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I'm an HVAC designer working at the SRS site on the Savannah River. There's a HUGE project going on there that is just in the beginning of the construction phase. I've done I&C in the past, but there's no work for me in Michigan.
My husband is still in Michigan waiting to sell our home. My thinking is that if it's priced right (we own it free and clear) that it should sell within a few months. (Keeping my fingers crossed.) I couldn't wait until the house sold to make the move down here -- the job was too lucrative to pass up.
One of the things that I've encountered in my job search is that most of the companies work thru a "head-hunter" and keep you as a contractor for the first 90 days and then will make you an offer to hire direct. (In the OLD days, before contract houses, companies would hire you and keep you on "probation" for 90 days -- if they liked you, then all was good and you got your benefits, but if they didn't they could let you go for little or no reason. Nowdays, they work thru a contract house and THAT serves as your 90 day probation period.)
I've been assured that an offer will be made after the 1st of the year -- at which time the direct-hire company will pay for relocation expenses (the contract company will not). At THAT time, we will put our home up for sale. So, if by chance I'm NOT hired, then I will still have a home to go back to -- albeit without a job, but....
....and the cycle continues.
Thats interesting HVAC Design. What type of system is going in? Are you tied to a vender IE: Honeywell/Trane? Are you doing LON or Bacnet? I work for Honeywell as an install tech with some PM. I used to live in Charleston so I am familiar with your area.
If you can get a good job elsewhere or you just have always dreamed of living in another area, I say go for it! But before you make the sacrifices needed in order to leave, really take a good look before you leave Michigan.
Rep points for you, a well thought out post.
If anyone considers moving away as the answer to all your problems think again. Every area has it's challenges.
I moved to LA. Jobs are super easy to come by and the pay scale it quite high compared to MI. My 20YO daughter makes $30,000 a year after working for a company for a few months with no previous experience or college. Great right? Not so much, she lives at home cause that isn't near enough to have your own place. Forget buying a home unless you are making enough to get a mortgage for at least $600,000. At that you might get a 50 year old 1200 sq. ft. house in a so-so area. Most people I know can't afford a house and probably never will unless someone in their family dies and leaves them one or they make very serious coin.
Illegals do low level work. If you want a job in construction or manufacturing you have to speak Spanish. You can't manage folks in those industries without it.
Traffic sucks, 24 hours a day. You give up going places cause the drive just isn't worth it.
I miss MI. I miss family, friends, friendly Midwesterners, seasons, how fresh things are after rain, the rich green of plants that get rain! I miss being able to drive places without building in hours or travel time. I miss English being most peoples language of choice.
It certainly isn't all bad here or there. Just think carefully before you leap!
Good advice -- I'm quite happy where I am -- although it wouldn't be for everyone -- here the weather suits me -- almost perfectly because it's sunshine every day and the only heat you need is to take the edge off cold nights. When I lived in Michigan (northern) the summer was great but too short.
But -- I've known people from Michigan who came here and couldn't stand being away from family and what they were used to. I lived here and tried living in Michigan a few years -- but felt like a stranger there and moved back here.
If I move again -- it won't likely be back to Michigan -- maybe northern New Mexico or Colorado or Missouri. I don't like the very big cities -- but small towns anywhere are generally friendly places to be.
Soothsayer1234, I have never proclaimed to even consider moving to Phoenix or anywhere in AZ. Too many illegals. AZ is not for ME.
Just to a "more friendy" state.
Protest? Why don't they quit? That will be the ultimate protest.
If workers are making such poor wages, why don't they start their own business and offer a better product or service to their current employers customers. Now that would be an effective "protest".
Probably when someone is making very poor wages and expenses are very high -- it takes money to start a business and that's why they don't do that.
An awful lot of small businesses never get off the ground -- especially in a poor economy.
