Relocating to St. George (Ivins, Francis: for sale, real estate, lease)

[southwesternnative]

I have seen several threads on the subject of moving to St. George but many have negative things to say about the town, concerns about the LDS Community, and many seem to address retirees moving there.

We are a 30-something couple, Professional/ Entrepreneurial and have a 2-year old son. What can we offer St George and what can St. George offer us? We visited there and absolutely loved it. We were instantly drawn to it and we want to move there. It looks like a great place to raise a family, have the kind of home and community we are accustomed to (Scottsdale) but more balanced. Like the southwestern homes but Scottsdale was a little too snooty and has grown too large.

We would be relocating from Portland, OR where we moved to find the safe family-oriented community we were looking for but have been regretting it every since. Anyone tells you the rain isnt too bad there and you get used to it is crazy. The weather here is unbearable. There are not 4 seasons ony 2, the rainy season and the "it doesn't rain as much" season. We get told "you just have to get used to it and go out in the rain anyway" I say "no I dont have to get used to it, and can't!" Anyway, I dont want to complain about Oregon, I just want to get some advice on St George.

I think it is a spectacular place, scenery, outdoor activities, etc. Wholesome community. I am not interested in joining but The LDS thing doesn't concern me in fact of what I know of it I respect and admire the lifestyle and values.

We have researched many communities and keep coming back to St George as it appears to have all that we are looking for. Any recent relocators that have any advice or can share thier experiences would be greatly appreciated.

[kwm03160]

I think your biggest challenge will be employment... For the most part, the pay is low (mostly service-sector jobs) and housing is expensive (although it is coming down). Yes, there are a lot of retirees down there. It's especially noticeable during the weekdays.

[alicenevada]

We are wanting to relocate there as well...currently living in Tennessee. But the job situation looks like a possible obstacle for us. I love it though and will be visiting this post as well to see what people say...as well as every other St. George post on the board.

We're looking to move by Spring of 2009 and rent for a year to see how it turns out. We are a couple in our early 30's with three boys (ages 8, 4, and 1). My husband does auto pinstriping and we know his art is in more demand in that part of the country-and the climate is more favorable for it as well. He is also skilled in electric and plumbing sowill probably work in those fields initially. We love custom car culture, rockabilly music, and we have a strong sense of values. I think the area seems perfect for us...

[dogmom]

Employment will be the biggest obstacle, agreed...

Our house is for sale...too big for us, we moved here in 2005, my parents moved in with us...did not work out and a couple months ago they moved back to Palm Springs..we have decided to sell and either buy a smaller place here, or go home to Northern CA.

We would be open to a one year lease...but can't wait a year...

Anyway, it is a beautiful area, be prepared for the heat in the summer, although everything is air conditioned and it is a dry heat, as as they say.

good luck!

[southwesternnative]

Thanks for the advice. We spent 12 years in Scottsdale AZ with 115 Deg+ summer days so the heat isnt an issue. In fact after 2 years in Oregon we are looking forward to it!

The employement situation on the other hand.......... we are both Human Resouce professionals and jobs in this field are usually few and far between. We have a business that will bring in some income but will be seeking employment as well.

Can anyone comment on what the housing situation is out there? When we visited last summer all the real estate agents we talked to worked very hard at avoiding any conversation about how the market downturn is effecting St George, particularly over in Ivins (Entrada area). We know it has. We just do not know to what degree.

[Aerorick]

We don't live in St.George but we go there enough to get a feel for it. The major issue there, and most of the rest of the state for that matter, is livable wage employment. We live 37 miles north and I travel to Vegas for a 4/10's graveyard shift as an aircraft mechanic for a major airline and stay there for the three days in between. Because, besides the fact that the only other airport is in SLC, there just isn't much for professional or skilled people in the southern part of the state.

[Roarkx]

Alicenavada,

St. George is a cool place to live. I have been visiting this place for the last ten years since my folks moved here. This place is clean, beautiful and the weather is awesome. It is not as hot as Southern AZ but it does get hot. I came from the San Francisco area and I couldn't stand the rain and cold. I love the heat, bring it on.

I too am into the custom car culture. Not much of that here but it is growing. I also am into custom motorcycles and have noticed that there are more and more people here that are into old cars and bikes.

Housing is cheap here as far as I am concerned but I came from Marin County which is about the most expensive place in the US. You can buy a very nice house for 350k and a ridiculous nice house for 500k. If you take your time, you can find something in the 200 to 250 range that would be very nice.

Jobs are just as hard or easy to find as any other place. It all depends on what you do. If you want to open a butcher shop in a town full of tree huggers your gonna have trouble. As far as I am concerned this palce is ripe for someone that has an imagination and wants to run their own business.

The best thing about this place is that it is only 1 hour and 45 min from Vegas Baby!

[inventme]

The employment issue can work both ways. If you are using your entrepreneur spirit to start a business needing employees, you benefit from having lower wages/overhead costs. As with any real estate, location is key. I'm aware of several start-up companies that are vibrant and growing in the area.

As for the market downturn in the area, values have dropped on average 20% from highs (depending on neighborhood and uniqueness of homes). Right now is a great time to buy given the mix of rates, a buyer's willingness to negotiate, and the reduced prices. I have seen some amazing deals lately! If you look at the housing inventory and sales statistics, it appears the worst three months were from Nov-Feb (adjusting for seasonality...those months are the slowest due to holidays, winter, etc). Inventory is coming down from a high of 36 months to around 26 months. Not great by any means for sellers, but fantastic conditions for buyers.

I hope this helps!

[inventme]

For these type of positions, I would definitely look at IHC (Intermountain Health Care), Skywest, and Bluee Bunny to start.

You might also look at starting a consulting company for small-medium businesses in the area needing to come up to speed on HR issues and laws, 401k, employee healthcare, etc.

Originally Posted by southwesternnative

Thanks for the advice. We spent 12 years in Scottsdale AZ with 115 Deg+ summer days so the heat isnt an issue. In fact after 2 years in Oregon we are looking forward to it!

The employement situation on the other hand.......... we are both Human Resouce professionals and jobs in this field are usually few and far between. We have a business that will bring in some income but will be seeking employment as well.

Can anyone comment on what the housing situation is out there? When we visited last summer all the real estate agents we talked to worked very hard at avoiding any conversation about how the market downturn is effecting St George, particularly over in Ivins (Entrada area). We know it has. We just do not know to what degree.

[inventme]

I agree with dogmom. I also live in the Green Springs area and love it. It is centrally located, has nice curb appeal and homes typically ranging from 300k-over 2 million.