Americans are taking scouting trips to see if they can handle moving to a new country. But finding a new home abroad isn’t as simple as going on vacation there.
Take it from Alex Ingrim, who’s originally from Washington, but left the U.S. to study in France, where he met his now-wife, Louisa.
Over the last 17 years, Ingrim, 36, has lived in France, Canada, the UK, Malta and now Italy.
He’s a financial advisor with Chase Buchanan USA based in Florence, which has roughly 70 clients. He advises fellow Americans about taxes and other financial planning involved with moving to Europe.
Here’s his advice for taking a scouting trip to find a new home abroad.
1. Visit during the off season
If you’re visiting your dream destination during peak travel season when the weather is nice, make sure to book a follow-up during the winter months or off season.
That way you get a better feel for what it’s like to live there full-time.
“The Costa del Sol in Spain or holiday destinations in Cyprus may feel much different in the winter than in the summer high season,” Ingrim tells CNBC Make It. “Going in the winter months will give you a more realistic view of day-to-day life.”
2. Stay for at least 6 weeks
If you’re serious about uprooting your life for a new one overseas, spend at least six weeks there.
That’s the minimum amount of time you’ll need to start shopping and doing chores like you live there, Ingrim says.
“If you go for two weeks, you’re not really fully going grocery shopping,” he says. “You can get by just taping over some cracks in what you do on a daily basis.”
However, “if you go for longer than a month, you have to think about different problems. Like maybe you can’t just go to a laundromat, and you need to actually have a place that has a washer.”
Another worthwhile note: A lot of homes in Europe don’t have a dryer, and so hang-drying your clothes will be more the norm.
“A lot of the little things that you can say, ‘Oh, haha, it was really fun when we were on vacation,’ would just annoy you to death after six weeks,” Ingrim says.
3. Run the boring errands
While you’re abroad for an extended period, get out of vacation mode by running your typical errands at the grocery store, bank, electronics or repair shop.
Eat at the cafes and restaurants you would budget for back at home, not just the ones you splurge on while traveling. “Try to understand the realistic budget for how you live,” Ingrim says.
Also consider how your consumption habits might have to change, and how that can impact your lifestyle.
“The one thing we hear all the time from people is they have to go out food shopping every few days,” Ingrim says. “They live on the third floor, and their apartment doesn’t have an elevator, so they’re wondering, ‘How can I carry this much food up the stairs every other day?'”
It seems trivial, Ingram says, but it’s a valid consideration and lifestyle adjustment that might factor into your accommodations.
4. Stay in a home you’d want to live in
Plan to stay in an Airbnb or other homestay that reflects the type of lodging you can afford full-time. “This way you can judge the quality of construction, your space requirements and how you will function with a European kitchen first-hand,” Ingrim says.
As for choosing the neighborhood, prioritize the amenities you want and need nearby.
One of the first places to start is transportation — do you plan to drive, or will you rely on public transit? If you aren’t driving most of the time, is your neighborhood walkable?
Then consider how you like to spend your time and whether your surroundings support that, Ingrim says. Are there restaurants that you actually want to go to? Are there shops that are useful?
If you have kids or plan to, check out areas with a solid school district.
“It’s nailing down the combination of what’s your lodging going to look like, and then how does that fit in with your daily lifestyle within the neighborhood?” Ingrim says.
Don’t forget your hobbies, like whether you want to be able to visit a nearby gym (which isn’t common in Europe, Ingrim adds), or if you would like a neighborhood with a lot of bike paths.
“Whatever it is, see if it’s readily available,” he says. “If not, it will absolutely get annoying to go and find it later.”
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