Contractor relocating, Any info? (Louisville: custom home, construction, university)

[55hclip]

I am a building contractor who currently lives in northern WI. Winter is about 6 months out of the year up here, making it harder to work all winter long. (the past two years i have laid off 2/3 of my crew)
Now i know it isn't fair to ask with the "slowing" economy and all, but i was wondering if anyone had any information on how the construction industry is in the area. We do mostly custom homes, and some light comercial work, and lots of concrete.

My wife is a nures, we would like to live near a hospital with a great reputation. We don't have any kids, and like the rural feeling. Plus we need plenty of room for equipment.

I know its a little vauge, but any information on a good location, and the industry would be great. We are planning a to take a trip to some areas that sound promising, just to get a better feel for things.

Thanks

[stx12499]

Originally Posted by 55hclip

I am a building contractor who currently lives in northern WI. Winter is about 6 months out of the year up here, making it harder to work all winter long. (the past two years i have laid off 2/3 of my crew)
Now i know it isn't fair to ask with the "slowing" economy and all, but i was wondering if anyone had any information on how the construction industry is in the area. We do mostly custom homes, and some light comercial work, and lots of concrete.

My wife is a nures, we would like to live near a hospital with a great reputation. We don't have any kids, and like the rural feeling. Plus we need plenty of room for equipment.

I know its a little vauge, but any information on a good location, and the industry would be great. We are planning a to take a trip to some areas that sound promising, just to get a better feel for things.

Thanks

Louisville is a very stable market housing wise compared to the rest of the nation. Like everywhere else, building permits are way down, but not as bad as any of the coasts. I assume its better than WI due to higher growth rates (almost anywhere in the south is). Louisville has four distinct seasons, and probbaly only 2 months that would slow you down as a builder, if that. This year we have had a rough couple of weeks, but that is a rare occurence.

The medical industry is booming in Louisville and your wife will have her choice of jobs with excellent pay and benefits. If you want rural, you will like Oldham County. Do you have kids? Oldham is rural/sububan but lots of nice developments. Baptist Hospital Northeast in Lagrange is a wonderful hospital to work for. Further in, in the NE suburbs of Louisville along I-265, Norton is building a new hospital that looks very nice to be open this year. Baptist is another major health player that built a plush new facility along I-265 among its others, and Jewish owns and operates several hospitals thruought the metro and will also construct a new hospital along I-265 soon. There is also University of Louisville healthcare, and the VA health system. Between those five health systems, they own about 20 full service hospitals in metro Louisville. Louisville is known nationally in the healthcare field for performing the first US hand transplant, implanting the first artificial heart, and inventing the life saving Gardasil vaccine, which protects against HPV and cervical cancer, among many other accomplishments.

Overall, this will be an excellent move for your wife, and a good move for you as well, but the housing market is not grand here either. Houses are not depreciating at all though, like they are through most of the country. Also, the custom built home market is very strong in Louisville, with a few major players, and lots of new developments all over, especially in eastern and northeastern Jefferson County and Oldham County.

[jbtennis]

Hello, the housing market in Louisville stays stable...no big ups or downs. And the medical field is unbelievable...what type of nurse is she? I have contacts with many doctors and they are always looking for new hires.