Starting Over

[kberg]

Well the Fiancé and I are done and I have to sell my house in MN unfortunately we have negative equity as I bought at the peak of the bubble. Anyways I am also done with the only place I ever lived MN. The Taxes and nanny state loss of personal freedoms are on a run to the top of the graph. I am thinking that I would like to move to TX or Colorado Springs CO. I am a Conservative/Libertarian of sorts I don't really classify myself as I like to make up my own mind on things. I would like to homestead at some point but money is an issue I still have to work in my industry which is IT to make good money but I would like to move to an area where I could have a little land to start but be close enough to a city where I can still find IT jobs. Any help or opinions would be nice I have never really done this kind of thing before and I will for the most part be going it alone. I am very skilled and don't have very high living standards I think I would just like a trailer or small cabin on some land.

Ben

[mimipaula1]

If you're looking to move to Texas, you might think about Austin or Houston. Austin would be better if you're looking for smaller, but it's still a city. Austin is more liberal than the rest of Texas, but is still pretty conservative compared to the rest of the nation. The recession is just now arriving in Houston; as long as gasoline was high, everybody worked and the economy was booming here. (I live about 35 miles northwest of Houston.) The summer heat and humidity are every bit as bad as you've heard in Houston, but you can't beat the mild, mild winters! I believe Southern hospitality and friendliness is alive and well in Texas; I hope that proves to be your Texas experience, also! I'm a native Texan and don't plan on ever living anywhere else.

[Grizzy]

On the other hand, if things continue to deteriorate the big cities will be full of some really stressed out folks and who knows if there will be desirable jobs enough... I'm in East Texas in a very small town in a rural environment where you can breathe and still git to a town to work. If things get rough... I won't be in the midst of it. You might consider at least trying a smaller place.

[CarolAnn]

Kberg -
I work in Madison, WI and the economy is still relatively stable here. Unemployment is the lowest in the state. The best thing is, there are lots of smaller communities nearby so you can have something of a country life with a short commute to the city. Most employers are on the outskirts of the city anyway - since Madison is a skinny strip of land between two lakes, you can work here and never even go into the city.

Having to sell your house is too bad, especially right now when the market is in the dumpster. Is there any way you can hang on for a year or two? If your house payments depended partly on the income of your ex, maybe you could get a roomie? (Lots of folks in the same boat -there might be one you could tolerate!)

[kberg]

I have considered hanging on for a while but yes I did depend on her income to keep my situation comfortable but I can make it on my own. Thanks for the idea of Madison but that city is very opposite of my politics which today is becoming very important.

[harvester]

I have a very long time family friend that we are all very close with that lives in colorado springs. fortunately he is one of the top real estate agents in colorado. In fact he helped us to find our home here in montana. He has lived there for many years, origonally a new yorker, and could tell you alot about the area. If you want first hand knowledge from him pm me and I will give you contacts to him.
good luck on your new venture, you will do fine.