Those of You Who Moved Out of State (1 Viewer)

[chauncey]

For you guys who have moved out of state, do you ever consider moving back home? As I get older being closer to aging family and old friends back in NC starts to tug at me. Has anyone moved away for a decade or two and then returned home? Good move or regrets?

 

[thecatch]

For you guys who have moved out of state, do you ever consider moving back home? As I get older being closer to aging family and old friends back in NC starts to tug at me. Has anyone moved away for a decade or two and then returned home? Good move or regrets?

Yup. We had a big professional opportunity and a young child who we wanted to grow up around extended family. It has been a tough transition in a number of ways but ultimately worth it. Without that combination of motivations though I'm not sure we would have made the move.

 

[nirad3]

http://www.findyourspot.com/

My wife, two children(3 and 1 at the time), and I moved several states away on the sole recommendation of that site. Take the free quiz, and it will give you a list of 20 cities in America it thinks you will be happy in. My wife took the quiz, as did I. We picked the 'highest common denominator' city(#1 on her list and #3 on mine).

We moved with no jobs lined up, no family in the area. With a lot of hard work, some lucky breaks, and kept our heads about us.

We couldn't be happier!

Little Rock Arkansas #1 for me - The first city i would consider didn't show up until #11 Charlotte.

We love it here in Little Rock but no need for more people.

no disrespect meant....I have lived in phx, LA and Sf (all i kiked for various reasons) the last 20 years so I was very surprised at the response.

We've made 2 state-to-state moves. First was from CA to TX without kids so it was a lot less complicated. The wife and I went out together a few months before the planned move date and found an apartment and rented it. No big whoop there. We knew we wanted to be in Austin proper and it was fairly easy as we were in our early-mid 30's without any restrictions for the most part. I was working from home and my wife was going to find a job when she got there. Limited research, really just did it on the fly but did poll some folks I knew in town.

Second move, from TX to MN, was more complicated. We had an 1.5 year old and one on the way, so we wanted to be somewhere safe, near parks, etc. I went up myself a few months before the planned move date to tour areas, look at places, etc. Did a fair bit of research online and of course asked people that we knew in the Twin Cities.

In general, I highly recommend you visit the place you're looking to move beforehand. If your significant other trusts you to do so, maybe you go up solo and take lots of pics. I took thorough notes as to the neighborhood vibe, etc. when I went up to the Twin Cities on my own.

As moving sucks, you probably won't want to plan on doing this... but when we moved to MN, we signed a 1-year lease and used that time to figure out where we really wanted to be. Having to move again after a year was a pain in the ### but it was for the best.

And now you are back in the OC?

May I ask why you returned to SoCal?

Can you give expand a little bit more about adjustments/differences you had to encounter/overcome when you moved out of Cali?

I am not a foodie, but I know I am going to miss the fact that we basically have any type of food we want year round. Minor detail. But elaboration on lifestyle changes and adjustments very much appreciated.

Yeah back to OC. Moved back for several reasons, mainly to be closer to family. We have 2 kids under 5. I grew up here so have a lot of friends still around, many with kids in the same age range.

I was offered a position with a company I was with for 5-6 years prior to moving to Austin (and consulted for while in Austin), in an industry I felt more comfortable with. I had moved to a new industry/office environment in MN... something I ended up not liking all that much.

When we moved from OC to Austin, there were very little adjustments we needed to make lifestyle wise. Either that or we were just in a better position to easily handle the adjustments. We have to find "new friends", which took some time... but eventually we were part of a great group of friends whom we miss dearly. The weather was different, obviously. I tend to like it hot so that was an adjustment I took to nicely.

The move from Austin to the Twin Cities was a different animal. We had a 2 year old with another on the way. Wife had to "reach out" for human contact via Meetup, for the most part. My boss was a great college friend so hung out with him occasionally, and made some work friends. I had some "friends" from "another fantasy football board" that I hung out with. Other than that, it was kind of difficult to meet new people. Maybe it was my shift (2nd shift) at work, maybe it was that we had 2 young kids. Maybe it was that it was like living on Hoth for 5 months out of the year.

If you're moving to Austin, I wouldn't sweat losing out on food options. You may not be able to find bomb-### pho on every corner, but I think the Mexican food was light years better there. You'll absolutely love it there.

