Where to move?

[Augie]

@Augie I feel your pain man. My wife and I raised our two kids here in Bozeman. They went K-12 here (great schools) and both are MSU grads. Neither can afford to live here at this point in their careers.

Where are you in MT?

I've been in something like 46 of the states - as was mentioned, Southern Missouri or Arkansas are still pretty affordable, but I found them essentially unusable in the summer. Brutal heat and humidity, not to mention ticks and chiggers. I'd definitely rather be in Eastern Tennessee, Eastern Kentucky or West Virginia were I inclined to be in the South. Also the Western Mountains of North Carolina and Virginia. However, in your shoes, I'd be looking at Vermont, New Hampshire, or Maine. If I didn't live in Montana, that's where I'd be.

been down in the Gallatin gateway and in Livingston since 2014

 

[bradmacmt]

been down in the Gallatin gateway and in Livingston since 2014

Both of which have gotten pretty darn expensive. Because of affordable housing, Livingston used to be a place to live while working in Bozeman. That seems to have come to an abrupt end.

 

[Augie]

@Augie I'm curious as to where you are living in MT as well. From the sounds of it its either Bozeman or Missoula. Have you looked into eastern as an option MT?

currently in Livingston, been looking for work in/around billings for the past year but haven't had anything come through making even 20% less than what I currently do.

 

[ewade07]

currently in Livingston, been looking for work in/around billings for the past year but haven't had anything come through making even 20% less than what I currently do.

My wife and I have lived in Billings for the last 6 years. It has definitely changed in that time but not as much as the area you are currently living in. Housing seems to be more affordable, I can't speak as to how your line of work would line up here compared to where you are now. Overall Billings isnt that bad of a place to call home.

 

[Augie]

All kinds of information on the web. As for the map above - FL & TN do not have a state tax. GA, AL, SC, NC do.

I'd be looking at annual salary, state taxes, local taxes (I know NC has this), educational ratings and if there are any regional types of issues.

What if you "look for a job" in the diff states and see where you can get work, what the salary would be, what it would be like living around there, retirement potential, and go from there.

Country is in a tough spot and very similar to where we were with Pres. Carter. This isn't something that never happened before. Things will get better.

Anyway - i applaud you for doing what you are doing. Wish more young folks would step out and do what they need to do instead of complain from their parent's basement. Yes it is expensive and yes you can do it.

Oh - as an employer, we are having trouble finding employees. Engineering firm and not as many graduates these days, pretty interesting. We need engineers and scientists to function as a society. This is a good time to be looking for work in some fields and areas.

thank you for the reply, definitely been trying to do my homework and narrow places down based off of income to cost of living etc. Just also interested in hearing from some people personally if they had similar experiences and what it was like stuff like that. I know it'll get better, but just have to do what I have to do in the meantime even if it's against everything I've wanted up to this point.

 

[Augie]

When you say factory automation, what is that exactly? Was it sales, technical? What types of products were you involved in?

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

hybrid role, sold and implemented robotics and machine vision. Now I work running a manufacturing plant so lot of lean manufacturing/QC

 

[Augie]

Both of which have gotten pretty darn expensive. Because of affordable housing, Livingston used to be a place to live while working in Bozeman. That seems to have come to an abrupt end.

definitely, my first rental in livingston was $1250 for a 3 bed 2 bathroom house with a small yard. Now we pay $2375/month not including utilities for a dated 2 bed 1 bath no driveway, no in home washing machine/dryer and no yard

 

[Jon Boy]

Man it seems to me there is a shit ton of money to be made in this area, I have no idea what you’re field consists of but if you and your wife are making less than $60k a year you need to find a different job. If you are, that’s 120k house hold income, which is nothing to turn your nose up at even with 2k rent. There are some really affordable options 30 min down the road from where you are right now… but it’s going to take that extra commute sacrifice to get it done. It’s worth it to me.

 

[Jon Boy]

definitely, my first rental in livingston was $1250 for a 3 bed 2 bathroom house with a small yard. Now we pay $2375/month not including utilities for a dated 2 bed 1 bath no driveway, no in home washing machine/dryer and no yard

Come on dude, you’re not trying that hard if that’s what you’re paying for a place in Livingston! I just hopped in face book and there’s 4 places that are the exact same thing you’re renting now for 400-500 less!

