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Don't agree! NC may get more rain, but when it is over the sun shines! Besides when we moved here last year there was a rain deficit. Also much of the rain comes from tropical storms, which are generally over within a day. NC is a breath of fresh air, and so is the "southern charm". I didn't move to Reno, the question was which state did anyone with knowledge recommend. Of course I lived in Michigan for many years, and it was a wonderful state to bring up my children. All that has changed in a few years thanks to foreign trade. I still stick to my guns and say stay out of Michigan until the tides turn and the economy gets stronger up there, some say that could take 7-8 more years! How many foreclosures and bankruptcy's can a state handle!
Don't agree! NC may get more rain, but when it is over the sun shines! Besides when we moved here last year there was a rain deficit. Also much of the rain comes from tropical storms, which are generally over within a day. NC is a breath of fresh air, and so is the "southern charm". I didn't move to Reno, the question was which state did anyone with knowledge recommend. Of course I lived in Michigan for many years, and it was a wonderful state to bring up my children. All that has changed in a few years thanks to foreign trade. I still stick to my guns and say stay out of Michigan until the tides turn and the economy gets stronger up there, some say that could take 7-8 more years! How many foreclosures and bankruptcy's can a state handle!
Actually, California led the nation in 2006 for foreclosures (in sheer numbers and per capita), followed by Florida, Texas and Colorado. Michigan was somewhere around 6 or 7.
You can certainly state your opinion about Michigan, but you should really stick to actual facts.
We've lived in GR for 10 years now. Having moved from the other side of Michigan, boy what an improvement. The conservative rants earlier in this thread are greatly overstated. The only area where I've noticed an overbearance of it is in Hudsonville/Jenison. It would be difficult without kids here though, because there are a huge number of families moving here from other parts of Michigan and from around the country.
Having never been to Reno, if it's anything like the moonscapes of Vegas, uggh. And the comment about nightlife in Reno? Isn't it just a mini version of Vegas (a bunch of casinos)?
I moved down south to Indiana about a year ago for work (of course). The thing I say about Michigan is that it is a great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there again. I lived over by GR and unless you are in the medical field, there are not a ton of good jobs there. The insurance rates were much higher, I saved about $500 year just moving south. It is a pretty fun town, you are close to Lake Michigan, there are several good minor leauge teams to watch, and it doesn't take long to go up north where it is beautiful in the summer. I visit often, but I don't think I would ever move back.
PS - If you do move to the GR area, buy a very good snowblower if you live west of the city.
Location: At the end of the road, where the trail begins.
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Grand Rapids is really not a bad place! Yes certain job fields are suffering (change careers!) and insurance (especially car) is a LOT higher then a couple other states I have lived in. Both my wifes and mines entire families live in G.R. and the surrounding area. As to friendliness....... I've lived in Grand Rapids, Chicago, Denver, grew up in San Diego, and have travelled fairly widely. I've never encountered a particularly friendly city.
We moved last year (to the U.P.) simply because we are nature freaks and wanted to be closer to the wilderness. A nice side benefit is a good 90% of the people up here are VERY friendly.
I have heard many good things about Grand Rapids. Ten years ago, just the opposite. Hard to believe that AMWAY could make that much difference but I gather they are solely responsbile for revitaling the town - along with tax free zones on certain downtown areas. DC did this and it has worked beautifully.
I am interviewing in GR Monday. Problem is that I interviewed in RENO last week. Not that RENO is paradise but there are good aspects. Weather isn't super cold - twice as much sunshine a year as GR and it doesnt snow that much. It is high desert so the scenery can be MOON-LIKE unless you get out of town and go into Calfornia for GREEN.
I like the Lake Michigan area. I lived in Chicago for a year in the early 90s but it is somehow different enduring frigid weather when you are in a big city and there are lots of choices to esacpe to.
How is life in Grand Rapids...is it hip, progressive and cultural or putting on a face to attract growth? How are house prices, car insurance, rents. Where are the best areas to live (with two big dogs) if you are goingto work downtown? Is HOLLAND a better place to live?
Somebody give me a clue and put yourself in my place. I have a house I have to keep in Tennessee (and pay on) but I have to go where the money is for work so am paying double to live.. I think the salary will be about the same in both places....but RENO costs more to live although it doesnt have a state income tax... I have heard that Michigan (anywhere) is a little depressed because of high unemployment, hosuing is reasonable, yet things like homeowners insurancer and car insurance are high.
If you had the choice -- RENO or GRAND RAPIDS???
I am from Chicago and live in Reno, but oddly enough looking at life in Grand Rapids too! I'd like to get closer to family and Michigan is kind of a close split between family in Illinois and my husband's family in Ohio.
