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Have you made a major move/relocation?
- Thread starter sdilley14
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Moving across country is not an age thing 
I grew up the child of a Navy couple so moving every three to four years was not unusual as a kid.
I've done it so many times when I lived in Australia. I lived in Darwin, moved to Canberra for college, back to Darwin then moved to Sydney for four years, back to Darwin for a great five years where I met my wife, we then moved to Brisbane for 10 years, I moved without a job at the young age of 32 on that last move. We didn't know anyone in the city, nor had any relations. I've been with the company I work for now for the last 11 years!
The last move we did was from Brisbane to San Diego. Cost us a fortune to move as it all ended up happening very quickly in the end. I (well we) would do it all over again even knowing the costs involved.
Plan, make sure you have somewhere to stay when you hit the ground, motel, friends or pre-arranged rental. If you go with a rental, make sure you have a short lease in case you hate the neighborhood. Have transport as you'll need to get around, or be near public transport.
Have enough money to cover you until you get a job and income, hard one, but makes it so much easier.
Overall, do it. If you don't you'll always question it. If you do and hate it, you've lost money but at least you know!
I've never regretted a move as I've always made the most of it. This last move caused the most apprehension but has been the most rewarding. A good career move, great for my son and his schooling (great school district) and we've all made some really great friends.
I grew up the child of a Navy couple so moving every three to four years was not unusual as a kid.I've done it so many times when I lived in Australia. I lived in Darwin, moved to Canberra for college, back to Darwin then moved to Sydney for four years, back to Darwin for a great five years where I met my wife, we then moved to Brisbane for 10 years, I moved without a job at the young age of 32 on that last move. We didn't know anyone in the city, nor had any relations. I've been with the company I work for now for the last 11 years!
The last move we did was from Brisbane to San Diego. Cost us a fortune to move as it all ended up happening very quickly in the end. I (well we) would do it all over again even knowing the costs involved.
Plan, make sure you have somewhere to stay when you hit the ground, motel, friends or pre-arranged rental. If you go with a rental, make sure you have a short lease in case you hate the neighborhood. Have transport as you'll need to get around, or be near public transport.
Have enough money to cover you until you get a job and income, hard one, but makes it so much easier.
Overall, do it. If you don't you'll always question it. If you do and hate it, you've lost money but at least you know!
I've never regretted a move as I've always made the most of it. This last move caused the most apprehension but has been the most rewarding. A good career move, great for my son and his schooling (great school district) and we've all made some really great friends.
I moved to Los Angeles when I was 19 from Scottsdale, AZ. While not far in distance, it's vastly different in culture. No regrets. I'm having the time of my life.
I will tell you now that Phoenix is a large retirement community + popular destination for snow birds. I find it to be kind of stale, but I'm comparing that to LA which isn't fair. However, Scottsdale is starting to catch its stride with some lively nightlife.
I live by quite a simple thought: **** it, I'll do it.
If Ya want to move....do it. You can always move back, or somewhere else.
Also, what you're considering is much more than what most people in this country would consider....there's a lot of people who've never left their small town, not even for holiday! As a world traveling enthusiast, I personally find that unbelievable.
I will tell you now that Phoenix is a large retirement community + popular destination for snow birds. I find it to be kind of stale, but I'm comparing that to LA which isn't fair. However, Scottsdale is starting to catch its stride with some lively nightlife.
I live by quite a simple thought: **** it, I'll do it.
If Ya want to move....do it. You can always move back, or somewhere else.
Also, what you're considering is much more than what most people in this country would consider....there's a lot of people who've never left their small town, not even for holiday! As a world traveling enthusiast, I personally find that unbelievable.
Thank you for the input!
I can't imagine many places seem very interesting or exciting when you compare it to LA.
How about cold, rural Wisconsin city of 70,000 people (mostly college students and middle age, medium wage workers) to Phoenix/Tempe?
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That is something I have certainly considered. From the research I have done, state income tax in AZ as opposed to WI is about 2% less.
Property taxes are easily less than half of what I pay here in WI. Bang-for-your-buck in regards to the type of house you can buy there absolutely blows the spot I'm at in WI out of the water - not even comparable. It seems like there are a lot of properties in AZ that were built new in the early 2000s, values skyrocketed, then plummeted around 2007-2009, and they still haven't "recovered"...which leaves you with some really nice homes at very affordable prices. I'm amazed at how cheap property taxes are compared to here. A really nice $150k house in AZ has property taxes around $1k/yr. That same house in the town I'm at, taxes would easily be $3500/yr. Not to mention that same house would cost about $25-$50k more here. It's ridiculous.
