$250,000 moving to anchorage (condos, houses, employment)

[Thissnub]

So i plan on taking the plunge and heading over and starting new in anchorage. I’ve been looking on Zillow for condos and houses to buy. I don’t want to spend more than $110,000 including closing costs. Would it be smart to buy it out with cash or get a mortgage.I plan on buying a vehicle there and also some furniture. Not really to concerned about furniture will get more as time goes on. I’m coming from Massachusetts so i can deal with the no power/get a generator if needed. Most likely take a few months off and get used to the place. So with housing and a new vehicle and a plane ticket will be less than $150k and I’ll have $100k left over. My expertise is phone support jobs. I look and i see some off and on. Anyone know if these jobs are plentiful? I know i won’t be moving back i love freezing cold winters and in the summer grab those blackout curtains. I see internet runs pretty expensive there ( i know everything is pretty much) but that will be my source of entertainment along with a TV subscription service. I don’t go party or go out to eat. Recreational marijuana, watching TV and cooking at home will be most days. How long do you guys think i can survive on $100k living there?

[AKStafford]

Are you thinking that if you ask in enough places that'll you get someone to agree with your plan?

[Haolejohn]

I think your recreation marijuana use might destroy your funds.

[pittsflyer]

250k would generate about 1k in monthly income indefinitely on average. You cant really live on that very easily in Anchorage unless you plan on burning down your capital. In my estimation I would need 500k in investments generating 2k that I could withdraw every month without touching my principal in order to be comfortable without dealing with the awful employment situation up here.

If you want to smoke just grow it, buying it is going to get really expensive. But then you have to have a dedicated room with LED grow lights to keep the energy bill down. IF you really like to smoke you will probably need more than the legal limit of plants so that you can cycle the plants in and out of bud and make sure you can stay stoned on the regular. Maintaining the plants will be a part time job and getting started will take some work and networking to get the seeds.

I would just roll my 2k a month back into the fund until you can take a withdraw big enough to buy a little bit of land and put up a wet "cabin/small house" in the valley back in the woods, get a wood burn stove to keep your energy bills down and a wind mill or some form of alternate energy.

If you have 500k generating funds for you then you dont have to worry about things like where the jobs are or being in an expensive area so long as you are close enough to a costco or 3 bears. You can just hand out and smoke weed for the rest of your life. The crux is coming up with 500k and to get the funds rolling in.

[Parnassia]

I've never heard that there are any "phone center" type employers in Anchorage. If you are already in this type of field can't you use your contacts to see whether there are any of those sorts of jobs based there?

That said, without much actual interest in doing the things such a place can offer, I suspect you will be bored to sobs, end up smoking too much, drinking too much, eating through your nest egg a lot faster than you predict, and won't have the funds to get out again.

[Braje]

Originally Posted by AKStafford

Are you thinking that if you ask in enough places that'll you get someone to agree with your plan?

I was think the same thing. lol

[Metlakatla]

Every once in awhile I read reddit.

[CaliRestoration]

This seems well planned. I think you will make it.

[CaliforniaPlaya]

What makes you want/need to pick up and leave Mass?

[pittsflyer]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaPlaya

What makes you want/need to pick up and leave Mass?

No kidding, to go from a booming area next to a state with 2.5% unemployment to a nasty cesspool of poverty and low wages. Yes Alaska has natural beauty but make sure you have cash flow and dont need a job here .... ever. If you can just live here indefinitely and live off investments this is an amazing place to be.

Someday we will come back (leaving AK is inevitable unless I win the job lottery again) but if we can set ourselves up with cash flow to not work then we will come back. Then and only then.