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After 6 months of restless search, we still have not decided where we could move to and need some help.
Here is a little about us. I am from Italy, my husband is American (grew up mostly in NM) and we lived most of our married life (10 years) in CA (both South and North). Our kids are still little. We have been in Houston since 2014 for his work and are very ready for a change...
He is an Veteran, 15+ years in Construction Project Management and more recently Processes/Systems. I own a business that I hope to rebuild in a new location. We are "moderately conservative"...meaning we have conservative values when it comes to society but we are opposed to guns and care a great deal about the environment.
Our ideal place is very hard to target:
- Small city/town near a larger and culturally diverse city
- Safe/Low Crime
- Moderately Conservative or Purple.
- Beautiful landscape/architecture with an European flair.
- Walkable and charming downtown with an upscale feel.
- Diverse non-chain restaurants and boutiques nearby.
- Near Mountains/Beach/Lakes with outdoor opportunities (biking/hiking/skying etc).
- Mild and sunny climate.
- Lots of get-aways opportunities
- A strong catholic/christian community would be a plus.
- Homeschool community or great catholic schools another plus.
- Friendly and genuine people that don't hate transplants.
- We could buy a small home at or under $450K.
- I could lease a small retail space for ~$1K per month.
- The least amount of bugs to worry about (this is my issue. Coming from Europe, I have an irrational fear of bugs...I can deal with a few mosquitoes but I run screaming from roaches and large spiders).
We researched the following cities but all have some issues...
* Walnut Creek, CA. We adore this little town in the East Bay and happily lived there for years but we cannot longer buy a home under $900K. Also the new recreational weed laws worry us as things may change quickly.
* Denver, CO (or nearby). Excluded because we hear of too many issues with the weed shops and growing homeless population. We'd worry about having a negative influence on our kids later on.
* Bend, OR. This one seems great but I do worry a little about long period of overcast/gray days as I think I have a bit of Seasonal affective disorder.
* Boise, ID. This one looks good but friends tell me it would not be a cultural fit for me as a European who crave culturally diverse places.
* Cary, NC. This was a good option until I started learning about a gazillion pest problems (giant roaches, big spiders and even snakes) and got scared.
* Naples, FL. I love Florida for a vacation but I think we'd be quickly bored with FL landscape.
* Boston, MA. I'd love it but my husband worries about the crime rate. Still under discussion.
* Charlottesville, VA. Another good option IMO although we need to research more about job opportunities there. Also I hear people are unfriendly (?)
* Franklin, TN. Another good option but I need to research some more about culture and overall mentality there.
Do you have any new city suggestion and/or feedback about the cities listed above?
I like the Franklin, TN option. I lived there for 2 years, awhile back and it was a very nice and safe area.
You’d also be within 20ish minutes to Nashville and plenty of job opportunities for the Construction field for your husband, it’s in a Construction “boom” majorly. Franklin is very family friendly, safe, with a lot to do. Architecture will be more along the “colonial” line, plantation houses, etc... Politics, well it’s Tennessee. Most of the state still leans right for the most part. Great schools, great people, etc... It’s a little pricey, as it’s a very nice area but it’s worth the money.
Bugs are pretty much just part of life in most areas of the US
Last edited by BurnInTheMil; 03-01-2018 at 09:26 AM..
Downtown Wilmington, NC? Except you'll have to get use to bugs. But with a $450K budget, that shouldn't be a problem. You can spend much less than that for an exceptional property close to downtown and you can save the rest for weekly pest control sprays.
Maybe areas NW of San Antonio in the TX Hill Country (Fredericksburg, Marble Falls, Boerne, etc.) Smaller towns near the large/diverse SA, many founded by immigrants, wine country, warm but fairly dry (similar to CA), sunny, lots of Catholic influence, fairly purple by TX standards, friendly and down-to-earth, access to beach and lakes depending on direction with NM and mountains not too far away (reasonable day trips), cheaper than CA, more international of a state than most, etc.
Last edited by Thoreau424; 03-01-2018 at 10:32 AM..
I'm not too sure I'd call Saratoga "culturally diverse" either.
That is true, as I thought about that but it said near a culturally diverse city. Albany, Schenectady and Troy are culturally diverse cities(as you know) within minutes of Saratoga Springs.
Ballston Spa a few miles down the road from Saratoga Springs s a smaller community that would/could fit as well.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 03-01-2018 at 10:39 AM..
That is true, as I thought about that but it said near a culturally diverse city. Albany, Schenectady and Troy are culturally diverse cities(as you know) within minutes of Saratoga Springs.
Ballston Spa a few miles down the road from Saratoga Springs s a smaller community that would/could fit as well.
Fair point. If the weather was a bit more bearable during the winter, it'd probably be a good place for OP.
I think you should check out Northern Virginia. We just moved here from San Diego. We currently live in Clifton. It can be pricey, but there are smaller homes in the area. I love the European feel here.
- Small city/town near a larger and culturally diverse city
- Safe/Low Crime
- Moderately Conservative or Purple.
- Beautiful landscape/architecture with an European flair.
- Walkable and charming downtown with an upscale feel.
- Diverse non-chain restaurants and boutiques nearby.
- Near Mountains/Beach/Lakes with outdoor opportunities (biking/hiking/skying etc).
- Mild and sunny climate.
- Lots of get-aways opportunities
- A strong catholic/christian community would be a plus.
- Homeschool community or great catholic schools another plus.
- Friendly and genuine people that don't hate transplants.
- We could buy a small home at or under $450K.
- I could lease a small retail space for ~$1K per month.
- The least amount of bugs to worry about (this is my issue. Coming from Europe, I have an irrational fear of bugs...I can deal with a few mosquitoes but I run screaming from roaches and large spiders).
I think you're on the right track with Boston/New England if you can get past the mild climate aspect. Towns like East Greenwich RI or Portsmouth NH would fit the remainder of your criteria quite well.
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