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Getting Comfortable in Your New Community After a Move

It’s finally done, you’ve made the big move, you’re done getting settled into your new home! Every box is unpacked, everything’s in its place (took long enough, right?) — it’s all smooth sailing from here. Congrats! Now you might even have time now to branch out, take a walk, and explore the neighborhood (further than the take-out you bought while you still couldn’t find your forks). So go for it, get some fresh air! And while you’re at it, get acquainted with your new surroundings.

Whether you bought a home in the same place you grew up, or you moved to a totally new and unfamiliar location, there’s a lot to get to know: Your neighbors, your neighborhood, local shops and restaurants, schools, parks, even that secret route for your fastest commute. It will all come in time, but some parts require extra effort for best results.

We’re here to help you with simple tips to help you get to know and get involved with your new community, to speed up the process and keep you comfy. Starting with…

Throw a Housewarming Party

A housewarming party serves two important purposes: you get to celebrate your new home with your friends and family, AND you can invite your new neighbors to break the ice! After all the work you put in to finding and buying your new home, moving, and settling in, you definitely deserve some fun.

Throwing a housewarming party gives you a low-pressure opportunity to mingle with your new neighbors. If you have kids at home, it’s also a chance for them to meet other kids in the neighborhood. It’s always nice to have a friend on the block!

Given the public health restrictions on in-person gatherings these days, you may need to plan ahead to ensure that your event is held safely (and legally). If it’s currently allowed to host a shindig in your area, it may still be best to keep party-goers outside for a BBQ or play-day in the yard. If you don’t have the exterior space, or if you just plain can’t hold a party, the next best thing is a virtual Zoom party. Not the best, we know… but you can do a virtual tour of your newly decorated home, and plan some fun games to keep the virtual party rolling.

Find Ways to Volunteer

Getting involved by giving back is a great way to meet locals, and you’ll feel so much more invested in the community. To get started, check for opportunities to volunteer on your municipal website, community Facebook pages and other social media. If your neighborhood is old-school, which is pretty cool, you might even find a physical bulletin board somewhere like the town square. Take a look for community gatherings and volunteering events and drives.

Volunteering might be a particularly nice way to meet folks in your community, for those who aren’t so fond of walking up to strangers and starting a conversation. When you volunteer, you’ll naturally meet others who are giving their time. You already have one thing in common, and you have something to do rather than stare blankly at one another from across the sidewalk.

You may be collecting food for the homeless, planting a community garden, or selling homemade treats at the local bake sale. Whatever form your efforts take, there’s no better way to get involved and invested in your new community. Many volunteering opportunities are great for kids too, and will instill an appreciation for giving back at an early age.

Of course, before you run out to volunteer, be sure to check the latest COVID guidelines in your area. You may be required to bring certain items like extra masks or gloves. If you’re at risk, you might want to leave volunteering to others for the time being.

Connect With an App

There’s an app for everything these days, including quite a few for getting in touch with your neighborhood! The most popular community app is NextDoor, which you can visit on a phone app or anything with a web browser. We also mentioned Facebook community pages earlier, which can be an even better source for community info and connections.

There are apps that connect you with other parents or pet owners or enthusiasts in your area, apps to find a restaurant, to find a date, to find Pokemon on the sidewalk, to find hidden treasure… well, maybe not treasure, but would you be surprised?

Importantly, with any type of social media, we always recommend to be careful when sharing any kind of personal information.

Strike Up a Conversation

Not everyone is super outgoing, and that’s okay, but if you find the right chance to greet your neighbors, we highly recommend it! Just say hi, introduce yourself and let them know you’re the new homeowners. You’ll find that most people are quite friendly and happy to chat. If that doesn’t describe your new neighbors, that’s a good thing to know anyways. We highly suggest breaking that ice — you never know when you might need a cup of sugar!

If you do decide to strike up a chat with your neighbors, keep in mind the current COVID guidelines. Don’t get inches away, and definitely don’t just run up and hug them. That’s probably not allowed, and your neighbors might think you’re a little weird.

Have An Adventure

Neighbors aren’t the only new part of your new community, there’s also the great wide yonder of new streets, parks, and places to go! If you don’t mind the hustle, try packing some food and water and going for a hike. It can be an urban hike through streets and shops, or your standard nature hike through the local flora. If things are spread out, or you’d rather not hoof it, then driving to new places can be very rewarding too.

