the new job push - is it for my family? (Bismarck: rentals, condo)

[want2leavealaska]

I have a lot of questions for anyone who is on the ground in the North Dakota boom areas. Recently, my friend sent me a link to an article telling that Hass oil is partnering with ND state development to kick off a campaign encouraging people and families to relocate there. The article said at least 20K more jobs are expected to be added to the economy. I have already filled out a form to have a state worker call and talk with us.
so - my question is, what do we really need to know? Where are these new jobs specifically - are these in Williston? Is the housing situation improving?
I have been reading through the other posts, but many of them are a few years old.
About me and my family: I am born in raised in Alaska,I did spend about 7 years in the lower 48. I have lived through oil booms and busts, my dad was in construction. My husband is a vet who just graduated with an associates in process technology, specific to the oil and mining industries. He also has an instrumentation certificate and experience as a welder. We have three kids - a one y.o., a 3y.o., and one starting high school this fall. I work as a tutor with middle school students, but I am interested in doing at home daycare to have more time with my kids.
We understand nasty weather and horrible shopping. We aren't seeing the jobs here that could really help us get ahead. Hiring up on the slope is really pretty slow, and new developments are pretty competitive to get on with. So currently DH welds to pay the bills.
Could we realistically get my husband a job making a ton of money? could we find housing for our family within reasonable driving distance from my husbands work (less than 45 minutes)? would the home daycare be a good idea?

Any responses from people who really know what it is like, and who can say what it is really like would be appreciated. Let me know if there are other questions I should be asking. If you have suggestions for us that come to mind, I am listening.

[itsMeFred]

The housing situation in the oil field, particularly Williston, IS improving, to the extent that it's availbable. Unfortunately, it's also the most expensive in the entire country. More so than Silicon Valley or New York, even. New appartment/condo/duplexes are going up everywhere you look, but it'll be quite a while before supply catches up to the extent of bringing prices down...

And that is one of the main reasons my husband has worked in ND for two years, while the kids and I are still living in Kansas. The money is excellent. The jobs are there.
But we have a half dozen horses, a handful of cattle, a slew of chickens, cats, dogs, etc. Prices for houses with land, in the vicinity of the oil field, are completely out of range for us.
(Ten years ago, when we worked on a ranch up there, we toyed with the idea of buying some ground and settling in ND. Land was SOOO cheap! Ah--if only we'd had a crystal ball. lol)

So that's my suggestion: Before you get too excited about this new job that he's landed (because he probably will), find housing. Or, plan for him to work for a while and then you and the kids move.
Or find something down by Bowman, south of Bismarck, etc. Get away from the oil field. Remember-- they're building the western half of a STATE, with an entirely new purpose. There are more jobs than those directly related to oil production.

[want2leavealaska]

Fred, it sounds like you have a wonderful life established in Kansas. I am sure you miss your husband dearly at times. Husband going first and the rest of us following makes a lot of sense. Good to know that housing is under construction or still in the planning phase is helpful. I looked at rentals on Craigslist, and the rent is higher than anywhere else I have looked at - even the Permian basin, which is also booming.
Thanks for the input!