If I could leave Michigan, I would do it now. However, my parents need me here in Metro Detroit. My job isn't one that is easily portable and my family needs me here. The economy in Michigan is terrible, the crime rate is rising, foreclosures are at an all time high. Jobs are being lost daily and leadership seems to have no clue as what to do to fix the problems. The state government is threating a shut down! School systems are facing disfunctional budget cuts and restraints that will severely contribute to the hemorraging of this state. There's not a band-aid big enough to fix what ails this region of the country.
I live in the Tawas area... hubby works for an aviation company in Oscoda at the old airbase. He is lucky enough to have one of the highest paying jobs up here but I'm screwed by our move up here. (Yes, we were dumb enough to sell our house downstate and take a job up north instead of getting out of here when the chance presented itself) I have a college education but unless you work at the airport or the local hospital, you are pretty much S.O.L. to find anything that makes more than $8-$10 per hour. The local schools are decent but do not offer a lot in the way of electives (other than sports, of course). I can't wait to get out of here and go somewhere with opportunities for both of us and better schools for our kids. In 10 years, my husbands income hasn't gone up significantly while working in Michigan... it's time to find a company that appreciates him! And time for me to use my education. Gone are the days when Michigan was tops in everything. Now it's just a nice place to visit.
I spent 40 yrs in Michigan ( and if I had not been married to someone who had a well paying job in Mich.--I would have moved to NYC in my mid-20's--as I worked for L'Oreal Labs there---commuting there several days a week)
So I was happy that hubby's job was re-located to Texas ( Houston) back in 2001----cheaper cost of living ( I no longer had to work) and no more winters.... both of which were better for my health, as I have a chronic condition which has since disabled me from my previous employment
I went down there with the best intentions--as I always enjoyed the Texans I had met while living in Metro Detriot,
but was in for a few "big surprises since moving there" ( and you can't say that I haven't given it a bit of time.....as it's been six yrs.)
1) Housing Quality---it's the classic case of "Nice house, but nobody's home"........the interior features are "wonderful", but the overall quality is sooooo bad---you cannot even believe it!!! Even on many Million dollar homes
You cannot sue your builder---only arbitration ( which can bankrupt you) many have walked away from homes they cannot afford to repair---nor can they sell
Research who built your home, new, or used--- as you will need to know about this before you buy a home to avoid costly repairs
Check into Texas's TRCC and all the bad press surrounding this issue
2) Crime: Houston had crime before Katrina---but much of it wasn't the grossly violent crimes that happen in Detriot ( per a cop who has worked both cities) since Katrina, that has changed---and unlike the Metro Detriot area---where one tends to know where the crime ridden areas are------you just never really know in Houston----since the abundance of cheap apt's brings crime right next to multi million dollar communities ( lack of zoning to blame for that one) you can drive thru multi million dollars homes---then into ghettos, then back into nice hoods--all just while driving into work( and get car-jacked while your at it)
3) Housing prices in the nicer hoods of Houston proper have skyrocketed--it takes about 550k to get into a decent townhome in the loop ( in a good safe hood with good resale value) forget houses--inside the loop safe hoods are a million bucks, easy for a single family house---and your kids have to be sent to expensive,private schools. And who knows if real estate values will remain high in Houston---could turn into the next California---up and down constantly
4) Out lying areas are still very reasonably priced/decent schools---but you can expect at least an hour, or more commute---and that can be if you only need to drive, say---15-18 miles,or so---traffic can be as bad as L.A
5) the burbs are a "bit more snobby" than the elite burbs in Mich. ( and I am a Cranbrook Grad--so I know of what I speak here---we had the corner on snobbery in Mich., at the time I was in school-Late 70's)
Where 300-500K will get you anything from a pup-tent to a decent house in most sections of the country---that price level will buy you into a gated community here in the burbs---into a 3,000 to 6,000 sq.ft. house/McMansion complete with a mexican cleaning lady and guy to keep up your yard ( all illegal)
Everything is bigger, and better in Texas---and I can tell you---so are the housewives ego's there.......you are your house value/what your husband does for a living here( the gals don't tend to work much out in the surbs)---so to speak!
