Rexburg, teton area (Boise, Idaho Falls, Ucon: real estate, condo, how much)

[atlantis7]

It doesn't take much of an emotional toll to think about leaving Houston Texas. The only thing fairly good about this place is weather..minus last year's Hurricane and the fact that this [place must be in denial that they are in a storm zone. They act like they have never dealt with hurricanes the way they handled IKE. (I have lived in Florida for a long time so I know what preparedness is) .

Enough about the wasteland. I have a possible proposition to move to the Rexburg area of Idaho. I hear two ends about the cost of living ..anybody know the truth? I also see where the median income is around 46k a year which is higher than Houston. How is that? What make such good money for such a sparse population? I have seen the term "reddest place on earth", describing the extreme political swng to the right// Has this been a negative for anyone?

I am a nature lover and an outdoors person and I am seeking any info from experience that I can get. i will tell you openly that the pay for my job will be in the low 40s. Can I live well on this in that area? I have a wife and no kids? How about taxes...utility rates...and is it possible to drive a Corvette in the climate. (I might be stuck with one)

Your help will be appreciated.

[Jimbo713]

What's the offer? What field of work would you be doing? How much free time will you have to enjoy the great outdoors?

[norcalmom101]

IMO you can live well on that amount here. You can find real estate prices online, try realtor.com. Is your corvette a convertable? I see people driving corvettes. Are you very social? Will your wife be working too? You should search within this forum for threads on Rexburg. It's very different from Idaho Falls. I know natives who love IF but who wouldn't ever want to live in Rexburg. If you can visit first that would be best. You might also want to look at IF and commuting. Just my 2 cents!

[cleosmom]

I have to agree with Norcalmom101 on this.

Originally Posted by norcalmom101

IMO you can live well on that amount here. You can find real estate prices online, try realtor.com. Is your corvette a convertable? I see people driving corvettes. Are you very social? Will your wife be working too? You should search within this forum for threads on Rexburg. It's very different from Idaho Falls. I know natives who love IF but who wouldn't ever want to live in Rexburg. If you can visit first that would be best. You might also want to look at IF and commuting. Just my 2 cents!

[atlantis7]

Thanks for the replies. If I get the final offer I will be working for a man who is headquartered in Rexburg and is expanding his media business. I don't know what ops are available for my wife there yet as she is a medical administrator with the University of Texas..we can't seem to find equivalent jobs at BYU. My car is not convertible and I hate to sell it because its only got 8200 miles on it but don't want to fool with it there if the roads stay snowed over or too slick for a car like that. I have looked at various RE sites and there seem to be some fairly good deals of nice houses in the 200-250 range with nice upgrades and a few acres. That is what i am looking for...nice house with at least 2600 sq ft and some room to maybe have a horse or two eventually. I don't like subdivisions and would rather live in a towhouse condo if i have to be a sandwich -- especially if I move all the way to God's country! That is about where I am at right now. I interview in person next week but doubt that i will see much as I get in about 2pm and leave the next day at 1p.. I understand the area is fairly flat and that mountain terrain is not immediate (like Reno or even Denver).. Funny, I can't seem to find much o the net in detail about Rexburh or Idaho Falls. So, what is so different about Rexburg that IF people wouldn;t want to live there....malls, store, etc??

[norcalmom101]

Originally Posted by atlantis7

Thanks for the replies. If I get the final offer I will be working for a man who is headquartered in Rexburg and is expanding his media business. I don't know what ops are available for my wife there yet as she is a medical administrator with the University of Texas..we can't seem to find equivalent jobs at BYU. My car is not convertible and I hate to sell it because its only got 8200 miles on it but don't want to fool with it there if the roads stay snowed over or too slick for a car like that. I have looked at various RE sites and there seem to be some fairly good deals of nice houses in the 200-250 range with nice upgrades and a few acres. That is what i am looking for...nice house with at least 2600 sq ft and some room to maybe have a horse or two eventually. I don't like subdivisions and would rather live in a towhouse condo if i have to be a sandwich -- especially if I move all the way to God's country! That is about where I am at right now. I interview in person next week but doubt that i will see much as I get in about 2pm and leave the next day at 1p.. I understand the area is fairly flat and that mountain terrain is not immediate (like Reno or even Denver).. Funny, I can't seem to find much o the net in detail about Rexburh or Idaho Falls. So, what is so different about Rexburg that IF people wouldn;t want to live there....malls, store, etc??

You won't have to go as far as Reno or Denver for mountains, look at google maps to see how close you are to Yellowstone and Jackson, for example. Just get good winter tires on your corvette and you will be fine. I loved my Blizzaks and recommend them highly. You'll be fine in a corvette. Sounds like you need some help with your itinerary. Are you at all interested in checking out IF or just Rexburg?

[blueroses618]

Right now Rexburg is expanding. There isn't a mall there right now--there is one in Idaho Falls, though. I would be REALLY surprised if a mall wasn't built there in the next couple of years the way the college is exapanding. Over the next 4 years I believe the attendance is supposed to go up even more at the college. There are more stores going up there, and restaurants. They are even building a Marriott!! I was very surprised by this. We just barely got one here in Idaho Falls I live in Ucon, which is just a bit north of I.F. (my mailing address is Idaho Falls). I do like living here. It's a nice, quiet area but we are still close enought to town (about a 15 min. drive).

[Lacerta]

I'll be the party pooper and give you the negatives on Eastern Idaho in my opinion. I was born in, and still have a lot of family and friends in that part of the state, and have a summer cabin in Yellowstone, so my experience is first hand, but not as a resident.

The wind blows. A lot. Not so much that it blows really hard, it just blows all the time. The wind can make it feel even colder than it already is in the winter. I don't know about Rexburg as much. Idaho Falls it can get pretty annoying.

Sorry, I am not car-savvy, does a Corvette have rear wheel or front wheel drive? I personally wouldn't want to drive any car with rear wheel drive in that part of the state in the winter. If you do, get good tires, carry sandbags in case you get stuck, as well as an emergency kit with blankets. The upside is that they get enough snow that they actually spend money on plowing and sanding to keep the roads driveable. You'll be fine around town and on the highway/freeway, but if you are an outdoors guy, as you say, you won't want to be on any sort of backroads in the winter in a rear wheel.

This may be a positive or negative for you, but be prepared either way. The Rexburg area has a very very high percentage of Mormons (LDS). The college is an LDS school. If you are not LDS, your wife may have a hard time getting a job. Most of the social activities will center around the church or the school.

Again, may be a positive or negative, but Idaho in general is a very red state. Be prepared for that as well. I'm in the "Liberal" section of Idaho, in Boise, and it is still very red. I think we are the most conservative state in the union. Eastern Idaho is very very conservative.

All that said, I love Eastern Idaho. Don't let my post deter you from moving there, as that is not my intention. I just thought you might like to hear some negatives to see if they are things that would bother you, or if you can live with them. You will love the outdoor recreational opportunities.