Former Wisconsinites...where did you move to and how do you like it in comparison to WI? (Milwaukee: renting, quality of life)

[Drover]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

They were even higher 3-4 years ago. I check the listings frequently.

So do I. And while there may be a significant dip in selling prices and a significant slowdown in volume of sales, the asking prices suggest to me that the current owners are hoping some fool will still pay the 2005 fantasy price so that they (the current owner) won't have to take a bath on their exuberant mistake. $300K for a 1000sqft lakeside ranch that would cost $100K or less if it were 3 blocks inland? No thanks.

[ccjarider]

OregonCoastal,
You are correct, Oregan and nature go together well.
We were fishing on the Columbia R. near Astoria this weekend. Between the size of the fish and the scenery, it was great fun. I can't believe I used to sit on the WI river near Mosinee in snowstorms hoping to catch a 15" walleye or two while looking at, and smelling, a crappy papermill.

I gotta be honest, not too much I miss about WI.

[akravenlady]

And I can't wait to leave!

[liveurdream]

I'm leaving WI this coming spring. I haven't made my choice yet to where I will move, but so far I am looking into Dallas, Las Vegas (have a brother there), Houston, and some other southern Midwest cities.

[mrs.cool]

We have property in Port Charlotte, FL. Can't wait to get there...

[nonexpat]

I lived in a suburb of Dallas for ten years. The shopping was great; the schools among the best in the state of Texas; the winters were mild; the people were friendly but very focused on looks and bling and wealth. I was happy there in Plano, but I always felt at home when I flew into Mitchell Field. Wisconsin is much prettier than the Dallas area and most areas of Texas. True, Texas is a big state, so there are pretty areas.

I lived in Austin for a year--much prettier than Dallas and lots of fun downtown. Still, Wisconsin is home.

Now I'm in Albuquerque. I have a great view of a big mountain in my backyard and more green chiles than I know what to do with, but I would still move back to Wisconsin if my husband could find a job in his field there. For sure the schools are much better in Wisconsin than in New Mexico or Texas.

[kelsupastar]

Moved to Nashville 3 years ago.
Pros:
1. Short winters, expect tulips in March!
2. Music scene- Definitely a lot of great music to be seen and heard, even for a non-county listener. Pretty much any night of the week, you can catch a great show around town.
3. Lots of "transplants"- Lots of people in Nashville are orginally from somewhere else, which can be nice.
4. Roads are in good condition
5. Generally nice people

Cons:
1. Summers- Pretty much unbearable for much of the summer. It has been mid to upper 90's at least since June. Too hot to do much outside
2. Traffic- Don't know where people are going or who taught them to drive, but it is a serious pain
3. Religious pressure- Expect to be asked where you attend church early in a conversation with someone, and expect to feel looked down on if you don't attend.
4. Stray animals- Possibly because of the warmer weather? Lots of stray animals, not very surprising to see dogs running down the freeway
5. Homelessness/poverty- the 2 go hand in hand, but the poverty that I see here feels more intense than in WI. Also possibly because of warmer weather, more homeless individuals out and about. It is a pretty big problem especially downtown and in tourist areas.
6. Education- very poor education outcomes. Probably related to the poverty, but many people leave metro Nashville just to avoid the schools.

[paddock_laker]

I moved to New York City three and a half years ago for work, and I love it. I loved Wisconsin too though! It matches all of your qualifications except low taxes! I love not having to have a car. I have lived in two neighborhoods in Queens (Long Island City and Flushing) and I have loved it. New York is the safest major city in the world, and it has a crime rate similar to that of Provo, Utah! I couldn't believe it when I read it either, and before living here I would have never believed it, but it really is nice. Many of the neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens feel like little villages of their own, with all the benefits of a small town while still having all the conveniences of living in the cultural capital of the world. Many of the neighborhoods (Park Slope, Forest Hills) can also be breathtakingly beautiful. It also matches your seasons description: the winters are a little warmer than in WI; it rarely drops past 15-20 degrees. On an average day in January it's about 35, I'd say. Spring stretches into June too, which I love; in WI I usually thought it got hot too soon. NYC has something for everyone, and I guarantee you can find a neighborhood you like. It's a little expensive (I pay $1200 for a 1 bedroom that's 45 ish minutes from Manhattan), but the salaries are also more than in Wisconsin, so it evens out.

(If it makes a difference, I grew up in Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth counties.)

The main thing I miss about Wisconsin is Sprecher's soda and beer. No joke, whenever I go home I bring back cases of the stuff. I also miss Horsefeather's in Waukegan, Illinois; even in NYC there is nothing quite like that place.

[goblu]

I just moved to the Northwoods in June and may be able to offer somewhat of an objective opinion of the area having grown up elsewhere.

I have lived in MI, AZ, NorCal and SoCal, traveled to almost every state in the US, as well as a few countries around the world, and I can honestly say that Northern Wisconsin is one of the most BEAUTIFUL places I have had the pleasure of experiencing. However, the people here are among the most insular, ignorant, racist, anti-intellectual folks I have ever met. They are also among the nicest people I have ever met. I'm mostly referring to locals, which present an interesting contrast to the yuppie hippies that come up here on vacation from madison and chicago.

Being a single guy, I have lowered my dating standards to those that have a high school education and own a car. Somehow I'm still having trouble meeting women who meet those criteria! On the other hand, I can fish at a different lake every night of the week and never see the same place twice. I can also hunt pretty much anything under the sun at some point during the year. Biking, hiking, skiing and hockey are also readily available within a 10 minute drive. There is plenty to do here, and I can honestly say that I love the area, but it is discouraging to know that I will not likely be able to have a family if I stay here.

I'm going to try to make it here 3 years and if I'm still unsatisfied at that point, I guess maybe to oregon or back to cali I go.

[paddock_laker]

Yuppie and hippie are inherently incompatible