[idw2s]

I'm guessing you're in health care, based on your timeline, and the fact that you've accepted a position a year in advance?

If your job is in Reed City, that's a small area, and as others have said, it really isn't feasible to be too far without your commute turning into a nightmare. The time and money saved by living in Reed City or Big Rapids is time and money you can spend visiting the bigger cities when the need or desire arises.

US 10 and 131 get plowed, but it's best to keep the commute short. The cost of living is not terribly high, and there is no point buying a place if you're going to be living here such a short time. Is it feasible for your fiance to just not work if he (she?) can't find a job? It's a short time. Your fiance could always find other ways to be productive, volunteer, do temp work, look for a telecommute position maybe? The cost of living is going to be much cheaper in Reed City or even Big Rapids than what you're used to, which might offset the loss of salary from your fiance.

It's better to commute to GR for recreation than vocation. It can and will be a 2 hour+ commute (or worse) when the weather is really bad. Workdays, where you live is relatively irrelevant, and when you have cabin fever on a day off, GR is not too far away for a day in the city.

The nice thing about Reed City, you have world class recreation at your back door.... It might make you forget the big city.

Best of luck!