 

[General Malaise]

For you guys who have moved out of state, do you ever consider moving back home? As I get older being closer to aging family and old friends back in NC starts to tug at me. Has anyone moved away for a decade or two and then returned home? Good move or regrets?

There's not enough tan hot girls in short cut offs to get me back to Texas.

 

[sbonomo]

Holy ####. I got the actual city I live in: Lake Havasu City. I thought I'd get something like Austin or San Diego.

Remainder in top 5:

Phoenix

Tucson

Scottsdale

Gainsville

How is that possible, nobody wants to live there.....

 

[Mile High]

For you guys who have moved out of state, do you ever consider moving back home? As I get older being closer to aging family and old friends back in NC starts to tug at me. Has anyone moved away for a decade or two and then returned home? Good move or regrets?

Guess it depends on the situation. Moved my family to Colorado 25 years ago now they are grown up stating families on their own here. Love all my family and friends back in Wichita and enjoy my visits back but my family is here and I'll never move back

 

[Nugget]

We left KS in 2006. Went to Denver, Phoenix, and then Orange County. Kids hated the relos and didn't like CA. 10yr old girls more aggressive these days.

Returned to KS in July 2014. Best decision ever. Life less stressful, coaching soccer for my 7 year old, hosting block party in July. No traffic, great people, great cost of living.

 

[Chadstroma]

For you guys who have moved out of state, do you ever consider moving back home? As I get older being closer to aging family and old friends back in NC starts to tug at me. Has anyone moved away for a decade or two and then returned home? Good move or regrets?

I moved from So Cal to the Chicago area in 2003. The plan was to be out here for a couple of years and then move back. When I met my wife, I was very clear to her that that was the plan and if we dated she had to be on board with it. Well, a few turns and twists in life later and I am still her in Illinois. Not too long ago, I had the realization that besides weather a lot of the same stuff that I did not like about Illinois were mirrored in California. However, with having children now, I can't see living somewhere where we do not have family or very close friends nearby- that means our choices are here, So Cal or Indianapolis. Maybe when the kids are older then we can map out a move but for now.... I will just have to live in Illinois longer.

 

[Zow]

Holy ####. I got the actual city I live in: Lake

Havasu City. I thought I'd get something like Austin or San Diego.

Remainder in top 5:

Phoenix

Tucson

Scottsdale

Gainsville

How is that possible, nobody wants to live there.....

Given my result, clearly that's not true. But it is really pretty enjoyable. I make above market value for what I do, I belong to a country club for a price of like one golf round in scottsdale, and can spend weekends on the lake. There are decent restaurants and four legit breweries.

I agree that havasu would be awful with a below

average income. The regional politics are also tough to swallow. But if you make a decent living every weekend basically turns into anyone else's vacation.

 

[FUBAR]

Don't ever move from a major military installation in the summer. Dealing with overbooked moving companies is the suck.

 

[Kal El]

For you guys who have moved out of state, do you ever consider moving back home? As I get older being closer to aging family and old friends back in NC starts to tug at me. Has anyone moved away for a decade or two and then returned home? Good move or regrets?

I've thought about moving back to MI, since most of my family is still there, but I can't stand snow if it's not Christmas. My wife also hates the fact that it's cloudy all winter in Michigan, and I'd much rather go the rest of my life without shoveling snow for almost 6 months out of the year. Both of our sets of parents are nearing retirement age, and they're planning on moving down here to be nearer to their grandchildren.

 

[Foosball God]

This question goes out to anyone who has moved out of state, but more specifically directed at those who have done so with either a wife/significant other and/or children.

Assuming you weren't moving out of state and back to your home area/where you grew up, what sort of research and planning did you do? How did you form a list of potential places you wanted to move to and how did you narrow down you list and eventually select a town you would move to?

What factors influenced your decision?

Did you actually take a trip to any of the places on your list before you moved?

Just looking to get some general feedback from you that have walked this path. Thanks.

We moved from Michigan to Northern Virginia. We moved due to a transfer for my wife so we had a general area to work with. I researched online for good schools. When we found a house we liked I actually called the middle school and spoke with the principal since they had a low rating for some of their math test scores. This was before my kids were even in Elementary School.

The company gave us a couple of paid trips to try to find a house, but it wasn't until the third trip (on our own dime) that we found a house.

