Moving to NC from Michigan (Charlotte, Monroe: rental, insurance, mover)

[Zener321]

I've read quite a number of complaints about NC coming from people who have already moved there from NY and other States. Everything from the weather, the schools, the politics, etc. If you'd like to see a State with some very serious problems, come to Michigan. There are no jobs, people are losing their homes, businesses and everything they've worked for. State taxes and fee's are off the charts and getting higher by the week.
My wife and I ARE moving but, we'll live in South Carolina where taxes are reasonable and work in NC where jobs are abundent.
We've seen our property value in Michigan go from $225,000 to $170,000 during our current Governors reign as Socialist and we still haven't sold our house. Many people are simply walking away from homes here that are worth less on the open market then they owe on the mortgage. All kinds of businesses are going bankrupt or leaving the State in the biggest mass exodus this place has ever seen. This IS NOT an auto company related problem here. It's a tax and spend Governor problem but, you won't see that on your nightly news.
My wife has already secured a good job in Monroe and we haven't even set foot in NC yet. We're taking our first trip there next week when I'll be looking for work too.
Does anyone out there have suggestions on where to find a reasonably priced moving company? We're getting quotes of $8000.00 and we don't get to keep the truck.
Jim

[southernlady5464]

If you are willing to pack it yourself, that will go a LONG way to helping cut the cost. Also try PODS. You will also have to load that one your self but they will come pick it up and deliver it.

Btw, we lived in MI...house is still on the market...we are carrying two mortgages right now. It's been on the market a full year now. Lived down in Monroe, near Toledo. Liz

[jaynarie]

ABF U-Pack is the cheapest I have found. I am also a Michigander trying to relocate... As soon as I get a job, I am GONE!! (As I am an unemployed teacher, I should know for certain in a week or two. Hopefully!).
Anyway, ABF has two options, cubes or a trailer. It is cheaper to get the trailer. You pay for ONLY the space you USE. I have a 1 bdrm apt, and I am quoted in the $800 range. Plus, they drive it for you! They pay all the gas and stuff. You pack it, they pick it up and deliver it, and you unpack it. It is cheaper than even UHaul, and with UHaul, you have to pay for gas (and drive it through the mountains )

[Zippy7fo]

Originally Posted by Zener321

I've read quite a number of complaints about NC coming from people who have already moved there from NY and other States. Everything from the weather, the schools, the politics, etc. If you'd like to see a State with some very serious problems, come to Michigan. There are no jobs, people are losing their homes, businesses and everything they've worked for. State taxes and fee's are off the charts and getting higher by the week.
My wife and I ARE moving but, we'll live in South Carolina where taxes are reasonable and work in NC where jobs are abundent.
We've seen our property value in Michigan go from $225,000 to $170,000 during our current Governors reign as Socialist and we still haven't sold our house. Many people are simply walking away from homes here that are worth less on the open market then they owe on the mortgage. All kinds of businesses are going bankrupt or leaving the State in the biggest mass exodus this place has ever seen. This IS NOT an auto company related problem here. It's a tax and spend Governor problem but, you won't see that on your nightly news.
My wife has already secured a good job in Monroe and we haven't even set foot in NC yet. We're taking our first trip there next week when I'll be looking for work too.
Does anyone out there have suggestions on where to find a reasonably priced moving company? We're getting quotes of $8000.00 and we don't get to keep the truck.
Jim

What do you expect her to do with a Auto industry thats inefficient and ignorant and a state that for the most part had very few creative types and the ones they do have leave after graduation or stressed diverse economy porfolio of industries....She has no choice...

[mrsjdaniels]

Jim, i will see you when I get there - Oak Park, MI to Fort Mill, SC

GOOD LUCK - I say PODS also

[Zener321]

Originally Posted by southernlady5464

If you are willing to pack it yourself, that will go a LONG way to helping cut the cost. Also try PODS. You will also have to load that one your self but they will come pick it up and deliver it.

