if you could pick: warwick, ri; portland, or; colorado springs, co; boise, id; greensboro, nc (Providence: low income, for sale)
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I know, I know all over the place but those are the choices and we have to choose just one! Kinda hard as we have never been to ANY of them.
Here is a little background. Our family, that includes two children ages 4 and 2, live in San Diego right now and can't wait to move just based on home prices and cost of living alone. On the positive side, we love the outdoors and the cultural diversity of San Diego.
We don't mind urban living as long as it is safe and has easy access to a park(s). Nothing too rural as we don't like the feeling of being so isolated but a house on the water would be a dream come true. Schools are very important because of the kids.
What do you think?? Are they all about the same or is there a real choice to be made? Help!
I would move to Portland, OR in a heartbeat. We left RI in June 2006 (I have 3 young kids) and were trying to decide between Portland and Austin, TX. Ultimately Austin won out because the cost of living was so much lower, and we had some friends there (and my sister lives in Houston), but we still wonder about the Pacific Northwest. I do love Austin, though, so we made a good choice.
Honestly (and I have been accused of being too negative about RI on this board, but I lived in RI for 16 years, so I feel I have a valid opinion) I can't imagine why you would have RI in the same list as Portland! lol
thanks so much for the frank answer. We put rhode island on our list as we have never been there and liked the lake living idea. Guess we idealized a bit too much. Was wondering if any rhode islanders had any opinions.
My educated question to you, and answer, after living for over 60 years in RI, as well as in the south for 6 years would be this: Where are your roots? family? Don't move too far from family unless it's required for your job.
Whenever folks make a move strictly for cost of living, it's usually a let down. Low cost of living is equal to low income, which equals many other problems down the road.
Have you ever gone to this website? www.****.com It could be helpful to you.
I totally agree with Annie about asking yourself why you're moving above and beyond just cost of living (we had many factors in our decision to move) although I guess I disagree about moving far from family, unless of course you are particularly close. Most of our family is in Rhode Island and we are happier having over half the country between us.
But yes ditto to what Annie said - what are other factors you are looking for in your relocation? As an example for us (since we both had Portland, OR on our list) we needed a larger city for my husband's career, job opportunities for me (in education), family friendly, focus on environmentalism and green living, and more of a laid back and liberal vibe, with friendly people.
Wow, we have a similar list of places that we are looking at!
Portland, Oregon (maybe, but we are afraid of all the rain), Denver (we know nothing about this place, but far from the ocean-scary), Charlotte (too hot in summer, and maybe too redneck), and Providence, RI (near the ocean, urban area, and near NYC and Boston). As far as housing prices go, for what it has to offer, Providence wins! Charlotte is way cheaper, but there are a lot of places that are cheap!
We live in SF, and do not want to live anywhere where it is not somewhat urban. We are going to go visit in a couple of weeks and see what it is about.
It is scary leaving California (I have only been back here for 2 years), but I would like to buy a house, and there is really nowhere left to go in California. I grew up in California, but I am joining the endless migration out of state.
I was born and raised in the biggest little state in the Union, worked in Raleigh at the local NBC affiliate after a stint in Atlanta and then the good Lord led me west to Boise Idaho where I've been since 99' working for the local Fox affiliate and have recently started a small little forecasting web site on the side forecasting for weekends and interstate travel weather. www.bridalweather.com. After that small plug let me share some of my take. Rhode Island like many of the eastern states have deep roots. My family for instance resides all over the small but very nice state. I played baseball back in the day for the Warwick Townies a semi pro team. It's a
very cultured state weah you'll go to the mawl and drink cawfee afta pakin the cahhh. Sometimes my accent still slips out on air. Great food. I still miss the Italian food and when I go home to Johnston, RI I must make a run over to Twin Oaks for some of the best veal on this planet! The schools are very good for the most part and that's because of the strong unions. Unions are good that teachers pay is high so that good teachers are attracted to the area. The bad side of course is the strong pollitical lobbying strength that naturally leads to a sense of power. There has been a little trail of corruption in RI's history. RI is known as the Ocean State because of Naragannsett Bay. A good reminder for me of the beaches is when the movie Jaws is on. I spent many of weekends at Point Judith and miss the chowder and clam cakes! The latter only found in Rhody. Housing prices are steeeep in Rhody compared to where I lived in NC and out in Boise. Rhode Island has an ample supply of mosquitoes and black nats to go along with humid conditions in the summer. In RI you're very close to Boston home of the greatest baseball team on earth! Newport in the summer is wonderful.