Friend next door spent 20K on her daughter's 16th birthday bash---and I live in a home valued around 350K
Her gift was a 745i BMW---big safe car, Ya know??
Spoiled kids/people are everywhere---big deal----but what surprised me was that someone at that price range would spend money like that on a kids party---back east---folks were pretty well-to-do before they did that sort of stuff for the kiddies.........doesn't teach them the value of the dollar at all
6) Passive-aggressive nature of some of the people in the area ( the old southern issues) friendily to your face---stab you in the back everytime they get the chance......you tend not to make very many "real" friends here ( once again---pretty common everywhere---but it's an artform here---and it's widely accepted as being "socially correct", being slick, etc.) You have friends for "What you can do for them" LOL!
7) some are still fighting the war here ( them damm yankees)......I have no idea why---they need to learn more about Texas history---as Sam Houston did not want to get involved in the war....(long story) but that's easy to ignore......you can befriend the Californians who have moved here.....as they dislike them also
8) weather can be an issue---depends on what you like....
Flooding is a real problem in most areas---I don't care what they tell you--all areas have some regions that flood
Hurricanes---we all remember Rita--if that would have been a direct hit--it would have wiped out many areas of Houston---and I would not be surprised to see insurers bailing out of their commitments to pay ( as it would probably have bankrupted many of them)
Last, but not least---air quality--we are the worst in the nation---and alot of it is kept pretty "hush-hush"
Why do you think the second largest Onocology center in the country is based here?? Cancer rates are sky-high here.......esp. in areas around the refineries/chemical plants
OH, and forget workman's comp, protection on the job, fair wages for skilled labor---etc. exact opposite of Michigan ( from one extreme to another)
It may sound like I dislike living here---not really--I would rather be in Austin---but all and all--it's not too bad
I just think that if the people who move down here know more about it beforehand---they can settle in easier--knowing what to expect
As they say---you can do well anywhere... if you know how to play by the rules (LOL)
Survival!!
People may dislike Michigan---but keep in mind---Mid-Westerners can be some of the most genuine people you will ever meet--it's just too bad what's happening with the economy back home...
Last edited by alchemist; 11-13-2007 at 05:11 PM..
I also would like to leave Michigan. I found this blog by accident actually because I spend more time researching other places. I found the comments on this blog to be interesting, well informed and some, not so much. I think some on here want to vent their frustration about Michigan and how much of a struggle living here has become. I totally agree and yes I think some people are so eager to get out they don’t do their research on other states. If Michigan is all that you know, it can be shocking to realize your new state doesn’t offer the same things. That is ok, isn’t life a journey? But prepare yourself and no matter how much research you do, there will always be something you didn’t count on. I seriously recommend lots of research. It takes awhile thinking of everything you need to know. Some states have quirky taxes. Some states have very high sales tax. Some states you pay taxes on all groceries, etc. My husband and I were ready to move to NC several years ago. We went down for interviews, checked out all the new subs and started to think that was going to be our place of Zen. It’s beautiful there. I talked to many realtors, residents on Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowedand found that the school system is quite lacking down there. Most of the realtors I have talked to went to private school when they were kids. Some areas have busing; some areas still have the no Yankee mentality. Also, I’m not a big church goer and in some areas of the south, if you don’t go to church it can be an issue in regards to making friends, networking etc. I have two friends that moved south, they jumped ship and didn’t do a lick of research. They focused more on home prices and the weather. My one friend had a serious time finding a job and discovered her Yankee roots were an issue at times. My other friend found being a single mother in the Deep South is not so great since all the southern PTA mothers view her as a threat. I have looked East and West and owning a home would not be a possibility for us.
