WWGRMD: It's time to relocate from the black hole....

Long story short, I moved here to coal country in 05, when things where still "decent" and after finally getting a degree in a job I can go anywhere with and be employed and gained 5 yrs experience at my current employer, I found out the place where the SWMBO is employed is downsizing several positions that she is directly related with due to continued decline in government payouts and probably an overstatement/guesstimate in needed services.

So, leaving the "black hole" has been a passion of mine for quite some time because there ain't E36 M3 here for anything. Everything worth doing is a hour drive plus for kids to do things, shopping that isn't evil WalMart, and frankly, employment.

My requirements are simple. "decent wages", airport because of family in Michigan still, and civilization. Farther out from that, I would like a semblance of car things all year round from cars and coffee to actual race tracks.

So what say ye, GRM?

PS- I saw the other thread but it went oblong with other country suggestions.

PPS- "decent wages" is greater than 100k/yr.

Atlanta suburbs as long as you can work outside the main city. Your tolerance for crappy traffic determines how far out you need to be looking. Economy's good, cost of living is low (and gets better farther out), lots of car stuff going on, good used market, not far to the mountains, farther but manageable to the coast.

Also not a cross-country move from coal country, so it's easier.

It would be good to know industry/job title you are looking for.

My title at Amazon in Seattle would put me around $125k per year. 

In reply to z31maniac :

Like I said its portable everywhere, ER Nurse. Spouse is a surgical tech. So both of us are in healthcare and as long as people procreate, we'll be employed. 

My family of 3 is supported by 54k a year. I live in Albemarle nc, 45 minutes east of Charlotte.  Real estate is cheap here, but all the real gpod paying jobs are in Charlotte. 

Car stuff 11 months of the year, big ass airport, 3 hours from beach or mountains, relatively low cost of living.

https://www.besthealthdegrees.com/careers/the-top-10-cities-with-the-most-health-care-jobs

In reply to Ranger50 :

MS Gulf Coast. PM me & I’ll give you my#. 

Ranger50 said:

In reply to z31maniac :

Like I said its portable everywhere, ER Nurse. Spouse is a surgical tech. So both of us are in healthcare and as long as people procreate, we'll be employed. 

Is that $100k+ per person or both of you combined? 

I have no idea what an ER nurse makes, I assume it's not bad. 

As the previous post suggests, I'd look for somewhere with lots of healthcare jobs. The south in general, since we all seem to be overweight and eat like crap, should serve you now and well into the future. 

z31maniac said: Is that $100k+ per person or both of you combined? 

Combined. Realisitically, it needs to be at least another 25k/yr plus, unless COL is significantly less than here. 5 people in this house to look and pay on, since the MIL can't live on her own....

Spouse would say it needs to be one person.....

Would also love a good pick-n-pull yard(s) nearby.... It's a needed therapy for me..

Glassdoor says my local area (Richmond, VA) would put the two of you in the ballpark of 100k a year, but not quite there. That said they don't have all that many salaries reported, and I'm not in your industry so you may be able to better tell what salaries are like in this area.  We do pretty well on your other requirements - direct flights to Detroit from here, good public schools, decent size C&C group and a race track an hour north of us.  Real estate costs are probably higher than you have where you are right now, but not by any means out of control. 2 hours to the mountains and good driving roads, 2 hours to the beach, 2 hours to DC.

Ranger50 said:

z31maniac said: Is that $100k+ per person or both of you combined? 

Combined. Realisitically, it needs to be at least another 25k/yr plus, unless COL is significantly less than here. 5 people in this house to look and pay on, since the MIL can't live on her own....

Spouse would say it needs to be one person.....

Would also love a good pick-n-pull yard(s) nearby.... It's a needed therapy for me..

Depends, I know typically out in the middle of nowhere homes can be cheap, but don't know about the rest. 

I know where I'm at in OKC, the COL is very cheap compared to the rest of the country, and "educated" industries typically pay pretty well. I just purchased a home last year 3/2/2, 1800+ sq ft, in a nice quiet neighborhood, COMPLETELY renovated inside and out, for $155k.

Lots of things going on here, July/August are HOT. But you also don't have to do deal with a real winter storm but about once every 4-5 years. I've seen snow on the ground 3 times in Oklahoma in the last 4-5 years, and it was gone later that day or the next. 

