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Old 04-05-2021, 11:47 PM
 
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Couple in their 30s seeking to buy/build a home, have a child, and live out our years in Wyoming. He is a US white late 30s that needs reliable internet (100mbps) for his remote work, and I am a Kenyan immigrant in my early 30s that is a CNA/still in school for RN doing remote school. Obviously he can work anywhere, and while I am not opposed to travel CNA, I would prefer something local.


1) Are there any areas that are in high need of medical employees?
2) What areas provide the most reliable internet?
3) I read in a couple other forums that power loss was something frequent in Wyoming. Is this primarily in the remote areas? (I won't say rural, because Wyoming in general is rural, which we prefer)
4) I was reading there is a full 2 year backlog for houses being built due to building supply deficiencies. Is that truly the case?


5) Temperatures seem to run on average between 15-80. Does this sound accurate? Seems like a central air unit is hardly required.
6) As far as the low temps are concerned, we're very familiar with snow and have appropriate vehicles for them. Are the roads plowed, salted, or otherwise maintained for the most part, or does this stick mainly to major cities like Cheyenne?
7) Are there any bugs, animals, or pests native to Wyoming that warrant special consideration? Idaho has been tame with the rare exception of mountain lion sightings, but its worth asking.
8) I know Wyoming has no income taxes. His employer will be paying him Idaho wages. While this might not be exactly an accountant forum or providing tax advice, is anyone familiar with any special considerations for income earned from out of state?



9) Wood stoves - Looking at various houses to buy, it seems they almost all have a wood stove for one reason or another. Is this the primary means of heating, or have I just been looking at a specific slice of homes? I am not opposed to it necessarily, its just something I'm not used to seeing.
10) What time in general do cities shut down? In Idaho, about 10pm, nothing except bars are open. We're old enough that neither of us cares for any kind of night life, and if towns shut down early, that's fine, just trying to get a feel for it before settling down.
11) For cellular service, does it really matter, or are all of them "close enough" to providing service in home everywhere (not including remote areas)? I understand "Union," who is partnered with ATT is the best. We're currently with T-Mobile.
12) Any tips or otherwise useful info anyone would recommend with the move?




We are traveling from Idaho, so am aware of the demographics, and it does not bother us. We are an independent couple that enjoys our privacy and don't meddle in other's affairs.
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Old 04-06-2021, 12:57 AM
 
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What is your budget?
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Old 04-06-2021, 02:07 AM
 
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Budget isn't a huge concern. We both come from well-off families. He makes far more than I do and his credit is just over 800. We were looking for a home ideally 3bd/2 or 3 bath under $400k, which looks not too hard to do.
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Old 04-06-2021, 06:42 AM
 
Location: Star Valley
395 posts, read 441,142 times
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https://starvalleyhealth.org/careers/
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Old 04-06-2021, 07:11 AM
 
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This shows Wyoming trauma centers and their levels:

https://health.wyo.gov/publichealth/...for%20patients.

Good luck!
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Old 04-06-2021, 08:04 AM
 
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You have not stated any preference for the type of scenery and region, or if you want to be in town or out in rural area. There are regions in WY that are forested and others that dry and barren. Do you have a preference?

One thing not on your list to be looking for and at is water. Does not sound like you have any livestock, but even then, some homes/areas in WY do not have good water or do not even have a well and you may have to haul water. Just put that near the top of your list to ask about if you look at any home not in town.

IMHO, the main roads seem to be decently well plowed in winter. It's gonna be about the same as any snowy region.

Your internet is obviously going to be the best/fastest in towns but fiber is starting to creep outside of some town limits from what I have been able to see. You're just going to have to put that on you list of things to check with each particular town and home. The same applies for cellular service. Coverage will be generally good for all providers in the major towns but you are going to have to check for your service in smaller towns or rural areas. I would expect T-mobile to have the least coverage in WY overall.

Here is some info on the Idaho income tax for non-residents: https://tax.idaho.gov/i-1039.cfm


Central air is certainly less common. All depends on your tolerance for heat. Wood stoves are common in many areas of the USA out of towns. The question is the source of wood. If you live near a National Forest, then you can get a permit and cut your own. Or pay for it to be supplied by others. Be aware that most of the firewood in that region is softer woods which don't burn as cleanly, and you need to be ready to clean the accumulated deposits from the flue (called 'creasote'). There are some type of flues like ceramic insulated stainless flues, that require less cleaning. Too much accumulated 'creasote' can catch fire. So just become educated on that.

