Move close to your new jobs! (Raleigh, Durham: for sale, condos, how much)

[FL little foot]

Originally Posted by alice_61

The gas price preditions that I have read predict prices up to $4/gallon by summer.

Looks like I'll be trading in my Jeep. I filled up yesterday at $2.73 and it cost me $65.00. At $4.00 it would cost me about $100.00 every fill $4.00/gal will definetly wreck havoc on the economy. My mom said she read somewhere that there is a
1 in 3 chance of recession hitting us.

[urbywan]

seriously folks, if a hurricaine hits the gulf all bets are off. We have a system that is at the breaking point. People are gonna be pi$$ed off bigtime in this country. You could see 5 dollar a gallon gasoline. We really are at peak oil in the world the next 10 years are going to be ugly.

[NewUser]

Originally Posted by MrsSteel

Personally, I've never understood the appeal of living more than 20 minutes away from my workplace, but that's just me. Different people have different priorities.

Yes. Right now we rent an apartment 6 miles from my office. If I go to work early and leave early, before rush hour, I can usually get there in 10-15 minutes.

However, my days are numbered. We could not find a house that we liked AND could afford within a reasonable commute. I went in to the house hunt process with a 20 minute commute requirement, and after 9 months of searching, I had to settle for 30 minutes.

I'm not at all happy about it because I know it will only get worse, but getting my wife the house that she wanted was more important to me than spending an extra 20 minutes in the car each work day (and an extra $1/day in gas). As you say, sometimes you have different priorities.

[MikeJaquish]

Originally Posted by NewUser

Yes. Right now we rent an apartment 6 miles from my office. If I go to work early and leave early, before rush hour, I can usually get there in 10-15 minutes.

However, my days are numbered. We could not find a house that we liked AND could afford within a reasonable commute. I went in to the house hunt process with a 20 minute commute requirement, and after 9 months of searching, I had to settle for 30 minutes.

I'm not at all happy about it because I know it will only get worse, but getting my wife the house that she wanted was more important to me than spending an extra 20 minutes in the car each work day (and an extra $1/day in gas). As you say, sometimes you have different priorities.

Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do, especially after nine months. And you are going into it with your eyes open. Many people don't give enough consideration to a miserable commute.

[NewUser]

Originally Posted by urbywan

seriously folks, if a hurricaine hits the gulf all bets are off. We have a system that is at the breaking point. People are gonna be pi$$ed off bigtime in this country. You could see 5 dollar a gallon gasoline. We really are at peak oil in the world the next 10 years are going to be ugly.

Look on the bright side! I found a link to some international gas prices. It's all in Euros, but you can at least see the relative difference. Gas in the USA is 0.61 euro/liter. Compare this to some other countries:

France=1.02
England/UK=1.88
Belgium=1.28
Italy=1.27

[leighbhe]

I have to say, I am happy when I fill up my hybrid at the pump! I know I know, I spent more for the car, but my blood pressure doesn't rise when I fill it up. I went from an expedition to an escape hybrid and it makes me happy! Granted the gas prices are ridiculous and I will not get on my soapbox about that, but the hybrid does make me happy

Leigh

[lauren4521]

Thanks for the wonderful links, Lauren!

You're very welcome Mrs. Steel and Leigh! I think they have those gas price sites for all over the nation.

We could not find a house that we liked AND could afford within a reasonable commute. I went in to the house hunt process with a 20 minute commute requirement, and after 9 months of searching, I had to settle for 30 minutes.

I hear you on this! When we first moved down here, we were SO hoping for an under 30 minute commute. Of course, even with the 45 min commute now (sometimes more) it is still HALF of what dh was doing in NJ. THAT is how far out we had to buy in order to afford a home. Who knows...maybe someday the road engineers will surprise us all (and maybe widen 40 at Cary...hint hint). ;0

$4/gal....sheesh. As it is, I make sure my trips to the stores are warranted (wouldn't consider wasting the gas to get ONE THING nowadays). I heard (I think from Bill Bradley) that if US required a higher MPG from car manufacturers like in Europe (something like 45mpg) then we'd not have a need for imported oil.

Lauren

[wanderintonc]

Leighbe, I'm looking at hybrids myself. With 5 kids, I need seating for seven-but there are no minivan hybrids out yet. I talked to a Toyota dealer because the Seinna minivan is supposed to come out as a hybrid, but he said they don't have a set year yet! Ugh. The Highlander SUV seats 7 and is hybrid, but I really don't want some big SUV, hybrid or not.

I'm not sure what to do. Maybe a hybrid car, then take two cars on the occasions when all 7 of us need to go somewheres (like church, ect)? Not sure.

I currently drive 40 miles round trip to work, and I'm not holding my breath about the commute getting shorter when we move to Raleigh.

[cncsmomndad]

Well, maybe the increase in gas prices will cause Americans to be more conscious of where they live/work, put priority on limiting fuel consumption and gas guzzling vehicles and put us in the shoes of the Europeans who have been paying sky high fuel prices (sky high compared to what we are used to). There is always the threat of $4 a gallon gasoline near the summer. Has happened (the threat) the last few summers in CA. Maybe one day we'll be okay with just fulfilling our needs and not all our wants.

[urbywan]

Yea and how about rebuilding the american railroads.