North Carolina is a great state. In Charlotte you'll have access to professional teams, Nascar, and a super college football atmosphere. You're just a few hours from Atlanta and about 4 hours to the warm, bath water warm like Atlantic Ocean compared to the chilly Pacific. Water temps in the summer to early fall get into the 70s to near 80. Carolina Barbeque is very unique and a great taste. Humidity is high here in the summer and freezing rain and winter precip is very likey in the winter. Thunderstorms are powerful here and they happen alot through the summer. Hurricanes can be a major problem in the southeast even if the area doesn't take a direct hit. I was in the eye of Fran in 96 along the Wilmington coast. That made it all the way into Raleigh and dumped 12-24" of rain causing alot of the lob lolly pines to topple all over because the predominate soil of clay turned to oatmeal. It's kind of pick your poison for weather. I left out that the reason I became a meteorologist was because of the Blizzard of 78 where northeast RI got 60" of snow in 24 hrs! That's 5 feet. Schools in NC are fair. It's not union.
I was impressed with Nashville, TN when I drove west. Colorado is beautiful.
That leads me to where I hope to spend the rest of my career. I have 3 kids two from marriage almost 6 years ago. They're in middle and high school. There is a gang problem brewing in southwest Idaho, but going to school in a tough Italian town I don't see it I guess as much as the media reports. School systems are weak in Idaho compared to the other cities listed. But like I tell my kids you get out what you put in. And with a population boom going on out here new schools and subdivisions are going up all over the place. For me this area has it all. I love the sage filled rolling hills and the steep mountains, and being able to look out for miles. In the east you can only look a few hundred yards due to thick trees. Out here right behind the city of Boise is Bogus Basin ski area. A 35 minute drive gets you into some real nice skiing. This time of the year you can golf and ski in the same day. Southwest Idaho sits in a valley called the Treasure Valley. The Boise River system comes through the city and flows into the large Snake River that goes to the Columbia and then to the Pacific Ocean. This is a beautiful thing because this time of the year giant Steelhead make thier run inland all the way to Idaho to Spawn. When they're done Salmon make thier run. And if you catch the right day the fishing is tremendous. 10-20 pound 30" fish in shallow water is a very cool thing. There is alot of deer and elk, but also alot of Cougar. We are on the verge of a wolf problem because someone thought it would be nice to introduce them back to Idaho a few years ago. The population is growing exponentially and is now hurting the elk herds which makes up a huge portion of the Idaho economy. This year a hunting season will be opened on wolves and that's a good thing for the ecosystem. If you like nature, mountain biking, white water rafting, and a Fiesta Bowl Champion College football team on smurf turf then Boise would be the best choice. You won't have the ocean, but with a twenty minute drive you can be in some of the most scenic areas in the country. If you'd like to move into a fun golf community that will be geared towards families check out Hunterspointidaho.com
Hope that helps. I've talked too long and have to run to update my audio forecasts files for the interstates across the country. They're free so check them out when you decide where you're going! www.bridalweather.com/travelweather.html
North Carolina for gay and lesbians is a 'scary scenario' according to the gay magazine 'Southern Voice- it was rated near the bottom for progressive laws like hate crimes and discrimination- as was Tennessee -most of the bible belt states are not too welcoming of 'alternative' lifestyles.
The best state in the 'Voice' for liberal laws and general tolerance was Vermont, followed by DC, then Connecticut- Mass. and Rhode Island are in the top ten.
... a house on the water would be a dream come true. Schools are very important because of the kids.
What do you think?? Are they all about the same or is there a real choice to be made? Help!
I've been to all those cities but Greensboro, and they are anything but "all about the same." You have a real choice to be made.
If home prices and cost of living are a concern, you can forget about a house on the water in RI. For example, there's one for sale near me right now in So. RI, and it is $700K for a one bedroom summer cottage on a salt pond (not even the ocean).
Taxes on waterfront homes are oppressive. You may have heard that waterfront property is a bargain in RI, but that is dated news. And in many communities reappraisal of waterfront property has tripled the taxes on waterfront homes...or worse.
I know of waterfront summer homes in my community that have been in the families for generations, and they are now being forced to sell because of the real estate taxes. If you have lots of money, those properties are for sale.
Pick Portland, Oregon. I currently live in San Diego too. I'm moving to Seattle ( where I was born and raised), in August or September. Portland is beautiful ( my family originally moved from Alabama to Oregon in the late 50's), and the cost of living is still relatively cheap ( although it's rising). Also, you're close enough to San Diego to take trips when you need some "rays". You can't go wrong with Portland!
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Well I've lived in three out of the five....
