Relocation input is welcomed!

torque4me

Full Member
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 5, 2009
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California, NOT FOR LONG!
Hi... hoping this is the best place to post this!!
Been slowly downsizing for move out of California. Originally from Connecticut and moving back is not an option I care to explore.

Yes, the recent proposed legislation is expediting the inevitable.
Spring 2014 GONE!

Without getting into the obvious "people control" going on here I am looking at several states and would really like some honest input... and of course the SH sarcasm.

Me:
Painting Contractor- High end residential type work.
Republican voting, live and let live thinking.
Divorced, no kids, 1 dog.
Shoot, golf, gym, work, women! = Simple life
Prefer women to be LESS than 1/2 my size and have most of their teeth. (teeth are negotiable)

Looking at:
Texas (work in Austin, live WAY outside it. State income tax is nice)

Minnesota? (Minneapolis mayor is Obama buddy? Beautiful state, NO suppressors?)

Florida? (State income tax is intriguing, recent voting isn't so much)

Tennessee? (No idea)

Carolina's? (Been there a few times, beautiful)

Anymore? Georgia?

Weather preference? I don't care anymore.
The last few years the #1 priority is that I can live free as possible.

Thanks in advance for responses as input always helps.
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

Oklahoma's economy didn't take the hit a lot of places did... Libs didn't carry a single county here in the last TWO elections... cheap to live... but the urban areas are big enough to support your business... we have real seasons, that range from lake weather in the summer, to snow in the winter.. decent hunting and fishing.. pro veteran... etc..etc..etc
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

Sorry, to piggyback your thread, but I am planning the same, but I am not sure if I will finish my apprenticeship here before it turns really sour, which is June 2014.

Looking at, in order:
Montana
Idaho
Wyoming
N. & S. Dakota

Wants:
~200 acres for small ranch
Water on the property, preferred natural but city/county is fine
Rolling hills, with mountains close
No large city (100,000+ people) within 4 hours would be nice, the further the better
People who are more concerned with doing good, rather than driving a mercedes/bmw
I am trying to stay away from places where below 0*F is commonplace during the winter
Good fishing/hunting nearby
Trees, and minimal concrete, as I hate the concrete jungle I currently live in.
I don't need any improvements, as I am planning on building my own.
<$500,000

If anyone has detailed information about the above please contact me, or if you know someone who does, I would appreciate it.
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!


Do your homework on the future of the state you chose. The past is the past and things are changing. I'm not going to spit out any more an get banned. Hehe.
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

Wondering how well my NY FOOTBALL GIANTS rooting will go over in DFW?
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Austin: People have money there and spend it on their homes. I will NOT live there but have no issue working in the area. With what I do for a living I have to be able to tap into wealthier communities.

Thanks for input...will look at Dallas more. Guess I could hide the photos of our FOUR SB trophies?
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CypressJeff</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Do your homework on the future of the state you chose. The past is the past and things are changing. I'm not going to spit out any more an get banned. Hehe. </div></div>

Ya I hear ya.
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

To add to force multiplier...Oklahoma is the only state where Obama did not carry a single county. Open carry law in effect...just passed a law requiring those on "assistance" to pass a random drug test to keep getting state help. Plenty of great looking women. Come on down.
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

eh, florida's kinda crazy, people all in your business all the time, plus its really hard to get people to do contracting work. Hell, my dad was a painting contractor in MA before he retired to FL, and he had buddies that would constantly come begging to have him do their trim work.

Georgia... depends where you go. Athens has some houses going up, and I'd imagine you could get some work through UGA painting dorms and such.

I'd say come to Alaska, but I honestly have no idea what kind of business you could get up here unless you were able to do some marine work.
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

Can't beat South Dakota, I live in the Rapid City area and we got good people, lots of hunting/fishing, right next to the Black Hills, Very pro gun Open Carry where ya want, lots of wide open spaces to shoot, and the only blue counties in the election were on the reservations...
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

I am moving my wife and kids to near Salt Lake City, UT, it has a lot going for it, IMO.