Michigan had a lot of budding issues long before Granholm got in. Doesn’t anyone remember Engler? He came up with the great Homestead Tax. Everyone was on board with this because the government neglected to state the real story with this. By the way, he no longer lives in MI anymore. Sure it was nice to see taxes go down. Michigan residents pay high property taxes. I still get stunned at how much we pay compared to other states. But no one realized that part of this bill involves a new homeowner’s taxes almost doubling a year after the purchase. Those low taxes listed on the MLS sheet is not what you will pay. If the house you are buying was occupied by the previous owner for more than 7 years it throws your taxes into a whole another bracket. I believe this has deeply affected what is going on with foreclosures. Sure someone gets a shady adjustable mortgage but realtors don’t tell you that your taxes may double in a year or two, sending your escrow in the deep negative. Also I know several people that dumped their houses because values dropped so bad they couldn’t sell. My neighbor informed me a few weeks ago that is the route he will be taking in the spring. As far as what Granholm is doing I don’t know if it’s the best route, honestly at this point I don’t know what can be done. We have based our whole economy on the auto industry. I find the people I know tend to be resistant to education. Why go to college, rack up loans when you can get a job at the big 3 working on the line? Or maybe they didn’t do well in school, maybe have a learning disability but couldn’t find any compassion or extra attention to work through it. Factory life is all they had to look forward too. I find it in my son’s education. His teacher told me that he MIGHT be college material someday. She told me the high school will tech him CAD. What the hell is that? He is only 11 yrs old! A “C” student. I heard the same things when I was a child. I defied and back to college anyway. Hasn’t helped me in my job search though. Maybe its because we live in a mostly blue collar town. I hope Michigan turns around. Anyway, I might have to move more than wanting to. I might end up someplace I dont really want to go cuss Hope doesnt pay the bills.
I made the move 17 years ago to Upper Middle, TN. My family is still in Romulus. My brother passed away March of last year. He was from Garden City. When we went up for his funeral. I was happy at first because I hadn't been "home" in 15 years. My daughter doesn't remember much because she was a baby when we moved.
I was amazed at how tired the whole area looked. The family owned grocery store I shopped at is a dank looking..I guess market. Produce and such. There are double wide mobile home communities where there was farm land.
I do still miss a few things from Michigan. Snow on Christmas morning, Randazzo's, and Meijers. We have Walmart. But it just ain't the same.
I wanted to go to the Ice cream shop on Michigan avenue my daddy used to take me too when I was a kid. But time wasn't with us. My hubby had to get back home to go to work. It was a flying trip. IDK when I'll be able to come back. Dads 87 now so the trip would be too much for him. I would like him to take me to that Carasel/circus tent Ice Cream place again. Just one more time.
My hubby's brother is moving the end of December to Sparta, TN. That leaves just his 2 sisters and their family left up there. My aunt's cousins etc are still there. I don't think they will ever leave Michigan.
His teacher told me that he MIGHT be college material someday. She told me the high school will tech him CAD. What the hell is that? He is only 11 yrs old! A “C” student.
You have made some very good points in your post.
CAD = Computer Aided Design/Drafting
Entry level CAD operators are starting at $15 - $20 an hour. More if they have some college and/or experience. Psst! They're making far MORE in the south (SC and NC) even at the entry level.
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AZ is not for ME.
Folks moving to Houston??
--as I worked for L'Oreal Labs there---commuting there several days a week)
( I no longer had to work) and no more winters
.... both of which were better for my health, as I have a chronic condition which has since disabled me from my previous employment
---it's the classic case of "Nice house, but nobody's home"........the interior features are "wonderful", but the overall quality is sooooo bad---you cannot even believe it!!! Even on many Million dollar homes
Houston had crime before Katrina---but much of it wasn't the grossly violent crimes that happen in Detriot ( per a cop who has worked both cities) since Katrina, that has changed---and unlike the Metro Detriot area---where one tends to know where the crime ridden areas are------you just never really know in Houston----since the abundance of cheap apt's brings crime right next to multi million dollar communities ( lack of zoning to blame for that one
--it takes about 550k to get into a decent townhome in the loop ( in a good safe hood with good resale value) forget houses--inside the loop safe hoods are a million bucks, easy for a single family house---and your kids have to be sent to expensive,private schools. And who knows if real estate values will remain high in Houston---could turn into the next California---up and down constantly
Yes just maybe
