Nebraska or Bust (Grand Island, North Platte, Columbus: fit in, 2013, rentals)

[outofohio2013]

My husband and are wanting to move out to rural Nebraska from rural Ohio. We are in need of a life change. Why Nebraska you say. Well, we have visited and the first time my hubby was out there he fell in love with it and I have family in Albion, that is where we are looking to go. We have 3 young boys and know that if we do not do this move now it might never happen. My question would be how hard is it going to be to adjust? We live in a rural area now, which I know is nothing like out there. How are the schools? How easy is it for newcomers to fit in? How about finding a house. We would love 100+ acres, but would settle for much less. What are the housing prices like? Sorry for all the questions, but this is a huge move for us. Thanks

[denimflyz]

I would start out with the family in Albion. Is there rentals, or even a trailer house for you to start out in. It sounds like you are a young family, and if you are planning on moving, you had better knuckle down and get to the bare essentials. You may not find the perfect housing, but that will come along when the time is right. Right now, you need to concentrate on the Albion area and work your way out. When I was young and had to start over from moving to Denver and back to North Platte, I sold everything that I owned, to get the money to get back to North Platte to start over. You may have to sell everything and get to the bare bottom to do so.
I am in North Platte, and please do not move here. It is lousy, has a very bad drug problem, and the rents are very high, and housing are not fit for sheep to live in. You cannot raise children in this cesspool. We also have a lot of pedophiles that seems to be concentrated here also. Can you move and stay with family? do you have employment?
It is very hard to move, especially with many varibles in the mix, If you are serious about moving, which I would get out of Ohio, as the economy and the country's situations are not sounding good, as I read several blogs from people who have lived in Ohio and moved out within the last few months. One moved to Maine.
I hope that the other members could help with suggestions, I am not sure about the area around Albion, but I am sure that the others will inject their wisdom and knowledge to help you to get out and find a more peaceful life.
Blessings and Luck to you.

[outofohio2013]

We are in the process of readying our house for selling. We are lucky in the fact that we do not owe to much on our house. We will be selling about 32 acres here. 7 belong with our house and the other is a field we own. In the research I have done housing and land is way more expensive here in Ohio. With this thought we are hoping to bring enough to put a good down payment on something. I am in total agreement with you on the renting thing. I have not totally convinced my hubby, but I think renting for a year and giving us time to find the right place is what we need to do. We will be working with the family out there to help us get a feel for what will suit us best. Yes, we are a young family and I would love my second son to start kindergarten out there. This means we need to be moved by August 2013. This is a quick time frame, but as I said now or never. As for jobs my hubby has his own company right now and will be selling out. We hope to have enough to live for at least a year without having to work full time. Hubby is a millwright and fabricator by trade and our business was building grain elevators and dryers. These are actually in higher demand out there then here. He would love to stay in the industry and has the skills to do so. Life is so crazy and stressful here for him. We are ready to be able to slow down a bit. Hubby is ready to actually be home at night and spend time with the kids. As he says, "I am tired of working my dick into the ground and feeling like I will never catch up".

[Gunluvver2]

Originally Posted by outofohio2013

We are in the process of readying our house for selling. We are lucky in the fact that we do not owe to much on our house. We will be selling about 32 acres here. 7 belong with our house and the other is a field we own. In the research I have done housing and land is way more expensive here in Ohio. With this thought we are hoping to bring enough to put a good down payment on something. I am in total agreement with you on the renting thing. I have not totally convinced my hubby, but I think renting for a year and giving us time to find the right place is what we need to do. We will be working with the family out there to help us get a feel for what will suit us best. Yes, we are a young family and I would love my second son to start kindergarten out there. This means we need to be moved by August 2013. This is a quick time frame, but as I said now or never. As for jobs my hubby has his own company right now and will be selling out. We hope to have enough to live for at least a year without having to work full time. Hubby is a millwright and fabricator by trade and our business was building grain elevators and dryers. These are actually in higher demand out there then here. He would love to stay in the industry and has the skills to do so. Life is so crazy and stressful here for him. We are ready to be able to slow down a bit. Hubby is ready to actually be home at night and spend time with the kids. As he says, "I am tired of working my dick into the ground and feeling like I will never catch up".

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It sounds like your husband has a set of job skills that will be a good fit anywhere in rural Nebraska. Albion is smack dab in the middle of farm country yet close enough to Grand Island and Columbus where there are a few larger manufacturing companies. Behlen is headquartered in Colombus and he might find work with them directly of with one of the many suppliers or subcontractors in the area.

