Who has MOVED from their home state ? How difficult was it for you?

[69a100]

KD & Hose - Love you guys! To drunk to talk, will continue this in a sober state of mind, later! Merry Christmas guys!
BTW- KD. Rainin like a mofo here, can't tell if changing to snow? Don't know on this level here, but the hills around will have it, and I'm sure gone by sundown tommorrow. I can dig that!

 

[Dennis H]

I love the West, and am willing to put up with the conditions mentioned by hosehead. Been in San Jose for about 28 years, and it has changed a lot. Traffic! Little English spoken etc. Section 8 creeping-in and surrounding nice neighborhoods. Not ready to leave. I like Florida and Linda would move back East to be closer to the kids. Never. Plan to keep the San Jose property and spend extended time in Florida after retirement, on the road or whatever. Once you leave here, there is no coming back.

 

[JB400]

Never left. But I have heard of several Ca's move to my neck of the woods. Job opportunities are poor though. About half of the population works either in KC or Joplin. Pretty expensive to live in the cities though.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

Born and raised in northern CA in ‘71 and have also been thinking of moving over the last 5 yrs. I have driven across 39 of the 50 states and visited 14 countries on 4 of the 7 continents and many more to go. Although I have my gripes about CA and am conservative with an upbringing of hunting, fishing, and the outdoors, I have not yet found a place I would rather be long term than here. Eventually I hope to so I can afford some property, but I have a feeling it will be out of the country. There are so many trade offs with any move. Before deciding, make sure after you narrow your list down to the top 3, visit each one once or twice more. I have been fooled a few times by the initial honeymoon visit that is full of amazement and first impressions just because it is new. Sometimes a different reality can set in on the second visit.

 

[1967coronet]

If I ever left Iowa I would move to North or South Dakota.

 

[Kern Dog]

Once you leave here, there is no coming back.

I agree that for many, this may be true. I do know of a car guy that retired in 2006 and moved to Georgia. He and his Wife missed the grandkids and didn't have much luck making new friends so they moved back to Sacramento. He is still retired but the Wife went back to work so they could afford to buy a house. People do move back. He left not necessarily because of politics but to have his $$$ go further.
I love the outdoors. We currently live on 1.2 acres and would LOVE to have more.

 

[Darter6]

KD sounds like you need 5 acres just for your stuff.
My wife said the other day that she has to die first. All I'd have to get rid of would be her clothes. Then said "If you go first,look at all this crap I'd have to get rid of ". I told her not to worry the car vultures will pick the stuff clean.

 

[moparedtn]

It goes without saying that wherever you want to go, make sure to have something lined up if you're still of working age.
One thing about living out he-ah is that we're not exactly teeming with employment diversity.
TN has a ton of support industry for the new car makers (as well as new car factories), so if that's your bag, no worries there.
I know there's a shortage of help in most industry in the area right now; they have a hard time filling positions with
people who are willing to show up every day and actually work AND pass a piss test.
Heck, even the chicken plant a ways from here is advertising for help starting at $12 an hour - in two languages.
The work ethic just isn't there in the young ones like it used to be, sadly.
I'm fortunate in that the industry I'm in, folks like me can find a gig anywhere pretty much - but we struggle to find
young ones to enter the trade and work at it, too.

 

[Dennis H]

he-ah. All words have more than one syllable!

 

[PP1RT]

The whole idea of packing up everything and moving out of state is both exciting and scary at the same time. In theory it seems to feel like breaking up with a longtime girlfriend, leaving a long time employer and shedding your old skin all at the same time.
I have truckloads of car parts I'd want to keep. 4 project cars.....then The 70 Charger, the 75 Power wagon, the 2007 Ram and 2 other cars. All of my tools. I'd need a multi-car hauler just for the cars. A semi-tractor trailer would surely be enough for the parts and home furnishings. What a huge undertaking. The money from the sale of this place would buy a really nice spread outright.
I have never dealt with high humidity for very long. I've been to Florida once. Spring 1991. Hawaii twice. I've worked in the cold and really did not like it. Living in an area with light snow while being retired and therefore NOT required to work outside in it....Not as bad.
I appreciate the advice given from everyone. I like the suggestion to travel to see and experience firsthand what the destinations look and feel like. Someone also suggested doing research about activities and car shows in these regions. EXCELLENT advice! While I love being alone sometimes, I surely don't want to feel totally isolated wherever I go.

We hauled a dozen cars and a bunch of parts. That was actually a memorable part of the move! We nicknamed ourselves the "Poppin Tire" racing team. We had a few flats on trucks and trailers(all good tires...we thought). Still laugh about it today and might actually letter up a car some day with that name.
Be adventurous and go for it. Life is about making memories.