For your adventure, there’s a couple ways to do it. You can let the roads and paths just whisk you away, discovering new places as you travel. Or you can do a little research beforehand, browsing the web to find hotspots and great views recommended by locals who have been around the block a while. In most cases, we recommend the latter option, just so you don’t get too tired or waste too much gas while aimlessly wandering. But if your surroundings are nice (and safe), you’re not likely to go wrong by just following your nose. Just don’t forget your GPS.

Adventuring and day-trips help you really get to know your new area. They’ll help you learn the best travel routes, the closest shops and tasty restaurants, and maybe even some local history too. GPS or not, it’s nice to know where you are and where you’re going. Have an adventure to make it so!

Getting Settled in a New Home 101

When getting settled in a new home, there are tons of ways that you can get involved and find out about your new surroundings, while at the same time making sure you and your family are safe and comfortable.

It can be strange to live in a totally new place, so we hope the tips we shared above will help you to leap over that initial phase and quickly feel at home. Definitely consider some volunteering opportunities in your area, and don’t miss out on your housewarming party if you’re able to have one! They don’t come around too often.

If you are still looking for your forever home yet, or just your next step and next adventure, we’re here to help you. Contact the Stavros Group and let us know your goals!

Packing It Up: Tips and Tricks for a Stress-Free Move

Moving is a double-edged sword. While you probably can’t wait to get settled in your dream place and start a new chapter in your life, you also likely have a lot of stress and anxiety heading into the process.

With some tips for a stress-free move, you don’t have to worry about losing your head. The tips in this article will show you how you can guarantee a stress-free move.

1. Hire Some Professional Help

Hiring a professional can help get rid of the stress of a move. By leaving it to some pros, it is a lot easier to relax, since you won’t have to worry about putting together all of the pieces yourself.

Since this is what they do for a living, you also get more of a guarantee that the job will be done properly. This means not having to worry about items breaking or being mishandled during the move.

While it will cost you a bit of money, you can’t put a price tag on the peace and stress-relief that you get by hiring movers.

2. Get Your Move Started Early

Procrastination kills the dream!

Of course, it’s difficult to get excited about your move if you stress yourself out by waiting too long to get started. You will bring back the stresses of school all-nighters — and unnecessarily so.

You have plenty of time to plan out every part of your move. So start early and make it fun instead of anxiety-inducing.

3. Find the Right Supplies for the Move

If you’re going to plan a move, you also need to be sure you have the right supplies.

Start by finding boxes and other containers that will store all of the items you are moving. Choose boxes that are sturdy and not likely to crumble or allow your belongings to break. You can purchase quality moving boxes from your local hardware store.

You can also look into specialty containers, such as hard plastic containers. Buy boxes and containers that fit together like a puzzle, so it’s easy to arrange them in your truck.

4. Pack With Rhyme and Reason

Handling your move becomes easy and stress-free when you learn how to pack.

If you have a uniform way of packing things, it’s easier for you to get them on and off the truck. You will remember where things are, and this will make it easier for you to get set up at your new place.

Go room by room and get organized about the way you pack things up. By having a strategy, the move will be as stress-free as possible.

5. Organize and Schedule Your Move

It’s best to have a schedule for every part of your move. Set the dates on your calendar and give yourself plenty of time leading up to the move to pack things up, turn your utilities on in your new place, talk to some movers, and other parts of the move.

Scope out your new home as well to see if there are any traffic patterns you should know about. Get to know the neighborhood so you can figure out the best place to park so you can unload.

6. Make Use of Storage if You Need It

Having some rental storage space is also an excellent way to make your move easier. When you have storage, it gives you some time so that you don’t feel rushed with the move.

You can rent a storage unit while you are packing up your current home so that you can move into your new home little by little. Find a storage rental company that has affordable monthly rates, along with the best storage space for your needs.

7. Manage the Costs of Your Move

You need to handle the financial part of your move as well. A price tag that you have trouble affording is one of the biggest areas of stress when you’re moving.

The easiest way to manage your costs is to first figure out what you can do on your own, and what you need professional help with. If you are hiring any kind of professional help, you should get some price estimates from three different movers.

You should also shop for the most affordable moving equipment and supplies so the price doesn’t become too inflated.

8. Take off the Time That You Need

Don’t make the mistake of trying to do too much. Working a full work week right before or after a move can also make the move more stressful than it has to be.

