If you could live anywhere

[waverly]

I know we talked about this before but I couldn’t find it.

If you could live anywhere where would it be and why?

Sometimes we get ancy and feel stuck in a rut and have illusions of moving. The debate is always closer to family but the kids are older now and school age so it’s not like we would save money in childcare and cost of living is not that much lower and no job for me or pay would be lower.

If we stay here it’s good job prospects for DH if he ever wanted to switch. So I usually come back to just staying here.

That being said if we were going for not near family I think I would vote North or South Carolina not in hurricane areas nearish to largish cities for work.

[akafred]

Lots of people agree with you. Those states and TN are growing fast from people moving into the areas. Also the Huntsville area.

[k3am]

I ask this question frequently. But it's hard because basically, I love where we live. I just don't like the cost of living. It's sad to know that I'm raising my kids in a place that in all likelihood, my kids will never be able to afford to live in once they're out on their own. I mean unless I want them to live rent free for 10 years after college so they can build up the funds for a downpayment...

[2chatter]

In an ideal world I would live somewhere higher end and beach - OB, Seaside, not somewhere like Galveston.

The second ideal world is Garden District New Orleans - with a fat pot of cash for private schools. I feel most alive and at home in NOLA, but the cost to live where I would want to be is prohibitive.

[mae0111]

I love being near the ocean, so I think I'd agree with NC or SC, but smack in the middle of the hurricane-y areas.

If I ever had to move away from the ocean, it would be to Scottsdale, AZ. I love it there.

[erinshelley21]

Somewhere in TN. It doesn't get as cold in the winter, the east and gulf coasts are shorter driving distances, and I love country music

DH used to want to retire to Michigan, but I think I'm starting to persuade him into on a lake in TN. Plus that's his BFF's plan so that has only been helping my case.

[supertrooper1]

Endless money: San Francisco

Move for work: Nashville, Savannah, GA, or Northern Virginia.

I live north of Seattle and really like the weather. I don't mind the rain, but it never gets too hot or too cold.

[helenahhandbasket]

I love where we live but the COL makes feeling comfortable financially v v v hard.

I would move in a heartbeat to lower COL area- but I would have to be near a medium- large liberal city center. I have fantasized about living in NE - event though to be honest, I know very little about NE with the exception of Connecticut where my grandparents lived. Maybe I like the idea of it.

I do like the coastal Carolinas, but I am not sure I would ever get used to the pace. I would consider coastal FL too, but same concerns about pace. My H's company has a bunch of branches up and down the eastern seaboard so I look at a lot of the real estate when in those neighborhoods, as a hobby- lol.

After college my BFF moved to San Diego and I fell IN LOVE with that area as well, but I am afraid of earthquakes and mudslides and forest fires.

Unfortunately or fortunately, I can't ever leave NY- at least for the next 12 years. My divorce decree is written as such that my XH and I will live within a certain amount of miles from one another until DD graduates from HS.

[2chatter]

I could totally live in Savannah! But I would need a separate monogramming and seersucker budget.

[mommyatty]

Hilton Head Island. We are talking about buying a vacation home there, AirBNBing it most of the time, and maybe someday retiring there. It’s really close to Savannah, and I love the pace.

[k3am]

May 25, 2018 13:10:42 GMT -5 supertrooper1 said:

Endless money: San Francisco

Move for work: Nashville, Savannah, GA, or Northern Virginia.

I live north of Seattle and really like the weather. I don't mind the rain, but it never gets too hot or too cold.

SF is overrated. Unless you like walking over homeless people and poop. But the surrounding areas are lovely.

[supertrooper1]

May 25, 2018 14:31:09 GMT -5 k3am said:

May 25, 2018 13:10:42 GMT -5 supertrooper1 said:

Endless money: San Francisco

Move for work: Nashville, Savannah, GA, or Northern Virginia.

I live north of Seattle and really like the weather. I don't mind the rain, but it never gets too hot or too cold.

SF is overrated. Unless you like walking over homeless people and poop. But the surrounding areas are lovely.

I'm just obsessed with the food. 

[k3am]

May 25, 2018 14:38:06 GMT -5 supertrooper1 said:

May 25, 2018 14:31:09 GMT -5 k3am said:

SF is overrated. Unless you like walking over homeless people and poop. But the surrounding areas are lovely.

I'm just obsessed with the food. 

YESSSSSSSSSS~! THE FOOD IN THE CITY IS AMAZING! So much variety! Before we had kids, we were in the city multiple times a month to eat/drink/be young twenty-somethings. 

I have one set of friends still making a go of it in the city. They share a 1 bedroom 650 sq foot apartment with their two kids for $2600/month (rent controlled). 

[supertrooper1]

May 25, 2018 14:40:53 GMT -5 k3am said:

May 25, 2018 14:38:06 GMT -5 supertrooper1 said:

I'm just obsessed with the food. 