I made the choice after making it #2 on my preferred list.

Any where in the Mountain West is looking pretty good to me.

Once we get out and settled, we will find out if it was the right move.

Cost of living is higher than some areas of the country, but, wages are higher as well.
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

Born/raised in DFW its nice. Lots of people/new immigrants from commie states. Good mix of people, nw of ft worth is starting to get population.

Lived in OK, Tulsa/Lawton. North of tulsa/skiatook area real nice.

Live in TN now, its small town living everyone knows everyone starting a business outside a big city (only 3) is hard
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

Lived in Tulsa, would not repeat the mistake. OKC, I'd do that in the right area outside of town and commute.
Currently live just south of the dfw metromess.
Chose your area outside Tarrant county and life is pretty good.
Dallas is .........well it's Dallas.
Unlike Oklahoma though, we have two seasons Summer and 2 days in December.

Austin is liberal/fun/green

Houston, need scuba gear to breath the humidity
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Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

Texas is going to need like minded people moving into the state. Certain political parties have made it clear that turning Texas purple is their next goal. If we lose Texas I'm pretty sure we're fucked.

 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

Just got in after helping a lady friend get her 1st gun... 12 gauge shotgun.
Strong lil lady who can handle it. LOL, didn't want a 9mm Glock as she wanted to be sure that what she shot stayed down! Gonna miss her!

Thank you for replies and input!
How I do my work I need to be within an hour of people who spend money!

Texas is a good thing...NEAR Dallas(2-3 friends there) or Austin(1 friend)...is on list of summer road trip. Houston I spent two weeks for Tour school and while I <span style="text-decoration: underline">loved the people</span> I never felt I could live there.

Oklahoma...really never thought about there. Research time coming up.

Florida is turning up more negative as days pass.

Idaho? Several people I know have moved there but not ummm diehard republicans for sure.

Dakota's... pay is great housing is scarce no? At a premium also?

Big ass country with a LOT of beautiful places, great people in it. Thanks for input everyone. I welcome more as moving and starting over is a scary thing in a lot of respects. The unknown though sure keeps ya alive.

As for the dentures... two words for you... YOUNGER WOMEN! lol sorry!
Shit, I may have to bring one with me!
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: torque4me</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Dakota's... pay is great housing is scarce no? At a premium also?
</div></div>

In North Dakota near the oil fields yes but not down here in SD seems they are always building house's out here
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

We came very close to buying our retirement home around the far east side of WY near the SD Black Hills. We decided we didn't want to deal with snow any longer so we cashed out of central Illinois and bought property in south east Georgia and love it. We are about a hour from Jacksonville FL or Savannah GA

Pros:
Great people. Very laid back culture down here and night life is a high school foot ball game, gathering at a friends house or eating out. No disco or head banger balls.

Housing cost. We bought new construction 2200 sqft 1.5 acres $155k. Same place in IL would be around $230k+-.

Property tax about half of IL

Cheap utility bills

Very mild winters and no snow

Great bass fishing, coyote & deer hunting and easy to find a range. Everyone has guns and very good carry laws

Cons:
Not much between the bigger city's. If Walmart doesn't have it we have a hour trip one way to get it so we plan for a monthly trip and buy online.

We are dry on Sunday so you have to stock up.

The summer is hot and humid. You have to get your outside work done early and enjoy the AC or pool the rest of the day

If it crawls and is poisonness it lives here.
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

Last week coming back from Chad Dixon's shop in SD, at the Wyoming border, the Welcome to Wyoming sign had neon lights lit up, saying "NO VACANCY".

