Thirty-something woman visiting, and possibly moving to, Battle Mountain. (Las Vegas: apartments, rental)

[Rusty60]

Hello, all, and thanks for reading. First of all, I want to apologize for anything stupid I posted in the past under this username--I was younger, still growing personally, and caught up with the wrong crowd and wrong man. I'm now older, unattached, more grounded, less clueless, and more open-minded.

That said, that has a lot to do with why I'm posting here about Battle Mountain--previously, I might not have made any serious attempt to get there. This week I am supposed to be visiting town for a job interview and it's quite possible I'll get the offer and decide to move there. It's true, I've never lived in a town so small and/or isolated but I've read plenty about the area, talked to people who have lived in BM and Winnemucca, and though I'm not used to such an arrangement, I don't think I'm any fool about what I'd be getting into. I welcome the challenges of a new environment. However, there are two things for which I can't yet find a solution: 1) rental housing, since I have NO money for a down payment on a house; and 2) making friends and dating.

Housing: Is it a lost cause? Would I have to live far out of town in the middle of the sagebrush to find something? How quickly do the few apartments fill up? Do any houses have guesthouses in the back, like I've been used to in the Southwest? Does anyone offer rent-to-own deals or arrangements that don't require down payments, if I have to buy a house?

Social life: How do people make friends out there? Also, after too many years in a bad relationship, I'm once again single in my mid-thirties. How do people go about dating? For all I know, this could end up not being a problem at all. All the same, would Reno or even Twin Falls be the default places to hang out? I'd say maybe Elko, but I know that's a small town, too. Sorry if this makes me sound like a city slicker!

Seven years in the desert showed me what a truly rural area looks like, but I never got to really soak one in, having lived in Tucson the whole time. Thanks for bearing with my questions and I'm really looking forward to visiting this week!

[humboldtrat]

Here's everything you need to know about Battle Mountain: Why Not The Worst?

[Rusty60]

Thanks, but this was probably the first-ever story I read about Battle Mountain, back around 2005. What about more current information? I'm in town now and will be looking around properly tomorrow, but that won't necessarily tell me enough about the people.

[braindead0]

Pursue your interests, find new interests. IMO actively trying to meet people with any intention beyond just that opens you up to being used.

If there are local bulletin boards at stores, might be worth perusing. Consider looking into square dancing, the people tend to be very outgoing.. age range probably not in the 30's but 50/60 year old people tend to have kids in the 30 something range and you may find a gaggle of ladies trying to hook you up soon enough.

Find local events and attend them (fire department pancake breakfast, dances, whatever). Just get out and as long as you don't hide you should meet people. I know a lot of people who live in very small communities (some as small as 200 people) and in my experience there's always some social things going on. Might have to dig to find them.

Good luck.

[Rusty60]

Thanks for the pointers, those are good tips. As it turns out, as long as the job offer comes through officially (it's still unofficial), I'm being sent to Tonopah instead. I'm sure the same general ideas apply to that town, though, so I'll see what happens once I make the move.

[DavidinSantiago]

Rusty 60,

Good luck on your move.
I recently moved to Chile and split my time between Las Vegas
and Santiago, Chile.

There are things to like about everywhere and things you miss from the old place
you lived. But I think rural Nevada is beautiful and the people are friendly.

It should work out well for you.

David