Living in the East looks expensive

1. 61

   Jane@CMposted 14 years ago

   My, my!  As you all know my hubby is looking for a job.  Most of the jobs that are in his field of expertise seem to be out east.  Generally when he applies for one, I start scoping out the community it is in, the schools & home prices.  They want about the same amount of money for a small 3 bedroom w/1 garage that our full two story with three stall garage is worth.  GAAAA!
   
   Then I look at Georgia, where there are also several jobs & I find we can buy a house twice of what we have for less money...boggles my mind.
   
   Jane's rant for the day!
   
   MAKE HIS PHONE RING!!!!! PLEASE he is driving me looney.

   replyreport
   1. 59

      dutchman1951posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Get out of New England, run away, far far away!
      
      you'll pay a half mil for Junk up there, or you can buy 3500 sq feet new with custom everything in GA. for same. Atlanta is Grid locked for Traffic, but it has its fantastic points.
      
      New England is doing it the hard way. you'll be 2 hours in commute to get anything reasonable and in good shape with good schools, and clean living. Very High Taxes, fun places, but crowded and you pay for every little thing or small service through the nose. High commuter fees also. Weather is Hard on you in Winter.
      
      The carolinas are fantastic, a hidden suprise, and very very good. Very Cheep compaired to Long Island, and really excelent large Homes in great communities, and not affected by the economy. Raleigh-Duram area, Cary. Good Businesses and long term work right now. Well worth looking at. 2800 to 3500 sq feet 289-365,000 with good landscaped yards etc... lots of choice, lower bills per month. Excelent schools. People who speak. I'd check it out.

      replyreport
      1. 61

         Jane@CMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Wow thanks for your information!  He has been looking in the areas you mentioned.  I was quite surprised when I looked at home prices in GA.  He has applied for a few things in the Carolina's too. 
         
         As for the cold, we will have our first freeze tonight - we are use to it. YUCK!

         replyreport
2. 0

   Crazdwriterposted 14 years ago

   ooooo I hope he gets a job soon too. And somewhere NOT expensive. Yes it is expensive out here in CA sorry *hugs*

   replyreport
   1. 61

      Jane@CMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I know its expensive in CA, he had an office in San Jose too & the cost of living there is stupid too!  CA is way down on our list of places to live.

      replyreport
3. 79

   Uninvited Writerposted 14 years ago

   I watch House Hunters and I'm amazed at the difference in house prices throughout the US...

   replyreport
   1. 0

      Crazdwriterposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      OOOO I love that show...and watch it when i'm visiting my parents since I don't have cable in our apartment lmao of course when they start buying places out of country then I start getting sad beecause I don't have the money for that lol

      replyreport
4. 0

   Crazdwriterposted 14 years ago

   Nevada or Arizona are good to live in...though really hot so I don't know...

   replyreport
5. 61

   Jewels2940posted 14 years ago

   Sorry about the prices being high, but even here in good ol' WV, the prices of homes are high,and the ones that aren't high are foreclosure 'fixer-uppers'

   replyreport
6. 82

   dohn121posted 14 years ago

   I've been living in New York state practically all my life and grew up in Westchester, NY.  I can certainly vouch for the high cost of living here.  On average, the houses where I grew up START at $900,000 which will fetch you a 0.4 acres of land, two bedrooms, one bathroom, one garage, and jeers from your affluent neighbors

   replyreport
   1. 61

      Jane@CMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      He just applied for a job on Long Island, I about peed when I looked at the real estate there.

      replyreport
   2. 81

      TamCorposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Wow...Here's what you can get in our city for that price--and that's with 7+ acres!  Of course, how many people really need 6.5 baths??? lol
      
      http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhom … ?source=hp

      replyreport
7. 0

   Crazdwriterposted 14 years ago

   Cost for living sucks!

   replyreport
8. 0

   cosetteposted 14 years ago

   well even if prices are high, all over they are lower than usual because of the recession. i heard on NPR the other day that oceanfront property in San Diego is going for an UNHEARD-OF $1 million dollars, and just a few blocks in, $60,000. hopefully you guys will find something great once he gets an offer, wherever he goes. i am excited for you!

   replyreport
9. 81

   TamCorposted 14 years ago

   And Jane, I'm sorry--I meant to add that I hope your hubby finds a new job soon...I know how hard it is to find one these days.  Mine has been looking for a year--lots of resumes sent, and even interviews, but I think age has become a factor, sadly...
   
