So you have decided to move. What are you afraid of? Nothing? Anything?

My bet is that although you have made a decision to move (or your company did), you have some fears about your pending move. That's perfectly normal. But it's important to consider them and determine what is real and what is not? Here are some things you may be fearful of:

• Not selling your home quickly enough or for top dollar (pricing, condition, marketing and exposure are key)
• Not finding a home you love in your new city (there is lots of inventory in most areas, so plenty to choose from)
• Not knowing where to shop, dine, where to go for medical/dental care (the Internet is probably the best soure of information you can find, and it's cheap and available 24/7)
• Not knowing anyone in my new city (you will get to know your agent right away, and pretty well, and new neighbors will welcome you...and they love sharing shopping and dining recommendations; friends, family and neighbors may already know folks there you can connect with)
• Leaving friends, neighbors and possibly family behind (yep, that's tough, but they will visit, you will visit, there is the phone, and email is cheap - trust me, this all helps)

There are probably other things that concern you, but these seem to be the biggies for most people who are moving.  Your best ammunition is information, and the Internet is one of the best sources. So start right away - the more you know the better you will feel. Look toward the move with the thrill and excitement of new discovery. And consider when you first moved to your current location - that was probably a new experience for you, too.

And if you have kids and they are old enough, get them involved in gathering information on the Web...or work on this as a family project. Tonight you can look into schools, then tomorrow shopping, then restaurants, then things to do. The more you know ahead of time, the better. I've been through it 4 times now, and believe it all helps. You can also take some time if you go on a houe hunting trip to do your exploring.

Good luck! And have fun. It's a new adventure.