There are grizzly bears in the forested parts of western WY. They can get near some small towns near the mountains, like Dubois. IDK if they are around Star Valley but it would not surprise me.

And, be aware that the winds in some parts of WY are going to be very fierce compared to most of ID, particularly in winter. The eastern, southeastern, and south central parts are the most effected but some other areas have winds too. WY has the most winds of the 48 continental US states.
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Old 04-06-2021, 11:19 AM
 
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https://county10.com/wyoming-ranks-a...ork-from-home/
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Old 04-06-2021, 12:07 PM
 
11,550 posts, read 52,994,881 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NandI2 View Post
(snip)

1) Are there any areas that are in high need of medical employees?

Virtually the entire state is in "high need" of medical staff.

2) What areas provide the most reliable internet?

The larger towns are more reliable, but Union Wireless appears to do well across much of the state, followed by Verizon.

3) I read in a couple other forums that power loss was something frequent in Wyoming. Is this primarily in the remote areas? (I won't say rural, because Wyoming in general is rural, which we prefer)

Power outages are generally due to the above ground transmission system failures. Poles, wires, and power gear take a beating from the snow/ice loads and the winds. So lines can go down and the area served is without power until the crews can locate and access the failed areas.

I've seen power outages as small as a couple of square miles in rural areas to seeing our entire region around Cheyenne without power. Eerie to see none of the city lights on the horizon for awhile.


4) I was reading there is a full 2 year backlog for houses being built due to building supply deficiencies. Is that truly the case?

Every contractor and sub-contractor I know of in the area has a substantial backlog right now, especially the dirt work guys and the well drillers.


5) Temperatures seem to run on average between 15-80. Does this sound accurate? Seems like a central air unit is hardly required.

"average" numbers don't necessarily reflect the hours of a daytime high temp which typically peaks in the afternoon and doesn't start cooling off until after sunset. So that "average" of only 80 may actually reach a high temp of 90-almost 100 for awhile. Your personal tolerance for such temperatures is what counts. Some folks will need A/C during those hours and into the evening for awhile.
Some folks will be comfortable with only a smaller window-mount A/C unit in a room or two in their house, some will be happy with a "swamp cooler" for the house or a window mount unit. Some will be very happy to have a house fan and bring in cooler air after sunset. It really comes down to your personal preference.

We're on notice right now that HighWest Energy (which serves our area of SE Wyoming) is changing over to residential "time of day" energy rates due to the higher expense of energy during the afternoon to early evening hours. That increased demand reflects that more and more residences here are using a lot more energy during that time frame ... mostly A/C during the warmer months.


6) As far as the low temps are concerned, we're very familiar with snow and have appropriate vehicles for them. Are the roads plowed, salted, or otherwise maintained for the most part, or does this stick mainly to major cities like Cheyenne?

With your Idaho experience, you're probably well set for a Wyoming winter. Much of Wyoming will not get as much total snowfall or moisture content as Idaho. Perhaps the bigger difference may be the frequency of "black ice" conditions here without much snowfall accumulation, making for very slick roads. The roads here are plowed according to priority levels ... Emergency routes, main roads, then school bus routes; secondary roads and residential streets are the lowest priority. In many areas, by the time the main roads are plowed, the secondary roads are clear enough that they won't get plowed.
Generally, salt is not used on the roads here ... it's a futile effort to melt snow only to have it refreeze as black ice; better to deal with driving on snow/snow pack.

In my winter driving experience in Idaho, it's a different experience than much of Wyoming. In storming conditions here, it's not unusual to be dealing with white-outs and wind-driven snow across a roadway. It seems to me that you'll have more days in a lot of Wyoming where it's prudent to let the storm system pass then to be out on the roads.


7) Are there any bugs, animals, or pests native to Wyoming that warrant special consideration? Idaho has been tame with the rare exception of mountain lion sightings, but its worth asking.

Outside of big game and the cats, there's nothing especially unusual here. Snakes can be a concern in some places.

8) I know Wyoming has no income taxes. His employer will be paying him Idaho wages. While this might not be exactly an accountant forum or providing tax advice, is anyone familiar with any special considerations for income earned from out of state?

No Wyoming state income tax means no state income tax. I pay income tax to the respective states where I earn income out of state, but Wyoming does not tax that income.


9) Wood stoves - Looking at various houses to buy, it seems they almost all have a wood stove for one reason or another. Is this the primary means of heating, or have I just been looking at a specific slice of homes? I am not opposed to it necessarily, its just something I'm not used to seeing.

