Whether you’re moving for your job or you’re ready to just get away from it all, relocating to the mountains can be different than anything else you’ve ever done. While the views are gorgeous, whether you live in North Carolina or the mountains of Los Angeles, there are a few things you need to know before you take that drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway into the mountains and settle into the home your real estate company found for you.
Now that you’ve gotten a real estate agent through Blowing Rock Real Estate and found a home in the mountains between Boone NC and Downtown Blowing Rock, you’re probably going to need a few tips to get you moved to your mountain home and settled in the right way. From finding reputable pest control to driving safely in the mountains, you can find a few tips below to get you started on your new adventure.
1. Hire reputable pest control.
While the pests in your NC home are no worse than pests anywhere else, you want to avoid an infestation before it has a chance to happen. One infestation that many homeowners deal with, especially in the brutal winter months, is a rodent one. While you want the roof rats or Norway rats gone from your home, you don’t want to harm them. The best way to do this is by hiring professional rat removal services to take care of the problem for you. Whether it’s a roof rat or a regular rat that has taken up residence in your attic and built a nest, rodents carry diseases that can make you and your family sick, so it’s best to let the professionals handle their removal.
If you have a rat problem, then take care of it right away before the infestation gets any worse for the best results. It’s also best to have your home treated by a reputable pest control professional on a monthly basis as well, since many pests like to come inside on the cold winter days and share your new mountain home with you, and you don’t want that at all.
2. Avoid altitude sickness.
While living in the mountains is amazing, from the fresh air all day long to the extremely gorgeous views, if you’re not used to it, the altitude can make you very sick. Some symptoms of altitude sickness include a loss of appetite, dizziness, headaches, no energy, insomnia, vomiting, and nausea. No one wants to live this way, but the altitude in the mountains can make you feel horrible until you get used to it. It could take your body from a few weeks to a few months to get used to the difference and start to feel better.
It’s best to stay inside and relax the first few days after your move to give your body time to adjust. To bring fresh air and a little of the outside into your home during that time, try opening the windows and bringing in some table top plants to make the place brighter and more eco-friendly. Make sure that the plants you get are eco-friendly, pet-friendly, and easy to care for in those first days of adjusting to the altitude of your new home. If the sickness persists, it might be best for you to visit your doctor to get a medication to help.
3. Purchase weather-resistant clothing.
Living in the mountains means that you’ll get to experience a wide range of weather, from snowstorms to hail and from thunderstorms to gentle rain and hot days. You’ll need to purchase some weather-resistant clothing to help you get through the four seasons in your mountain home. To stay comfortable, the clothing you choose should keep you dry and warm. Though you could stay in on those weather challenged days, it’s better to get out and about in the fresh air and explore the beauty of the mountain. You’ll need the appropriate clothing to be able to do that.
It’s also important that you have the proper footwear for a mountain home as well. You’ll want to invest in sturdy boots for the winter months and galoshes for the rainy season in the spring. Of course, you can wear your high heels, shorts, and other clothing, you just want to be prepared for whatever weather heads your way before it gets there.
4. Learn to drive safely on the mountain roads.
There’s nothing more dangerous than being inexperienced at driving on mountain roads. From buying a four-wheel-drive truck to taking a course in navigating the roads, you have to be careful when on the streets. Before you head up the mountain, no matter when it is, make sure you have tuned up your car, have filled the tank, and have an emergency supply kit with you at all times. Whether it’s the middle of the summer or the dead of winter, you don’t want to be stranded on the side of a mountain waiting on someone to come pick you up.
When driving use your brakes cautiously and keep your eyes on the road at all times. It’s also important to keep an eye on your temperature gauge when you’re driving up the mountain as it puts a strain on the car and it could overheat. While living in the mountains is amazing, it can also be deadly if you aren’t careful. So, if you’ve never driven in the mountains before, take your time and learn how.
Bonus Tips
Keep healthy respect for local animals.
While there are dangerous animals in every part of the world, if you’re going to live in the mountains or even the valleys of NC, then you need to have a healthy respect for the local wildlife. From alligators to black widows and from cottonmouth snakes to the mysterious black panther that is said to roam the mountains and woods, you need to be on the lookout and stay away from these local creatures. Regular inspections for rodents and bugs can help with some of these, but just being careful will help you with the others.
Be prepared to have fun outside.
No one can live in a new mountain home and not be eager to get out and explore the gorgeous scenery and even the town below your mountain. From hiking the gorgeous trails when the autumn leaves are falling and the foliage is stunning to trudging through the snow to ski lifts at the first snowfall, you’ll have the time of your life outside when you live in the mountains. Don’t forget to take in the sights in the town below you as well. The sights are amazing and the people are friendly as they can be. If you’re an inside person now, you soon won’t be and will be eager to get out and explore the amazing town and state you’ve moved to.
These are just a few tips to help you get settled when you’ve decided to buy a home in the mountains. Whether you’ve settled in the mountains of North Carolina or the mountains of Tennessee, there’s a lot to love about your new home including the view, the fresh air, and the amazing area you’ve chosen to call your own and make your home.