Is leaving the right thing to do? (tornadoes, work)

[TheEmissary]

Originally Posted by imperieux

I have to agree that it's hard, and sometimes impossible, to come back. It's the hard truth. She really has to think about this, and hard. Good luck with that conversation.

Even though I am from NJ and left the state happily, I have to say it's not for everyone and I would hate to hear of a family relocation that has left them horribly homesick.

Leaving NJ is a one way trip for most of the people that go. It would be almost impossibly expensive to return. That said, my advice to anyone contemplating a major move is to research, research and research. I went on realtor.com for a year and a half and had a map of the entire Charlotte region so I'd know where I was going before I'd gotten there! I also visited the area several times to get a feel of the place. It is a big plus to have friends or relatives in the place you're moving to. Moving is one of the most stressful things in life besides marriage and death (I'm sure to some of you, those last two items have a lot in common!-LOL!) EYES WIDE OPEN for sure!

[colleeng47]

Originally Posted by TheEmissary

Leaving NJ is a one way trip for most of the people that go. It would be almost impossibly expensive to return. That said, my advice to anyone contemplating a major move is to research, research and research. I went on realtor.com for a year and a half and had a map of the entire Charlotte region so I'd know where I was going before I'd gotten there! I also visited the area several times to get a feel of the place. It is a big plus to have friends or relatives in the place you're moving to. Moving is one of the most stressful things in life besides marriage and death (I'm sure to some of you, those last two items have a lot in common!-LOL!) EYES WIDE OPEN for sure!

Also, join the City Forum board for the state you're thinking about moving to. If new arrivals to that state are not too happy about something in their new state, you'll hear about it. You can also get a feel for the people by how they respond to questions. I find the OK board very helpful in guiding me to job opportunities and housing areas. Many have posted pictures for me so I can see various areas. You can go to Zillow.com and actually "look" at the town (even individual houses) from a "birds-eye" view. Really fun.

[nic529]

So - I've been looking on Realtor.com and checking some things out - what is a manufactured home? Is it what we refer to up here as a Modular? Or is it a Mobile Home? Manufactured Homes seem to be quite popular - and a lot cheaper.

Also - In these rooms I keep seeing people use IMO - what the heck does that mean?

[TheEmissary]

Originally Posted by colleeng47

Also, join the City Forum board for the state you're thinking about moving to. If new arrivals to that state are not too happy about something in their new state, you'll hear about it. You can also get a feel for the people by how they respond to questions. I find the OK board very helpful in guiding me to job opportunities and housing areas. Many have posted pictures for me so I can see various areas. You can go to Zillow.com and actually "look" at the town (even individual houses) from a "birds-eye" view. Really fun.

Colleen - I was thinking the same thing about the Google, Microsoft Earth and Zillow photos. Your success at viewing an area will depend on how recently an aerial photo was taken of the area you are interested in and the clarity of the pictures varies across different areas of the country. The big metro areas have much better pictures. Just recently my development got a picture taken of it and it is not as good as the Jersey photos. I zoomed in on my sister's house in Hackensack and could see the straps holding her pool cover on, while mine here in NC seem to be taken at a higher altitude and not much detail is available. I told my sister not to do any nude sunbathing!LOL

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by nic529

So - I've been looking on Realtor.com and checking some things out - what is a manufactured home? Is it what we refer to up here as a Modular? Or is it a Mobile Home? Manufactured Homes seem to be quite popular - and a lot cheaper.

Also - In these rooms I keep seeing people use IMO - what the heck does that mean?

IMO = In My Opinion
IMHO = In My Humble Opinion
SWBGTFO = SWB Get The ____ Out!

As far as manufactured housing is concerned, I don't see many problems with it. Yes, they are modular homes. You might want to send a DM sometime to member Memoriesbre on the NEPA sub-forum; I believe she bought a newer modular home when she moved here from down south (I could be mistaken though). The only thing that irks me about modular homes is the fact that they all seem to have to be driven on a large flatbed truck to their site during the evening rush-hour---YIKES!