Take some time off from work so you can plan out your move, go room by room, and check and double-check every part of it. You will thank yourself that you took time off when you can get a good night’s sleep before the move and have clear thoughts and low anxiety.

9. Get Help From Friends and Family

Don’t hesitate to lean on the help that friends and family members can provide. It would surprise you to see how much work you can get done when you have people by your side.

If you have kids, getting family members to watch them at certain parts of the move can also decrease stress because you’re only focusing on the task at hand — not the temperament of your little ones.

10. Breathe and Relax

Breathe! It’s easier to relax when you have your mind made up that you aren’t going to let stress get the best of you.

Control what you can control, and give yourself permission to just live in the moment and let the move play out how it’s supposed to.

Put Together a Stress-Free Move

You can enjoy a stress-free move when you follow these tips. Since moves can be one of the more stressful things that you do, you will be glad that you had these tips at your disposal.

We are happy to hear from you. Take time to connect with us when you need some real estate help.

Top 5 Reasons to Move to Newport Beach

What’s Not to Love?
Newport Beach has it all: perfect weather, incredible beaches, a bustling harbor area, major events throughout the year, and some of the best shopping you will find anywhere.

Eighty-seven thousand residents call Newport Beach home. We have the benefit of nearly perfect weather year-round. Look up the work “temperate” in the dictionary, and it will probably have a picture of Newport Beach. September is our hottest month, with an average of 73 degrees. January only gets down to 56 degrees. If you want to hit the water, August is the best month to do it, when the average sea temperature is 69 degrees.

Let’s Take a Look Around
Newport Beach is not so much a city but a collection of villages, each with their own distinct style and vibe. Come to Newport Beach and our team at Stavros Group will show you:

Balboa Peninsula and “the Wedge” which consists of a 3-mile stretch that has Newport Harbor on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other. The Wedge is one of the best bodysurfing sites in the world. When the swell comes in you can catch surfers and boogie boarders in action: many come from as far away as Hawaii and Australia to catch the 20-foot waves. Not into body surfing? We hear you! Then lace up your shoes for one of the areas most popular boardwalks, the Ocean Front Walk. If you like to cook, head to the Dory Fishing Fleet, where local fishermen bring in their fresh catch of the day. Head a mile to the south of Newport Pier is the Balboa, which includes a pier, a Fun Zone, and historic pavilion. You can catch a ferry boat ride to Balboa Island from here.

Balboa Island is actually three islands in one: Balboa Island, Little Balboa Island and Collins Island. Balboa Island is just filled with charm: the main street is called Marine Avenue and is lined with restaurants, art galleries, and unique shops. If you want to get your steps in, this is a great place to do it, as “The Island” has fantastic walking paths that encircle the perimeter.

Fashion Island and Newport Center offer some high and mid-rise office space as well as one of the most exclusive outdoor shopping and restaurant destinations in southern California.

Lido Marina Village is a great destination for shoppers who like waterfront dining, stores, the historic Lido Theater and breathtaking views of the harbor.

Mariner’s Mile is aptly named for the yacht brokerages, marine supply stores, terrific restaurants, and the gorgeous Balboa Bay Club & Resort. It is all things sailing, and is located between the Arches Interchange and Dover Drive.

Corona Del Mar is Spanish for “The Crown of the Sea.” If you are looking for a beautiful spot to see the sunset, or you are wanting that perfect place to test-drive your new camera, Corona Del Mar has you covered. The Corona Del Mar State Beach and the Robert E. Badham Marine Conservation Area, Lookout and Inspiration Points offer some of the best views of the Pacific Coastline, and the entrance to Newport Harbor. Walk a few blocks in to the downtown area and you will find trendy shops and restaurants.

Newport Coast combines new and old. It was annexed into the City of Newport Beach in 2002, and includes new homes, upscale hotels, and the Pelican Hill Golf Course. Oh, by the way, the Pelican Hill Golf Course was rated the #1 golf course in the world by Conde Nast. If you are looking for incredible coastline views, go to the Crystal Cove State Park, which includes three miles of coastline, and historic restored homes from the 1930s.

Looking to Buy?
At the Stavros Group, we know practically every inch of Newport Beach and pride ourselves on helping our clients find the perfect place to call their new home. Contact us so we can show you this wonderful area we love!