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Hey everyone...I'm trying to make a life-changing decision & could really use some help...I am thinking of moving into a tiny little town...well not really even a town, but an area that has about 8 streets , (Orrin). I am a middle aged person who believes I can retire there for a small amount of money & live warm, comfortable & in quiet & very peaceful surroundings. I don't mind driving into a larger town once in a while or so but am I setting myself up for too much solitude? Husband still works so he will drive I guess & the things I enjoy are probably what all older girls enjoy...quilting, bingo, church, etc. Are we about to set ourselves up for a disaster...or should I think about living in Alaska where I can shoot moose & bear off my front porch for a little excitement? We definately want the cold weather (we live in Oklahoma & have always hated the hot dog days of summer). The year my son was born it was 107...I hate hot weather! What does everyone do for entertainment? Is the NFL a big thing there? We are pig skin nuts. Thanks for any feedback. Recommendations to go ahead with the house purchase or should I look in more populated towns? The only reason I'm thinking about moving here is because the house is so cheap......
I don't live in North Dakota (yet), but from what I can find, Orrin is basically a ghost town or nearly so. I've been researching smaller towns in ND for a long time for some of the same reasons you mention. Price is a biggie. I think you can do better than Orrin, though, and pay the same alluring low price. If you look at the eastern part of the state, you'll find very appealing prices in towns from a couple hundred in population up to a couple thousand. I've seen prices as low as 10K for a small home in decent shape, with average price around 20 to 30K. Many are within easy driving distance to bigger towns such as Grand Forks, Grafton, and Devil's Lake. In particular, find the seller on ebay that deals with raw-land city/town lots as well as homes. She's easy to work with and has some very good prices on older homes at times. There are some there right now if you search for North Dakota real estate.
(note: this is not an advertisement. The seller is not a real estate agent. I have no financial stake in the seller's dealings. But I am a satisfied customer. I got a great deal from her on some land last summer.)
I grew up near Voltaire in the fifties and early sixties, but I had never heard of Orrin until now. I know nothing about it except what I see on Google maps. However, based on what I know about other tiny North Dakota places, I have some questions for you to consider before you buy:
Where would you get your mail? Is there rural route delivery or would you have to get a PO Box? In which town?
Would the streets in Orrin be plowed after a snow storm? By whom?
Where would you shop for groceries?
Where's the nearest doctor/hospital/dentist?
You say your husband still works. Does he work at home or would he look for work in ND? What opportunities are available within reasonable commuting distance?
You like the NFL. What kind of TV/internet service is available?
Is there a church of your denomination within reasonable driving distance?
What made you decide on Orrin? The people remaining there are probably very elderly - so it may be a different type experience than you may imagine.
There are other towns nearby that offer more services (Rugby, Harvey) with just a few more conveniences.
I had never even heard of this spot until about a week ago. Again, the house is being sold with payments I can afford. Hubby will need to drive for a job..I'm not sure as to any employment opportunities. He does general labor & has worked ranches & farms so we're hoping for something along that line. I've checked out a few of the surrounding towns like Rugby and would rather this house be in a more populated area but wishings not going to cause that to happen. Maybe I just need to accept the fact that I am older & be more content with feeding chickens & canning (oops...I'm reverting back to my childhood dazs again)
I don't live in North Dakota (yet), but from what I can find, Orrin is basically a ghost town or nearly so. I've been researching smaller towns in ND for a long time for some of the same reasons you mention. Price is a biggie. I think you can do better than Orrin, though, and pay the same alluring low price. If you look at the eastern part of the state, you'll find very appealing prices in towns from a couple hundred in population up to a couple thousand. I've seen prices as low as 10K for a small home in decent shape, with average price around 20 to 30K. Many are within easy driving distance to bigger towns such as Grand Forks, Grafton, and Devil's Lake. In particular, find the seller on ebay that deals with raw-land city/town lots as well as homes. She's easy to work with and has some very good prices on older homes at times. There are some there right now if you search for North Dakota real estate.
