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So my wife and I are currently in underwriting for our first house on Long Island. We grew up here so this is where our friends, family, and careers are. It's really all we know (with the exception of living in Queens for a while). While we're hopeful that we'll be approved for the mortgage, and would be ecstatic to own this house, we're not blind to the present and future problems facing Long Islanders (specifically, Nassau County). Houses are extremely expensive, lot sizes are small, property taxes are unreal, infrastructure seems to be crumbling around us, people seem to be leaving LI in droves, etc.
I don't want to think this way, but in the event that we don't get approved for this loan, we've been discussing the possibility of relocating out of New York to a part of the country not facing the abovementioned problems (or at least to a lesser extent). The problem is that we have no idea where that may be. Being from NY, we definitely don't want to live in the middle of nowhere. We don't like urban living, or rural for that matter.
Where would one find a suburb with low crime rates, good schools, reasonable house prices/property taxes (compared to NY), and just an all around nice place to raise a family? Preferably it would be within an hour drive to a city (large or small).
Go where you can get a job. Everyone thinks their skills are transferable but in some places (like where I live) IT folks are a dime a dozen (not to say there aren't jobs, but there's lot of competition). Also, the pay in certain places is more than adjusted for COL - nurses make very little money where I live - way less than LI, not just a little less.
Start thinking about places you've been that you like. Or what kind of atmosphere/weather/vibe you like. Lurk on some forums here on CD.
Good luck.
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