As far as groceries and things like that - I'm not sure how it compares. But I'm not going to let a dime hold up a dollar in regards to making this type of move.
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Thanks for the input!
I have a couple plans for when I land at my destination. I have two friends that are willing to let me crash at their places for the first couple months. I'm also considering renting a place for 6 months or so, just to be sure this move makes sense and I'm happy with where I'm at.
I have a car that I'll be driving there, so transportation won't be an issue.
And I'm not going to make any type of move until I have a job lined up. I've been applying online and I have an interview this Friday for a job in Tempe. Really crossing my fingers that this interview works out!
Thank you for the input!
I can't imagine many places seem very interesting or exciting when you compare it to LA.
How about cold, rural Wisconsin city of 70,000 people (mostly college students and middle age, medium wage workers) to Phoenix/Tempe?
I went to rural Wisconsin last year in January and I couldn't wait to get out! I think anything under 60 degrees is cold and requires a parka
so I was frickin miserable. In fact, that was the first time I've ever been in negative degree weather in my life. The high one day was -26......no thanks. Compared to that, Phoenix / Tempe / Scottsdale will be a dream! Compared to Wisconsin it will be more expensive, but not nearly as expensive as major cities like San Francisco, LA, NYC, etc.
I'm obviously not aware of what you find fun, but Mill Ave in Tempe is the hot spot to be. I've aftually never been there, but I hear its all college kids, a lot of "bros" (pass). Scottsdale is more civilized and fights aren't breaking out with the bros. Chandler, and Mesa has a lot of Mormons, talk about a stick in the mud mentality....there's no fun to be had at all! I'm going to put a vote in for North & Old Town Scottsdale....it's fun, it's clean, landscaping is prestine, it's wealthy, but you don't really have to be wealthy to live there.
Well I an the son of Greek immigrants to Canada. We moved quite a bit within the country however...born in Montreal we moved west and I was brought up in BC. Lived on the East Coast, studied in both Nova Scotia and Ottawa.
At the age of 30 in 1996 I decided to jump the pond and moved to Geneva to continue grad studies specialising in international relations. Briefly considered going the academic route with a PhD but got the opportunity to work in an international foundation and am still here.
At the age of 30 in 1996 I decided to jump the pond and moved to Geneva to continue grad studies specialising in international relations. Briefly considered going the academic route with a PhD but got the opportunity to work in an international foundation and am still here.
I went to rural Wisconsin last year in January and I couldn't wait to get out! I think anything under 60 degrees is cold and requires a parka
Compared to that, Phoenix / Tempe / Scottsdale will be a dream! Compared to Wisconsin it will be more expensive, but not nearly as expensive as major cities like San Francisco, LA, NYC, etc.
I'm obviously not aware of what you find fun, but Mill Ave in Tempe is the hot spot to be. I've aftually never been there, but I hear its all college kids, a lot of "bros" (pass). Scottsdale is more civilized and fights aren't breaking out with the bros. Chandler, and Mesa has a lot of Mormons, talk about a stick in the mud mentality....there's no fun to be had at all! I'm going to put a vote in for North & Old Town Scottsdale....it's fun, it's clean, landscaping is prestine, it's wealthy, but you don't really have to be wealthy to live there.
Thank you for the input!
Yeah, WI is simply brutal in the winter...no other way to put it. And it lasts 4 months solid, sometimes longer. :/
Your assessment of AZ seems spot on. While I do enjoy a vibrant nightlife, I'm pretty "bro" averse myself. I would rather chill at a nice lounge or bar with microbrews and things like that. I'm not big on the college bars and clubs and things like that anymore.
All of the nightlife stuff is really icing on the cake though. I'm really moving for the weather, higher salary, scenery, social activities (I'm a huge sports guy, so having pro baseball/basketball/football in the city will be amazing), hiking year round, boating/ATV'ing year round, etc.
Also it is also quite a misconception that Arizona is only desert. If you drive 2 hours north of Phoenix you're in the forest. If you absolutely need to escape the heat in summer, which some people do, a weekend getaway is easily attainable. There's a neat little bohemian college town 2 hours north called Flagstaff, where during the summer it's in the 80's. During winter there's snow, sometimes quite a lot. I think last winter it snowed 5' in one weekend. Other absolutely beautiful places to look up are Sedona, Strawberry, Prescott (pronounced Press-kit, don't sound like a tourist
), and Tortilla Flat to name a few. For what it's worth, I personally love the desert scape since I grew up in it my entire life. I'm especially fond of the monsoons, the sights, the smells of the ozone layer, it's remarkable.