 

[Augie]

Come on dude, you’re not trying that hard if that’s what you’re paying for a place in Livingston! I just hopped in face book and there’s 4 places that are the exact same thing you’re renting now for 400-500 less!

first of all, you know noting about me or how hard we are trying. So with all due respect F U. Seeing a listing on facebook and actually getting them to respond and accept you for their rental are two different things. Especially when you have a 12 year old dog and most places won't allow pets. Even if they do allow pets they tend to pick people who don't as the first choice, I would know it's the reality in which I live.

If we were ab le to use both incomes going forward it wouldn't be as big of a deal. But we want to have kids and we'd prefer to have her stay as a stay at home mother so my income of $70k will really be the only income. We both have 6+ year old vehicles so who knows when we will have to buy something. Kids is general are expensive and have to have healthcare with a pregnant partner and a baby. Save for your future, etc. If I move an extra 30-40 minutes away that makes it for me leaving at 5:30AM and not getting home until 7-7:30PM and for what?

 

[Jon Boy]

I didnt mean any disrespect, didn’t want to lose a fellow Montanan because of the cost of living and was trying to find you options. Good luck

 

[wildwilderness]

I do commend you for wanting children and for your wife to raise them. Not easy in today’s world but very much worth it. There is never a perfect time to have kids so I say get started! It will change your life forever!


Looking at the maps, taxes etc two areas that seem interesting to me with potential for jobs etc would be Sioux Falls South Dakota- still “western” but affordable and lower taxes. The other is the Memphis Tennessee area- would be southern and warmer with the advantages of all the growth and low taxes TN has but still affordable housing.

 

[CorbLand]

I feel you OP. Born and raised in the west, married and wanting to start a family as well.

My wife and I talked about it and we briefly talked about moving some place cheaper so she could stay home but ultimately decided that we will probably stay in the west and do daycare as much as we hate the idea of it.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Memphis Tennessee area- would be southern and warmer with the advantages of all the growth and low taxes TN has but still affordable housing.

Memphis, TN.....have you ever been there?

 

[svivian]

first of all, you know noting about me or how hard we are trying. So with all due respect F U. Seeing a listing on facebook and actually getting them to respond and accept you for their rental are two different things. Especially when you have a 12 year old dog and most places won't allow pets. Even if they do allow pets they tend to pick people who don't as the first choice, I would know it's the reality in which I live.

If we were ab le to use both incomes going forward it wouldn't be as big of a deal. But we want to have kids and we'd prefer to have her stay as a stay at home mother so my income of $70k will really be the only income. We both have 6+ year old vehicles so who knows when we will have to buy something. Kids is general are expensive and have to have healthcare with a pregnant partner and a baby. Save for your future, etc. If I move an extra 30-40 minutes away that makes it for me leaving at 5:30AM and not getting home until 7-7:30PM and for what?

wife cant work part time doing a remote work from home job while raising the children?

 

[manitou1]

View attachment 709825

Due to the outrageous rise in property prices here my home (real estate) taxes in WY have gone up 250% in three years.
Another few years like this and it will run many of is out of here... and we will become California 2.0.

Imagine if you will: You currently pay $3000 a year in real estate tax and it triples in three years. What does this do to your mortgage payment?

Incredible and criminal all at once...

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Due to the outrageous rise in property prices here my home (real estate) taxes in WY have gone up 250% in three years.
Another few years like this and it will run many of is out of here... and we will become California 2.0.

Imagine if you will: You currently pay $3000 a year in real estate tax and it triples in three years. What does this do to your mortgage payment?

Incredible and criminal all at once...

I'm about to pull my Escrow account completely, every year they're behind and have to make up a negative then the next year it's short again because it goes up so high. At this point I think it's easier to just pay it myself out of pocket.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

If you can jettison your escrow, DO IT. I never agreed to that and paid my taxes on my own. That is a ripoff.

 

[pitchin jigs]

I did this myself a couple years ago when i refinanced. Just make sure you budget.

Im in Texas, between the sky high property taxes and home owners insurance, they sure make it tough to afford about any home you "own".

 

[Rich M]

Imagine if you will: You currently pay $3000 a year in real estate tax and it triples in three years. What does this do to your mortgage payment?

Our insurance tripled in cost - reflected in mortgage.

House has increased roughly 4x in value since purchase. Homestead exemption has helped keep taxes within reason.