Clowns
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Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

I am seriously looking at Wyoming. Love the gun laws (very important to me), Love the mountains, Love the cold (hockey player, snow skier), now I need to try and find a good welding job and I'm outta MO.
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

I'm in tn and thinking of trying to relocate out west. Tn or Ky isn't a bad state. We have high sales tax but no income tax or personal property taxes. Virginia is a nice state and I'm less than 10 miles from it. They have income tax, personal property taxes, and inspection stickers, plus some counties have a sticker you have to buy for your vehicles. Nc is nice on the western part of the state but they have higher taxes than Va and most of the other stuff that Va has.
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

Ballistics order is more accurate than most... you could jumble the order but he's got em all in the ball park.

Why anyone would want to even get close to the Mississippi River or even further east is beyond me.

Unless you have no choice.
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

I'm currently trying to GTFO of SWFla, back to Okla. or someplace closer to Mo(wifes family is in SWMo). Texas and Kansas would work. I like the sounds of Wyo but wife doesn't want hard winter and distance from family, should shit go left.

Eric
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

this

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: oldgrayone</div><div class="ubbcode-body">We came very close to buying our retirement home around the far east side of WY near the SD Black Hills. We decided we didn't want to deal with snow any longer so we cashed out of central Illinois and bought property in south east Georgia and love it. We are about a hour from Jacksonville FL or Savannah GA

Pros:
Great people. Very laid back culture down here and night life is a high school foot ball game, gathering at a friends house or eating out. No disco or head banger balls.

Housing cost. We bought new construction 2200 sqft 1.5 acres $155k. Same place in IL would be around $230k+-.

Property tax about half of IL

Cheap utility bills

Very mild winters and no snow

Great bass fishing, coyote & deer hunting and easy to find a range. Everyone has guns and very good carry laws

Cons:
Not much between the bigger city's. If Walmart doesn't have it we have a hour trip one way to get it so we plan for a monthly trip and buy online.

We are dry on Sunday so you have to stock up.

The summer is hot and humid. You have to get your outside work done early and enjoy the AC or pool the rest of the day

If it crawls and is poisonness it lives here.

</div></div>
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

I,m looking at doing same thing
Ozarks
North GA mountains
TN mountains
Luv to find a place in Montana

Hope to get moved later this year ... hopefully

Anyone with range info for North GA or TN (east of knoxville)
shoot me a pm plz

 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

I say Obama one time and get it scrubbed? Did not swear or get racial. I did describe some of the things you are saying but thought I was rather polite?
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

I was born 30 miles north of Dallas and now live 45 miles north of there. The growth up US 75 has been crazy for the last 20 years, and it's too damn crowded now. There is a bunch of money here but the amount of people moving here has made it unpleasant to get around.

Austin is in the hill country and more scenic. You could find some very nice property outside of Austin, but it is becoming liberal central of Texas. Know Austin's motto? "Keep Austin Weird"

Avoid Houston. Biggest city in Texas, congested and the humidity is horrid!

San Antonio may as well be owned my Mexico again.

Lubbock and Amarillo are something to look into if you don't mind a perepetual wind, damn cold, and damn hot (but so is all of Texas). But I like west Texas. Never lived there, but go several times a year for wide open spaces and no f-ing humidity.
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

most of the ranges in georgia are north of atl and west of macon

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jedi</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I,m looking at doing same thing
Ozarks
North GA mountains
TN mountains
Luv to find a place in Montana

Hope to get moved later this year ... hopefully

Anyone with range info for North GA or TN (east of knoxville)
shoot me a pm plz

</div></div>
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

Thanks Garvey!




<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Garvey</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I was born 30 miles north of Dallas and now live 45 miles north of there. The growth up US 75 has been crazy for the last 20 years, and it's too damn crowded now. There is a bunch of money here but the amount of people moving here has made it unpleasant to get around.

Austin is in the hill country and more scenic. You could find some very nice property outside of Austin, but it is becoming liberal central of Texas. Know Austin's motto? "Keep Austin Weird"

Avoid Houston. Biggest city in Texas, congested and the humidity is horrid!

San Antonio may as well be owned my Mexico again.

