Suggestions on where to relocate (ski resorts, low crime, house)

[Ahutson]

Hi! I currently live in Houston, TX with my husband and we can't wait to move. Here is a list of our desired features:

1) Four seasons – specifically we would like a mild summer and moderate winter (with some snow a few times a year)
2) In or near a moderately sized city with good shopping and restaurants
4) Liberal/progressive (not necessary but would be nice)
5). Green with good air quality and lots of hiking and other outdoor activities.
6) In or near Mountains for hiking/mountain biking and hopefully snowboarding in the winter
7) Tolerable traffic.
8) Affordable housing prices ($200-$250K for a nice 3-4 bedroom, 2 bath home on a 1/2 acre)
9) Good schools/good place to raise a family
10) Low crime.
11). Decent job prospects (I work in health care so I am not worried about my career but more so for my husband- he is currently a drafter utilizing autocad but is thinking of switching careers)

We would love some suggestions on which cities you think best fit our list! We have been looking into the Asheville area in NC and love it but we are concerned about the job market because it is so touristy oriented. Thanks!

[DubbleT]

Johnson City TN, roughly an hour north of Asheville. Close to several ski resorts, mountains, lakes, etc. Great weather, similar to Asheville, some snow but not much (so far nothing this year).
Not as liberal, not quite as much to do in the way of fine dining, shopping, etc. because it is not touristy. CSA population roughly 508K so it's a pretty fair size and should meet most of your wants and needs.
If you feel the job market would be too tight there you might look at Knoxville. Some air quality concerns because it is in a valley, but not horrible. Close to GSMNP and to Gatlinburg for the winter sports.

[ckhthankgod]

Depending on what you consider a moderate winter, the Albany-Schenectady-Troy or Glens Falls areas of NY fit pretty much everything else. Even healthcare is doing well in Upstate NY: New York State Hospital Profile

Capital Region Jobs in Healthcare - Non-nurse

Capital Region Jobs in Healthcare - Nursing

Maybe places like Morgantown WV, Blacksburg VA, Clemson SC, Knoxville TN and perhaps the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton area of PA could work too.

[choosing78]

Denver, Colorado. The only problem I would see on your list is the 1/2 acre lot. Denver metro is more of a small backyard with losts of parks and open space for everyone to enjoy kind of place.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by choosing78

Denver, Colorado. The only problem I would see on your list is the 1/2 acre lot. Denver metro is more of a small backyard with losts of parks and open space for everyone to enjoy kind of place.

What about a place like Fort Collins? Colorado State is there and could help in terms of a having more of a liberal vibe and even employment.

[Ahutson]

My husband and I have looked into Colorado (specifically Denver, Ft. Collins, and Boulder) and would love to live there but are concerned about the housing prices.

[choosing78]

Being from Houston, Fort Collins might be a little small but I don't really spend much time there so I couldn't recommend it other than saying it is a "pretty" place.

You can find many homes in many areas of the Denver (and prob Fort Collins) for your budget. We have a 3/2 in Broomfield, a suburb halfway between Denver and Boulder (about 20 min to either). Our house was under 200k. It is not fancy but it is very nice. We live in a friendly, nice neighborhood. google Paul Derda rec center. The quality of life in Denver is tremendous. The weather is ideal for someone who wants four seasons. We are one of the sunniest places in the country and a short drive to world class skiing and outdoor activities.

The other major thing to consider about Denver is the low property taxes. I don't know if TX taxes are high but Colorado's are very low. Also utilities are very cheap. Everytime I hear someone complain about their utility bill I just tell them what we paid for one month of heat in NY and AC in the summer and that usually shocks them into silence.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by choosing78

Being from Houston, Fort Collins might be a little small but I don't really spend much time there so I couldn't recommend it other than saying it is a "pretty" place.

You can find many homes in many areas of the Denver (and prob Fort Collins) for your budget. We have a 3/2 in Broomfield, a suburb halfway between Denver and Boulder (about 20 min to either). Our house was under 200k. It is not fancy but it is very nice. We live in a friendly, nice neighborhood. google Paul Derda rec center. The quality of life in Denver is tremendous. The weather is ideal for someone who wants four seasons. We are one of the sunniest places in the country and a short drive to world class skiing and outdoor activities.

The other major thing to consider about Denver is the low property taxes. I don't know if TX taxes are high but Colorado's are very low. Also utilities are very cheap. Everytime I hear someone complain about their utility bill I just tell them what we paid for one month of heat in NY and AC in the summer and that usually shocks them into silence.

Colorado's taxes are really low? I know Upstate NY and TX are roughly the same, but Upstate NY's rates are higher due to lower housing prices.

Here's an overall COL comparison:Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed
I also wonder about Salt Lake City UT too?