How to Find a Weekend Getaway
From your Home Buying/Selling Guide

Here's a method to help you find a great location for a weekend getaway that's within easy driving distance of your full-time home.

Difficulty Level: Easy    Time Required: Varies

1. Grab a road atlas or use an online mapping feature to locate your city and the area within a 400 mile radius. Print out or make copies you can scribble on.
2. If your home straddles a state line, piece together copies of different map pages to get a full view of the region.
3. Use a compass to draw a circle that's equal to 250 miles from the center point--your home base. That distance is a fairly easy drive for weekend getaways.
4. Scan the 250 mile radius to see if any town pops out at you.
5. Take weekend trips to locations within the circle. Be sure to stop by visitor information centers to pick up newspapers and real estate magazines.
6. You think you can comfortably drive farther than 250 miles on a weekend? Widen your search, adding 50 miles at a time to each new circle.
7. After you narrow your choices use online resources and the printed information in your travel library to begin an in-depth study of each getaway location.
8. When you've found the right getaway destination locate an agent to help you find a vacation retreat.
   

Related Information:

• Local Information - About's Cities & Towns Channel
• Find A Real Estate Agent
• Hiring a Buyer's Agent
• Does Your Real Estate Agent Work for You?
  

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