Idaho economy

[PJ-Hunter]

The job market, construction and real estate are dead here in Colorado and that has gotten my wife and I to thinking about relocating. I refuse to move anywhere that is far from being able to ride. Personally I enjoy being able to drive a 1/2 hour to ride EVERY weekend. I don't wanna give that up.

So here is the scoop. I am in Land Surveying with a AutoCAD background in Surveying, Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing and Fire Protection Engineering. I can operate some heavy equipment and am fairly experienced in home re-modeling, carpentry, roofing, fencing, landscaping and some drywall. My wife has been working in Corrections for the last 9 years, so I imagine that is what she plans on continuing.

I would like to get some info on the markets in the area around he epic riding areas in Idaho. What are the average prices of nice houses? What is the job market like? Is there ongoing development or is it dead there too?

I have a 3000 sf house with 2-car garage, large front and back fenced in yard, redwood deck with a 6 person hotub and the house sits on 4 lots. I could probably sell it for around 300-325k. I don't want to "trade down" as far as housing goes. I need the large house, I have to children (4.5yrs and 3 months), I need a large garage and large yards.

I would greatly appreciate any info, advice or suggestions that you would have to offer. Thanks for the help

~PJ

 

[Wade]

Construction is dead and deader. Heavy equipment is dead. Guys are begging people to please rent their backhoes. This market was red hot just two years ago, workers making 33 per hour, now nothing. But, you still can't find a decent builder you can trust. I found one.

Lot's of layoffs at Micron and HP here. Everyone's taking whatever job they can find. Next year will be bad, when the unemployment and severance runs out.

I think you could get a house like your describing for 250K around here. Housing is still falling here.

Epic riding is available, but your looking at a 2 hour drive min. The attitude in Idaho might be just a little different than Colorado. You'll need to provide proof of gun ownership.

 

[ADRENALINE]

Good luck in North Idaho, other than you could sell what you have, buy a median house for a steal (175K) my home town and work at Walmart. Might be some jobs for your wife, just depends. There are jobs to get but you really have to know someone, maybe on a road crew but definitely plan on being laid off 1/2 the time IF you do get on. Construction is dead. Woods are dead. About the only thing going is Gov, City, jobs that everyone already has. I think we should pay groomer drivers 100k a year, anyone up for that job?

 

[PJ-Hunter]

Chit, that sucks. Exactly what it is like here in Colorado. Been laid off for 5 months and there are jobs but they pay like 10/hr and that is less than my unemployment check. Any of the other halfway decent jobs are snagged up by the illegals because they say they will work for minimum wage. You can't hardly even try because there are so many of them. I applied for a equip. operator for a landscape co. and there were at least 30 mexicans hanging out waiting for him to unlock the office door. I didn't stand a chance. Even with my experience in design, operation and staking if he would have hired me, one of those bastages would have sued him for discrimination. That is the way it is here.

 

[wheresthesnow]

I think your best bet is going to be Salt Lake or Seattle area. And where I live in Kennewick, WA is decent economy, but its almost 2 hours from snow. SLC and Seattle job markets are a lot better than most places, and they're close to mountains. Good luck.

 

[Tree Boss]

I live in Idaho just across the Utah line in Franklin. The economy isn't to bad here, a couple months ago Logan, Utah was ranked 2nd in the nation for the best economy and that is where I work out of. Cache Valley is incredible, I have lived here my whole life and hopefully will never have to leave.

Me and the wife are purchasing a house that was built in 1993 2800 sq feet 5 bed, 3 bath with an acre for $195,000 and our nearest neighbor is a half a mile away the house is really nice for being over 15 yrs old and there are good deals you just have to find them.

Work you could try LeGrand Johnson, Geneva Rock, or Jack Parsons. These are some companies that come to mind,

As for riding from my house I can go up to Cub River which is about 20 minutes and offers riding over to Paris Flats and Bloomington Lake, or go the other way and that takes you to Franklin Basin and you can access the top of Utah from there, or the top of Emigration that is about 40 minutes away, then there is Providence which is about 50 minutes, and Tony's Grove which is about 1 hr.

It's something to look at anyway, another positive about living here is you are about 3 hrs to Jackson Hole and you can attend the Hill Climbs every year which is alot of damn fun if you have never been to the Hill Climbs. Hopefully this helps good luck on the job hunting!

 

[ADRENALINE]

I think your best bet is going to be Salt Lake or Seattle area. And where I live in Kennewick, WA is decent economy, but its almost 2 hours from snow. SLC and Seattle job markets are a lot better than most places, and they're close to mountains. Good luck.

