Would we be crazy (Pittsburgh, York: middle-class, real estate, apartment)

[BigBob77]

Originally Posted by okaydorothy

The kids have mentioned north Carolina or Pennsylvania. Luckily we are in a position that we could afford not to have jobs for a year or so but it would dip into savings a little. Not wealthy but comfortable. I would absolutely love my dh to get a transfer as it would be easier but if that dosnt happen, temping is an alternate. Schools are our priorty at the moment.
I guess sometimes one just has to go for it.

Yeah, I thought I was on the right track. Most people with kids wouldn't just pack up and move without any money for a rainy day. Visit here have a look around. Visit Mt. Lebanon, Sewickley and Aspinwall, if you want sort of village style living.

[ML North]

Originally Posted by Burghgirl17

If they are asking for opinions about whether doing so is crazy, one can only assume that they are not so wealthy that they could live for years without income.

No, one could make any number of assumptions. Obviously some are better than others, but the following is stated in the original post:

Originally Posted by okaydorothy

financially, we will be ok as we are selling a few major things, so we could live on that for a good while.

So actually, your assumption is not the only reasonable assumption that one could make, and in fact it's a bad one. It's plainly stated that financial concerns would not be an issue. Why would you insist on making that judgement for them? Especially given that you have access only to a fraction of the information necessary for making such a judgement.

Originally Posted by Burghgirl17

If they are talking about doing temp work, that also leads me to believe that they are so wealthy that it wouldn't be an issue.

Or that they recognize temp work as easily-attainable work that could provide a small amount of income that would be necessary to supplement their savings.

Originally Posted by Burghgirl17

Very few people could afford do move someplace voluntarily and not work for one or two years.

It depends on what expenses they have. And actually, this is really irrelevant. The fact that only a small percentage of people could afford to make such a transition has no bearing on whether this particular couple can. Making that assumption would be an error in conditional probability.

Originally Posted by Burghgirl17

When you only have limited information to go on, yes, you have to make some assumptions when someone asks your opinion on a matter.

Or you can attach some type of conditional or qualifying statement to your suggestions. That's a good way of avoiding the problem of having to make arbitrary assumptions and abrasive judgments.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by okaydorothy

The kids have mentioned north Carolina or Pennsylvania. Luckily we are in a position that we could afford not to have jobs for a year or so but it would dip into savings a little. Not wealthy but comfortable. I would absolutely love my dh to get a transfer as it would be easier but if that dosnt happen, temping is an alternate. Schools are our priorty at the moment.
I guess sometimes one just has to go for it.

Why have the kids chosen these places? What are they/you looking for, besides a slower pace of living? Are you familiar with the Pittsburgh area?

Your kids are getting old enough for you to start thinking about financing college education. I'm not sure I'd want to live off my savings for a year at that point in my life. (Spoken as one who has put two kids through.)

[BrianTH]

I'd also note again we don't know that much about their current situation. It wouldn't be unusual for a working couple in a place like Long Island to have an OK personal financial situation (such that they can build up some savings), but at the same time not like their current schools and/or community, and not have the means to move within that area to a place they feel would be better for themselves and their children.

In such a situation--which I again believe is actually pretty common these days--it may be preferable to secure good permanent jobs in another area before moving. But that is easier said than done, and if it turns out they can only get temp work before moving, I don't think it is necessarily the right advice to insist that they continue with their current situation indefinitely.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I'd also note again we don't know that much about their current situation. It wouldn't be unusual for a working couple in a place like Long Island to have an OK personal financial situation (such that they can build up some savings), but at the same time not like their current schools and/or community, and not have the means to move within that area to a place they feel would be better for themselves and their children.

In such a situation--which I again believe is actually pretty common these days--it may be preferable to secure good permanent jobs in another area before moving. But that is easier said than done, and if it turns out they can only get temp work before moving, I don't think it is necessarily the right advice to insist that they continue with their current situation indefinitely.

We know this, from the OP:

Originally Posted by okaydorothy

The kids have mentioned north Carolina or Pennsylvania. Luckily we are in a position that we could afford not to have jobs for a year or so but it would dip into savings a little. Not wealthy but comfortable. I would absolutely love my dh to get a transfer as it would be easier but if that dosnt happen, temping is an alternate. Schools are our priorty at the moment.
I guess sometimes one just has to go for it.

Actually, it would dip into savings a lot to go w/o income for a year.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Katiana

We know this, from the OP

I don't understand how that is responsive to what I was pointing out in that quote, which is that we don't know much about their current situation, such that we can confidently advise they should stay in their current situation unless an ideal moving opportunity comes along.

[Tiger Beer]

It doesn't sound crazy to me.

You're coming from a very expensive place to a very inexpensive place. You plan to leave the expensive place no matter what (is my understanding).

It's significantly easier going to a much more inexpensive place. On top of that, you're going into a city with a job market (as opposed to someone moving to rural Arkansas from a large city without jobs). You'll find stuff to piece together, as long as you're flexible.

On top of that, Pittsburgh is NOT a high-demand trendy place to live. It's not like moving to Maui or Austin or Portland or somewhere that half the nation is dreaming of moving to.

Pittsburgh sounds like a very practical sound-minded decision. NY to Pittsburgh is not that far. Pittsburgh is a large enough city to have a range of job opportunities (as opposed to Santa Fe or Eugene or somewhere).

It completely passes all my checks of 'reasonable'.

[ForYourLungsOnly]

to be blunt, i think it is insane to move anywhere without having a job set in stone first. just too risky for me.

[WINDCHIMES]

Figure out what is best for you and your family and do what makes sense to you...no one here will have to pay your bills, but you! I do believe that this area is one of the best places to live and that if you have income to live on while looking or will do whatever to exist, meaning two crummy jobs...then do it! Jobs are scarce but they do exist, at least its a great city and you can live cheaply here...one of the few cities that can proclaim that! Good luck to you!

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by ForYourLungsOnly

to be blunt, i think it is insane to move anywhere without having a job set in stone first. just too risky for me.

What s/he said. Add in tow kids, and it's doubly insane.

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

It doesn't sound crazy to me.

You're coming from a very expensive place to a very inexpensive place. You plan to leave the expensive place no matter what (is my understanding).

It's significantly easier going to a much more inexpensive place. On top of that, you're going into a city with a job market (as opposed to someone moving to rural Arkansas from a large city without jobs). You'll find stuff to piece together, as long as you're flexible.

On top of that, Pittsburgh is NOT a high-demand trendy place to live. It's not like moving to Maui or Austin or Portland or somewhere that half the nation is dreaming of moving to.

Pittsburgh sounds like a very practical sound-minded decision. NY to Pittsburgh is not that far. Pittsburgh is a large enough city to have a range of job opportunities (as opposed to Santa Fe or Eugene or somewhere).

It completely passes all my checks of 'reasonable'.

Although Pittsburgh has a lower COL than Long Island, there are several factors to consider:

1. Salaries are also lower in Pgh.

2. If the OP has been paying down a mortgage in LI for some time, the cost differential in housing may not be that much.

3. Aside from housing, costs are not much different anywhere in the US.

4. Those two kids will be going to college in a few short years. It would be far better to save money for their college education, than to risk using up some of one's savings on a move.