Relocation Advice

[Iris]

Hi

I don't post very often, but I am a regular lurker. There are people from all over the country on this forum. I need some advice. I am thinking of relocating from the Medford Oregon area. I want to buy a small homestead. But I am not sure what part of the country. My ideal homestead would include:

1. Warm enough climate for 5 or months gardening
2. Rolling treed hills
3. Reasonable real estate values
4. Availablility of work
5. Low crime rate
6. Decent schools (I have a small daughter)
7. Nice friendly people

Does such a place exist? Let me know.

Iris

[RangerRick]

Sounds like Tulsa.

Rick

[jajbellsouthnet]

Iris,
The good news is yes, such a place exists.
The bad news is that you have to be of good character and die to get there.
Seriously, good luck in your search. I believe that Florida is about at good as it gets for land prices, weather, etc. but it is still outrageous. They are talking about removing the 3%/year cap on advelorum taxes which means that I will not be able to afford the taxes on my present homestead and will be forced to sell and move on. If you find somewhere where government is not killing the goose which laid the golden egg (home-owning taxpayers), let everyone know.

[Terri]

Douglas county, Kansas.

You are close enough to the cities to commute if you must, the schools are VERY good in Douglas and Johnson counties, and the prices are more reasonable than they are in Johnson county.

What we did, was, we put out our applications, and when he got an interview we came down. He got the job, so we looked at rentals until we had checked out the area.

Lawrence tends to be a liberal town, but the rest of the state is conservative. LAwrence is also a college town, though it has become a city the last few years.

[greenacres]

If you don't mind snow in the winter, Eastern Iowa where I live is farm country that's all rolling hills with lot's of trees. The growing season is almost 5 months. Land is inexpensive. Lot's of jobs, low crime rate, good schools. And great hunting and fishing.

[Suzy]

Just make sure that you check out "land use" and zoning no matter where you relocate! talk to the local newspaper, the county commission office, and anyone else in whatever area you are looking into to make sure there are no "land use" plans even in the near future!!!

I've heard there is still some good land in the Cumberland area of Tennessee if you watch out and don't get too near the cities!

[Iris]

Hi everyone,
Thank you for all the wonderful advice. I have been to the midwest and there is some really incredible scenery there. How bad are the tornados though? I know I will never find a completely perfect place but want to come as close as possible.

Thank You

[RangerRick]

Tornado? No problem, just stay away from em and of course they can be found in almost every state in the union. Actually, you've got a lot better chance of being injured in a car wreck than by a tornado but hey, we all gotta go sometime right?

Don't worry, be happy! Life's too much fun to spend it worrying about things ya have absolutely no control over. Stay prayed up and enjoy life.

Rick

[greenacres]

Iris,

Tornados are not as common as you may think. I have lived in the midwest most of my life and have never seen a tornado. In fact I don't know anyone who has seen a tornado. Of course I have seen the damage done by tornados in nearby communities. Most people who grow up in the midwest don't worry about them. I guess it's like people who grow up in California don't worry about earthquakes.

[DavidOH]

Hummmmmm I recall some folks in NE Ohio who moved to Medford Oregon.

I thought you were living in paradice. ???

I guess every area has it's good and bad points.

[Rafael]

What do you consider reasonable real estate value?

[Iris]

David, Too much of my exboyfriends family live here in Medford. I am looking for a change away from all of it.

Rafael, I am looking for a small house with 2 or 3 acres for less than $100,000. Preferably around $75,000 Is that reasonable?

Iris

[Rafael]

Available work, 5 month gardening season, low crime, nice people and decent schools for that price probably would fill up fast and no longer have sub$100,000 housing.
The available work part would probably be the hardest part to find. I wish you good luck on your search, you could have a peaceful life in a place like that.

[Dixie]

Columbia, Tennessee - between there and Hohenwald, Tennessee is some pretty, affordable land (the last time we looked there).

The weather is like you describe with usually short winters, some hot weather in the summer, but usually doesn't last all that long. Affordable land. Jobs available, at least right now. James K. Polk's childhood home is in Columbia, TN. There is an elephant sanctuary in Hohenwald, TN (not open to the public). There is more in Columbia, TN than in Hohenwald as Columbia is a larger town, but still not all that big. Rolling hills in the area. Long gardening season. Have seen it be 70 degrees on Christmas Day in that area. February is usually the coldest month there. If you built a small storm shelter near your house, or put in a storm room in the basement, or better yet, built a partially sheltered (in a hillside) house like my in-laws did not too far from there, you wouldn't have much to worry about from tornadoes (not a great big problem anyway, but there are tornado warnings once in a while at certain times of the year and it's a comfort to have a little storm bunker near the house.) There have been a lot of new industries and businesses come into the Columbia area because of the Saturn plant that located in Spring Hill, Tennessee several years ago. So good schools in the area. (Franklin and Spring Hill have BOOMED, so land prices there are through the roof and it's getting too crowded around there.) People around there are friendly enough without being pushy; just down to earth people. I guess it has more to do with what kind of work you are looking to find in an area. -

That is the area that we would choose if we were looking today; but then I suppose it's a matter of personal taste and also the matter of possibly not wanting to get too far away from family (a consideration that matters more and more the older they, and you, get).