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There is NO one ideal place for **anyone**
Every choice made is a compromise.
Ideally... your less expensive preference will suit "well enough" to serve as home base for 8-10 months each year.
With that savings allowing for 2-4 months to tour around some or live in your other preferred spot/region.
And you're allowed to change your opinion later too.
There is NO one ideal place for **anyone**
Every choice made is a compromise.
Ideally... your less expensive preference will suit "well enough" to serve as home base for 8-10 months each year.
With that savings allowing for 2-4 months to tour around some or live in your other preferred spot/region.
And you're allowed to change your opinion later too.
With respect to what I bolded, I disagree. If one has enough money, one can live in an ideal place. If I were able to live in Lafayette, CA, I think that would do the trick. But I cannot afford that.
For the average person of modest means, I do agree with you, and most people fall into this category.
And at my age, I think I have one more move in me and that's it. I used to wonder how many more moves I had in me (so far it's been seven for me and that's enough). This next one will be #8. I plan on it being the last one. I'd like to put some roots down somewhere at this point.
If one has enough money, one can live in an ideal place.
"ideal" is not a singular concept (for anyone).
As to the very rich: The more money they have the more choices they have...
and the more difficult it would be to choose any one of them.
(conveniently... they don't have to choose just one)
---
Regardless of how much money you have to work with though...
and regardless of how much of that number buys climate vs structure...
you don't have to pour your entire wad into that one singular choice.
Hold some back. Buy less footage. Choose a lesser spot. Take in a tenant if you must. Whatever.
But have that reserve available to provide you (some degree of) the OTHER choices you can ALSO have.
Last edited by MrRational; 08-16-2011 at 08:07 PM..
As to the very rich: The more money they have the more choices they have...
and the more difficult it would be to choose any one of them.
(conveniently... they don't have to choose just one)
---
Regardless of how much money you have to work with though...
and regardless of how much of that number buys climate vs structure...
you don't have to pour your entire wad into that one singular choice.
Hold some back. Buy less footage. Choose a lesser spot. Take in a tenant if you must. Whatever.
But have that reserve available to provide you (some degree of) the OTHER choices you can ALSO have.
All good thoughts and I do plan to downsize, but I have spent the past eight years in a lesser spot and all it's gotten me is depressed. Some of us are meant to live alone and I am one of them. With three pets, it could be hard to find a roommate and I would not trust a roommate with my pets (could leave the door open and they could get out, for example).
I'd rather live in a smaller space and have more of a cushion and this includes anywhere. At any rate, I don't plan to just throw the dart at the dartboard this time around. I have to have certain things and my choices really are limited. I think I'll have to find a way to deal with the climate in Portland/Vancouver area. I am choosing Vancouver as it's cheaper than Portland but just across the river. And there is mass transit too if I don't want to drive.
Still, I am wondering if anyone has moved and NOT been excited about it yet still gone through with it. This would exclude those who end up moving due to job transfer as that is reason enough to move whether you're excited or not.
The deciding factor to me in relocating is can I make a living there? If the cost of living is too high and the wages are too low, it is not an option. I made the mistake of living in a scenic place that had a high cost of living and low wages and it was most definitely not worth it. You can't eat scenery. States like North Dakota may not be scenic, but if you can make a living there it makes it all worth it.
I take it from your username you live in Wyoming? I've been through there. You have Yellowstone Park!
When one is unemployed in this economy, I think it doesn't make sense to go to where the jobs are (in some ways), as there is no guarantee you'll get a job just because the unemployment rate is lower. Other things will factor in and one is age. At a certain point it's realistic to assume that one may never get another job. Why live in a miserable place with that reality?
Also, where you live can improve one's happiness, one's attitude, which can lead to a better shot at getting a job.
Yes, I do live in Wyoming. I am a few hours from Yellowstone and hope someday to move to a town closer to it. All I can say is that I made a major mistake in taking a job in one of the most beautiful mountain valleys I've ever seen. Much of that decision was based on being awe-inspired by the scenery. It turned out to be an awful place to live not only because of the people, but the cost of living and wages. From then on I vowed to have good wages and decent cost of living be the deciding factor. You are right that you cannot always go somewhere just because the jobs are there. There are plenty of jobs in other areas where I would be flat broke if I moved there. I have one more move in me I think and then I hope to put some roots down.
Haha, this thread is funny because I am dealing with the exact same problem. I am leaving the military in a few years and am trying to get my ducks in a row early, but I have no idea where to go.
I am originally from Maryland and being in the military I've seen so many places and have gotten such a worldly view now, it's made it very difficult. It would have been pretty easy if I had just stayed in MD my whole life and not know what else is out there.
I've been to Montana and love the mountains and the bald eagles flying free and antelope running around like deer. I've been to Belgium and love all of the old world European charm. I've been to Texas and love the weather and the sights and the BBQ, and now I'm in California and I love the beaches and the sights, especially down in San Diego, that place is beautiful.
But, since my I still have lots of family in MD and I just had a kid, we dont want to live too far away from home anymore, so some cities I was considering, Portland and San Diego, are out. Phoenix is also a bit too far so that's out too.
Right now I'm very torn between a few cities, in order from most likely to least likely to live in for me:
1. Austin
1.(not a typo, they are even) Denver
2. Dallas/Ft worth
3. Raleigh
4. Pittsburgh
And besides just the regular stuff, I need to go to a place where I can go back to school so that plays a big factor.
But, for me it's not really not finding a good place to go, it's having too many good places to go, but you aren't alone in being torn about where to live.
jifie - I can see why you rank Austin and Denver equally - they are both wonderful cities. But I vote for Austin. Why? Because that is near where I may make my final move. While it gets cold weather - it doesn't often snow. But what tips the scales to Austin is 6th Street.
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Why live in a miserable place with that reality?
