Why am I scared to move?

[doctorjef]

On purely rational grounds, it doesn't sound an opportune time to make a move, given you have an apparently decently paying job and a house that you would be unable to sell. Texas will still be there when you are more realistically prepared to move. You don't sound ready at present, on several levels.

[cmjones311]

I'm not thinking right now, probably Fall of 2012. The problem is, I'm going to be underwater on the house for many years to come (owe $100k, houses in my 'hood are selling for $50-80k), and I'm not going to get any more financially secure as time goes by. I currently have a roommate until August 2012 that will help me get my credit card paid off and get a couple thousand in savings, but when she moves out, finances are going to be tight once again, and I fear that I'll start relying on the credit card again or dip into that savings until it's all gone. (She is my second roommate in 2 years, and both situations have soured me on roommates for the rest of my life. It's so much easier living with a significant other than it is a roommate.) It's almost like when they say, "If you wait until you're financially ready to have kids, you'll die childless." I feel like I can wait and wait and wait, and never be "ready" to go, and then suddenly I'm 60 and nothing has ever changed.

I am at the top of my earning potential for my skill and career (and my company actually pays slightly above most all others in this industry here). I just feel completely...doomed, in a way. Stuck, definitely.

[kenshi]

That's basically how I felt before I moved, that I was destined to live in East Texas all my life. Unless you're well off financially, it's not an easy thing to do. You have to find an opportunity, come up with a plan, and make it happen. Don't think of failure as an option until it's your only option. I don't have a plan for you, but I agree that if you keep waiting for the perfect opportunity, it won't come. Set your goal for the fall of 2012 and think of everything you can do to make it happen and then commit.

[CptnRn]

There is an recent thread here in the Austin forum with many reports from people with good qualifications who have moved here and not been able to find work. //www.city-data.com/forum/austi...g-get-job.html

[Sunderpig2]

Any place a person seriously is thinking of moving to warrants a first-hand visit. That might stretch your budget, but what if you move and it ends up being a nightmare? Better to make the investment and get a clear idea first, rather than blow a bunch of money to make a move, and potentially move back, etc.

Aren't there other possible choices besides Texas? It's a pretty damn big country, with lots of possibilities.

As far as pulling-down effect of the house mortgage goes, dropping that like a hot potato will lighten your load, and give you more freedom. It stinks getting caught up in that kind of burden. The whole debt syndrome these days does unfortunately mean doing away with some traditional priorities (having a paid-off home, etc.)

Your fears may be limiting (as some have suggested), or they may be telling you something important that you need to pay attention to. Only you can make the determination. No one on this forum can understand your situation as well as you can.

Good luck, and remember the importance of a good/long visit, and keeping other places in mind. Do your homework first. Hopefully this forum will be a big help to you.

[txsizzler]

Originally Posted by Sunderpig

Any place a person seriously is thinking of moving to warrants a first-hand visit. That might stretch your budget, but what if you move and it ends up being a nightmare? Better to make the investment and get a clear idea first, rather than blow a bunch of money to make a move, and potentially move back, etc.

Aren't there other possible choices besides Texas? It's a pretty damn big country, with lots of possibilities.

As far as pulling-down effect of the house mortgage goes, dropping that like a hot potato will lighten your load, and give you more freedom. It stinks getting caught up in that kind of burden. The whole debt syndrome these days does unfortunately mean doing away with some traditional priorities (having a paid-off home, etc.)

Your fears may be limiting (as some have suggested), or they may be telling you something important that you need to pay attention to. Only you can make the determination. No one on this forum can understand your situation as well as you can.

Good luck, and remember the importance of a good/long visit, and keeping other places in mind. Do your homework first. Hopefully this forum will be a big help to you.

Great advice, especially about visiting. It is important to feel out an area first before jumping in, but there are many who might argue otherwise that it is more "fun" to go in cold-turkey. Texas does have alot of opportunites, but it also has disadvantages too. Be sure to investigate both thoroughly before deciding any move.

I also noticed that you seem to be depressed. Perhaps a visit to a head doctor might be in order, to clarify some of the "doom and gloom" you seem to be experiencing. At the very least, it might help you with your current living situation before you are able to make a move. Again, only YOU know what is best for you, and obviously without knowing more about you, we can only assume on this forum.


Ian