Wood stoves aren't all that common in many residences, especially newer construction.
The stoves generally fall into two major categories ... cutesy decorative units for ambiance which aren't large enough to really be a whole-house back-up heating source, or larger space heating wood stoves which can perform that primary heat source as a back-up to a regular heating system.

In rare cases, you'll find a large wood cookstove ... such as we've put in our house. It dominates the living/dining area of our house and is large enough to keep our house adequately heated during cold temps with power outages ... and we cook on it, too. The radiant heat is very comforting on many a winter's night, but having to stoke a small firebox on a cookstove is less than fun when you've got to be adding wood every 4-5 hours through the night. In an average winter, with perhaps some prolonged times of sub-zero temps, we'll go through 3-4 cords of wood. I'm long past the age when I enjoy cutting and gathering on my own, so I pay the price ... around $200/cord ... to have it delivered in a pile in my yard. I get to do the stacking for cosmetics and convenience. Most of it is downed beetle kill wood from the forests around here. I used to bring in loads of hard oak from out of state but didn't find it to be much better for a heat source. I do get to clean out the cookstove and flue at least once a month during the winter ... a rather messy job playing chimney sweep. Best to do it on a moderately windy day so that all the soot brushed out of the stack blows away rather than fall into a pile below the stack for the dogs and cats to track through.

If the houses you've looked at have woodstoves and they're not sized to be a main source of heat, then they're really just a decorative or occasional back-up unit. Natural Gas, Propane, or Electricity are the primary heating sources throughout the state.


10) What time in general do cities shut down? In Idaho, about 10pm, nothing except bars are open. We're old enough that neither of us cares for any kind of night life, and if towns shut down early, that's fine, just trying to get a feel for it before settling down.

Bigger towns here with box stores will remain open until the late evening; a few may even be 24/7 stores. Smaller towns tend to roll up the sidewalks by the early evening; some will be pretty much closed down at 5-6 pm.

11) For cellular service, does it really matter, or are all of them "close enough" to providing service in home everywhere (not including remote areas)? I understand "Union," who is partnered with ATT is the best. We're currently with T-Mobile.

Union stands out in rural areas.

12) Any tips or otherwise useful info anyone would recommend with the move?

I suggest you come visit the Wyoming areas under consideration for a week or two during the winter months before making any decisions. Check out the housing, the shopping, the recreation, the entertainment, and access to the things you expect and desire as part of your normal lives. It may be quite different here than what you're used to having in Idaho.

As always, I'll throw in a caution about Wyoming RE brokers/agents. They function at a different level than the professional services you may be used to in other states. Do your own due diligence on every aspect of a possible residential purchase with extreme care for rural properties. Verify for yourself and do not take any representation or inference from an agent here as to what it is you're buying.

If you're looking at a property within an HOA area, be sure to get a copy of it and carefully read the CC&R's to see how they may affect your purchase or quiet enjoyment of your parcel. There may be a lot of zingers in there, and they may or may not necessarily be enforced at the time of your purchase.
But with the increased property values and demand here, it may come back to be a problem when a new resident moves in and demands that the CC&R's be enforced; I've seen this happen in a number of developments where the early residents ignored the covenants for years.

Water availability and quality can be a very big deal here. For a rural property, be sure you know what you're buying.


We are traveling from Idaho, so am aware of the demographics, and it does not bother us. We are an independent couple that enjoys our privacy and don't meddle in other's affairs.
Good on ya'. That may be a headstart on being comfortable with a Wyoming residency.
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Old 04-06-2021, 01:31 PM
 
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Wow, considering the overall population of the state, I am amazed at the reply and detailed responses! We're so very thankful for everything!
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Old 04-06-2021, 03:36 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ltdumbear View Post
I glance at these types of eyewash click-bait "studies" and wonder ... well, I used to back in the day when I still thought there was a chance that intelligent life wrote these articles.

But the agenda's and parameters of the authors appear to be mostly a voyage into their finances. I'll bet that most of them are paid by the word or on a study grant where the volume of words is the sole guideline for quality.

The bottom line is that if you've got 'net connectivity with upload/download speeds adequate for your purposes, the 'net doesn't know if you're doing your home office from a $multi-million studio or office or from a shack in the middle of nowhere Wyoming.

I know that if I'm on a Zoom (or similar service) connection, I can't tell the difference between the conference from a $multi-million IT facility or a shack in Nowhere, WY.

IMO, you place any value in these types of studies at your own risk. Beware of the agenda's of the authors and funding sources.
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