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Old 02-19-2008, 09:26 AM
 
Location: The Big Mitten
29 posts, read 98,674 times
Reputation: 23

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My husband - a self-employed tile/stone/marble setter and I - an executive assistant, are seriously needing to move from Michigan. Virginia is looking more and more like a great place to go, and I'm wondering how the building trade is there? Is there one place that's better than another? I should mention that my husband does more remod's than new building. Any help, info or suggestions at all would be wonderful!

Thanks much!
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Old 02-19-2008, 10:43 AM
 
Location: Richmond va
1,570 posts, read 4,616,982 times
Reputation: 671
Unfortunatly like in the rest of the country the housing market has dropped tremendously thus, making it harder for people like your husband to find work (less people buying, fixing up, and selling homes). I guess like in other parts of the country though Virginia still has some older homes being rehabbed. This is where your husband may come in handy. I hope someone else can chime in for you... I have lived in Richmond Va and there are a lot of older homes in the city being rehabbed but certainly not as much as 5 or 10 years ago. Good luck! and I hope your Va move works out for you.. its a great state to call home!! Especially where I live now in Southwest Va.. its so pretty up here!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Detroiteratheart View Post
My husband - a self-employed tile/stone/marble setter and I - an executive assistant, are seriously needing to move from Michigan. Virginia is looking more and more like a great place to go, and I'm wondering how the building trade is there? Is there one place that's better than another? I should mention that my husband does more remod's than new building. Any help, info or suggestions at all would be wonderful!

Thanks much!
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Old 02-19-2008, 11:38 AM
 
Location: Richmond, VA
1,799 posts, read 6,314,745 times
Reputation: 673
Richmond is second only to St. Louis for its use of historic tax credits for rehab projects of older buildings. Tons of adaptive re-use projects of old commercial buildings and warehouses and old homes being rehabbed throughout many of Richmond's urban neighborhoods. The pace will slow down given the national slowdown but Richmond weathers downturns better than most cities.
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Old 02-19-2008, 11:48 AM
j1n
 
Location: Southeast of the Northwest Territories
1,245 posts, read 4,658,762 times
Reputation: 468
Quote:
Originally Posted by Detroiteratheart View Post
My husband - a self-employed tile/stone/marble setter and I - an executive assistant, are seriously needing to move from Michigan. Virginia is looking more and more like a great place to go, and I'm wondering how the building trade is there? Is there one place that's better than another? I should mention that my husband does more remod's than new building. Any help, info or suggestions at all would be wonderful!

Thanks much!
hey Detroiteratheart...
VA is a pretty varied place. You have eastern beaches/coastal, rolling hills, and mountains to the west. What type of environment would suit you folks the best?
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Old 02-20-2008, 08:59 AM
 
Location: The Big Mitten
29 posts, read 98,674 times
Reputation: 23
Quote:
Originally Posted by j1n View Post
hey Detroiteratheart...
VA is a pretty varied place. You have eastern beaches/coastal, rolling hills, and mountains to the west. What type of environment would suit you folks the best?
All of it! Though I grew up in the Detroit area and my family is here, my husband and I are hungry for change. We did live a short time in AZ, but I discovered that I need greenery, need water. Virginia is such a beautiful state, I'm really hoping that we can make it work there. What we really need to do is pay another visit to the different areas. We're quiet homebodies, no kids, but do enjoy city life too.

I certainly appreciate all of the input and thank you for it!
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Old 02-20-2008, 10:51 AM
j1n
 
Location: Southeast of the Northwest Territories
1,245 posts, read 4,658,762 times
Reputation: 468
Quote:
Originally Posted by Detroiteratheart View Post
All of it! Though I grew up in the Detroit area and my family is here, my husband and I are hungry for change. We did live a short time in AZ, but I discovered that I need greenery, need water. Virginia is such a beautiful state, I'm really hoping that we can make it work there. What we really need to do is pay another visit to the different areas. We're quiet homebodies, no kids, but do enjoy city life too.

I certainly appreciate all of the input and thank you for it!
hey Dertoiteratheart...
VA is green, green, green!! It's lush and jungle-like in places. Did I mention it was lush and green??
I did a little looking around...I didn't realize the cost of living in the Detroit area was so low! Honestly, it'll be tough to find a lower cost of living anywhere in the country...much less near a major metro area.
That said, take a look at the Roanoke Valley. Roanoke is an hour north of the NC border, a little west of Lynchburg, 3 hours west of Richmond, a couple/few hours from Charlottesville, 5 hours or so from an Atlantic Ocean beach, and close proximity to a bunch of national and state forests and parks.
Roanoke is literally ringed by mountains, has a cool downtown, shopping, restaurants, malls, etc, etc...all the amenities of a major city. It has a relatively low crime rate, and very little in the way of "bad areas". (You're from the Detroit area...you'd laugh at Roanoke's "crime" ). Cost of living is low, and blue collar jobs and work in the trades is big. There are four seasons, little snow, etc. Roanoke is flanked by two smaller towns...Salem and Vinton...both unique towns also worth checking out. And there is a ton of "rural" all around the area. Check it out!
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Old 02-20-2008, 02:08 PM
 
Location: Richmond va
1,570 posts, read 4,616,982 times
Reputation: 671
Smile I second Roanoke!

I second Roanoke. I live there now and grew up in Richmond. The cost of living here is great for a town of its size. Definatly check it out! Good luck!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by j1n View Post
hey Dertoiteratheart...
VA is green, green, green!! It's lush and jungle-like in places. Did I mention it was lush and green??
I did a little looking around...I didn't realize the cost of living in the Detroit area was so low! Honestly, it'll be tough to find a lower cost of living anywhere in the country...much less near a major metro area.
That said, take a look at the Roanoke Valley. Roanoke is an hour north of the NC border, a little west of Lynchburg, 3 hours west of Richmond, a couple/few hours from Charlottesville, 5 hours or so from an Atlantic Ocean beach, and close proximity to a bunch of national and state forests and parks.
Roanoke is literally ringed by mountains, has a cool downtown, shopping, restaurants, malls, etc, etc...all the amenities of a major city. It has a relatively low crime rate, and very little in the way of "bad areas". (You're from the Detroit area...you'd laugh at Roanoke's "crime" ). Cost of living is low, and blue collar jobs and work in the trades is big. There are four seasons, little snow, etc. Roanoke is flanked by two smaller towns...Salem and Vinton...both unique towns also worth checking out. And there is a ton of "rural" all around the area. Check it out!
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Old 02-20-2008, 03:02 PM
 
Location: The Big Mitten
29 posts, read 98,674 times
Reputation: 23
I am definitely going to check Roanoke out - it sounds lovely.

I think it's time for a little road trip.
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Old 02-20-2008, 03:38 PM
 
Location: Richmond va
1,570 posts, read 4,616,982 times
Reputation: 671
Thumbs up Road trip sounds like a good idea!

Sounds fun I love road trips! You should wait until the spring time and then come down here. Its a lot prettier in the spring time! When your here you will notice, like I did when I first came here how nice the locals are. You very rarely hear anyone honk their horn or anything while driving (I'm not includeing I-81 but rather local roads). Honestly I had to learn how to calm my self down while driving and slow down! People here just arnt in a hurry.. its very laid back.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Detroiteratheart View Post
I am definitely going to check Roanoke out - it sounds lovely.

I think it's time for a little road trip.
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