Do you think moving is worth it?

[szymanski]

Hey everyone.

Kind of facing a decision & would like input.  First, I currently work remotely & it has been a big push for our company.  I can live where I want to within reason & already live an hour away from my home office (spent 2.5 yrs there before rec'ing a work at home offer but it was cheaper for me at the time to move back to where I am now).  I occasionally have to drive in to the office---mostly meetings & 2 times for tech issues.

Where I live now is a city w/a metro area of maybe 400-500k.  It is a college town & where I grew up.  My close friends live here and most of my immediate family.  It's an inexpensive area, still growing & fairly nice place to live, especially for families (maybe a bit too slow & not happening for single professionals).  The job market is good for certain professions, not really for the corp type such as myself as we don't have tons of companies hq'd here.  I think it would be hard for me to replace my income if I ever lost my job but maybe that's just me being a pessimist.  I don't hate it here + feel comfortable w/my circle of friends being here but occasionally wish there was more to do close to where I am.  Usually have to get in the car and drive---to airports for better prices on travel, to concerts, to lakes or other outdoor recreation.

I have been wrestling w/the idea of moving to a bigger city, one more to do and a better job market.  Nashville to be specific (currently live in the upper South so not a big stretch in terms of location).  It would be about 3 hrs from my home office.  I have one immediate family mbr & a few distant contacts living there but that's it in terms of people I know.  I have visited quite a few times and believe it is a pretty good place to live + has a growing economy.  It does seem very spread out though so I would have to adjust to that & decide if that's for me.

Few questions for you all....

Do you think it would be best for me to stay as close as possible to my home office?  A lot of our company is now WAH & I don't foresee any networking damage but I guess it is possible.  I don't expect to try for any promotions for a few yrs as I was just promoted.  There's always a chance I may job hop to a new company.

Do you think this potential move comes down to preference?

Do you think it is smart to be in a place that might offer more opportunities if something were to happen to my current job or do you think it is smart to avoid the move/associated cost & just look if/when something were to happen to my current job?

I'd like to settle in and get out of the apartment thing but want to feel comfortable knowing I will be able to find new opportunities if I have to.  Maybe you all have been in similar scenarios.  Thx for the input.

[fiveoclockshadow]

You'll want to clarify one thing for everyone here.  Do you own a house where you are currently?  I think from the end of your message I've concluded you rent an apartment - is that correct?

It also sounds like you are single - also correct?

If those assumptions I've made are correct then I think this mostly comes down to preference.  Moving expenses just going from one rental to another a few states over is not significant.  Transacting a home sale - that is expensive.  If it is just you and your income moving around you don't have schools or a second person's job or commute to worry about and so you are pretty free to do what strikes your fancy.  When you do move take that opportunity to consider keeping expenses in check via all the methods mentioned on this site (e.g. reduced driving, lower housing expenses, etc).

Beyond personal preference I think the one remaining possible optimization is to at least look around at other job prospects before moving.  If you are already planning a change in your life it wouldn't hurt to see what jobs are available in other cities of interest.  You might get a boost in salary, better benefits and have your relocation expenses paid for.  Or you might discover a new appreciation for the job you have when you look at the alternatives!  It sounds like you are young and early in your career.  That tends to be the time when salary increases happen the fastest by changing organizations - i.e. another company is more likely to boost your salary and responsibilities than your company that has to worry about keeping you in parity with other employees.  Obviously you don't want to do this very frequently - can look bad on a resume - but in many fields seeing a younger person moving jobs every three to five years early in their career is perfectly normal and even beneficial as it implies broader experience.  And of course the viability of doing this depends on what employment is like in your industry - for some right now job security is more important than opportunity.

Best of luck!

[brand new stash]

I don't think it makes sense to leave a place with lower cost of living and a social network for a place with higher cost of living and no social network.  If you decide to leave your job, you can job hunt in Nashville and then move there.  But if you lose your job, you might find one in Nashville, but you might also find one in Knoxville, or Memphis or Atlanta or any other city. So I wouldn't move for the potential future job opportunities until that materializes.

[SunshineGirl]

Decisions like this, for me, come down to answering the question, "Am I likely to regret not moving?"

It sounds to me like you're looking for a change and a robust job market. It sounds like a very good reason to make a change, especially since your job is portable. You can always move back after a year if it's not for you. But give it a try! You could use meetup.com to find people to do things with and to get to know the city.

I always try to avoid both regret and complacency, so I wholeheartedly say, "Move!" But I would NOT buy a house. I'd just rent for a good while, in a good location with lots of things to do and people your age.

[szymanski]

You'll want to clarify one thing for everyone here.  Do you own a house where you are currently?  I think from the end of your message I've concluded you rent an apartment - is that correct?

It also sounds like you are single - also correct?

If those assumptions I've made are correct then I think this mostly comes down to preference.  Moving expenses just going from one rental to another a few states over is not significant.  Transacting a home sale - that is expensive.  If it is just you and your income moving around you don't have schools or a second person's job or commute to worry about and so you are pretty free to do what strikes your fancy.  When you do move take that opportunity to consider keeping expenses in check via all the methods mentioned on this site (e.g. reduced driving, lower housing expenses, etc).

Beyond personal preference I think the one remaining possible optimization is to at least look around at other job prospects before moving.  If you are already planning a change in your life it wouldn't hurt to see what jobs are available in other cities of interest.  You might get a boost in salary, better benefits and have your relocation expenses paid for.  Or you might discover a new appreciation for the job you have when you look at the alternatives!  It sounds like you are young and early in your career.  That tends to be the time when salary increases happen the fastest by changing organizations - i.e. another company is more likely to boost your salary and responsibilities than your company that has to worry about keeping you in parity with other employees.  Obviously you don't want to do this very frequently - can look bad on a resume - but in many fields seeing a younger person moving jobs every three to five years early in their career is perfectly normal and even beneficial as it implies broader experience.  And of course the viability of doing this depends on what employment is like in your industry - for some right now job security is more important than opportunity.

Best of luck!

I still rent so I'm still mobile for now but I'd like to settle in one place for a while and buy.