[jthrasherpoker]

Hey Krazzyred72, What part of Michigan are you from? I'm from Grand Rapids and very seriously considering the move to Vegas this fall sometime. It scares the crap out of me as well but I feel like I need a change. At least for a while. If it doesn't work, I can always move back. I've done quite a bit of research and cost of living seems to be fairly similar, at least compared to West Mi. It's just the lifestyle and weather that will be completely different.

[krazzyred72]

Originally Posted by jthrasherpoker

Hey Krazzyred72, What part of Michigan are you from? I'm from Grand Rapids and very seriously considering the move to Vegas this fall sometime. It scares the crap out of me as well but I feel like I need a change. At least for a while. If it doesn't work, I can always move back. I've done quite a bit of research and cost of living seems to be fairly similar, at least compared to West Mi. It's just the lifestyle and weather that will be completely different.

I'm downriver... Southgate to be exact... All my research seems pretty close to the same as well... yes the weather is the biggest reason we are choosing there... I am leaving a good job with good people to move to the unknown... eeeekkk!!! We were thinking the fall as well, somewhere around October. ..

[A Nonny Mouse]

Originally Posted by winter-rabbit

I finally moved from Boston. Did you too?

Nope, I'm in Western Mass. Moving out at the end of July/beginning of August.

[krazzyred72]

Thank you all for your advice... We have made the move to the 89129 area... Only been here a week so can't say much and stuck in the house getting things straightened out (family and I are renting a house together till we get on our feet)...So far I am loving the scenery... Now the hard work of job searching begins... Again thanks for all the advice this board was extremely helpful!!!

[kimba01]

Welcome! We moved here almost 7 years ago from the Detroit area. I actually traveled back and forth for a while. You are brave doing it without a job, but good luck to you all! I love the weather here, year round, but I do miss the lake availability in Michigan. I also miss family, a lot. It will be the only reason we move back eventually.

[winter-rabbit]

Go luck.

IMHO your family is better off here than Detroit/Michigan. Enjoy the outdoor, keep active and live a healthy lifestyle.

There is still a lot of job to go around.

Originally Posted by krazzyred72

Thank you all for your advice... We have made the move to the 89129 area... Only been here a week so can't say much and stuck in the house getting things straightened out (family and I are renting a house together till we get on our feet)...So far I am loving the scenery... Now the hard work of job searching begins... Again thanks for all the advice this board was extremely helpful!!!

[jadedlady]

I just met a gal who just moved here from the Detroit area. She was retired as a teacher there, but wanted to continue to work, so she took a job with the schools here. She is very happy so far. I think you will find it nice here. I've been here about a year and a quarter, and am also very happy to be here.

By the way, I met this person through a meetup group we both attended. If you want to meet other people, start going to meetup groups! I have more of a social life here that I ever had in California. There are groups for just about any interest you may have.

[kimba01]

Originally Posted by winter-rabbit

Go luck.

IMHO your family is better off here than Detroit/Michigan. Enjoy the outdoor, keep active and live a healthy lifestyle.

There is still a lot of job to go around.

Detroit suburbs are very nice, most of them anyway. Better off? Eh, depends what you mean by that.

[jjameson922]

Four years ago I moved from a little town in Ohio that was 50 miles southwest of Detroit. Detroit became so economically depressed and crime ridden that a city policeman stopped two of us women on our way to a Detroit casino and told us we really had no business being in a nice car around there. And talk about financially depressed, it took 6 years for my new home built on water to sell there and even then, to get out, I left $100K on the table.

The entire area from approx. Brighton down has continued to slide. The property taxes were always high but now that there is less and less industry to support the cities, the taxes are even worse. I do miss my water but my daughter sent me a picture of a cottage she just purchased recently and it was extremely hard for me to come up with some complimentary words. All I saw was land so flat you could see your dog running away for miles and ugly grey water and ugly grey cloudy skies. I've grown so accustomed to beautiful blue water framed by majestic red mountains and even bluer cloud-free skies. And this winter, that area stayed snowed in for the majority of the season.

On the subject of entertainment......about all that is left in those areas are the franchise restaurants where in the kitchen, a high school student is puttting out pre-made boxed foods and arranging each thing on the plate according to what management has taught him. Here, I cannot begin to ever experience and eat my way through all the wonderful choice of restaurants.

In regards to the above statement asking what the OP means by "better off," I think this answers that question.

[kimba01]

Nah, not IMO, there is so much more than what you have described. I'm not defending MI at all, I hate the weather there and the bugs. It is coming around, though and outside of inner city Detroit, there is much to offer. Just like in Las Vegas , you just need to open your eyes. I do know there are definitely better school systems there! At least you have more choices! There are also many, many blue lakes. Abundant campgrounds, parks, rivers...and the drinking water is better. So, that's what I mean by, "it depends".

At any rate, I do love the west and I enjoy experiencing new things! I hope the OP will too! It's easier when your family is with you. I wish mine could be.