Author Topic: Relocation - Beginning the Process  (Read 3478 times)

BrooklineBiker

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Relocation - Beginning the Process
« on: May 14, 2014, 07:46:54 PM »
Hi everyone,
My wife and I are thinking a lot about relocation from the Boston area, probably Virginia or elsewhere in the Southeast US. We are doing so in the hopes of cutting our cost of living long term to dig out of a financial hole and stay out of future financial difficulty.  Avoiding tough Massachusetts winters would be a bonus as well. We have 2 young children (7.5 years and 2 years). We have little cash and plenty of debt. I have a relatively stable job, though my wife will be unemployed in July. I do not see her getting back to work full-time soon and likely not at more than 70% of her former wages. In terms of our relocation strategy, I am seeing some challenges and request some feedback:
• We have been to Atlanta, DC,* Savannah, and a few other cities in the area as tourists. However, we have not been to Charleston, Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, or Richmond. They might be good places to relocate and worthy of investigation.
• I would not want to move to these cities sight unseen or having only previewed them from Google Maps. My preference would be to see the communities before I begin an aggressive job search.
• We do not have friends or relatives in these communities.
• My wife is a teacher and I am a grant writer so I do not think it is likely an employer would pay for interview expenses or relocation costs.
• Flying and trains are expensive. A long car or bus ride(s) with 2 very active, young children could be very rough on all involved.
What is the best way to approach this? Does anyone have recommendations on how we might get some on the ground time in these cities at minimal cost with our collective sanity intact?
Thanks!

*DC is not a cheap city but is the city where I am most likely to be readily hired and get  a large raise.

thefrugalnudists

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Re: Relocation - Beginning the Process
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2014, 06:51:45 AM »
We would like to hear back on this as well. We live North of Boston and rent a reasonable apartment but would like to buy one day. It doesn't seem feasible here to buy and be frugal and get ahead.
We often think of moving to Europe (yes, we know it isn't cheap there but quality of life and good schools count for a lot) but we get intimidated by the challenge of it.
So if we don't end up in Europe we will likely head South. Any good cities in NC, VA or SC that have good IT jobs, bikable commutes and are safe with good schools?

mnstachian

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Re: Relocation - Beginning the Process
« Reply #2 on: July 14, 2014, 09:07:19 AM »
If you are not averse to academic grant writing and are good at what you do, jobs with large research universities will likely fly you out to interview (their searches are often national) and will often cover many of the expenses associated with relocation. Just about all of the cities that you mention have them. Good luck!

BrooklineBiker

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Re: Relocation - Beginning the Process
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2014, 09:48:17 PM »
If you are not averse to academic grant writing and are good at what you do, jobs with large research universities will likely fly you out to interview (their searches are often national) and will often cover many of the expenses associated with relocation. Just about all of the cities that you mention have them. Good luck!
Hi Mustachian,
If a university wishes to fly me out, I would not be averse to doing some academic writing.Thanks!

sedura

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Re: Relocation - Beginning the Process
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2014, 10:00:13 PM »
I'm in Raleigh, NC. There are three major universities within 30 minutes of my house. It's also the best place to live. Don't take my word for it, ask Forbes, Businessweek and a number of other publications.

@thefrugalnudist - you should move to Cary NC and work in RTP.

geekette

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Re: Relocation - Beginning the Process
« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2014, 11:28:51 PM »
I'm in Cary - not all that bikeable unless you can take the heat.  And the humidity.  But that's just summer talking.  The rest of the year is pretty good.  There are bike/walking paths, which are swarming with families with their dogs on long leashes every nice weekend.  Be nimble.

The COL is good here, and there are IT jobs aplenty in Research Triangle Park (between Raleigh/Cary, Durham, and Chapel Hill/Carrboro).  Many places in town too.

Carrboro is the crunchy area, but expensive.

sedura's right - Universities abound.  NCSU, UNC Chapel Hill, Duke, and several smaller schools as well.

Someone on here dissed Cary as boring.  Hey, it's a suburb with a lot of families.  Heavy on the night life, it ain't.  But there are parks, good grocery stores, decent schools (so I've heard).  It used to be pretty liberal (for the south).  Maybe the pendulum will swing back soon.


mikefixac

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Re: Relocation - Beginning the Process
« Reply #6 on: July 15, 2014, 12:09:02 AM »
I lived in MD and wanted to relocate (~22 at the time). Got on a bus, went to Seattle sight unseen. It was tough at the beginning, but it worked out.

Then realized I didn't care for all the rain, sold all my belongings and hitchhiked around the country. Settled in SoCal.

Area you mentioned (VA) sounds good. VA Beach area I would think your wife would find work rather easily.