YESSSSSSSSSS~! THE FOOD IN THE CITY IS AMAZING! So much variety! Before we had kids, we were in the city multiple times a month to eat/drink/be young twenty-somethings. 

I have one set of friends still making a go of it in the city. They share a 1 bedroom 650 sq foot apartment with their two kids for $2600/month (rent controlled). 

Wow. Not worth living in the city for that.

[shakinros]

If all the money suddenly appeared: Oakland or one of the DC ‘burbs (Arlington, Frederick, etc)

Realistically: I’m dying to move. I’m totally antsy too. Doesn’t really matter where but it’s gotta be MCOL like we have now or less. Charlotte, Raleigh, Nashville would be on my list. I’d go back to the Atlanta area, where I was raised. I know nothing about most parts of TX or CO but would give it a go. There are frequently jobs open at a particular place in NW Arkansas that I’m qualified for so I also get a “why the hell not?” Feeling every time I see one.

[sdlaura]

I would continue to live where I am now in San Diego (north county a couple miles from the coast). But in a perfect world, I would move all my family and old friends from the DC area to here.

helenahhandbasket we’re actually not right on a fault like San Fran and LA are, and no mudslides if you’re not on a Hill . Forest fires have been near our area but don’t often get too close to the coast because it’s wetter - they’re more of an issue inland. So don’t be afraid if you want to move out here one day!

[waverly]

San Diego would be nice too. DH said it was too far for him to fly to DC every week.

[rere]

In an ideal world, somewhere where it stays 70+ degrees all year, on the water, green, not dry and scrubby, small city close with shops and restaurants, good community vibe.

[vavavictoria]

I feel like Colorado Springs would be a nice place to live. Relatively liberal, lots of outdoorsy stuff to do, and great public schools. Doesn’t get super hot and doesn’t get super cold either. I think the COL is higher than mine currently though in a Texas big city.

[akafred]

Grand Junction, CO for me.

[honeydew1894]

Cape Cod probably. I would love a small cottage near to the sea. Growing up in upstate NY, I don't think I could give up the 4 seasons.

[covergirl82]

I like where I live (west Michigan area) - MCOL, job opportunities are decent, four seasons, and I love being close to Lake Michigan. I think what I'd like is a condo somewhere warmer. Although I hate big bugs/spiders, snakes, and cockroaches, and I don't want to live in a hurricane or earthquake zone, so that kind of limits my options.

[mustardseed2007]

A Manhattan high rise? Although that's probably not really true. There's no way I'd be cool enough to live in that kind of environment.
I'd also love to live some place in california where I could go running on the coast.
Or even here, but just live more central and less suburban.

[mellym]

mommyatty, we are headed to Hilton Head in July. Any recommendations for small kids?

[mommyatty]

May 29, 2018 16:04:14 GMT -5 mellym said:

mommyatty, we are headed to Hilton Head in July. Any recommendations for small kids?

Yes! There is an awesome pirate cruise. And lots of dolphin cruises. We did a dolphin cruise on a smaller boat, and I highly recommend that instead of the larger boats. We ate at a place called the Crazy Crab on Jarvis Creek. They have a playground and excellent food and crab races! Oh and cats lounging around the patio that loved being petted. We spent a crazy amount of time at the beach. Basically, we had one beach outing and one other outing each day and it was perfect! I cannot wait to go back in a few weeks!

[xctsclrx]

This is anywhere? I would love to live on the Mediterranean coast. I want to live by salt water, but I would love to live overseas at least for awhile. I've hit 35 of the 50 states. I want to visit all 50. If I lived in Europe I would be making the same kind of goals. Instead of states I would hit countries. I love to travel.

[waverly]

I would like to live abroad too for the experience. But it is not likely at all with my job and probably only 10% likely with DH’s job.

[sandandsea]

I love where we live now (sf Bay Area) but would love to live on the coast in OC. Dh grew up there and we’d love to live in Laguna Beach, Balboa, etc. I’d also love to live in Hawaii. But our careers are here so we aren’t going anywhere.

[186momx]

I like where we live minus the insane pollen season May-early July. Grass seed capital!!! We get 4 seasons most years and we don't have extreme temps or extreme weather. I do get tired of all the winter rain but it keeps us green.

Not thinking about cost of living or jobs, Hawaii and New Zealand would be my top picks.

[freezorburn]

I think when we've done this topic in the past, I remember taking a quiz that put me exactly where I am, in the PNW. By and large I'm still happy here but COL has been rising crazy fast and if things don't calm down, I could see a scenario where I get taxed out of my home. And I don't really know where I would go. The community I grew up in seems to be dispersing, geographically. But its a place where it might still mean something to have been born at a particular hospital or to have graduated from a particular high school. But professionally I would be starting over, and that's not something I really want to do, again again again.

I've been wondering where I could retire to (because I'm a planner, even though retirement is over 25 years away) ... I'd love to age in my community but it could become cost prohibitive. Getting ahead of myself.