Also it is also quite a misconception that Arizona is only desert. If you drive 2 hours north of Phoenix you're in the forest. If you absolutely need to escape the heat in summer, which some people do, a weekend getaway is easily attainable. There's a neat little bohemian college town 2 hours north called Flagstaff, where during the summer it's in the 80's. During winter there's snow, sometimes quite a lot. I think last winter it snowed 5' in one weekend. Other absolutely beautiful places to look up are Sedona, Strawberry, Prescott (pronounced Press-kit, don't sound like a tourist
For what it's worth, I personally love the desert scape since I grew up in it my entire life. I'm especially fond of the monsoons, the sights, the smells of the ozone layer, it's remarkable.
Thanks for the insight. That's one of the reasons why I'm drawn to this area - there are a lot of beautiful/interesting/unique places to go within a 2-3 hour radius. And if I really want to get crazy it's a 5 hour drive to Vegas and a 6? hour drive to LA. Plenty of amazing places within reasonable driving distance (or of course a cheap plane ride).
Southwest Airlines is your friend! I fly to and from Phoenix and Los Angeles & Las Vegas frequently and flights start at $56 one way, a roundtrip flight is about how much you would spend on fuel there and back anyhow. Quite frankly I need instant gratification in life, and not going to drive 5+ hours anymore
flying is definitely the way to go. Plus the drive to LA and Vegas are boooooooring. Maybe do it once to cross it off your list.
Southwest Airlines is your friend! I fly to and from Phoenix and Los Angeles & Las Vegas frequently and flights start at $56 one way, a roundtrip flight is about how much you would spend on fuel there and back anyhow. Quite frankly I need instant gratification in life, and not going to drive 5+ hours anymore
And pray that there are no fires in the desert. That one near Victorville all but killed the SoCal/Vegas commute, as I-15 is the only way up, unless you drive 4 hours out of the way to Needles.
If you're going to do it, at least make it somewhat nostalgic and drive (what is left of) Route 66 in that area, then pick up I-15 the rest of the way.
BL.
Update:
This morning I received an offer on a job in Tempe, AZ. They offered me exactly what I asked for - $15k/yr more than I am making now. 38% salary increase. Looks like I'll be making this big move sometime very soon!
On a related note, I put my current house up for rent on Craigslist. In one day I've gotten about 15 inquiries. I was able to refinance and get the mortgage payment down to about $700/mo. I'm getting offers of $1k/mo from potential tenants.
This morning I received an offer on a job in Tempe, AZ. They offered me exactly what I asked for - $15k/yr more than I am making now. 38% salary increase.
Looks like I'll be making this big move sometime very soon!On a related note, I put my current house up for rent on Craigslist. In one day I've gotten about 15 inquiries. I was able to refinance and get the mortgage payment down to about $700/mo. I'm getting offers of $1k/mo from potential tenants.
Update:
This morning I received an offer on a job in Tempe, AZ. They offered me exactly what I asked for - $15k/yr more than I am making now. 38% salary increase.
On a related note, I put my current house up for rent on Craigslist. In one day I've gotten about 15 inquiries. I was able to refinance and get the mortgage payment down to about $700/mo. I'm getting offers of $1k/mo from potential tenants.
Awesome sauce! Hope the move goes super smooth!
Update:
This morning I received an offer on a job in Tempe, AZ. They offered me exactly what I asked for - $15k/yr more than I am making now. 38% salary increase.
On a related note, I put my current house up for rent on Craigslist. In one day I've gotten about 15 inquiries. I was able to refinance and get the mortgage payment down to about $700/mo. I'm getting offers of $1k/mo from potential tenants.
Word of advice from a year's worth of bad personal experience.
If you get an apartment down there, make sure it has centralized air, not on the top floor, and does not face west.
I was in that predicament for a year in Vegas, because I thought I'd have the best view of the Strip, Boulder Highway, and Fremont Street (which I did), but didn't take into account the summer heat. The two wall A/C units I had ran me a $500 power bill from May to October.
Moved to the other side of town as quickly as I could.
BL.
Update:
This morning I received an offer on a job in Tempe, AZ. They offered me exactly what I asked for - $15k/yr more than I am making now. 38% salary increase.
On a related note, I put my current house up for rent on Craigslist. In one day I've gotten about 15 inquiries. I was able to refinance and get the mortgage payment down to about $700/mo. I'm getting offers of $1k/mo from potential tenants.