Lubbock and Amarillo are something to look into if you don't mind a perepetual wind, damn cold, and damn hot (but so is all of Texas). But I like west Texas. Never lived there, but go several times a year for wide open spaces and no f-ing humidity. </div></div>
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

Great info & suggestions guys. I'll have to come back here later to research some of the "candidates".

SADDENS me Greatly that things have come to this though, for certain. So many folks looking to relocate to find "America" again I mean.
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: UNCIVILIZED</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><span style="font-weight: bold">Great info & suggestions guys</span>. I'll have to come back here later to research some of the "candidates".

SADDENS me Greatly that things have come to this though, for certain. So many folks looking to relocate to find "America" again I mean. </div></div>

Great website, better people! Quietly lurked for a few years here learning what I can. Day in / day out people here help each other. Kind of like a helpful hand up with a boot in the ass bonus for grins!

I sincerely thank you guys for input, ideas and feedback on states...
Now its time to research boring things like:

Property taxes
Sales tax (state/county/city) Yes we have all 3 here.
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Contractor License requirements / related costs / Insurances / labor rates
Real Estate pricing /property
Forecast of Economic Growth State / cities

While it is sad Uncivilized it is what it is. Life is an adventure no?
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Good luck in your search!
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

Thanks, I will look closer at OK city, why not?

Lol, just when ya think ur all set...wham.



<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: victory</div><div class="ubbcode-body">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10BE8WCeomo

Look at the Edmond, OK area, tons on money being spent.

I've lived in MD, OH, and WA. I won't be moving from Oklahoma if I can help it. If I had to, Texas, Wyomming,Idaho or Montana would be on the list. </div></div>
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

I've lived in TN, LA, MS, IL, PA, WV, AL and now VA. For the things I like to do and the way I like to live TN is home to me. I plan on moving back May/June of this year. I can speak mostly about Memphis/West TN, but the Nashville and Knoxville areas are pretty nice as well.

Guns and gun Laws: TN is very strong 2A state with laws that reflect that. They are a "shall issue" concealed carry state. There are several ranges throughout the state and matches of all kinds going on at any given time. Hunting and outdoors in general are very big there.

Politics: Statewide I'd say that TN is a "right" leaning state and on the state level very conservative. Local politics vary like every state and there is a healthy dose of "left" in the more urban areas.

Jobs: Speaking for the Memphis area, there is quite a bit of "old money" in Memphis as well as new money. With companies like Fedex and Autozone having their world headquarters there, Service Master, Smith & Nephew, St Jude Hospital, as well as a lot of other transportation, distribution and medical companies headquartered there, there are a lot of people spending money and have it to spend.

Climate: Winters are the rainy season, spring and fall are usually short and summers are hot. They rarely get much of a winter, snows maybe a couple inches a year if that.

Things to do in Memphis: There are golf courses everywhere you turn. I belong to a very nice shooting club about 20 minutes from town called Memphis Shooting Sports Association that has a 3D archery range, action shooting range, cowboy action range, skeet, trap and sporting clays ranges, 7-15 yard pistol, 25-50 yard pistol/rifle, 100 yard rifle and 200-600 yard rifle, all ranges are top notch. Downtown you have the river walk with concerts and BBQ fest overlooking the mighty Mississippi. There is Beale street with all the bars you can shake a stick at and women everywhere. If you like fishing, there are lakes, rivers and resivoirs close by. Depending what you want to catch you could be on the river in 15 minute to catch monster catfish, lots of places close by to catch crappie, bream and bass. You can be trout fishing in Arkansas in 2.5 hours or fishing hybrids and walleye in the same amount of time. The gulf coast is 5 hours straight down the interstate.

