By Niovie Constantinou, Contributor
The Sacrifice of Relocation
One of the sacrifices that professional athletes may be called to make is that of relocating to a new city or country. Many times, it is not just the athlete that has to move, but their entire family too. In such cases, relocation decisions need to take into consideration all family members.
Preparing the Family for the Move
To ensure the process runs smoothly, the family needs to be prepared well in advance. A good starting place is to find out the basics about this new location. This helps the family become more familiar with it, such as:
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What the weather is like and what kind of activities the locals undertake in their free time
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Where key facilities are (schools, hospitals, police stations)
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Where other major amenities are located (main grocery stores, shops, restaurants, and so on)
Deciding on Housing
Once the family starts getting acquainted with the new location, it’s important to make key housing decisions. They need to decide whether they will sell their old home or rent it out. They also need to decide whether they will buy or rent a new place.
Generally, when an athlete is looking into buying property, it’s best that they do so in their hometown rather than the place in which they work. This is because many sports contracts are short term. It is advisable that the athlete looks to seasonal housing when the relocation seems to be temporary. It is actually the norm that athletes rent out their permanent residence and rent homes in which they are living when on a contract.
This applies either abroad or away from home. Some of them even juggle between two or three houses at the same time.
This happens if they decide to live in one place during the sports season and a different one off-season. These are all considerations that an athlete needs to discuss with a realtor to find the most suitable housing solution.
Ensuring a Safe and Suitable Home
Temporary as it may be, an athlete needs to ensure their home away from home is safe, secure, and suitable to the family’s needs. Searching for available properties online is a good place to start.
But it is best that someone local also checks out the property. This ensures the pictures and online specifications match the actual property.
A local realtor will also have better knowledge of the different districts. They may be able to offer more in-depth advice.
Considering the Spouse and Children
Another consideration when relocating is the employment situation of the athlete’s spouse. Do they need to find a new job? Can they keep their current job and work remotely? Will they be taking care of the children full-time?
It is equally important to think about which school(s) the children will be attending. If they’re changing schools, their records need to be transferred. If daycare is necessary, this should also be arranged.
When moving to a different country, language can be a consideration as well. This applies both in terms of the day-to-day activities of the athlete’s family and the children’s schooling. These are all decisions that should be made prior to moving. This ensures the family tackles this new challenge with a pre-set plan of action.
Getting Professional Help
It may be worth getting in touch with a long-distance relocation specialist. They can help with all aspects of the process and offer local knowledge. They can identify the good schools and neighborhoods. They can help with buying or renting property. They may even offer concierge services to introduce the athlete and their family to the new place.
Embracing the New Home
Once you have relocated to your new home, be sure to embrace it. Get to know your neighbors. Join a local club. Try out new experiences as a family. Take up activities that are unique to your new home.
This will enable your family to be immersed in their new environment in the best possible way. Remember that it takes time to start anew and create an agreeable living environment. But thorough planning will surely speed up the process and ease the adjustment to your new place.
Welcome home!
For more information on transitioning smoothly to life abroad when your sports contract takes you to a foreign land, you may get in touch with us at [email protected].