 

[Foosball God]

For you guys who have moved out of state, do you ever consider moving back home? As I get older being closer to aging family and old friends back in NC starts to tug at me. Has anyone moved away for a decade or two and then returned home? Good move or regrets?

Considered it, but more for my wife than myself. She has a twin sister that she is very close with. I miss my family, but don't really want to move back to Michigan.

 

[General Malaise]

For you guys who have moved out of state, do you ever consider moving back home? As I get older being closer to aging family and old friends back in NC starts to tug at me. Has anyone moved away for a decade or two and then returned home? Good move or regrets?

Considered it, but more for my wife than myself. She has a twin sister that she is very close with. I miss my family, but don't really want to move back to Michigan.

I couldn't handle those winters full time. I love visiting my wife's family, but I'm not crazy about the state as a whole. Too many bugs in the summer too.

 

[Foosball God]

For you guys who have moved out of state, do you ever consider moving back home? As I get older being closer to aging family and old friends back in NC starts to tug at me. Has anyone moved away for a decade or two and then returned home? Good move or regrets?

Considered it, but more for my wife than myself. She has a twin sister that she is very close with. I miss my family, but don't really want to move back to Michigan.

I couldn't handle those winters full time. I love visiting my wife's family, but I'm not crazy about the state as a whole. Too many bugs in the summer too.

Lots of beautiful stuff about Michigan. It will always have a place in my heart, but there are much better places to live imo. I enjoy visiting but don't need to live there any more.

 

[General Malaise]

For you guys who have moved out of state, do you ever consider moving back home? As I get older being closer to aging family and old friends back in NC starts to tug at me. Has anyone moved away for a decade or two and then returned home? Good move or regrets?

Considered it, but more for my wife than myself. She has a twin sister that she is very close with. I miss my family, but don't really want to move back to Michigan.

I couldn't handle those winters full time. I love visiting my wife's family, but I'm not crazy about the state as a whole. Too many bugs in the summer too.

Lots of beautiful stuff about Michigan. It will always have a place in my heart, but there are much better places to live imo. I enjoy visiting but don't need to live there any more.

Oh yeah, don't get me wrong. I do love my time there, but I don't want to do it full time. Lake Huron was one of the most beautiful places I've been in this country and Arcadia Bluffs makes Chambers Bay look like a parking lot in Nebraska.

 

[whoknew]

For you guys who have moved out of state, do you ever consider moving back home? As I get older being closer to aging family and old friends back in NC starts to tug at me. Has anyone moved away for a decade or two and then returned home? Good move or regrets?

Considered it, but more for my wife than myself. She has a twin sister that she is very close with. I miss my family, but don't really want to move back to Michigan.

I couldn't handle those winters full time. I love visiting my wife's family, but I'm not crazy about the state as a whole. Too many bugs in the summer too.

Lots of beautiful stuff about Michigan. It will always have a place in my heart, but there are much better places to live imo. I enjoy visiting but don't need to live there any more.

Don't imagine I'll go move back there. Way too cold.

 

[walnutz]

For you guys who have moved out of state, do you ever consider moving back home? As I get older being closer to aging family and old friends back in NC starts to tug at me. Has anyone moved away for a decade or two and then returned home? Good move or regrets?

Yeah - we moved from NC to Missouri 9 years ago. I had a good opportunity with the company that I was with at the time. Got out there and made it 7 years with them and then separated from the company. Worked for 2 years with another company. The wife and i knew we wanted to be back in NC in the 10 year time frame. Was hoping that it would be with the original company but stuff happens. Anyway, the move back sucked. I took a job with a place that i am not 100% happy with right now and will probably end up looking to change jobs in the next 6 months. Overall the family is happy and the wife is happier than she was. Have no regrets about leaving MO to come back to NC at all. Our kids will have infinitely more opportunities here than they did there.

 

[the moops]

For you guys who have moved out of state, do you ever consider moving back home? As I get older being closer to aging family and old friends back in NC starts to tug at me. Has anyone moved away for a decade or two and then returned home? Good move or regrets?

I couldn't imagine going back. Sounds terrible actually.

I mean, I love my old high school friends, and most of my family is still in Boston, but at this point, after being away for 8 years, well, this is home.