Anyway, about Reno. I've been here for 9 years. Wow, hard to believe. Anyway, I came here thinking it was an old, smokey, casino town. Quite the opposite! No state income tax makes salaries in Nevada go a lot further. It's actually quite a pretty place to live! It's just east of the Sierra Nevada mountains and about an hour or less from Lake Tahoe..once of the most beautiful places in the country! The Sierra offers tons of outdoor things...hiking, skiing, mountain biking, boating, kayaking, camping, etc. It's also about a 3 1/2 hour drive to San Francisco, and about 1 1/2 hours to Sacramento, and maybe 3 hours to Mammoth. So much to do in a relatively short distance.
The climate is moderate. We have winter and snow, but at almost 5000 feet, we typically only get a few inches at a time, and it melts in just a couple days. It's also sunny a lot in the winter too, which is awesome! Also, very low humidity and no bugs! It's nice to actually sit outside in the summer when the sun goes down and be totally comfortable without getting eaten alive by mosquitos. The cost of living has actually gone down quite a bit since the peak in 2005 or so. Housing is only just starting to stabilize after crashing like 60%! Anyway, it's a great place to live, and if I had family here, I'd probably never look to leave.
Pretty big contrast between those 2 towns. GR is quintissential midwest....not too big, not too small. Very convenient to Chicago, Detroit, Lake Mich. and up north Mich. Not a very scenic town itself, although the downtown area is much more attractive than even 10 or 15 years ago due to many additions/improvments. Nightlife will not compare to Reno, but if you're going to start a family eventually, you couldn't pick a better spot, especially if you happen to be of the Christian faith. Housing isn't dirt cheap like in Detroit, but it is reasonable enough. I, personally, would have no problem moving my family to GR if it came to that. Warning: if you don't like dealing with snow for whatever reason, GR is NOT the place for you. They get lake effect snow quite often in the winter, and it sticks around for a good while once it's down.
Reno is a beautiful high desert town, but pretty isolated, IMO. Yes, San Fran and Sacramento are reasonably close, but you have to navigate a gigantic mountain range in the Sierras to get to them, and outside of summer the driving conditions can be dangerous when those coastal storms start dropping snow - not by the inch, but by the FOOT. The desert and mountian views from town are awesome, but coming from a lush, green, hilly place like Tennessee, you may eventually be put off by the desert landscape once the novelty wears off, unless that's something you're craving. Economy-wise, it is almost always gonna be more expensive to live out west, so take that for what you will. I would also be concerned about being so isolated on both the professional and social fronts out in Reno, but that's just me. Vegas is a few hours drive to the south, and to the north and east there is absolutely NOTHING for what seems like forever. Although it sounds great, a place like Reno that's almost always sunny would get old for me after a while. I like my weather variety.....another reason that I love where I live now.
My choice would be GR, but I'm from Mich. and I love this state, so consider my opinion biased.
Pretty big contrast between those 2 towns. GR is quintissential midwest....not too big, not too small. Very convenient to Chicago, Detroit, Lake Mich. and up north Mich. Not a very scenic town itself, although the downtown area is much more attractive than even 10 or 15 years ago due to many additions/improvments. Nightlife will not compare to Reno, but if you're going to start a family eventually, you couldn't pick a better spot, especially if you happen to be of the Christian faith. Housing isn't dirt cheap like in Detroit, but it is reasonable enough. I, personally, would have no problem moving my family to GR if it came to that. Warning: if you don't like dealing with snow for whatever reason, GR is NOT the place for you. They get lake effect snow quite often in the winter, and it sticks around for a good while once it's down.
Reno is a beautiful high desert town, but pretty isolated, IMO. Yes, San Fran and Sacramento are reasonably close, but you have to navigate a gigantic mountain range in the Sierras to get to them, and outside of summer the driving conditions can be dangerous when those coastal storms start dropping snow - not by the inch, but by the FOOT. The desert and mountian views from town are awesome, but coming from a lush, green, hilly place like Tennessee, you may eventually be put off by the desert landscape once the novelty wears off, unless that's something you're craving. Economy-wise, it is almost always gonna be more expensive to live out west, so take that for what you will. I would also be concerned about being so isolated on both the professional and social fronts out in Reno, but that's just me. Vegas is a few hours drive to the south, and to the north and east there is absolutely NOTHING for what seems like forever. Although it sounds great, a place like Reno that's almost always sunny would get old for me after a while. I like my weather variety.....another reason that I love where I live now.
My choice would be GR, but I'm from Mich. and I love this state, so consider my opinion biased.
OK, you have me curious. What does Reno have night-life wise that Grand Rapids does not?
[quote=The Northerner;24077109]A whole district of 24 hour casinos stocked with clubs and bars?[/QUOTE
There are a lot of people I know who aren't into casinos or the db clubs that go with them. Downtown Grand Rapids has a ton of bars, some people even complain there are too many.
You couldn't pay me enough to move to Reno, or any place else in Nevada.
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