Charleen, We have accomplished a move a little over a thousand miles away. We did it one-step-at-a-time!! We chose our location with an atlas and closed eyes and a finger! (so you are further ahead than we were at first!). Snowy days in the northeast will do those things to you! When spring came we had looked at many books including the atlas itself which showed plenty of industry, agriculture, and good water. We decided to call a real estate agent and ask questions. We flew here in the spring to look around and see if it was the place for us. We determined that it would suit our needs very well. Not so much snow fall and a longer summerlike environment (Ernie,my husband has had 3 back surgeries and snow shoveling is out). Ernie said he felt it was more important to have the land first. A decision that you and yours will have to make yourselves. He also thought we should sell all of our animals before we moved, which I quickly shot down. It did cost me, but I'm really glad I moved them with me. Another decision you will want to make. If it is to another state you will also have the vet bill for all the appropriate tests to be run before you move them. There is also a strange feeling when you have things in an uproar. I had to change my mental checks (I find myself having funny feelings now and then and run through a series of thoughts, are the kids O.K., llamas, goats, chickens, ducks, dogs, cats, etc etc.). My animals were being boarded so I just had the husband, the kids and myself to be sure all was O.K. I could ramble on and on and on about this but we believe in the saying, "NO GUTS, NO GLORY." The kids tremble when we get the atlas out now, they think were on the road again! I tried to sit back and PLAN the move but there are some things you can't plan. You need to talk frequently with your partner and all involved in the move and go day by day!(posted 9672 days ago)Contact me if you wish. GOOD LUCK!