Lakewood Ranch Moving Guide

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The step-by-step guide to simplify your Lakewood Ranch move.

When moving to a new place, that transitions you go through can be very stressful. There are so many items to juggle between selling your existing home, arranging for movers, securing a new job, getting your kids enrolled in a new school, obtaining your new drivers license, locating a new family doctor and dentist, and the list goes on and on. For your convenience, below is a step-by-step checklist of items to guide you once you are under contract on your new Lakewood Ranch residence.

My Checklist for future Lakewood Ranch residents.

( INITIAL planning stage )

Come Visit Lakewood Ranch

There is no better way than to experience the sights, sounds and natural beauty of Lakewood Ranch than to come visit us! Come checkout our Main Street town center, visit our local restaurants, watch a polo game on a Sunday afternoon and visit the nearby beaches of Siesta and Lido. If you are flying into our Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, which is just a short 10-minute commute from Lakewood Ranch, click the link below to search available flights and costs. Search Flights

Check Flights to Sarasota Airport
Search Expedia below to see what flights to Sarasota/Bradenton Int'l Airport are available. Hopefully you find some good deals being offered!
Connect with Me!

Once you know the exact days you will be in town, I recommend connecting with me to get your home search process started. I look forward to meeting you! Once I learn more about the type of property you're looking for, as well as your specific criteria and overall budget, we can start looking at the best options available to you via email and over the phone. Then, when you arrive in town, I can arrange for property showings around your schedule. I am also glad to point out local points of interest when you're visiting the area.

( AFTER your offer is accepted )

Begin Planning Your Move

Once an offer is accepted on your new home, a closing date will then be established. This is the day which you can officially take possession of your new Lakewood Ranch home. If you are the planner-type like me, you'll definitely want to start planning your move and begin deciding what you will be bringing to the new house. Begin reaching out to movers right away to find out their respective costs and availability to fit you in. Also, should you need to list your current residence for sale, I am glad to refer you to a professional Realtor in your home town.
Arrange for Your New Utilities

As a general guideline, it's typically a good idea to start reaching out to utility companies at least a couple weeks ahead of your scheduled move-in date. This alows utility companies sufficient and ample time to schedule a service visit for any equipment and/or setup services that may be needed. For your convenience, I have listed out local utility providers below.

Florida Power & Light

Electric Utility Co.

(800) 226-3545

Teco Peoples Gas

Gas Utility Co.

(877) 832-6747

Xfinity/Comcast

Cable TV/Internet

(941) 342-3531

Frontier Communications

Cable TV/Internet

(800) 921-8101
Enroll the Kids in Lakewood Ranch Schools

If you have children, you will definitely want to start the process of getting them enrolled and registered within the School District of Manatee County. For your convenience, I have included the links to find out the local elementary, middle and high school closest to your new residence.
Locate Your New School
Manatee County - New Student Enrollment
Register to Vote

It's your civic duty to get out and vote. As such, you'll definitely want to register to vote as a new resident of Manatee or Sarasota County. Below is the link to register with the state of Florida.
Register to Vote in Florida.
Register to Drive in Florida

Please note that you will only need to complete this step if you are moving here from outside the state of Florida. As a new Floridian, you will need to establish your state driver's license and register your vehicle. I've included the links below per county depending on where you new Lakewood Ranch is located.
Manatee County - Get Your Drivers License
Manatee County - New Vehicle Registration
Sarasota County - Get Your Drivers License
Sarasota County - New Vehicle Registration
Find a Local Doctor and Dentist

It's always important to have a good family doctor and dentist when you need health care services or check-ups. Below is a great website I recommend to help you locate your new Sarasota and Manatee care providers. Even if your new employer provides for a specified list of care providers, you can still search patient reviews on the site.
HealthGrades.com