The wheels are in motion

[Rexer25]

This thread has got me to thinking (always dangerous) that if LB ever gets tired of Mecca, I know of a perfect job in Ft. Worth. There's a plant that prints Our Nation's Currency close to my house. He could work on the line that prints the dollar bills, and give em the Where's George? stamp as they come off the line.

I just don't know where he would live. I don't know of any homes around here with basements.

[Ritterskoop]

PAFBoy's condo near downtown Charlotte is up for sale/rent, and is very nice (walking distance to Trader Joe's, which is new to us and we are losing our minds over). Plenty of good housing options right now. We escaped the housing issues until the very end.

There are always going to be business-type jobs here even if both big banks fold, and they won't fold completely. Also Charlotte is one of the 12 regional hubs for the 2010 Census, and they're hiring all kinds of jobs, many of which are permanent. But a two-year contract would be a good start.

Climate: Pleasant in April and October. Hot in between, to the point of humid and sticky in July and August. Cool in November and March. Rarely very cold (we hit 18 degrees at 3 a.m. last night but it was notable). It'll be 45 or 50 in the afternoon even at our coldest stretch. My coworker from Michigan scoffs at our coldest days.

It snows maybe once a year, with little accumulation.

Gorgeous mountains two hours in one direction, beaches three hours in the other. But it is so great here I don't run off to either all that often. Atlanta is four hours away. D.C. is eight.

[SportsFan68]

Anywhere in AZ south of Prescott gets my vote for warm. It doesn't meet your East Coast proximity criterion, but then neither do San Fran and Hawaii. Good luck with the move.

[sunflower]

PAFBoy's condo near downtown Charlotte is up for sale/rent, and is very nice (walking distance to Trader Joe's, which is new to us and we are losing our minds over). Plenty of good housing options right now. We escaped the housing issues until the very end.

There are always going to be business-type jobs here even if both big banks fold, and they won't fold completely. Also Charlotte is one of the 12 regional hubs for the 2010 Census, and they're hiring all kinds of jobs, many of which are permanent. But a two-year contract would be a good start.

Climate: Pleasant in April and October. Hot in between, to the point of humid and sticky in July and August. Cool in November and March. Rarely very cold (we hit 18 degrees at 3 a.m. last night but it was notable). It'll be 45 or 50 in the afternoon even at our coldest stretch. My coworker from Michigan scoffs at our coldest days.

It snows maybe once a year, with little accumulation.

Gorgeous mountains two hours in one direction, beaches three hours in the other. But it is so great here I don't run off to either all that often. Atlanta is four hours away. D.C. is eight.

I have always said in the past, if I were going to move, it would be to Charlotte or Chattanooga, TN. I love both places so much.

Thanks for the info...this is encouraging! I can take cold nights, but having it be 50 in the winter is nice. Nice enough to put on a warm sweater and go outside for a walk...not like 8 degrees during the day when I run to the car and then to the house and hide inside!

I think wherever I go, I would rent for a while until I figured out the lay of the land...and figure out where I work, where I shop, etc. That way if I pick wrong the first time, I'm not stuck, I just leave and move on to the next place.

[MarleysGh0st]

This thread has got me to thinking (always dangerous) that if LB ever gets tired of Mecca, I know of a perfect job in Ft. Worth. There's a plant that prints Our Nation's Currency close to my house. He could work on the line that prints the dollar bills, and give em the Where's George? stamp as they come off the line.

A dream job, to be sure, but the director of the mint might have a small objection!

[tanstaafl2]

Vegas is hurting right now. I'd suggest Honolulu. Perfect weather 24/7/365.

Well except for the occasional typhoon...

And earthquakes...

And random lightning strikes that knocks out the electricity for damned near THE ENTIRE ISLAND OF OAHU FOR OVER 24 HOURS...

That one was fun. Happened just after Christmas. Gets really dark there when the entire island shuts off.

And unfortunately we won't mention the cost of housing, which at least so far seems to be less effected than most places, and pretty much everything else.

Otherwise it's perfect!

[mom2five]

Hey Sunflower,

My 2 cents:

CALIFORNIA!

You can try for TPIR!

We have a real live "governator"

And the weather is great!

As for jobs, I seriously suggest you check out the state college and university's websites.

My daughter, who has a degree from CAL, is about to be downsized from her job and has been looking at the job listings for CAL, UCLA and UC Irvine and UC Riverside, they have hundreds of jobs posted and I'm sure you could find something in your field.

Plus, you would meet great people on a college campus. And there's all the events, lectures, musical performances, etc.

[sunflower]

Hey Sunflower,

My 2 cents:

CALIFORNIA!

You can try for TPIR!

We have a real live "governator"

And the weather is great!

As for jobs, I seriously suggest you check out the state college and university's websites.

