5 Top Tips for Moving to Port Orchard: Don’t Move Before You Read These!

So you’re thinking of moving to Port Orchard, Washington? Awesome! Port Orchard and the surrounding areas of Washington State are truly some of the best and most beautiful places in the country to reside, so you’re making the right choice!

As a real estate agent who lives and works here, I know all about how to find the perfect homes for sale in Kitsap County, depending on your individual circumstances. It’s great looking at online listings, but until you have seriously considered (and ideally visited) each area, you won’t know where feels like “home.”

Fortunately, I’ve got a huge amount of first-hand experience, so here are my top 5 must-dos before you move to Kitsap County.

5 Top Tips for Moving to Port Orchard, Washington

#1 Decide How You Want to Commute to Work

This might sound strange, but you should decide how you want to commute to work before you decide which area you want to live in. Why? Because time commuting is a huge part of finding happiness in a new home. Some people are happy to sit in traffic if they’re in their car and listen to podcasts and audiobooks, while others would rather get to work and back ASAP.

So, think about where you will – or hope to – be working. If you’re in the Military and will be working at one of the military bases, Bremerton is one of the best neighborhoods to choose for commuting. If you’re commuting to Seattle five days a week, you may decide you want to be close to the ferries.  

So, do some research about the methods of commuting to your workplace and how long you’re prepared to travel to live in your ideal location. We have great public transport links such as the ferries in Bremerton, Port Orchard, and Bainbridge Island, so working in Seattle and living elsewhere is perfectly doable, provided you choose the right area.  

If you need some extra help and want to ensure you don’t end up with a commute you hate, don’t hesitate to reach out to me and I can help you decide on the best locations to consider. I’ve lived in this area all my life, so I know how to avoid heavy traffic!

#2 Know Your Priorities

Most people will already know what they need and want close to home, but it’s always a good idea to put it down on paper and think about what you’re willing to negotiate on and what you’re not. For example, if your kids’ education is the most important thing for you, you may want to move close to the best-rated schools, such as are in the Silverdale area.

Here are a few things you should consider:

• Schools
• Distance to work
• Local stores
• Local entertainment
• Hiking
• Food choices
• Do you want to be able to walk to local amenities?
• Distance to existing family or friends in the area
• Size of home available in your budget

#3 Narrow Down Your Neighborhood

Once you know your priorities, choose your neighborhood or a couple you’d like to consider. You should be able to get your top priorities here. There are some great resources online to help you do this, such as BestPlaces.net and local subreddits, if you’re a Reddit user, and I’m always happy to help point you to the perfect neighborhood for you if you tell me about your ideal lifestyle and needs.

Here are some of the communities you should consider when looking for homes for sale in Kitsap County:

• Port Orchard (of course!)
• Bremerton (great for Military)
• Silverdale (best for schools)
• Poulsbo
• Belfair
• Gig Harbor

#4 Work with Me for Same-Day Close and Moving Help

I’m asked a lot if we can do same-day close, and the answer is yes, we can! It’s a great way to speed up the process and take a lot of the stress out of moving. I can find an agent near your current home to work closely with and take care of all the details for you. I work with local lenders here and will ensure everything runs smoothly on your house purchase. That means all you need to focus on is finding the right home and neighborhood for you and getting your life packed!

Simply give me a call or send me a message to find out more about how this can work for you.

#5 Start Looking for Daycare Now

 If you’re a parent, you really need to think about looking for daycare now, if you need it. Finding daycare places in this area is tough because it’s such a popular place for young families, and waiting lists are long. So, if you’re thinking about moving into the area, you need to think about your childcare options now.

Once you have narrowed down your neighborhood, start applying to local daycares and try to secure a place for your child or children. The last thing you need once you’ve moved is to find out you can’t get the childcare you need!

Make Moving to Port Orchard Easy

Moving is a huge undertaking and is always stressful, even if you can’t wait to start your new life. The best way to make moving to Port Orchard easy is to do as much of the legwork before you come to view properties or start to put the wheels in motion in earnest.

Of course, if you want to make the process even easier for yourself and your family, why not start working with me now? I can help you every step of the way, from deciding which neighborhood you want to live in that’s close to work or the best job opportunities in your industry, to getting you on the road to your new home.

I’ll help you avoid costly mistakes and take as much of the stress out of the process for you as possible. Click here to start your search for homes for sale in Kitsap County and surrounding areas, give me a call on (206) 940-4039, or click here to contact me today.