   But, on the bright side, I do love having him home with me...

   replyreport
   1. 61

      Jane@CMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I love having him home, but it is starting to wear on my nerves...I like my alone time.
      
      Sorry about your hubby too.  Its everywhere!

      replyreport
10. 81

    TamCorposted 14 years ago

    You're right--it is everywhere--and our area is swamped with foreclosures, very few job listings...stores and factories closing--it's really sad.
    
    If our son wasn't in college here, we would've left by now...but he lives at home with us, and there's no way he could find a job to support himself around here!

    replyreport
    1. 61

       Jane@CMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Yikes!  Thankfully our daughter is in the dorm and will move into a sorority house next year.  If we move before the summer, she has plenty of relatives she can live with.  She also has a great job, so that helps her!
       
       How long until your son graduates?

       replyreport
       1. 81

          TamCorposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          He's just starting his second year at the local community college, but he will eventually transfer to a bigger college.  The problem is the cost, of course--he can't find work to save towards transferring and living in a dorm.  We're not quite sure what is going to happen, but for now, we're just taking it one day at a time, since there's nothing else we can do at the moment!
          
          We may end up just moving to wherever he wants to go to school..lol...then he can still live at home with us--at least for awhile.
          
          I'm so glad your daughter has a good job, and relatives to take her in if necessary--what a relief it must be for you, if you have to relocate!

          replyreport
          1. 61

             Jane@CMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             Yep its a relief!  However, tuition is going to kill us, I fear.  She received 5,500 in loans for the school year, but that still leaves us with over 15,000 for the year to pay. Hopefully she'll get some scholarships next year, being a female in Engineering?  But who knows.

             replyreport
             1. 81

                TamCorposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                Oh boy...I hope you're able to get that worked out, Jane, that sounds scary.  Our son was able to qualify for Pell Grants both years now, due to our income reduction--our loss was his gain, lol.  But, on the other hand, it's not enough that he can go away somewhere to school.  But, we are VERY grateful that he can at least get started right here, even if it is a smaller community college.
                
                We need to start checking into student loans, but dread it.  Larkin(our son) would be responsible for paying them back, but we hate the thought of him starting his life out having all that debt...  I'm not sure what scholarships he could check into, but I suppose that's another option.

                replyreport
                1. 61

                   Jane@CMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                   TamCor, have your read Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover?  It has a great chapter in it on helping your child stay debt free through college.
                   
                   @Mighty Mom - I've been looking at everything when I'm looking at the community/city he applies at.  I'm being very specific for my 13 year old As far as friend for me - I don't have any here & don't expect to make any where we go (life story), but I'm good with it. 
                   
                   GOOD NEWS - he did get a call from a HR person in California for a Engineering Program Manager, they will be hiring four HERE in the cities (jumps for joy)!  As my hubby stated after the call this morning, "at least my resume isn't sitting in their black hole".

                   replyreport
11. 83

    Whitney05posted 14 years ago

    Try looking for foreclosed homes. It is pretty expensive on the east coast. Depending on where you're living in the state will cause price to go up as well. In GA, if you're closer to Atlanta, Columbus, and maybe Savannah, it'll be more expensive than in other cities. Try Alabama, everything's cheaper in AL than in GA- whether it be morgage, electricity, water, cable, whatever.
    
    Good luck

    replyreport
12. 0

    Crazdwriterposted 14 years ago

    I'm house hunting msyelf and the best houses for us is an hour away from where my husband works. how lame is that? I see hubs coming out of this for both of us Jane

    replyreport
13. 0

    Crazdwriterposted 14 years ago

    oi ve....good luck to you Jane and to you TamCor with not just jobs but also school. Yea my husband is going to be going to school so that means I can't...not enough funds even if I did get a scholarship or financial aid to help out. Oh well guess I will just have to wait or go to a local Junior college for creative writing classes.

    replyreport
    1. 81

       TamCorposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks, crazd, for the well wishes--it's pretty tough starting all over again at our age, but we'll get through it--we always have!
       
       I admire you for wanting to continue your education--I hope you're able to work something out.  We've been trying and trying to coax our oldest son into taking some classes(he's almost 25 now), but no luck, so far, lol.  He's so darn smart, we keep telling him to use those brains, and get somewhere!
       