My daughter, who has a degree from CAL, is about to be downsized from her job and has been looking at the job listings for CAL, UCLA and UC Irvine and UC Riverside, they have hundreds of jobs posted and I'm sure you could find something in your field.

Plus, you would meet great people on a college campus. And there's all the events, lectures, musical performances, etc.

The only NO WAY is on TPIR...without Bob Barker, I can't do it!!

I actually did see a job posting for UC Irvine that looked good, within the last week. I saw it was also named one of the 10 best places in the US to live last year, but expensive. Are there reasonable areas within driving distance, or is that whole area mega expensive?

And you're right, a college campus would be awesome, I would love to have all the activities, great to meet new people!

[Bob78164]

The real estate is going cheap in Phoenix and Vegas, but I don't know what's up with the job markets in either place.

I've spent my whole life on the East Coast, so I don't know how I'd deal with a lack of humidity, though.

I have to worry about schools on top of everything else, so I'm staying put but eyeing markets for retirement places, with the caveat that Erin is a mere 4 years old, so retiring is quite a ways off, or schools will continue to be important for over a decade....

That's why I feel like I should go now. No worry about schools, just if I can find a suitable place and a decent job. It doesn't even have to be as good a job as I have here. And some day I do hope to have kids, but you figure I have 4 or 5 years from the day they're born to find a good place with good schools, so I think I have enough time.

I think Phoenix might have some good jobs. I also think I'd rather stay within closer proximity to a coast. I don't care which one, but I think I'd miss the ocean.

I've been in Southern California (with relatively short gaps for graduate school and law school) since 1978. I love it here. [understatement]The housing market is down[/understatement], and I suspect if you don't mind living inland about 30-40 miles or so you can probably find very affordable housing. I imagine you can likely rent affordably if you want to live closer. --Bob

[ulysses5019]

Hey Sunflower,

My 2 cents:

CALIFORNIA!

You can try for TPIR!

We have a real live "governator"

And the weather is great!

As for jobs, I seriously suggest you check out the state college and university's websites.

My daughter, who has a degree from CAL, is about to be downsized from her job and has been looking at the job listings for CAL, UCLA and UC Irvine and UC Riverside, they have hundreds of jobs posted and I'm sure you could find something in your field.

Plus, you would meet great people on a college campus. And there's all the events, lectures, musical performances, etc.

The only NO WAY is on TPIR...without Bob Barker, I can't do it!!

I actually did see a job posting for UC Irvine that looked good, within the last week. I saw it was also named one of the 10 best places in the US to live last year, but expensive. Are there reasonable areas within driving distance, or is that whole area mega expensive?

And you're right, a college campus would be awesome, I would love to have all the activities, great to meet new people!

College campuses are overrated, especially the UCs. Just kidding. I have several friends who work at UCI. Yes, the immediate area is expensive but I think you can find something reasonable nearby. After this golf tournament I'll be down that way to play trivia. I'll look around. Ok, maybe I won't since I'll be in Newport.

[Bob Juch]

So for a multitude of reasons, I am seriously thinking of moving to a warmer location. I just contacted my realtor and my condo will probably be going on the market this week.

It is a semi bad time to leave (family illness and all) but all my life I have been making choices to make other people happy. Now, I feel nothing is holding me here...no boyfriend, no kids, friends are becoming distant and wrapped up with their lives, job is good but not great...and it's so frenchin' cold here! I never explored other places for college, during college or after college like I probably should have...so now I'm going to have my not-really-mid life crisis and do it now!

Suggestions welcome, especially if you know anywhere I can find a job.............

I'm with you!

Unfortunately the job in Phoenix isn't going to happen for awhile (or ever), but I have an interview for one near Columbia, SC tomorrow morning. I lived there for six months in the 90s and loved it.

You should be able to find a job in your field fairly easily. If I were you I'd still get the job before I moved though.

I'm moving my stuff into a PODS on Thursday and having it stored until I get a job somewhere.

[BackInTex]

I'm sure you could find work here in Houston. I have lots of contacts for IA and other financial jobs. It all depends on your salary requirements. If you're flexible you could get a job in a few weeks. I could offer you a job, but at this point I just can't recommend working here to anyone I don't despise.

[Rexer25]

This thread has got me to thinking (always dangerous) that if LB ever gets tired of Mecca, I know of a perfect job in Ft. Worth. There's a plant that prints Our Nation's Currency close to my house. He could work on the line that prints the dollar bills, and give em the Where's George? stamp as they come off the line.

I just don't know where he would live. I don't know of any homes around here with basements.

BIFing for lb

[Snaxx]

Seeing that two SC's have come up in this thread, I've decided to bring back my SC & SC avatar. The photo taken in one SC, reminds me of another SC, and has nothing to do with a third SC.

[sunflower]

I have so much to think about!!!