(note: this is not an advertisement. The seller is not a real estate agent. I have no financial stake in the seller's dealings. But I am a satisfied customer. I got a great deal from her on some land last summer.)
I had never even heard of this spot until about a week ago. Again, the house is being sold with payments I can afford. Hubby will need to drive for a job..I'm not sure as to any employment opportunities. He does general labor & has worked ranches & farms so we're hoping for something along that line. I've checked out a few of the surrounding towns like Rugby and would rather this house be in a more populated area but wishings not going to cause that to happen. Maybe I just need to accept the fact that I am older & be more content with feeding chickens & canning (oops...I'm reverting back to my childhood dazs again)
I have never heard of this town and where I currently work I have heard of many, many, many places in ND but not this one. I'm assuming it's VERY small and probably not near one of the bigger towns in ND (Minot, Grand Forks, Fargo). This can be a problem if your husband still works. Is his career portable? Because jobs in ND are very limited to what one can expect to do. The oil business is really good right now if you can do that kind of thing or want to and retail is popular. The wages are pretty low in most bigger towns in ND so I can't imagine you would be able to find anything in Orrin. Also, I hate hot weather, too but moving here made me love it and miss it in a way I never could. I would rather be dripping with hot humid subtropical weather at 107 degrees than run to my car while my eyelashes freeze in windchills that can and have gotten down to -30 for the past couple weeks lately. I waste a lot of gas heating my car up for 20-30 minutes before it's warm enough for me to drive in without gloves. Anyway...there are lots of small towns in ND...there could be a better choice (Although I would say skip ND altogether )
I work in a small town that surprisingly has become something of a retirement community for former North Dakotan's returning from out of state. About 50 miles to the southeast of Orrin as the crow flies is Bowdon. It has about 120 people I think and has opened a variety of community owned businesses, including a grocery store, thrift store, cafe, and soon a butcher shop. There is a small convenience store that is currently undergoing upgrades and are now offering additional shop services. In the summer there is a weekly farmers market at the old high school with entertainment and a meal served. I'm not sure about the football fans in Bowdon, but generally there are plenty of them in North Dakota. Many are either Vikings or Packers fans. Many also enjoy college football and high school football is a Friday night favorite in the fall. The local team went to the state championship this past fall, but unfortunately it was their last season as they will co-op with Harvey next year due to a lack of students.
I am in Bowdon frequently and I'm pretty sure if you looked around you'd find a house in your price range. Not sure if you're looking for a fixer upper, or a really small home, but Bowdon has both.
I'd say Bowdon is bigger than Orrin, and remote, but yet still has better access to good state highways. I checked out Google earth and it appears Orrin is a 5 mile drive by gravel road from state highway 19, and 9 miles by gravel road to state highway 3. Carrington and Harvey are both nearby Bowdon, with many services, and Bismarck is about a 100 mile drive to the southwest.
I also live in a hot hot climate (Louisiana) Hate it. Winters are great but summers are miserable. We lived in Fairbanks Ak. but was very cold. Anchorage was great. Cold but not bad at all. Lots to do even in the winter. The only reason we moved back was because of the grandkids.
You would definitely want to find out what king of heating system it has. The prices of oil and propane are crazy right now. They can add up to several hundred dollars a month during the cold months.
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, (Orrin). I am a middle aged person who believes I can retire there for a small amount of money & live warm, comfortable & in quiet & very peaceful surroundings. I don't mind driving into a larger town once in a while or so but am I setting myself up for too much solitude? Husband still works so he will drive I guess & the things I enjoy are probably what all older girls enjoy...quilting, bingo, church, etc. Are we about to set ourselves up for a disaster...or should I think about living in Alaska where I can shoot moose & bear off my front porch for a little excitement?
We definately want the cold weather (we live in Oklahoma & have always hated the hot dog days of summer). The year my son was born it was 107...I hate hot weather! What does everyone do for entertainment? Is the NFL a big thing there? We are pig skin nuts. Thanks for any feedback. Recommendations to go ahead with the house purchase or should I look in more populated towns? The only reason I'm thinking about moving here is because the house is so cheap......
Orrin, nd
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