Moving with no job.

[Asheville Native]

This is also a very common thread topic that can be found in most of the sub-forums for areas of NC.
Example:http://www.city-data.com/forum/charl...ml#post9702509

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by lovebrentwood

Can we make this thread a "sticky"?

I am like you - it seems this could be helpful to those considering moving here without a job. But I assure you - there will be those forum members who will find it insulting/rude/impolite/unwelcoming.

I tend to think those who complain when we say "you do realize how tough it is to get a job here?" are under 30 and have lived rather charmed lives, LOL!!!

I also think that 15 years ago, it was unheard of for someone with responsibilities (family, debt) to pick up and move from one area to another without employment. In fact, I had never heard of anyone doing this unless he/she 1. was running away from a bad situation 2. was independently wealthy 3. was moving to open a new business elsewhere 4. was fresh outta college and so - free to check things out since he/she had no roots or responsibilities at that point in life.

When I moved back here in 2002, some of my friends told me that people were moving to Charlotte, buying houses (sometimes paying cash for them - usually putting large downpayments on them - but sometimes - getting no doc loans and paying 5% down) and coming with NO JOB.

I thought - "HUH????" I was incredulous.

For one thing, it cost me about $20,000 to move my household from Kansas City back to NC, so that alone would give me pause about picking up and moving to a new area - even WITH a job (I would want relocation assistance).

When I found out that many people really were coming here w/o jobs- and buying homes, I realized they were coming fully intending to stay - this was not a move made "on a whim."

And it didn't seem to be a big deal for most folks, b/c newcomers were moving here with confidence that there were openings in their fields (and there were - and most were in banking or IT). So actually, it didn't seem to be a big problem (thank goodness). Newcomers who moved here w/o jobs explained to me they had friends who had moved here and knew there were job openings - so it wasn't actually such a "rash" decision as it may have appeared to be.

Now, however, the situation is entirely different. Banking has forever changed here in Charlotte. It's not like there has been a hiring freeze or a temporary lay off . . . the jobs are gone. POOF! So the jobs that were here are gone and it would mean new companies would need to move here in order to create more jobs. That is what baffles me - people don't seem to have it figured out that this is NOT a temporary situation.

There will be thousands of people who will have to leave our part of the state to secure employment in the same field. This has already started and we will see a big jump in people leaving starting around Jan 2010, b/c unemployment compensation will run out at some point . . . and people are going to realize there are simply no jobs here so they are gonna have to leave.

So I see what is going to happen here in Mecklenburg . . . but I have decided I am just responsible for my own family . . . and since the advice isn't welcomed . . . why bother?

[mm_mary73]

Originally Posted by montanamom

'...A lot of people think they'll "just get a job at a store wait tables or something" to tide them over until they find a "good" job...

or my personal favorite: "I can always get a job in the medical field" as if all of our providers have no employees and no one else to hire (if they are hiring at all) and are just waiting for them to come by and apply! News flash: healthcare employees are also affected by the economy.

[lovebrentwood]

Some city-data citizens also think that we (who caution others about the dire job situation in NC) don't know there are fabulously wealthy people who don't need to have jobs lined up to move here.

We are well aware of that.

But most people are not independently wealthy.

The independently wealthy people will know the advice does not apply to them.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by lovebrentwood

Some city-data citizens also think that we (who caution others about the dire job situation in NC) don't know there are fabulously wealthy people who don't need to have jobs lined up to move here.

We are well aware of that.

But most people are not independently wealthy.

The independently wealthy people will know the advice does not apply to them.

EXACTLY. And really - wealthy folks will just make a trip here and engage the service of a broker and check out the city for themselves. They won't be relying on a forum to tell them what they can find out on their own - the most upscale areas of any given city.

[MEEK00]

Sometimes desperate times call for desperate measure,you gotta do what you gotta do some people move without nothing not even a place to stay

[lovebrentwood]

Actually, I think even some fabulously wealthy people may read up on whatever they can find on the Internet.

They are a lot like us. They just have bigger bank accounts -- speaking for myself. And everything is relative. There is paycheck-to paycheck, middle class, comfortable, well-off, wealthy, wealthier, wealthiest, obnoxiously vulgar-wealthy, and so on. Anyone anywhere may be in any one of those categories at any time and may think the other person is wealthier.

People with money that I've known in the past don't spend it if they don't have to, and they often prefer to do everything themselves.

Originally Posted by anifani821

EXACTLY. And really - wealthy folks will just make a trip here and engage the service of a broker and check out the city for themselves. They won't be relying on a forum to tell them what they can find out on their own - the most upscale areas of any given city.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by lovebrentwood

Actually, I think even some fabulously wealthy people may read up on whatever they can find on the Internet.

They are a lot like us. They just have bigger bank accounts -- speaking for myself. And everything is relative. There is paycheck-to paycheck, middle class, comfortable, well-off, wealthy, wealthier, wealthiest, obnoxiously vulgar-wealthy, and so on. Anyone anywhere may be in any one of those categories at any time and may think the other person is wealthier.

People with money that I've known in the past don't spend it if they don't have to, and they often prefer to do everything themselves.

Very good points and you have me thinking that what you wrote is probably more accurate than what I wrote, LOL.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by MEEK00

Sometimes desperate times call for desperate measure,you gotta do what you gotta do some people move without nothing not even a place to stay

That is true. And as I said earlier - every situation is different.

My big point is . . . if you feel you need to relocate to find a job, why not choose an area that has more jobs available than NC - or in particular - Charlotte?

For example, I lived in Lenexa, KS b/f I moved here to Charlotte. Lenexa was just named as one of the top places to live in the USA (# 3 on the list). In the article, they state that the people to job ratio is 1:1. The economic doldrums have not hit that area the way they have hit here in Charlotte. Plus the crime rate is very low and the median income is over $100,000 - and the median house price is $225,000.

There are neat towns like this all over the USA. So if I were gonna uproot my family and relocate, I would select some place that has job vacancies in my field . . . plus a great community, good housing prices, low crime, etc.

Why would I choose to go some place that has a higher unemployment rate than where I live right now?