 

[Ron H]

Too bad so few people replied to your post...lol! I've got more friends now who've retired now to TX, AZ, CO, and FL. Excluding the latter, they're all happy with their moves. I always wanted to move to a warmer climate; but weird I guess, as not sure if I'll move anymore. I liked ID when I had a biz trip there...wide open spaces and great scenery. My wife though wouldn't be an easy sell to move there. I liked to Ozarks area; but went there in July...hot & humid. Anyway, you have the tick points including climate, scenery, taxes, and available services you may want or need to check off deciding your move...good luck.

 

[Rick62]

When I retired I moved from Northern Illinois to Greer, SC. My objective was to escape winter weather and taxes in Illinois. The reduced taxes objective was accomplished. The real estate taxes on my home here are the same for the entire year as the taxes on my Illinois home for one month. The winters here in Greer are very mild. Even in January and February 60 degree days are not unusual. One snow per year is typical. It usually melts in a day or two. Summer was a bit of a shock. The heat in June, July and August is brutal. Daytime highs are consistently in the upper 90's with high humidity. Not much relief at night. Air Conditioning in my garage is just as critical as garage heat was in Illinois. If I could afford to head north for three months a year I'd be gone! If I had it to do over again I would consider the Asheville, NC area. The altitude and mountains moderate both the temperature and humidity in the summer.

 

[Lets Roll]

I've moved from Florida back and forth from Chicago a couple times due to work. At that time we only rented homes because we were not sure where we would stay. It was a easy move with rental trucks and drivers for cars etc.. Last time I was living in Chicago, opened the door one winter to snow 3ft high against the door! People were stranded in their cars on that stretch of road by the lake. The Summer was beautiful but I swore If I ever got back home to Florida never again would I move back there.

 

[69a100]

The heat in June, July and August is brutal. Daytime highs are consistently in the upper 90's with high humidity. Not much relief at night. Air Conditioning in my garage is just as critical as garage heat was in Illinois.

Between growing up in Chicago all my life, and living in N. Louisiana for 4 years. I didn't notice any difference between the heat and/or the humidity. Just f-ing brutal! I like the garage reference.

 

[super-bee_ski]

I want out!

 

[69a100]

I want out!

Your the only person that's in control of that, which I'm sure you already know?

 

[MarPar]

I was born in Erie, PA, but we moved to upstate NY (Albany area) before my 1st birthday. We have east coast roots - my parents grew up in Philadelphia, so that's where most of our relatives were. So, when we moved to Omaha in '73, when I was 10, it was a BIG change. Then we moved to Wisconsin in '78 when I was 15. I lived with my brother in northern CA (Silicon Valley) the spring and summer of '83 with plans to stay out there, but I came back to WI for a job opportunity later that year. CA had great weather, though! I went to South Dakota in '85 for college and stayed there until early 1990, when my wife and I relocated back (for me) to WI. Been here ever since.

Pros of our rural area: Low property taxes, no gangs, no traffic, clean air, very pleasant surroundings, very safe. We're within an hour of Milwaukee, Madison, and Green Bay, and 3 hours from Chicago, so we're nicely positioned in the state without having to live with the cons of those areas. Ethanol free gas is available all over the place around here, and no vehicle inspections. Less people around here is another real plus.

Cons: Winter sucks - WAY TOO F'NG LONG! Not only that but the salt on the roads is a major drag. The humidity in the summers has become more and more of an issue, too. It didn't used to be too bad. We're also a little too far away from my car buddies in the SE part of the state like Thunderlugs, eric383, and Sonny Black, to name a few. Having to put the old cars into winter hibernation is also a downer.

Overall, the pros outweigh the cons and no reason to leave a great job to relocate. My number one gripe is the winters as I get older, but the midwest is a nice place to live.

We're going to have to talk, Dave. In around 5 years I will be looking for a lake house and your area sounds just about right. I can make it up there after work on a Friday and come back around 7 on Sunday. Perfect!

 

[Kern Dog]

Yesterday the Wife and I went on a 12 1/2 hour car trip to visit her family. The drive went by faster and easier than usual....talking about all of the "what-ifs" of an out of state move.

 

[Dennis H]

Yesterday the Wife and I went on a 12 1/2 hour car trip to visit her family. The drive went by faster and easier than usual....talking about all of the "what-ifs" of an out of state move.

Where?

 

[Kern Dog]

Scottsdale AZ.