       He didn't care too much for regular school, though, so I'm guessing he thinks it'd just be more of the same, lol. 

       replyreport
14. 61

    Lisa HWposted 14 years ago

    I just heard on the news yesterday that it looks like Massachusetts may come out of the recession faster than places in other parts of the country.  The only thing it's no bargain to live in Massachusetts.

    replyreport
    1. 62

       Mishaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks for the giggles

       replyreport
15. 79

    Mighty Momposted 14 years ago

    Making a geographical move for one spouse's job can be very traumatic. Going into it knowing your new house is going to cost 2x or more than your current house is a jolt, no doubt. But usually there is an adjustment in salary in higher priced cities so he'll be making more.
    There are so many thinks to look at -- schools, cultural opportunities, recreation, how well does the market hold its value. How will you meet new friends?
    Anyway, try not to look at the negative.
    The most important thing is finding a job that he'll like and a move that won't make you too resentful (been there, lived that one).
    Good luck!!! MM

    replyreport
16. 68

    lrohnerposted 14 years ago

    Living in the East can be expensive. I've mostly worked in NYC or Connecticut's Fairfield County -- two of the most expensive places to live in the country. But I always lived on the fringe where cost of living is relatively inexpensive. So I made the big city dollars and paid the smaller town expenses. (They also had better schools and things too.) The trade-off? A longer commute to work. I just made sure I chose a town that had some mass transportation to make it easier.
    
    To give you an example, Dohn's totally right about the cost of houses in NY. In Fairfield County, a small 3 bedroom house can easily cost in excess of a million bucks. I live about 20 minutes from Fairfield County's fringes and bought a 100 year old, 4,000 sq.ft. 4-bed, 4-bath, 2-kitchen Victorian with about an acre of land for under $300k. So it is doable. My town even has their own electric company so my electricity bills are very cheap.
    
    I forgot what school your daughter attends. Is it a state school? If so, look into gaining residency for her now! When my oldest started at the University of Florida, we lived in Miami so her tuition was pretty cheap. My middle daughter attends Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina. It took her a year, but she was able to gain a South Carolina residence which cut about $20k/year off of her tuition.

    replyreport
    1. 90

       rmcrayneposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I was in the Baltimore area in grad school 12 years ago and they had fantastic public transportation.  I would think they have maintained that.  At the time they had 1 parking space for every 4 workers in the downtown area.  They also encouraged public transit to ball games. 
       
       I went to Coastal Carolina for a year and lived in a beach front hotel off season. 

       replyreport
17. 61

    Jane@CMposted 14 years ago

    Good info!
    
    I would think my daughter is already a resident, almost 19, has voted, lived here all her life.  I'll have to check on that.

    replyreport
18. 68

    lrohnerposted 14 years ago

    Jane -- DO NOT MOVE TO ATLANTA!!!!!!!!!! I have been in rush hour traffic in NYC, LA, Boston, Dallas, Chicago -- virtually every major city in the US, and Atlanta is the WORST! They do have the Marta now (mass transit) thanks to the Olympics a few years back, but GOOD GOD! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Besides, there's a reason why even the natives there call it Hotlanta!
    
    The cost of living in the Carolinas is dirt cheap. But so is the pay scale there. If I were looking for a place on the east coast that had low(er) traffic, decent wages and lower cost of living, I think Virginia and Pennsylvania fit the bill very nicely.

    replyreport
19. 0

    Linda Myshrallposted 14 years ago

    I'm from Los Angeles, now living in GA, and heading back to LA...  long story.  Anyway, real-estate-wise:  I'm actively looking and selling, and here's where it's at: (and I'm not trying to run an ad on my house, promise, just trying to give you the comparison...)  I'm now in a good neighborhood, on (ocean-access)water, in a completely re-done home with high-end appliances, 4 + 3, dock, swimming pool.  $450K.  In LA(ish) our agent can't find anything we will live in for less than $550.  For that, I will get $1600 sq. ft. and tiny lot, no pool, and definitely no water.  I guess... it's relative.  Bottom line, we do what we have to do, for our kids, careers, whatever.  Good luck and I hope you find something.

    replyreport
20. 0

    Sarra Garrettposted 14 years ago

    In Florida the housing market has totally crashed.  You can pick up a $250k house for $10k.  Great time to buy, however, NO JOBS.

    replyreport