You're running out of excuses now. You might actually have to make that move.
I work for a company that introduced hot desking on a move to a new building. No allocated desks, basically first come first served. I've noticed that 98% of people sit in the same seat every day. I guess generally people like stability and routine.
So for most people a move such as this is a pretty big step and I reckon many never take that step. You do sound like you're ready so the best of luck, I reckon you are doing the right thing. Who knows, you might consider another country next.
But just to add some perspective, I'm at the other end of the spectrum, different seat every day, lived and worked in multiple countries and spend my weekends traveling. The thought of actually being tied to one location really does scare me. A cousin reckons there is gypsy blood in the family and I can well believe it.
Thank you for the advice!
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You're running out of excuses now. You might actually have to make that move.
I work for a company that introduced hot desking on a move to a new building. No allocated desks, basically first come first served. I've noticed that 98% of people sit in the same seat every day. I guess generally people like stability and routine.
So for most people a move such as this is a pretty big step and I reckon many never take that step. You do sound like you're ready so the best of luck, I reckon you are doing the right thing. Who knows, you might consider another country next.
But just to add some perspective, I'm at the other end of the spectrum, different seat every day, lived and worked in multiple countries and spend my weekends traveling. The thought of actually being tied to one location really does scare me. A cousin reckons there is gypsy blood in the family and I can well believe it.
Thanks for sharing!
Yes, it is one thing to talk about making a big move and getting things set up for it and all that. But to actually follow through and make that move - that's an entirely different story! But I think I'm ready. The money is right, I have friends down there to help me get acclimated, it's a career promotion + salary bump. It makes sense for me.
However, there are a lot of moving parts. Leaving my nice stable job, starting a new job, the logistics of physically moving. Do I move all my stuff with me or try to sell as much as I can and take whatever I can fit in my car? Then renting out my current house, getting a tenant moved in. Lots to consider. But one step at a time.
UPDATE
So I made the move from Wisconsin to Phoenix, AZ 2 weeks ago. So far it has been amazing! I live in Phoenix, right next to Tempe, in the Ahwatukee Foothills area - very nice area!
I made the move by myself and drove the entire trip in one shot - 25 hours straight, only stopping for gas. Lol. Never doing that again! :S
The new work situation has been great. I'm still in training, so of course it's easy. But my duties are much more condensed and simplified compared to my previous job. And I'm making 38% more base pay + OT opportunity...so financially it is a really nice step up.
I know I'm still in the honeymoon phase, having only been here for 2 weeks, but so far I can say that I am 100% glad that I made this change. In hindsight I wish I would have done this 3-5 years ago. Then again I wouldn't have had the work experience that landed me this job and made this whole move possible...so I guess it all works out.
Anyone that has recommendations on places to go and things to do in the Phoenix area, please chime in.
So I made the move from Wisconsin to Phoenix, AZ 2 weeks ago. So far it has been amazing! I live in Phoenix, right next to Tempe, in the Ahwatukee Foothills area - very nice area!
I made the move by myself and drove the entire trip in one shot - 25 hours straight, only stopping for gas. Lol. Never doing that again! :S
The new work situation has been great. I'm still in training, so of course it's easy. But my duties are much more condensed and simplified compared to my previous job. And I'm making 38% more base pay + OT opportunity...so financially it is a really nice step up.
I know I'm still in the honeymoon phase, having only been here for 2 weeks, but so far I can say that I am 100% glad that I made this change. In hindsight I wish I would have done this 3-5 years ago. Then again I wouldn't have had the work experience that landed me this job and made this whole move possible...so I guess it all works out.
Anyone that has recommendations on places to go and things to do in the Phoenix area, please chime in.
Congrats! I'm glad it's going well and that you are feeling good about things.
Thank you!
It's amazing how it felt like an almost impossible undertaking when I first started thinking about doing it - leaving a stable job and a house to move across the country. But now that I've done it, I feel like I could go anywhere and do anything.
Thank you!
It's amazing how it felt like an almost impossible undertaking when I first started thinking about doing it - leaving a stable job and a house to move across the country. But now that I've done it, I feel like I could go anywhere and do anything.
Now, the only other word of advice I can give you is this...
Stay near a golf course (as if that would be hard to do in Phoenix!).
I say that, because that will be the only place you will find a lawn in that town.
And don't let Joe Arpaio get to you. If he does, kick his butt up to Green Bay for the winter, with a dose of S**U.
BL.