Everything You Need to Know About Moving to Napa

 

Whether it’s the natural beauty of the valleys, or you just want to be closer to Sandra Bullock, moving to Napa is really a great choice.

 

The City of Napa is simply one of the most stunning places in California, and right at the heat of the Napa Valley wine region. It’s a perfect destination for a permanent relocation or purchasing a vacation home, particularly if you want to embark on hiking trails or live close to lovely parks.

 

But moving anywhere in this county requires quite a bit of preparation, particularly if at the moment you’re miles away from Napa or even California. Luckily for you, we’re presenting everything you need to know about moving to Napa!

 

 

Napa 101

 

A quick Google search for Napa results in countless breathtaking photos, which are enough to make anyone want to move here. However, it is a big life decision, and you should know a few things to see if Napa is the right move for you.

 

Here are a few things you should know:

 

1. The Cost of Housing

 

According to Zillow, the median home price in Napa is around $668,900, with a median list price per square foot being around $459. Yes, it is a bit high, but remember this is the median price, so it’s also possible to find more affordable housing options. We’d recommend working with a local realtor who can find you a home or rental around your price range.

 

2. The Cost of Living

 

Napa’s not the cheapest place to live in, with an estimated 40% higher cost of living than the rest of the United States. However, because of its warm weather, it’s also a lot more prosperous economically, so it may even out.

 

3. The Weather

 

If you can’t take the heat, maybe stay out of Napa, because its Mediterranean climate can mean it gets pretty hot around certain dates, even 90 degrees hot. But that tends to happen sporadically, so you won’t necessarily have to endure months on end of very high temperatures.

 

4. Quality of Life

 

Napa is a very advanced city, and the residents here have a very good quality of life and can have access to a variety of services:

 

?      Library services;

?      Senior services and opportunities (such as volunteering and recreational activities specifically designed for them);

?      Around 50 parks;

?      Public transport;

?      Sports and recreation options for the general public;

?      Public schools and community colleges.

 

What You Need to Do

 

That’s the gist on Napa. If you decide to move here, then you need to start thinking about the logistics of it. We recommend you do it as soon as possible to give yourself enough time to plan. The next part of this article will help you prepare.

 

1. You Need a Plan

 

You are about to embark on a long-distance journey and move to Napa. That requires quite a lot of things to do. If you want to make sure that you don’t forget anything, it’s best to make a plan, write it down, and stick to it as much as you can.

 

Sure, there will be unforeseen moments, but they won’t send you into a panic spiral if you have an overview of the entire moving process.

 

2. You Need to Prioritize

 

Once you look at the plan you wrote down, it’s best to review the items of the list once again and see which have to be done first, and which you can possibly delay.

 

Reviewing the plan can also let you know what are the things that are unnecessary or take up too much of your time. It’s best to keep things simple. You don’t want to overcrowd your schedule with a lot of tasks that can be avoided.

 

3. You Need Insurance

 

We are talking about moving insurance, to be exact. These policies come in very handy during the moving process, particularly if there’s a long way to go from point A to point B. Things can get broken or lost along the way, and even if you don’t have a lot of extremely expensive stuff in your possession, it’s still your stuff. And it would be nice to enjoy them in Napa.

 

 

4. You (Most Likely) Need to Update Some Documents

 

Moving to Napa, California, means you’ll need to update license and registration and register to vote. You should check out California’s DMV portal to see exactly what you need, to get your new license, and then you can use the California Online Voter Registration, but only when your new license has been issued.

 

5. You Need a Professional Moving Company

 

Here’s what moving to a new city looks like:

 

?      Buying packing materials;

?      Hiring a truck big enough to fit all or most of your belongings;

?      Loading and unloading the stuff;

?      Buying equipment to safely secure the belongings inside the truck;

?      Researching the route, and arranging overnight stays if it’s a very long drive.

 

It’s honestly just not worth it. Moving very long distances is hard enough, and it’s far better to hire a professional moving company to help with the process. That way, you can take care of the thousand things you need to do.

 

But don’t put it off too long, either. A1 Auto Transport says the moving company needs enough time to analyze the requirements for the job and prepare for safe transport, and it’s unlikely they’ll be able to do that if the moving date is close. Plus, a lot of companies will send some evaluators to your home to review the cargo and the size of the move for a better price estimate.

 

Signing off

 

Moving is exciting. Sorry, let’s rephrase: the idea of moving is exciting, but that excitement often only comes around when you step foot in your new Napa home. The rest of the process can be a lot to handle at times, but if you remember these recommendations, your job will be much easier.

 

If you were to take away one thing from this whole piece, let it be this: start the process way before the desired moving date, and delegate as much as you can. Hire a Napa realtor, work with a moving company, ask family and friends for help - just don’t do it alone.

 

Oh, and enjoy your new life in the City of Napa! You’ll see it was all worth the effort.\

- Melissa Villalobos

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