What to think about before moving

[xrated]

So the wife and I have always kinda kicked around the idea of moving the family somewhere besides SE MN. In the past it has always been northern MN where I grew up, but lately she has been touching on the thought of moving out west. Not sure why and I don't really care why.

However this is a very big decision, especially with 3 kids, so I don't want to let my thumb be my main decider.

What kind of things should I be taking into consideration when thinking about this? Obviously cost of living and wages is a big thing. Not sure what else I need to think on. My farthest move was from northern MN to southeast MN.

Both or our parents and all of our siblings are in MN so we would be leaving family behind...though I think family might be part of her reasoning.

We both like Oregon and her grandparents do live in Portland so I tend to think that is where she would be most likely to want to move....though a guy can hope for north Idaho.

So let me here some things I should be thinking about and if you've done something similar throw me the pros and cons, etc.

 

[knzee]

Are you selling a house? And, do you have a job lined up in the West?

 

[NorthMNSledder]

Are you selling a house? And, do you have a job lined up in the West?

I would think those two would be the major ones in this economy.

 

[xrated]

Not yet...we are just in the thinking and discussing stage. Obviously we aren't going anywhere without a job and the house would be a major consideration before committing.

We do own a house and of course it's appraised lower then we paid, just like most.

How big of an issue would you consider it to be moving before a house was sold? The only way I see that working is if we were living with the grandparents until our house sold.

 

[xrated]

As for a job, nope not now....just doing the prelims on the idea. Though every time I have looked in the Portland/Vancuever area there are multiple jobs in my field....and I feel safe in saying my training and current work location make me an ideal canidate for jobs in health care.

 

[Scott]

What kind of weather do you want?

Coastal northwest=RAIN for 325 days of the year.

Airid?
Mountain desert?

 

[ragincajun]

scott im thinkin he wants to be in between two mountain ranges in a small valley with a river running through the middle of it....

 

[knzee]

Just be carefull...Last job opening we had for a new engineer in our Laurel office we had over 400 qualified apps for the job. The only good side of this economy would be buying a house right now. We moved a year ago and now we own two houses. Tried to sell the one in Bozeman for 6 months and ended up leasing it to some friends till market picks back up. I would hate to have to rent a house to someone I don't know.

As for a job, nope not now....just doing the prelims on the idea. Though every time I have looked in the Portland/Vancuever area there are multiple jobs in my field....and I feel safe in saying my training and current work location make me an ideal canidate for jobs in health care.

 

[xrated]

scott im thinkin he wants to be in between two mountain ranges in a small valley with a river running through the middle of it....

fawk who wouldn't though not on the floor....me no likely floods.


Scott, I'm much less partial to a certain weather/climate. I grew up in northern MN so cold doesn't bother me, I guess my only want would be to live somewhere with minimal snow, but obviously close to lots of snow. And not to damn hot in the summer. But for me anythign that isn't 30 below for days on end or hotter then humid hell in summer is fine....so anywhere that isn't MN weather.

The wife is pickier, she doesn't do cold or snow at all. If there was a place with Portland type temps in the winter without rain it would be perfect. Though me I'd take 40 degree lows with rain any day.

 

[xrated]

Just be carefull...Last job opening we had for a new engineer in our Laurel office we had over 400 qualified apps for the job. The only good side of this economy would be buying a house right now. We moved a year ago and now we own two houses. Tried to sell the one in Bozeman for 6 months and ended up leasing it to some friends till market picks back up. I would hate to have to rent a house to someone I don't know.

Yeah the real kick on our end would be dumping our house. Not opposed to renting it out, but obviously that is a hard deal to make work when you are across the country.

 

[Scott]

scott im thinkin he wants to be in between two mountain ranges in a small valley with a river running through the middle of it....

Hmmm, I wonder where in the west you'd find one of those? LOL. They are a dime a dozen.

 

[POLZIN]

If you get to the point where you start figuring expenses DOUBLE EVERYTHING and hope thats enough. There is always so many unforseens and things that make senseto do but cost money you will not have accounted for . I moved my business this year it cost me more than double. Mostly because of 3 days of bad weather. ordinarilya bit of weather would be no big deal Except when you moving. it may not be weather but it will be something.

 

[03rmking]

X, i'd look into CDA or any nearby cities (Post Falls, Rathdrum, etc). Close enough to hit the Spokane job market. Didn't you have an interview at Sacred Heart in Spokane?

 

[xrated]

X, i'd look into CDA or any nearby cities (Post Falls, Rathdrum, etc). Close enough to hit the Spokane job market. Didn't you have an interview at Sacred Heart in Spokane?

I'd love to be up there! Wife still working on selling her.

As for Sacred Heart....that was just a great Aprils Fool joke on the thread!

 

[Scott]

Almost as good as Sawyer claiming to be moving to Florence, MT.

OMG, lock up the sheep.

 

[xrated]

Almost as good as Sawyer claiming to be moving to Florence, MT.

OMG, lock up the sheep.

maybe better Scott. I had offers of help finding housing and others offering to throw a good word at the right people.

Just hope if it's ever for real they are just as willing to help a ginger out.

 

[KSH]

Yeah the real kick on our end would be dumping our house. Not opposed to renting it out, but obviously that is a hard deal to make work when you are across the country.

The one thing you got going for you is that you have family on both ends.

Have you taken a trip out there? Not just a one or two day trip.
If you haven't, I would before making that big of a jump.

In my years, I have worked in about 35 states and visited every state west of Baltimore. I found that some places I thought I would never like to live were great places and vice-versa.

If you and the wife both enjoy the same area it will make the transition a lot better.


Good luck either way.

 

[xrated]

she has spent time from 1-3 weeks at a time visiting her grandparents in Portland over the last 10 or more years. I have spent about 3 weeks in Portland and driving down to the coast....I loved it.

One thing I thought of today no matter where we might want to go, was hunting....I'd be starting from scratch on learning an area vs a lifetime of hunting in my home county. New game, new rules, new seasons and mostly new land and learning the land.

 

[KSH]

she has spent time from 1-3 weeks at a time visiting her grandparents in Portland over the last 10 or more years. I have spent about 3 weeks in Portland and driving down to the coast....I loved it.

One thing I thought of today no matter where we might want to go, was hunting....I'd be starting from scratch on learning an area vs a lifetime of hunting in my home county. New game, new rules, new seasons and mostly new land and learning the land.

Ya but you would have Elk and Mulies to chase around

 

[christopher]

We both like Oregon and her grandparents do live in Portland so I tend to think that is where she would be most likely to want to move....though a guy can hope for north Idaho.

So let me here some things I should be thinking about and if you've done something similar throw me the pros and cons, etc.

Hmm
Lets see.
Things to consider for a move.

Elevation
Avg yearly snow fall
Total square miles of rideable terrain
Proximity to parts supply
The list just goes on and on