need help with logistics of moving (relocation, jobs, Budget, U-Haul)

[bande1102]

We are a family of five and love CO. We are currently in MD. We own our house (although we've owned for 15 years, not underwater, have at least $150,000 in equity even in this market). I work from home and can take my job with me. I also have all of the healthcare benefits through my job. We've also saved at least a year's living expenses. Husband makes close to 6 figures, but the hours/workload are killing him. Have visited CO and love the more relaxed lifestyle, etc. I cannot wrap my head around how to pull this move off.

Do we first sell our house and live in a rental in MD until husband finds a job in CO?

Should we sell our house, take my job and move there and then find job for my husband?

Or maybe we should apply now and hope the employer will wait for us to sell? Like I said, we have a lot of wiggle room and could slash below the competition to sell quickly. But we'd still have to find a buyer.

Maybe try to rent our current house in CO? Not sure how I feel about being a landlord.

Or maybe there is another way to do this and I'm just missing it?

The main thing is that we do NOT want to have two households in separate states. That isn't negotiable for us.


Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[Katlakat]

Seems like you've given this quite a bit of thought.
Have you visited Colorado? Stayed for up to two weeks out there and seen how the weather is perhaps in the winter time?

I've moved more times than I can count, I always moved to the desired place and camped there for a few weeks. I lived on minimal expenses, always found a job and place to rent, and during those weeks gathered papers, got to know locals, and began making preparations to settle in.

With this economy and jobs at an all time low, give yourself time to get settled renting in a nice spot. Remember: Home is where you hang your hat, so make sure all of your hearts are in the right place before the great leap.

You can always sell your house or put it on the market after you've arrived and settled into your new place. Hopefully things go wonderful for you and you both get jobs, kids get settled in school, and you can sell your house afterwards.

I've never owned a home, this gypsy is way too crazy--that means roots! LOL so someone else will have to jump in here and help you there....but I move first and get settled. This way if you are there and love it, you can make arrangements to sell your house after. Hopefully the market is kind to your needs.

Start now by looking at their want ads and newspapers out in CO online. Begin feeling like you're already living there and shopping for a home/rental/jobs etc. You'll find if it was meant to be, the rest will flow rather comfortably and you'll forget to pop on CDF for your advice!

[bande1102]

Thanks, Katlakat.

Yes, we've visited several times. Haven't experienced a summer there, yet. But figure it can't be worse than MD heat/humidity/bugs.

I have a job that I can take with me. I don't make enough, though, to support the family. My husband definitely has to find a job. I think that's the toughest part right now. Well, that and trying to figure out the house thing. We've never attempted a move that involved so many miles

[Katlakat]

Here's what we did. We moved from Texas to Michigan first.

I sold my car as we were going to be working a franchise of the family business together and we would be carpooling (we don't have children). That sold for $3000. We had 5 yard sales and sold everything down. That gave us about $3000 more. We rented a small trailer U-haul and we stayed with family. After we started up our business with only $1000 investment, we moved to Illinois to get our own clients since Michigan was beginning to crumble from the economy.

The cost of living is much higher in Colorado than Illinois or Michigan so I'll skip to the last move we just made.

We moved from Illinois making minimum wages and paid $250 per month in rent a shabby apartment. I took out my IRA $10K and we sold everything down again. We moved from IL to New Hampshire where the cost of living is higher and the wages are still not enough to sustain fancy living, but it is doable.

We camped across the great lakes in off season of September. We often had free nights camping, but for off season it was very cheap and barely any neighbors. We preplanned our stops via AAA trip tik online. We had 3 dogs and two cats with us. I have pictures posted in another thread about traveling/moving with animals. We then put $4500 down on 1st/last/deposit on a rental house in NH. That's where most of our money went. I got a job first at a temp agency that kept us afloat until my husband found his I.T. job and I was placed at a bank for over a year. The economy got very bad.

For you, this first year would be where you'd budget your income from working at home to support your family while your husband finds a job. In knowing how much you bring in, you'd have to stay in a budgeted apartment. Begin looking for jobs for your husband in the local papers of those towns in CO you want to work. Do your research. After he lands one, you can begin saving your money again towards selling your house. Do you have family in your town now that can help sell your house for you?

Once you are settled, give yourself no less than 2 years to get back on your "feet" so to speak. It's been 18 months for us here and we just now have a fully furnished house. I'm out of work now, but my husband is supporting the household until I finish college and hopefully begin a new career. Most people I have encountered that move such a large distance don't give it enough time to work, they become impatient within the first year, but I have found that at least 2 years is what it takes for someone with minimal money to get back into the swing of comfort. I am patient and can skim down and live without a lot of means to accomplish this, and that is something you'll have to take into consideration, how long can you give yourself.

I am not sure about selling houses right now, I don't keep up with the market on that since we're renters for now for another 4 years until we finish school, but if your house sells, then you'll have been a part of your new community for a year+ and will be better educated on where you want to buy. Also by then we hope your husband is working and your saving for a down payment on a new home in CO from living in a budgeted apartment or rental home.

If there is no one to help you sell your house, I'm sure someone who has sold one long distance can step in and help guide you.

[christina0001]

Your husband can start applying for jobs now, and when he gets one, he can go out to CO and start working, and rent something small and cheap, until the house sells and you are ready to join him. If it takes a while to sell the house though, you may have to live apart for quite a while. I really don't know if any other way would work if you can't live on 1 income for several months. Otherwise I would say, sell the house, and just relocate, with only you working. Rent something cheap while he job hunts - it will give you time to get to know the area better, too.

[SunnyP]

Just my $.02, don't move without selling your house first (especially in this real estate market). I also wouldn't make the move without your husband finding a good job that will support your family.

It may take a little time to get your ducks in a row, but once you do you can move out to CO, and enjoy your new home without worries or unnecessary stress.

Good luck!

[ranger17]

i'd agree on selling the home first. We made a relocation by choice to SC from WI this winter; only after we sold our home though. Luckily for us it sold quickly, but we were content to put it on the market and when it happened it happened. We were able to move our jobs with us, so since it wasn't a job-forced move it was able to be on "our" terms. Takes a lot of the stress out of it. Couldn't have imagined if we moved first then had to deal with the home in WI after the fact.
good luck

[StilltheSame]

Someone needs to be able to work and support the family. Then you have to consider schools if the kids are school aged. I moved for work and moved ahead in April. The kids and spouse moved in June. Spouse still not working until the kids are back in school. We were in temp furnished housing for a month and then rented a reasonably priced house just in case our house didnt sell and we had to carry 2 payments. the contents of the house came after the rental. Thereafter(or in the midst of) the house sold - with no profit and now we like renting so much weve decided to do it for a while and save money. It all worked out well. it was pretty harrowing to get all the plans together though. Best of luck.

[bande1102]

Thanks for all the advice.

Without a doubt, we're not planning to move without jobs.

The question is to sell the house and rent here (in MD) and THEN look for jobs in CO. Or look for jobs and sell after we find a job. Ideally, I'd only want to move once, but not sure if it's realistic to expect an employer to wait longer than the usual two weeks.