Btw, we lived in MI...house is still on the market...we are carrying two mortgages right now. It's been on the market a full year now. Lived down in Monroe, near Toledo. Liz

Thank you Liz.
It seems PODS are the way to go in everyone's replies. I checked the U-Haul idea and it's true that by the time you pay the rental cost plus gas, you could have hired a mover for the same price.
We live up in West Branch now and were very fortunate when we bought this place to find such a beautiful 7 1/2 acre parcel that adjoins thousands of acres of State forest. We didn't plan to ever move but, here we are in the land of no work and must get out. Because our home and property are quite unique here, I'm hoping we stand a good chance to sell ( at a much reduced price ) in less then a year. The animal life here is incredible and I will miss that.

Ouch on that two mortgage thing. I did that once before and talk about stress. I sure hope you can hang in there with that until your old house sells.

We will rent down South until this place sells and we get a better idea where everything is down there. We just got back from our first trip there and our original idea to live in South Carolina has been tossed out. The neighborhoods we saw along the Northern border of that State seemed quite run down and uninviting so we've switched to North Carolina. The area we drove through that we liked is called Waxhaw and is near the city of Monroe South of Charlotte. Lots of nice houses there and some with acreage. South Carolina DOES have low taxes but, insurance costs are high. When you add it all up, North Carolina is the better place to be from what we've seen.

My wife is a teacher and found a job quickly at South Piedmont Community College. It's a good paying, full time, full benefits job. Coming from Michigan the word "full" anything is unheard of so, this was a very welcome change indeed.

She's leaving to start work in 3 days and I'll have to stay back to sell the house and continue looking for a job in the South. I'm an eletronic tech with strong mechanical aptitude in case there's a referral lurking out there. When the house sells OR when my job is found, I'm gone.
One last and extremely important note: The people in North Carolina are extremely nice, kind, helpful, and caring. The overall attitude there is very positive AND they have "sweet tea".
Jim

[SamPressl]

Zener,
I currently work for Mayflower Transit, i could set up a time and date for someone to come out to your home and do a inhome survey if you would like. My office number is 1-800-438-5734 EXT. 1108 if you are interested. Ext

[southernlady5464]

She's leaving to start work in 3 days and I'll have to stay back to sell the house and continue looking for a job in the South. I'm an eletronic tech with strong mechanical aptitude in case there's a referral lurking out there. When the house sells OR when my job is found, I'm gone.
One last and extremely important note: The people in North Carolina are extremely nice, kind, helpful, and caring. The overall attitude there is very positive AND they have "sweet tea".

Jim, glad everything is coming together. And you are right about the people here as long as the people coming into the state remember one important thing...NC is NOT the state they left behind. LOTS of people moving in expect to find the same things they left behind in NY, NJ, MI, CA, ect and NC is NC. Liz

[empurpledsoul]

I left Michigan for NC back in 1996, and it was the best move ever. I wondered why I waited til I was 36 to get the heck outta Dodge (MI)! I absolutely loved the difference in the "culture". It was slower, friendlier and warmer climate wise. Now I am back in the north, duty called (family) and moving BACK to NC asap. When I had to move north again the only way I could do it was to promise that it was temporary and I would endure it til I could return to what is known as heaven on earth to those who live there!

My favorite pasttime was to phone my relatives and friends in Michigan in February to tell them about all the warm breezes and flowers blooming!

Now that the economy has tanked (again! remember..."last one out of Michigan turn out the lights" on bumperstickers in the early 80's?) it seems NC is the target for relocating. This is the thing about Michiganders. They pick ONE place to flock to. It was Texas way back then, NC today.

[Zener321]

Originally Posted by SamPressl

Zener,
I currently work for Mayflower Transit, i could set up a time and date for someone to come out to your home and do a inhome survey if you would like. My office number is 1-800-438-5734 EXT. 1108 if you are interested. Ext

Sam,
I appreciate the reply and will keep your number handy. Since my wife is moving South soon and I'm staying back, I'll be making trips down anyway with my pickup truck and will take whatever I can on those trips. The idea is to just kind of chip away at the pile a little at a time until either the house sells or I find a job. When either of those happens we'll want to move whatever's left fairly quick. At this point in time, I'm sure you would fill the back of a semi trailer without any problem. My guess would be around 15,000 lbs. but rather then guess, I'll call you when the time comes. Quite honestly, I will be shopping price like everyone and I am aware that price isn't the only consideration.
Thanks,
Jim