I contacted my realtor and the condo will be going on the market next week, assuming I can get it clean and organized enough this weekend for that to happen. I need to see how that goes and then will start to look for a job and decide where to go. I will find a job first, but this was very helpful to find some areas to narrow the search to. As many of you mentioned, my field makes it pretty easy to find a job almost anywhere (maybe not the same level and salary, but jobs are there), so I needed help picking a few key areas to start the search in.

I'm super excited, I love having a mission. It's like when I look for coupons!

[Bob Juch]

Just make sure you choose a company that has everything right on the left side of their ledger and something left on the right.

[DaveSenior72]

I have so much to think about!!!

I contacted my realtor and the condo will be going on the market next week, assuming I can get it clean and organized enough this weekend for that to happen. I need to see how that goes and then will start to look for a job and decide where to go. I will find a job first, but this was very helpful to find some areas to narrow the search to. As many of you mentioned, my field makes it pretty easy to find a job almost anywhere (maybe not the same level and salary, but jobs are there), so I needed help picking a few key areas to start the search in.

I'm super excited, I love having a mission. It's like when I look for coupons!

Add DFW to your list too...Texas is warm, real estate market is down a bit, but still strong, job market's good...and if you want to, you can hunt cowboys (NOT the football players!...unless that's your thing lol) And the Metroplex is a reasonable drive (or short flight) from some VERY pretty coast!! Just my two cents! D.

[TheConfessor]

If every day in Austin were as perfect as today, no one would ever settle for living anywhere else. For those days that aren't quite as wonderful, there's always air conditioning, which is commonly available at most local printing companies, thanks to Willis Carrier.

[BackInTex]

If every day in Austin were as perfect as today, no one would ever settle for living anywhere else. For those days that aren't quite as wonderful, there's always air conditioning, which is commonly available at most local printing companies, thanks to Willis Carrier.

Spent the weekend in Austin, camping. We biked around Lady Bird Lake(Town Lake as I knew it growing up). Saturday morning was a bit iffy as the front blew through while we were biking. Lots of wind, a spit of rain, and lots of joggers and their dogs to dodge. But it was fun.

I spent most of the time giving instructions to the two 9 year-old boys (my son and a friend) riding their bikes ahead of me ("stay to the right, stay to the right, watch out for the other people, O.K. pass him now, slow down, slow down on the bridge, what the dog, stay on the path, stay to the right, slow down, stay to the right, good job").

That afternoon we hiked about 3 miles, up Onion Creek and back. My hip complained mightily that night as I tried to sleep. I didn't have the heart to tell it that it was probably its last bike ride and hike. (5 days and counting...)

[BackInTex]

Dup!

[MarleysGh0st]

That afternoon we hiked about 3 miles, up Onion Creek and back. My hip complained mightily that night as I tried to sleep. I didn't have the heart to tell it that it was probably its last bike ride and hike. (5 days and counting...)

But you're going to work it right to the end, huh?

[wintergreen48]

Richmond is good. Back when the economy was good and a lot of companies were moving people in and out of Richmond, there was a cliche that you could get people to move here pretty easily, but once you moved them in, you couldn't move them out.

For a single person, life in the city itself is pretty good, The Fan area is exciting, and lots of neat stuff in close proximity. When you have kids, you want to be in the 'burbs, where, unlike the city, the schools are good and the local politicians rarely end up in jail.

Weather is pretty nice, some humidity issues for several months, but that's typical of the East Coast. Here you are about two hours away from the ocean (less distance if you want to go to the Bay), and an hour or so from the mountains (well, we think that they are mountains, but Colorado folks probably think we Mother Earth in this area needs a pushup bra or something before you can talk about 'mountains'). I like this place.

Economically, and job-wise, we are probably not much different from most places: real estate hasn't dived the way it has in many places (I just got my new real estate tax assessment, big difference from the previous reassessments is that this time the value did not go UP, it stayed the same as before; real estate values have generally moved up over time, but we never had the ridiculous over-priced bubble that hit places like California, Florida, and so on, so we are not facing the burst bubble problem that they have). Several of our misFortune 500 companies are in the tank (Chesapeake Corporation and Circuit City and LandAmerica are all BK), but after laying me off last year, Capital One has brought me back, so SOME hiring is going on.

[SportsFan68]

. . .

Weather is pretty nice, some humidity issues for several months, but that's typical of the East Coast. Here you are about two hours away from the ocean (less distance if you want to go to the Bay), and an hour or so from the mountains (well, we think that they are mountains, but Colorado folks probably think we Mother Earth in this area needs a pushup bra or something before you can talk about 'mountains'). I like this place.

. . .

I am often surprised at what gets called "mountains" in other parts of the continent. I go along with it no problem, mostly because a few million years ago, the Rockies were probably hills compared to the Appalachians.

[BigDrawMan]

the fdic is hiring bank seizure agents by the armful.

i didnt hear if they are all based in dc, or at scattered sites.

they say there is a lotta travel, but there is no shortage of work.