How to Move Seamlessly for Residency — Tips from Moving Medicine Partners
Relocating for residency is a huge milestone — a new city, a new home, and a fresh start for you and your family. It’s an exciting time, but it can also feel overwhelming with all the decisions you need to make. At Moving Medicine Partners, we specialize in helping physicians move efficiently, affordably, and stress-free. Here are some key strategies we learned from our own move — and how you can do it, too.
Research Your Hospital and Surroundings First
Before you start looking for a home, we recommend investigating neighborhoods close to your hospital. A short commute can make a huge difference during busy residency years, allowing you more time at home and less time sitting in your car.
Consider Your Family’s Needs — Schools of Choice and Local Resources
If you’re relocating with children, education is a huge consideration. We researched school districts and the School of Choice process in our area to find a neighborhood that was a good match for both our lifestyle and our children’s future education.
Decluttering Before the Move
As we prepared for the move, we made a point to declutter and get rid of items we no longer needed. It made packing, organizing, and settling in much more manageable — and meant we weren’t paying to move things we didn’t want or need in our new home.
Getting Pre-Approved and Searching for Homes
We got pre-approved for a physician mortgage first, which helped us determine exactly how much we could afford based on our salaries and benefits. With a clear budget in mind, we looked at 4–5 houses — from fixer-uppers to well-maintained properties — and ultimately fell in love with a charming, older home in great condition.
Because it was an estate, we were able to negotiate 3% in seller concessions to help cover closing costs, freeing up more cash for future updates we wanted to make ourselves.
Frugal, Smart Moves That Saved Us Money
Relocating is expensive, and we were fortunate to have a $1,700 relocation stipend. To maximize it, we chose a more hands-on approach:
✅ We rented a U-Haul and packed ourselves.
✅ We hired a moving company to pack the truck in our clinical location and another team to unload it in our new home.
✅ To stay organized, we color-coded our boxes and put matching colors on the doors of each room — this made it easy for movers to know exactly where everything should go.
Getting Settled Sooner Rather Than Later
We made sure to move in a few months before residency started. That gave us time to meet neighbors, explore nearby grocery stores and parks, and ease into our new surroundings without feeling rushed. We kept all of our moving-related receipts to submit for relocation reimbursement and were able to move nearly cost-free thanks to careful planning.
Final Tip: Use a Realtor Who Understands Your Needs
Relocating for residency comes with unique financial and logistical challenges. That’s where using a Moving Medicine Partners Realtor can make all the difference. We specialize in helping doctors find a home and community that fits their lifestyle — efficiently, affordably, and with less stress — so you can focus on what matters most: starting your new chapter.
➥ Learn more about how we help doctors move smoothly here.
