Five Housing Markets on the Verge of a Tech Boom

The hottest housing markets have one determining factor in common: employment opportunities. Cities with jobs in growing fields draw incoming residents in droves—and none is more in-demand currently than technology.

A recent survey by Modis, an IT staffing services provider, identified the housing markets on set to be transformed by technology. The top 5:

1. Chicago
2. Houston
3. Boston
4. Denver
5. Philadelphia

Fifty-one percent of those surveyed ranked Chicago as the top tech hot spot of the future. The Windy City is likely to attract younger professionals who have worked in technology 5 years or less, according to the survey.

Houston and Boston ranked second and third, respectively, with 47 percent and 43 percent of the vote. Houston is likely to attract a range of professionals, from those who have not completed a college degree to those who have worked in technology for more than 10 years. Boston, like Chicago, is likely to attract younger professionals, aged 26-34.

Denver, which has seen home prices appreciate at an above-average rate since the recession, was ranked fourth at 36 percent. Philadelphia, at 31 percent, also made the top five.

Other up-and-coming technology-driven markets, according to the survey, include Dallas, Detroit and Omaha.

Moving? Make Sure the Kids are Alright

Moving to a new city or state is filled with many different exciting possibilities – new home, new job, new restaurants to try. But for kids, relocating is fraught with fear – new school, new faces, new neighborhood.

Former Los Angeles Rams All-Pro defensive back Johnnie Johnson has started an organization to help children in this exact situation. As the CEO of World Class Coaches, an organization that facilitates the Moving Families Initiative, Johnson helps connect relocating families with the right resources – teachers, counselors, service providers, real estate professionals, etc. – to ensure a smooth transition.

If there’s a relocation in your future, here are a few ways to help your kids adjust and embrace their new home:

Do your research. If you can’t visit your new community together in advance, do some research and find out what attractions may be particularly interesting to your child. Perhaps a great zoo or aquarium if he or she is an animal lover, a beach for swimmers, or an amusement park for fun seekers. Get your child excited about all the new places to explore.

Get to know families with same-age children. Invite them over or arrange for a play date at the park. This will help your child bridge the often difficult gap of making new friends.

Get them involved. The sooner your child gets involved in the local activity of their choosing the better. Scouts, dance, sports, music – joining in with children who share the same interests is the quickest way for your child to get acclimated and feel like they belong.

Enlist a support group. New teachers, coaches, guidance counselors and clergy can all play a critical role in helping your child adjust, so get them on board right away.

Acknowledge their feelings. Most important of all, allow your child to mourn the loss of their former home, community and friends. Let him or her know these feelings are normal and that you, too, miss your old home sometimes. This will help your child process these feelings more quickly and move on to the new possibilities at hand.