Yes Ohio land prices are probably a lot higher in Ohio than in Albion. However remember that although there are plenty of good people in Nebraska there are just as many that would take advantage of your lack of knowledge about what land prices are like in Nebraska. Rent a house for several months and get an idea about what kind of property you want to buy before you make the big decision. If you overpay for a property it may take years to catch up in value. Spending some time in the local coffee shops, churches, PTA meetings, sports activities will give you a better idea about what you like about the community and what prices are.

GL2

[outofohio2013]

Originally Posted by Gunluvver2

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It sounds like your husband has a set of job skills that will be a good fit anywhere in rural Nebraska. Albion is smack dab in the middle of farm country yet close enough to Grand Island and Columbus where there are a few larger manufacturing companies. Behlen is headquartered in Colombus and he might find work withem directly of with one of the many suppliers or subcontractors in the area.

Yes Ohio land prices are probably a lot higher in Ohio than in Albion. However remember that although there are plenty of good people in Nebraska there are just as many that would take advantage of your lack of knowledge about what land prices are like in Nebraska. Rent a house for several months and get an idea about what kind of property you want to buy before you make the big decision. If you overpay for a property it may take years to catch up in value. Spending some time in the local coffee shops, churches, PTA meetings, sports activities will give you a better idea about what you like about the community and what prices are.

GL2

Thank you for the advice. I definitely agree about taking our time to make sure we get what we want and pay the right amount. I really want to live in this area and just pray that the right property will be available when we are ready. The hardest part is not being able to just drive around and look at things. We are hoping to take a trip out there this spring. We want to meet with a Realtor. Luckily we do have family to keep an eye out for us and help with the search.

[Bigg Mann]

Originally Posted by outofohio2013

We are in the process of readying our house for selling. We are lucky in the fact that we do not owe to much on our house. We will be selling about 32 acres here. 7 belong with our house and the other is a field we own. In the research I have done housing and land is way more expensive here in Ohio. With this thought we are hoping to bring enough to put a good down payment on something. I am in total agreement with you on the renting thing. I have not totally convinced my hubby, but I think renting for a year and giving us time to find the right place is what we need to do. We will be working with the family out there to help us get a feel for what will suit us best. Yes, we are a young family and I would love my second son to start kindergarten out there. This means we need to be moved by August 2013. This is a quick time frame, but as I said now or never. As for jobs my hubby has his own company right now and will be selling out. We hope to have enough to live for at least a year without having to work full time. Hubby is a millwright and fabricator by trade and our business was building grain elevators and dryers. These are actually in higher demand out there then here. He would love to stay in the industry and has the skills to do so. Life is so crazy and stressful here for him. We are ready to be able to slow down a bit. Hubby is ready to actually be home at night and spend time with the kids. As he says, "I am tired of working my dick into the ground and feeling like I will never catch up".

There is a house, 3/2 with barn and many outbuildings and corrals, plus 38 acres. Five acres tillable the rest is pasture. Wife and I wanted it but to far from work. North of Stratton,NE 30 miles west of McCook, NE. 129,000. On realtor.com.

[SCentralNEGuy]

I would be cautious of moving and then trying to buy property in Nebraska esp if you want to live on 100+ acres. It is difficult even to find acreages in a particular area - you can buy one (houses are in varying shape some are old and terrible some are ok, most country houses will be old though) but you may have to look at a variety of different towns and areas to find one you really want. As for buying 100+ acres, the land will usually be pasture and unless it is in the Sandhills plan on spending at least 300k for a 1/4 section of ground (160 acres). You can live and buy land here even living in a particular area but it is a long wait and currently land prices vs. historical prices as everywhere else in the country are very very high. Most likely you will be living in town for a while unless you can find a good acreage or build a new house if you focus on exclusively Albion. It can even be hard to find places to rent in some small towns. Living in town is nice but if you like living on 32 acres you may be itching to get back to that. Hopefully the right place will be out there for you where family and jobs also line up.

[The_Millers]

Did you say 100+ acres? If so, you might have sticker shock. Just watched the news last week and they had a record set on land price. Sold, I think, around 160 acres around York or Seward. Prime farm ground sold for just over $16K per acre.....WOW! I 've also seen some really bad pasture land sell for half that, $8K per acre. I always tell people to try to find a place to rent first if your not familiar with the area. Just have to remember, it's ussually is only a year lease. Gives you a chance to evaluate the area and make sure you like it enough to purchase a home.