Economics and taxes: As others have mentioned, TN doesn't have an income or personal property tax. They do have a high sales tax of 9.25%, but I'll take paying 9.25% of what I buy over 5.5% of everything I make any day. It's second nature to me to buy things online now, so the only things I'm really paying tax on are things I can't buy online. As the economy pertains to your type of business, it would fit well in the areas around Memphis like Germantown, Collierville, Eads, Oakland, Fisherville, Cordova, Bartlett and pretty much all the suburbs. There isn't a lot of new construction going on now, but people are putting money into their homes instead of moving. A painting contractor who can show up to work SOBER and does quality work should be able to make a killing in this area, finding one is a challenge. My cousin does high end kitchen remodels and has all the work he can handle, so I imagine those same people are having painting work done as well.
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: torque4me</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks, I will look closer at OK city, why not?

Lol, just when ya think ur all set...wham.



<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: victory</div><div class="ubbcode-body">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10BE8WCeomo

Look at the Edmond, OK area, tons on money being spent.

I've lived in MD, OH, and WA. I won't be moving from Oklahoma if I can help it. If I had to, Texas, Wyomming,Idaho or Montana would be on the list. </div></div> </div></div>

North OKC and Edmond area is a great place to live. There is plenty of money in this area and new homes being built constantly. You have plenty of open land just outside of Edmond if you want to keep your distance and still be very close to work. Oklahoma and Texas are kind of insulated from the economy woes of the rest of the country because of the oil & gas industry. Just look at North Dakota, they have had a boom with the amount of money we have been pouring into that state for oil production.

The only states I would consider leaving Oklahoma for is Montana, Alaska, and Wyoming.
 
Re: Relocation input is welcomed!

If you want to live as free as possible then Alaska is where you want to move to. Exceptions are a business owner due to high taxes and property owner inside the Anchorage bowl due to high property taxes. Alaska has a huge government assistant free, not free of course program.

Most old sourdoughs live here to escape the government. Most of us are hippies in heart due to our lack of trust in the gov. We have our libs but its not the same type of libs from the coasts, we do left coast libs and they are growing here and have invaded state gov though with some success.

No government issued permit for you to exercise your right to carry concealed or open. Open carry is no bad juju, there are exceptions of course but not as a whole. You can carry into city gov chambers, many city board memebers, one carries every time into chambers and state legislators carry. State Constitution is very well written to 1959 language so it cannot be twisted to mean something else. State law says the state has full authority for carry and no lessor gov can change or restrict that right.

Eagleglenn is one righteous golf course and yes we do shoot rounds of golf in winter with orange painted balls.

Gyms, several good gyms, my youngest son is state Jr champ and we have ProAm here, my son is or was working on his pro card.

Women, they are lacking if you like the made up fake barbie dolls from the south 49 but real honest Alaska women can be found.

Weather, its not the weather that is hard on the soul but the darkness with the weather.

Isolation, you just cannot jump in the rig and drive to somewhere, it takes 5 days for the average driver to reach the states. Air fair is high and takes precious time to fly to the states.

Employment, boom or bust. The economy in the south 49 does not effect Ak much. Right now we are just riding along not great but not bad. If we ever get more oil / gas exploration, the boom will be giant again like the 1900s and 70s.

Housing is outrageous but there are worse in the union.

Cost of living is not what it was, still at 130% of national average I think.

We still have land auctions though rare, you can pick up "its not free like most think it is" free land.

Fishing and hunting is on the down slide, gov regs are smothering as the gov pushes for commercial fishing and hunting, more money in than what us Alaskans can put into their spending. Almost everything now is to push tourism, outside money.

Crime in the major cities and the valley is bad and growing. Katrina transplants hit us hard. Thanks boy wonder!

I lived in Arizona for a few years around the Tuscan area when on active duty, loved it but the heat. Left Ak at a temp of 38f, arrived in Phoenix at 114f, literally passed out got sick to my stomach. We have though of going back. Fishing and hunting was not bad, open country everywhere and I felt free.

Looked into Montana too, was not all that impressed at what it offered for the cost with near Alaska weather. Many libs changing it too like Idaho.

Wyoming would be my choice but for me, retired just wanting a full around job at local gun shop for extra coin and a discount.

Good luck