Thinking about a move to Grand Junction? Start Here: A Step-by-Step Relocation Guide

If you’re thinking about a move to Grand Junction but feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure what comes first — you’re exactly where most relocation buyers start.

You don’t need to decide everything right now. You just need a clear, low-pressure path to get started.

This page lays out the exact framework I use with my relocation clients — whether you’re casually exploring, actively planning, or somewhere in between.

Most people don’t start at Step 1. They start wherever they are — and that’s okay.

👉 If you’ve got immediate burning questions while you’re still thinking about a move to Grand Junction, you don’t need to wait until you’ve made a decision, reach out today to get your questions answered.

Step 1: Start Watching the Grand Junction Real Estate Market (No Commitment Required)

Goal: Replace uncertainty with awareness.

Before making any decisions, you need to see what’s really happening in this market — not what national headlines say.

Set up a personalized home search so you can:

• See real prices (not guesses)
• Understand which areas match your lifestyle
• Get a feel for inventory and timing

👉 Listings come to you automatically, quietly, and without pressure.

Quick Tip: My Grand Junction Home Search Tool is completely free and sends you updated listings automatically — no calls or follow-ups required.

Step 2: Book a Relocation Discovery Call with me

Goal: Get unstuck and have all your immediate questions answered.

This is a relaxed, no-sales conversation designed to:

• Talk through your situation
• Identify what actually matters (and what doesn’t yet)
• Create a rough game plan based on your timing

Most people say this is the moment the anxiety drops because guessing stops.

👉 If you don’t know where to start, contact me.

Step 3: Learn the Local Truth (Cost, Market, Logistics)

Goal: Replace online noise with real-world clarity.

Focus on the few topics that matter most early during your research:

• The true cost of living  in Grand Junction
• How the local housing market actually works in Mesa County
• Common relocation surprises (good and bad)

👉 Request a free Market Snapshot Report to better understand current pricing, trends and how many showings homes are getting, broken down into price brackets.

Before diving into housing numbers, you might want to check out my post on Why people are Moving to Grand Junction. It highlights the top reasons others have chosen the Grand Valley.

Step 4: Plan Your Visit the Smart Way

Goal: Turn a trip into insight, not confusion.

Before booking flights or hotels, learn how some relocation buyers approach visits:

• Learn what the Grand Junction airport experience is really like.
• I recommend staying in downtown Grand Junction so you can immerse yourself in our storybook main street and all it offers.
• Consider why many clients do a “Test Drive Stay” in Grand Junction, Fruita or Palisade before deciding where to live.
• Have some fun! Plan an easy day trip that shows you the broader Grand Valley lifestyle. We have a lot of posts about what to do here and within an hour or two drive that will amaze you!

👉 The goal isn’t sightseeing, it’s perspective.

Insider Insight: Most of my relocation visitors don’t look at a single home when they visit, but we can. The goal of your visit is to understand if the Grand Valley lifestyle fits the needs of this next chapter in your life. After our guided Grand Valley tour, you will have a better grasp on which neighborhoods and areas appeal to you, your housing style, and budget.

✈️ Flying into Denver? Read my guide on driving I-70 to Grand Junction — it’s a big part of the relocation experience and often misunderstood. There are unique closures on this interstate.

Pro Tip: If you’re planning to fly in and out of Denver and make the drive to Grand Junction, please don’t plan on driving back to Denver the same day as your flight out. I’ve had several people miss their flights because there is a lot of uncertainty and potential for delays along I-70, as my driving I-70 post above outlines.

Step 5: Schedule Your Grand Junction Relocation Tour

Goal: Connect places, lifestyle, and priorities.

Once your visit is on the calendar:

• Let me know your dates.
• Book your Relocation Tour and I will plan to pick you up at your hotel.
• Have another conversation with me about what you’d like to experience on your visit. I can recommend hikes, farmers markets, restaurants, day trips etc.

This is not a rapid-fire home showing tour. It’s a guided orientation of the Grand Valley:

• Grand Junction
• Fruita
• Palisade
• Redlands
• Surrounding Mesa County communities and even a tour of the Colorado National Monument!

👉 We focus on where you belong before worrying about what you’ll buy.

Step 6: Visit Grand Junction

Goal: Experience it for yourself.

This is where things start to click:

• Neighborhoods feel different in person
• Distance and proximity make sense
• Lifestyle priorities become clear

Most clients leave saying: “Now I understand why people move here.”

Step 7: Plan the Sale of Your Current Home

Goal: Remove the biggest financial unknown.

If selling a home is part of your move:

• Ask me for a trusted agent referral in your current market.
• Coordinate timing, pricing, and relocation strategy.

👉 This step alone prevents costly mistakes and rushed decisions.

Step 8: Connect With a Local Lender

Goal: Replace assumptions with real numbers if you’re planning on obtaining a mortgage.

A local lender helps you understand:

• What your buying power actually looks like here.
• How appraisals and timelines work in Mesa County.
• How to plan without overcommitting.

👉 Start by reading my article about my favorite local lender relocation clients consistently rave about!

Step 9: Formalize Representation & Begin Your Home Search

Goal: Move from exploring to executing.

When the time is right:

• Formalize your representation.
• Begin a focused home search.

This can happen:

• Virtually
• Through planned visits
• Or a flexible combination of both

The process adapts to you, the strategy stays steady.

Step 10: Prepare to Live Your Vacation in Grand Junction

Goal: Transition with confidence.

At this stage, the stress is mostly gone. Now it’s about:

• Final planning
• Timelines
• Settling into your new lifestyle

You’re no longer frozen. You’re informed, prepared, and moving forward.

Why This Relocation Framework Works for Grand Junction Home Buyers

I don’t just help others relocate to Grand Junction, I made the move myself.

My wife, Michelle, and I went through a two-step relocation, multiple visits, endless research, and still had surprises. This process is built from that experience and refined through years of helping others move to the Grand Valley.

My role isn’t to pressure you into a purchase. It’s to be your personal local relocation guide, so you can make confident decisions when they matter.

Feeling Excited and Overwhelmed?

That’s normal.

You don’t need to do all ten steps right away. You just need to take one.

👉 Start with a discovery call and we’ll figure out the rest together.

I look forward to connecting,

All my best,

Paul Aspelin

Call/Text: 612-306-9558