Columbus, Ohio is booming, healthcare is big here as it is anywhere. Jobs pay well and the cost of living is reasonable though housing is up up up as it is in most desirable areas right now. You can get a nice house for cheap if you don't care about schools. Good schools puts you in the $250k+ range, great schools puts you in the $350k+ range. I assume you'd want good to great schools and a bigger house since you have 3 adults and 2 kids living there?

I was going to say this area sounds perfect for you, but the "year round" car stuff .. not so much. Given our winters, you don't get race track action in the winter. Mid-Ohio is closed Nov-Mar usually. I don't know about National Trails, the drag course, as I've never gotten into drag racing. Autocrossing also takes the winter off.

Everything else about this area is pretty solid, though.

In reply to dculberson :

No to front plates (anywhere) and winter, just say no to crippling rust on vehicles less than 5yrs old....

I don't disagree on disliking winter!

Front plates though? Man that's a minor bone to pick!

So many choices. Being in nursing, that will put you in a bigger town to get the income that you are looking for. What do you like to do outside of motorsports? For housing under 300K, that puts you either in the midwest, Smaller towns in the south or a far suburb of a bigger town. 

Me personally, I like the Chattanooga area. Lots of good driving. you have Bristol close for drags and the roundy round. Not too far from Nashville and Atlanta with Charlotte under an easy day drive away. You can also get to Barber pretty easily too. Smaller town feel with all of the amenities. It would be high on my list of if I could live anywhere spots. 

In reply to dculberson :

From the GRM Challenge rules:

Please remove your front license plate and plate holder, as those things are ugly, too.

I concur.

$100k+ is pretty decent in the Northern NV area and there is a shortage of health care professionals here, but I don’t know if that translates into good job offers.

That said, the COL here (which used to be about US average) has gone up noticeably in the last couple of years. 

dculberson wrote:

I don't disagree on disliking winter!

Front plates though? Man that's a minor bone to pick!

Simply moving to the Detroit area will fix the front plate issue.  As for winter, I think they have rallycross in the snow.  Road salt is in fact a thing, but modern cars seem to hadle it pretty well.  

bmw88rider said:

What do you like to do outside of motorsports? 

Uhhhh, drink beer and work on cars?? Wait for football season to start?

Ranger50 said:

In reply to z31maniac :

Like I said its portable everywhere, ER Nurse. Spouse is a surgical tech. So both of us are in healthcare and as long as people procreate, we'll be employed. 

My wife is a Surgical Tech in Vancouver, Wa and her Clinic is always looking for decent techs.  There’s a Hospital across the street with an ER and there is a shortage of Nurses in general.  There are many other ER’s in the area to work with as well.

Schools are great, cost of living is pretty reasonable, car and outdoor stuff is easily reached/enjoyed.  

Portland International Raceway, Pacific Raceways, The Ridge, Spokane Raceway, Oregon Raceway Park and Pro Solo at Packwood Washington.

Mt. Saint Helens, the Pacific Ocean and many other beautiful recreation areas are within a short drive.

PDX is rated one of the best airports in the country several years in a row.

Ranger50 wrote:

bmw88rider said:

What do you like to do outside of motorsports? 

Uhhhh, drink beer and work on cars?? Wait for football season to start?

I still think metro Detroit is what you are looking for.  Winter sucks, but you can spend it drinking beer and working on cars.  Our local beer list is extensive.  You can then spend spring through fall going outside to do car stuff.

Ranger50 said:

z31maniac said: Is that $100k+ per person or both of you combined? 

Combined. Realisitically, it needs to be at least another 25k/yr plus, unless COL is significantly less than here. 5 people in this house to look and pay on, since the MIL can't live on her own....

Spouse would say it needs to be one person.....

Would also love a good pick-n-pull yard(s) nearby.... It's a needed therapy for me..

There are 5 or 6 Pick-N-Pull yards in the Portland/Vancouver metro area.

There's several active Cars and Coffee groups in the area along with several car shows, a yearly swap meet, etc.

In reply to WilD :

I’m originally from Michigan, so no I won’t move back.

'year 'round car stuff" is probably going to mean AR, NM, CA or FL.  I suppose TX as well.  

I get the impression good health care workers are in demand pretty much everywhere so I'd imagine you'll have your pick.

Ranger50 said:

In reply to dculberson :

No to front plates (anywhere) and winter, just say no to crippling rust on vehicles less than 5yrs old....

I say again, greater Atlanta Area.