Where to move?

[ScreamingPotato]

Not directed at the OP but I've always wondered why more people (especially young adults without kids) don't make any effort to build their own home. You can learn a few skills & do some of the work yourself and save a crap ton of money & subcontract out the rest. Most places you don't even have to be a licensed GC if it's your personal residence. I'm not talking a 4,000 McMansion, just a simple ranch style starter home.
Once you build that one it'll give you confidence to do it again or even morph into a side gig of some type.
Just kinda seems like most people think they should have the best of everything right now without having to actually have patience & work for stuff.

I'm actually seriously considering this once I hit retirement, the confusion in my mind is local codes and various permitting things. I have experience building cabins off grid and I could easily be my own GC and have the slab poured, build the shell and structure myself and do the flooring and then contract out things like electrical and plumbing to be sure they're perfect (plumbing considerations in the slab also obviously). As someone previously stated I think a lot of peoples' hangup is the financing and not having a lump sum to drop on the different parts of the build process. If you know of any good resources online to study up on it I'm sure people would be interested.

 

[kswaterfowl]

Kansas is really affordable compared to other states. We bought our place in 2018 with 26 acres for under $300,000. But I think you would have a hard time going from Montana to Kansas. I know when I'm not in the mountains, I can't wait to get back. And we don't have any in Kansas.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I would consider the Carolinas, Missouri, Wisconsin and maybe a few others. My dad just sold a 4 bedroom home in WI that's near exactly between Milwaukee and Fond du lac for around $200K. It's an older home that had been completely remodeled inside.

 

[cjdewese]

I have a buddy that used to live out in Southern California doing lab chemistry for a fairly large corporation he and his wife decided to move out to Alabama 4 years ago because they were in a similar situation. Both busting their butts and barely making ends meet, At the time when they moved to Alabama they could afford to live on just her salary alone as a manager at Red Robin. With just her salary of around 60K they were able to buy a nice older mobile/manufactured home on 10 acres of land.

After taking a year off, he got a job at a carbon fiber factory of some sort because of his engineering background and now makes 2X as much as his wife did so they are better off and she can go back to watching the kids and being a mom.

I have another friend that moved to Georgia with really no plans and has struggled a bit to find his footing. They are doing good now but it was pretty tough on them for the 1st couple of years.

Good luck, I would say if you are having a hard time affording the cost of living with no real clear way out of it at your current situation 100% try to find something better. Talk through it with your fiancé, have a plan and go get it.

Going through life paycheck to paycheck to paycheck barely making ends meet is a tough go of life.

 

[loganwayne]

Not directed at the OP but I've always wondered why more people (especially young adults without kids) don't make any effort to build their own home. You can learn a few skills & do some of the work yourself and save a crap ton of money & subcontract out the rest. Most places you don't even have to be a licensed GC if it's your personal residence. I'm not talking a 4,000 McMansion, just a simple ranch style starter home.
Once you build that one it'll give you confidence to do it again or even morph into a side gig of some type.
Just kinda seems like most people think they should have the best of everything right now without having to actually have patience & work for stuff.

biggest is probably funding. Most banks wont loan money on a construction loan without a licensed GC. and most younger people (hell most people) cant afford to pay cash for the big parts that they cant do.

there are alot of towns, cities that require someone with a license. Most rural areas isnt an issue but it can be.

Also NC if you GC your house yourself you cant sell or rent it for 2 years i believe after its completed.

Im a licensed GC in NC and it was a pain to get the permit for my house renovation without using my license. ( was just going to do it as a self preformed by owner, then you don't have to use a licensed electrician and plumber and i could do it myself)

 

[Mighty Mouse]

If you're on good terms with your and/or your fiancée's family, I would recommend considering proximity to them in your relocation decision. Having folks you know and trust nearby is a huge benefit, especially when you have children.

 

[nidahobrushswimmer]

I’m in north Idaho, and know exactly what you mean. Through some luck and good timing, I wound up with 10 acres a few years back. My wife stays home with our 5 kids. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
That being said, if I was in the same position today, I’d be lucky to be able to afford a shack. Our home I sold in Rathdrum has tripled in value since I sold it. I feel for the people who are getting driven out of the places their families have called home for generations because of the cost of living.
As a side note, my buddy moved to SC a couple years ago due to medical issues with his wife. He bought a great house with a couple acres and a big pool for half what he sold his place here for.

 

[ODB]

If you're on good terms with your and/or your fiancée's family, I would recommend considering proximity to them in your relocation decision. Having folks you know and trust nearby is a huge benefit, especially when you have children.

This is a good comment.

 

[Mcfish]

I'm in automation/manufacturing too so I have a little bit of perspective...

Try to find an area that is DIVERSE in the manufacturing sector. We do all of the automation for a Tier 1 auto supplier and they're gearing up for a lot more of their work to move to Mexico. Wage and other demands along with the unionizing that is happening is pushing our customers south of the border.

It sucks, but you have to factor that in with manufacturing.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

If you're on good terms with your and/or your fiancée's family, I would recommend considering proximity to them in your relocation decision. Having folks you know and trust nearby is a huge benefit, especially when you have children.

100%

 

[bradmacmt]

@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.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

off topic a bit, but as mentioned.....how bad are the ticks in Arkansas?

 

[Sand Wrench]

Kansas currently has microchip and battery plants in development, as well as a lot of aircraft manufacturing in Wichita. Keeps you a lot closer to the western hunting with affordable cost of living.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

off topic a bit, but as mentioned.....how bad are the ticks in Arkansas?

If they're as bad as MO, then real bad. I was just in MO last month. Permethrin and Picaridin are your friends.

 

[ewade07]

@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?

 

[Hnthrdr]

Georgia is full.

He seems like a level headed fella I would rather have him in Co than the legions of blue and purple haired weirdos, just keep some perspective haha. I would welcome him to Co, but our cost of living is worse than MT’s

 

[GreenNDark Timber]

off topic a bit, but as mentioned.....how bad are the ticks in Arkansas?

Have you seen the scene in Dances with Wolves where Kevin Costner is trying to explain to the Indians how many white people are coming......"Like the stars in the sky". Same answer for your question

 

[Johnny Tyndall]

Everywhere is more expensive than it used to be. It's a national problem. And it's not the laborer with no papers that's bidding houses up to half a million dollars.

If you like outdoor stuff and aren't hung up on mountains, I'd consider the upper midwest. Good people, deep woods, and plenty of recreation. Not the same climate as the SE of course, but that keeps the people more interesting.

 

[307]

If you're on good terms with your and/or your fiancée's family, I would recommend considering proximity to them in your relocation decision. Having folks you know and trust nearby is a huge benefit, especially when you have children.

I can't emphasize how important this comment is. Next to career opportunity, proximity to family (as long as they aren't a huge pain in the butt) can be a major factor in improving quality of life for you and your wife once you have kids.

I know this because I did the exact opposite and moved to the middle of nowhere based on recreation preferences, with no family or close friends around. I wouldn't do that again.

 

[pacoalcracker]

If I was a young man again, I would move to the Nashville area. Huge potential there. Sure, it's booming but it's got a lot going for a family....a LOT.