The work isn't quite over once you've moved into your new home. Part of the settling-in experience is finding all of the local services you're going to need. The following gives you some tips for finding banks, schools, post offices, and other things you might require upon moving to your new town.
Schools
If you have children, this is probably the most important thing for you to find. Schools are usually easy to spot, so you could always drive around and try to find them. However, there are some great online resources to help you find out about schools in your new town. One such resource is the National Center for Education Statistics, especially their Nation's Report Card tool.
When looking at schools, consider the following:
Student-teacher ratio
Academic programs
After-school programs
Student tools, like computers, libraries, science labs, etc.
Other services
Here are some other things you might need to find in your new town: banks, hospitals, libraries, post offices, restaurants, stylists or barbers, dentists, or doctors. These, and a host of other services, are relatively easy to locate. The following tips apply to most services:
- Look online. You can search for local services on websites like http://www.yahoo.com/ or http://www.google.com/. You may be able to find consumer reviews, which would help you select the best services available. Many services even have their own websites. For example, look at the websites for different banks. Most will have a branch-locator tool that you can use.
- Look through the yellow pages. Whether in book form or online, this is an extremely handy tool for locating just about any business.
- Ask. Never underestimate the power of public knowledge. If you have friends that have visited or lived in your new town, they may just know some good services for you to take advantage of. You could also ask some of your new neighbors or coworkers for advice.