[TheEmissary]

Originally Posted by nic529

So - I've been looking on Realtor.com and checking some things out - what is a manufactured home? Is it what we refer to up here as a Modular? Or is it a Mobile Home? Manufactured Homes seem to be quite popular - and a lot cheaper.

Also - In these rooms I keep seeing people use IMO - what the heck does that mean?

Manufactured homes can be very high quality. They've come a long way in the last 30 years. One was built a couple of blocks away from me in NJ and it was beautiful! It was made from 4 big subassembies. IMO stands for In My Opinion.

[TheEmissary]

Originally Posted by SWB

IMO = In My Opinion
IMHO = In My Humble Opinion
SWBGTFO = SWB Get The ____ Out!

As far as manufactured housing is concerned, I don't see many problems with it. Yes, they are modular homes. You might want to send a DM sometime to member Memoriesbre on the NEPA sub-forum; I believe she bought a newer modular home when she moved here from down south (I could be mistaken though). The only thing that irks me about modular homes is the fact that they all seem to have to be driven on a large flatbed truck to their site during the evening rush-hour---YIKES!

SWB - A lot of us on the NJ & NC forums think you're a good kid and like I said in the Worst Places to Live thread, I still think you'd make a good Mayor of Scranton or Governor of PA. If you ever get a job down here in NC, you can help me "purple up" a red state

[LJeen]

Originally Posted by nic529

I am a thirty - something mother with 2 kids - 14 and 5. We live in a nice part of Burlington County. We are the average middle class family. I think we're average anyway. We can't go out and by $150 boots for my teenage daughter or the $379 powerwheels my son wants....but they will have a nice Christmas. My question is: with a combined income of 100,000/yr - why is so hard to make ends meet? Is it only us? Is this normal?

My kids go to great schools - my daughter is a high honor roll student and a cheerleader. Lots of friends. My son is loving Kindergarten. But my taxes are 6,000 yr on .40/acre. My mortgate is almost 3000/mth.

I know to a lot of you that sounds cheap. Lots of you make a lot more money - or somehow figured out how to start a savings account. So what am I doing wrong? We have a moderate house...a 4 bdrm cape with about 1600 sq feet. We don't go out to dinner or spend hundreds of dollars on hair or nails. We shop when there are sales. We have less then $5000 on credit. We're trying to play catch up from a spout of unemployment this summer, so now our credit is shot........why can't I catch up? Should people who make a combined income of $100,000 be having these problems?

Do we leave? Is it worth it to move my children out of their schools and go to Va, NC, or SC? Are the lower property taxes down there really worth the pay cut? the school change?

I'd love to hear any advice - or anyone else that is experiencing the same problems. It would be nice to know I'm not alone

3000.00 mortgage would be unacceptable for my husband and I who also make 100.000 combined. I wouldn't pay more then 2000.00. We are in our 40's and are childfree (out of choice). This is why I would never have kids. Financial Black Holes is all they are. You can forget about doing anything for yourself anymore unless you are RICH.

But that's just me

[NewJersey?]

Originally Posted by LJeen

Financial Black Holes is all they are.

Yes, they are Financial Black Holes.



But they are a lot more than that as well.

[nic529]

LOL you are too funny

Thanks for the info on the manufactured thing...wasn't quite sure.

Originally Posted by SWB

IMO = In My Opinion
IMHO = In My Humble Opinion
SWBGTFO = SWB Get The ____ Out!

As far as manufactured housing is concerned, I don't see many problems with it. Yes, they are modular homes. You might want to send a DM sometime to member Memoriesbre on the NEPA sub-forum; I believe she bought a newer modular home when she moved here from down south (I could be mistaken though). The only thing that irks me about modular homes is the fact that they all seem to have to be driven on a large flatbed truck to their site during the evening rush-hour---YIKES!