A favorable tax environment, company expansions, the trend of working remotely and, yes, the climate are drawing more residents from California, Chicago and states across the northeast.

Here are five tools and tips to makes the search easier:

▪ Set a realistic budget: Real estate experts recommend that buyers spend a maximum of three-and-a-half times their annual income on a home purchase. A household that earns a total of $100,000, for example, could spend up to $350,000 on a condo or house.

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