Agreed, might give Seattle a shot. I have some friends/family living there, they don't sled but a lot more opportunity for jobs.

 

[whittaker727]

N Idaho, the most beautiful place in the world to starve to death.

 

[SilverGriz]

I love North Idaho. We have some awesome riding areas. The economy is really tight right now. I would only head this direction if you already have a good job lined up because they are few and far between.

 

[TIM]

some areas are doing better than others. But this is a national economic recession and we are in the same boat as you. I have found that the more rural the economy the less it is affected. THe real rural areas never boomed as big, so the bust wasn't as big. North idaho is not as rural as it used to be, we boomed big and have busted big. However there are jobs here for people who want to work. They just aren't going to make $40,000 plus.

tim

 

[Bubba700]

Hey PJ, something to look at. When I was leaving Idaho Falls for the summer, on the news they were talking a bout a big project at the INEL ( Idaho Nuclear Engineering Lab) that was going to create like 1500 jobs. Not sure how soon the project will get going but something to look into. Basically government work, they usually need all aspects of construction and demo. The cost of the type of home your looking at around there is prob 250ish give or take . But you are an hour south of Island Park, and a hour to hour and half from Alpine WY. Both incredible spots ,oh and this other honey hole that if you come out Ill take you to that is only 20 min from town
Fishing is great, sledding is great, dirt biking is great, camping is great, well you get the idea. But like Wade said you most likely will have to show proof of gun ownership for us to let you in

 

[wheresthesnow]

Hey PJ, something to look at. When I was leaving Idaho Falls for the summer, on the news they were talking a bout a big project at the INEL ( Idaho Nuclear Engineering Lab) that was going to create like 1500 jobs. Not sure how soon the project will get going but something to look into. Basically government work, they usually need all aspects of construction and demo. The cost of the type of home your looking at around there is prob 250ish give or take . But you are an hour south of Island Park, and a hour to hour and half from Alpine WY. Both incredible spots ,oh and this other honey hole that if you come out Ill take you to that is only 20 min from town
Fishing is great, sledding is great, dirt biking is great, camping is great, well you get the idea. But like Wade said you most likely will have to show proof of gun ownership for us to let you in

They must be getting some of the stimulus money like Hanford is getting. When that starts up Idaho Falls will be rockin. New pickups and sleds in every garage.

 

[Wade]

They must be getting some of the stimulus money like Hanford is getting. When that starts up Idaho Falls will be rockin. New pickups and sleds in every garage.

Yha, and 100,000 applications for 1,500 jobs. McDonald's next to Micron has 850 applications for 2 jobs.

 

[IDSLEDHEAD]

try this one it has some good jobs offered
http://www.nukeworker.com/job/jobfind.php?action=search&bx_prv[]=ID

 

[Bubba700]

Don't think its anything related to stim. stuff . If I recall its a a large clean up project on one of the reactors.

 

[PJ-Hunter]

Thanks for all of the information, folks.

To the anal potato shoving azzclown who sent me red rep. Before you send me a anonymous note bashing me you should know the situation. First, I would rather be working instead of collecting unemployment. Secondly, I am not gonna take a job slinging hash at the local greasy spoon, stocking shelves at wal-mart, etc. I have a very expensive education that I just paid off and for me to work I would have to put both kids in daycare (580 bucks every two weeks) and have to invest in fuel to drive. It doesn't take a genius to figure out the math to know that I would lose money working than being able to stay at home and spend time with my kids.

In my area the available jobs aren't paying more than 10 bucks an hour and UI is paying me more than that. I feel like crap staying at home while my wife works but I am developing a very strong relationship with my children but I have worked steadily since I graduated in 1997, averaging over 60 hours a week and paying more than my fair share of taxes. We decided that it would be better for us to pinch pennies and save on daycare and ride this Liberal created chitstorm out.

We just had a baby (5 weeks preemie and has health issues)and the medical bills alone have drained my fairly decent savings account. As I sit here and try to defend myself from your unsigned chicken chit comments, my wife is undergoing a bunch of tests to find out why she had a stroke today. So I am sitting here waiting for the techs to bring her back to the room, hence I am on SW passing time.

So if you feel you must continue to bash me, FLAME ON but this time, sign your name, you cowardly POS!

 

[Wade]

You do know that no matter what you accomplish in life, there will always be some idiot that has to frack with you, to make up for their small appendages. So, ignore them, it's easy to do. After all, their used to being ignored by everyone.

Yha, sitting at home would drive me crazy. Hard working people should be able to work. Good luck finding something. Tough times can bring a family together.