot easily explore the area personally.

But help IS available.

First, you need to find a knowledgeable REALTOR who can help you in your search. I'm sure you have already discovered the many advantages of using the Internet, as 80% of buyers have, but a live being at the other end will make a huge difference.

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Find the Right REALTOR to Help with Your Relocation

More on Choosing Your REALTOR to Help with Your Relocation

• Need a checklist to help you sort through what's important to you in your new home? Just let me know and I will email it to you.
• If you are selling, I have a checklist to help you focus on the most important qualities you are seeking in a REALTOR to help you list your home. I will email it on request.

Here are my thoughts on the services that I find beneficial for relocating buyers:

Community information - there is a lot of information on-line if you simply take the time to search for it. Blogs such as the one you are reading now are a good example. I take a lot of time to learn about the communities I service and share that information with buyers in my blogs, and in conversations and emails. The more you know about a community the better you are able to make an informed decision as to whether it suits your lifestyle or not. Here are just a few community profiles in my service area - Carlsbad, Encinitas, San Marcos, Cardiff, Solana Beach.

Market Conditions - you will want to know about pricing and current market conditions in those areas that interest you. I provide monthly market reports on communities like Carlsbad, Encinitas and Cardiff but can customize reports for you for any North County San Diego community.

MLS listings - there are numerous sites to find information on properties for sale, and you will find they vary substantially in terms of what they provide. Some of that depends on the sources of the information, or it may be a factor of the manner in which the site aggregates and then shares that information with consumers. I provide full listing information to buyers who I am working with on properties they have identified as being of greatest interest.

Photos - Many listings provide photos, but many do not, despite the fact that we know consumers WANT to see photos. This is even more essential for folks who are out of the area and don't have a good feel for the neighborhoods, style of homes, etc. One of the services I provide is to preview homes that interest my relocation buyers and take multiple photos of the home (inside and out) and the local area. These are shared with clients via email in various formats. My Carlsbad Video and Photobloggery which I update regularly has plenty of photos and videos about the area to give you a feel for the San Diego lifestyle 

Videos - one of the best ways to get a feel for a home and the community is through video. It's expensive, easy to share, and communicates so much more than photos. I take videos at homes I am previewing for my relocation buyers to better help them see the home and neighborhood as if they were walking through it themselves. Here's an example of a community video. And here's one of a listing of mine.

Phone Tour - this sounds a little odd, perhaps, but in some cases I have taken my clients on a walking tour of the home while on my phone so I can describe to them live what I am seeing (works best if they already have some photos), and to answer specific questions. This service is especially good for live interaction and Q and A.

Buyers Handbook - I have a new Buyers handbook that I share with my relocating clients to give them a good overview of the buying process here in California (which is very different than some other states) and the documents they will encounter as California buyers. While the full handbook is provided once we have agreed to work together, the Buyer's Handbook Summary is on my website on my homepage and can be downloaded at any time.

Websites for research - my relocation buyers often ask about schools, crime, and other things that interest them or are important to them in a new community. There are a number of websites that can be used to gather this information so buyers can do THEIR own due diligence. Here are a couple of examples.

• School information - Great Schools and School Digger
• Walkability (how close are amenities to the homes you like) - you can read more about WalkScore in this article about Carlsbad.

Help for Sellers Too - many relocating buyers are current homeowners needing to sell. If so, check out my Informed Sellers page on my website for some helpful information. If I can help you find a great listing agent to help you, let me know - I have a great network around the country due to my on-line marketing and national professional affiliations. I am happy to interview agents for you before making a referral.

Don't take on your relocation by yourself. get the professional help you need to make it as smooth a transition as possible. Please don't hesitate to ask questions at any time.