Moving from San Antonio to Anchorage - GO NORTH, TO ALASKA! (Fairbanks: low crime, neighborhoods)

[JasonAndJulie]

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, bu Alaska is a red state. So is Texas. So generally, people from Texas moving to Alaska are going to bring their red votes with them.

In Texas, we are getting California voters moving here for jobs because their own economy is bankrupted. They are bringing their blue votes with them. They also generally dislike O&G because many of them are big environmentalists. (Yes I am making broad generalizations, I know this.) So not only are they moving here, they are trying to change it.

Everyone I know who wants to move to AK wants to do so because it IS different and they don't want it to be like the lower 48.

Just random thoughts and generalizations here.

[Dakster]

There are not even 1.1 million people in the ENTIRE state of Alaska. I don't think you will have that problem.

Having said that, Anchorage and to an extent Fairbanks are the only areas in AK that I felt like I was in a mid-size lower 48 town. This is coming from MY perspective. And I live in an area 5.5 Million people - so I understand what you are going thru GoNorth9. I live in a town of about 25,000, but without a sign you wouldn't know where mine begins and the next one starts. That is NOT the case in AK - you know you are out of town when the civilization ends.

[jdhpa]

Originally Posted by JasonAndJulie

In Texas, we are getting California voters moving here for jobs because their own economy is bankrupted.

After the 2010 census, for the first time after becoming a state, California did not pick up any seats in the House. It's expected to lose seats after the 2020 census. Population migration has definitely shifted out of California, because new jobs aren't being created in the state.

[JasonAndJulie]

Yes tell me about it. They are coming to Texas in droves. They are even bringing In n Out burger to parts of Texas.

I have nothing against any person but the deal is that I don't go to a foreign country and expect them to speak my language or accept my customs. I don't go to a different state and find a million ways to change it, instead I appreciate the customs, landscape, and other things that make each state unique.

And I sure as heck don't take a thriving economy and strong housing market lightly. People are supposed to learn from their mistakes. Not go and tear down the next place.

Certainly I can see why someone would be upset if that happens in Alaska. Hopefully it doesn't.

[jdhpa]

In N Out Burger is a good export though, if you haven't tried it stop by

[JasonAndJulie]

I have. I'll still take a Whataburger though.

California is stunning all the way from Muir Woods down to San Diego. Sausalito is one of ny favorite places. Driving up the coastline is breathtaking. San Francisco music box company is a delight. They have many great attributes there. I just hope they don't bankrupt us. We have to live here another ten years unless something changes that I currently don't know about.

[Moose Whisperer]

Originally Posted by Gonorth9

I am starting to believe it would be best for us to rent in Eagle River or actually in Anchorage for the first year. I started out against the idea because one of the big motivators we have for moving there is to get OUT of the city. Here in San Antonio, I live in a little rural town called Helotes. When I moved here in 1995 the population of San Antonio metropolitan area (which includes several small communities like ours) was 1.4 million. Today, the San Antonio border has almost engulfed our town and the population today is 2.2 million! That's over 40,000 people moving here each year.

I get it, frostnip. It does stink when so many non-like minded people move into your area. That's why it's so great to live in (once) "free" country where you can choose where to live. If bringing strong Christian values, work ethic, and a business to your area is unwelcomed then I have nothing to suggest other than I know of good home in San Antonio that you could buy cheap next June.

Wasilla or Palmer is a 45+ min commute to Anchorage when the roads are clear and open. In the winter (7+ months of the year) it is even longer, sometimes A LOT longer if you hit any of the usual snafu's on the road - snow, wildlife etc. Personally, I think the lower house prices are a false savings when one adds up all of the wasted time and gas spent on that hellish commute everyday.

I know what you are saying about San Antonio. I visited there in Feb for a business meeting. If I didn't know any better, I'd say I was in Southern California with all of the traffic and strip malls. I did get to eat at El Chaparral on Bandera though. Man, that was some tasty food!

[Gonorth9]

Originally Posted by Moose Whisperer

Wasilla or Palmer is a 45+ min commute to Anchorage when the roads are clear and open. In the winter (7+ months of the year) it is even longer, sometimes A LOT longer if you hit any of the usual snafu's on the road - snow, wildlife etc. Personally, I think the lower house prices are a false savings when one adds up all of the wasted time and gas spent on that hellish commute everyday.

I know what you are saying about San Antonio. I visited there in Feb for a business meeting. If I didn't know any better, I'd say I was in Southern California with all of the traffic and strip malls. I did get to eat at El Chaparral on Bandera though. Man, that was some tasty food!

I think it's finally sunk in for us as far as Wasilla or Palmer. The commute time and cost will offset the savings on housing. Eagle River seems like a reasonable commute with cheaper housing than Anchorage. I just can't stomach 3k a month rent for a 4 bedroom in the city.

What I'd like to figure out is how the city runs during the winter. What I mean by that is how often is there a weather event that shuts the city down and for how long on average is everything shut down? When it snows big, I'm assuming it takes a day or two to dig out.

Does that mean that several times a winter, for several days at a time, one can expect that car dealers don't sell cars because they are covered in snow - Lowes doesn't sell anything larger than a snow shovel because no can move around - gas stations don't sell gas because everyone is at home - plumbers won't come over to fix a leaky faucet - or roofers will tell you to lay out buckets because fixing a leak will have to wait for a week.

[Metlakatla]

Certainly I can see why someone would be upset if that happens in Alaska. Hopefully it doesn't.

If you think it hasn't, you don't know Alaska. It's been happening for years.

To the OP: there isn't any substitute for seeing the place in person, but it seems to me there's places around Anchorage itself where you can have a "wilderness" feel without having to live too far out.

[Metlakatla]

I don't think the city shuts down much. Unlike places like Portland that shut down at the first inch of snow, the public works dept. in Anchorage is used to dealing with snow and icy conditions.