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I do not think you will need to break even with your house, florida is hot, enough people want to move there especially from here.
Try philly, it is cheaper, and close enough. Have you ever thought about Montreal? It is a really nice city, with plenty of culture, and art. You can take weekend trips back to NYC.
florida was hot for the last 2-3 years, but this year prices went way down because the market was flooded and foreclosures are up.
I heard philly was a dangerous, dirty city. but haven't researched it at all.
I heard philly was a dangerous, dirty city. but haven't researched it at all.
Philly scares me. A friend just moved from that area due to an increasing number of rapes and murders. I'd never move there.
DC might be a good area for you. It's not cheap, though definitely more affordable than NY. It's got the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian, and lots of great little art galleries in Dupont. There are plenty of really terrific restaurants to choose from. Public transportation is good. Winters aren't as bad as NY - it's typically 5 to 10 degrees warmer than NY, plus winter starts later and ends earlier. And it's just a 45-minute plane ride or 2 1/2 hour Acela ride to NY. Also, not sure what kind of graphic design work you do, i.e. print or interactive, but there are a bunch of big companies in the nearby VA/MD suburbs that do a lot of marketing and I imagine that demand is high for graphic design talent.
On the other hand, if you're open to going out west, have you considered SF, Seattle or Portland? I know SF isn't cheap, but it's a great city and doesn't have harsh winters. Seattle and Portland are relatively affordable, and though you'd have to deal with gray skies for a good part of the year, I'd take that over Florida's heat and humidity any day.
Philly scares me. A friend just moved from that area due to an increasing number of rapes and murders. I'd never move there.
DC might be a good area for you. It's not cheap, though definitely more affordable than NY. It's got the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian, and lots of great little art galleries in Dupont. There are plenty of really terrific restaurants to choose from. Public transportation is good. Winters aren't as bad as NY - it's typically 5 to 10 degrees warmer than NY, plus winter starts later and ends earlier. And it's just a 45-minute plane ride or 2 1/2 hour Acela ride to NY. Also, not sure what kind of graphic design work you do, i.e. print or interactive, but there are a bunch of big companies in the nearby VA/MD suburbs that do a lot of marketing and I imagine that demand is high for graphic design talent.
On the other hand, if you're open to going out west, have you considered SF, Seattle or Portland? I know SF isn't cheap, but it's a great city and doesn't have harsh winters. Seattle and Portland are relatively affordable, and though you'd have to deal with gray skies for a good part of the year, I'd take that over Florida's heat and humidity any day.
I need to look into Portland and Seattle. I didn't think there were tons of graphic design jobs there. I do print work but I think I need to learn web design and interactive stuff to make myself more marketable. Have so much to consider!
]I need to look into Portland and Seattle. I didn't think there were tons of graphic design jobs there. I do print work but I think I need to learn web design and interactive stuff to make myself more marketable. Have so much to consider!
It can be tough getting a job in NY too! I have an MBA and 10 years total work experience, including 4 years at one of the largest players in the interactive space. I've been looking for an online marketing job since returning to NY in late July and haven't had much luck. There are lots of job listings, but I've found that hiring managers here are extremely picky, often have unrealistic expectations, and are more than willing to keep a job open for 3 months or more while they search for the "perfect candidate". One hiring manager even told me they kept a position open for over a year because they supposedly couldn't find any qualified candidates. Could be that NY isn't the best place for my industry, but I've found the market here to be super-competitive compared to other places I've lived.
It can be tough getting a job in NY too! I have an MBA and 10 years total work experience, including 4 years at one of the largest players in the interactive space. I've been looking for an online marketing job since returning to NY in late July and haven't had much luck. There are lots of job listings, but I've found that hiring managers here are extremely picky, often have unrealistic expectations, and are more than willing to keep a job open for 3 months or more while they search for the "perfect candidate". One hiring manager even told me they kept a position open for over a year because they supposedly couldn't find any qualified candidates. Could be that NY isn't the best place for my industry, but I've found the market here to be super-competitive compared to other places I've lived.
It's tough getting a job here in Orlando florida too. but hardly any listings for graphic designers. That's depressing about your experience in NY though. I was at a job for 7 years so didn't look for a job for a long time. :-(
It's tough getting a job here in Orlando florida too. but hardly any listings for graphic designers. That's depressing about your experience in NY though. I was at a job for 7 years so didn't look for a job for a long time. :-(
I've worked with graphic design folks who work remotely and then travel as needed. Maybe that's more common in the interactive world than in print - not sure. Have you tried the job listings or freelance marketplace on mediabistro?
As for me, I typically don't ever leave a job without having another one lined up no matter how bad my situation is. Lesson learned! But it's all good. At this point, I'm completely open to other cities, so will go wherever I need to in order to be gainfully employed.
Sell the house and come home. You can easily rent in Queens or Brooklyn (& own a car) until you hit the lottery or get that dream job you always wanted (lord knows you have much more possibility landing a creative position here in NYC than in Where-was-it? Florida.) Buying a place is going to take a little time, which is on your side, but the time spent looking is mostly exciting and full of promise. Besides that... you're unhappy where you are.
I could afford something under $225k but wanted to stay in a desireable neighborhood of brooklyn (like park slope, boreum hill, cobble hill, ect. I didn't see anything for less than $400 or so.
ok, I see. You only wanted the most desirable part of a huge city, and didn't want to try a less desirable neighborhood. In 2005 I really thought I couldn't bear to be anywhere but my beloved desirable neighborhoods in brooklyn, too.
However, a quick look at my bank account and my pay stubs told me I couldn't afford to be so picky. So I ended up in Queens in a perfectly fine neighborhood.
It's all about choices and what you can afford. The majority of people in NYC cannot afford the 'most desirable' neighborhoods. Some, like you, may leave NYC entirely because they can't handle being in Queens or the Bronx. Others find nice areas of Queens and the Bronx and move there.
ok, I see. You only wanted the most desirable part of a huge city, and didn't want to try a less desirable neighborhood. In 2005 I really thought I couldn't bear to be anywhere but my beloved desirable neighborhoods in brooklyn, too.
However, a quick look at my bank account and my pay stubs told me I couldn't afford to be so picky. So I ended up in Queens in a perfectly fine neighborhood.
It's all about choices and what you can afford. The majority of people in NYC cannot afford the 'most desirable' neighborhoods. Some, like you, may leave NYC entirely because they can't handle being in Queens or the Bronx. Others find nice areas of Queens and the Bronx and move there.
That is what I am considering now. Looking elsewhere in the city where it is affordable.
But my problem is I keep looking back on what I COULD have bought back when (in the good areas). I lived in Cobble Hill for about 15 years and for one reason or another I didn't buy. Now I'm shut out for what seems like forever. It almost feels to me that I had a winning lottery ticket but I flushed it down the toilet.
I just need to deal with the reality of the situation and stop beating myself up. it's hard for me.
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thank you
