Relocation? Thinking CO, IL, NH, ME??
I’m a GC in the SF Bay Area. Born and raised here. While I know relocating is certainly no panacea for the current economy and its disasterous impact on our industry, I find myself frequently thinking about leaving Calif. For reasons too numerous to list for the purposes of this discussion, California is certainly nothing like what it was when I grew up, and I’m only 40! I worry about raising my daughter in such a crazy state (ecomonically and politically).
I specialize in high-end, true craftmanship residential work. I love creating high quality remodels and fine carpentry/woodoorking, and attention to detail. Sadly, people here seem to not appareciate it anymore. Its not just the economy either, as they spend tons of money eating out evenry night at the trendiest restaurants in their fancy cars, etc. Everything seems to be on the cheap and “half assed”, and I just dont want to do that kind of work. Which has lead me to think this slowdown might be the right opportunity to relocate.
I have always loved the architecture, the people, climate, etc. and as evidenced by many of the posters to this forums locations, the craftsmanship that still lives in our industry in places like the upper midwest, New England.
I would love to move to Colorado, Illinois, Maine, New Hampshire for example but know that breaking into a new area, even in the best of times, can be a challenge. Anyone from these areas? Done a relocation like this before? Any suggestions? Thoughts?
Thanks!!
Replies
Although I no longer reside in Illinois, I was born in Chicago and lived there for 26 years. I lived in Champaign, Illinois for another 5 years which is 130 miles south of Chicago and is home to the University of Illinois. Stan Foster, the stairbuilder, lives in a town close to Champaign and works almost exclusively on homes close to his. The pictures he posts in the photo gallery show the quality of homes being built in central Illinois. Of course you see his beautiful stairs, but the level of finish carpentry and woodwork is also impressive in those houses. Perhaps Stan can offer insights into the current construction economy in that area. One thing is for sure. It is way cheaper to live there than where you currently reside. You can visit Stan's website at http://www.stansstairways.com.
It is way cheaper to live there than where you currently reside.
no joke....
Grew up in SPI, mother & bro still live there..
Could sell my place near Seattle and buy 2 city blocks where I grew up (down the street from Lincoln),
The way gov is going, move to a state capitol or city with lots of gov jobs, get in on the ground floor of socialism.
selling your place in bay area you could buy 3 blocks in SPI, fence and gentrify, and make $$$$
Have been to all 57 states <G>, would choose TX or Alaska as 1st choices if had to move, possibly TN or NM.
Questions that need asking
I'm gonna hate myself for asking... nevertheless: Which states are you leaving out? Climate certainly isn't a critical element in your choice of residence (AK vs. TX), so what is?
Guessing by your reference to Lincoln, is SPI short for Springfield, Illinois?
yep, SPI is Springfield, airport 3 letter nomenclature.
BTW, did you know that Chicago Ohare is named ORD - because the airport replaced and orchard??
As for states left out, none, just the ones I listed felt most at home, after those it would be Scotland, Switzerland, and Germany <G>,
No quite
The airport was orignally named Orchard, changed to Ohare to honor the WW2 flier.
Who never would have been accepted at Annapolis if his father (who was Al Capone's accountant) if his father hadn't wangled the commision as a price for turning Big Al's books over to the feds, who used them to put Big Al in the slammer.
Senior Mr. Ohare was gunned down the day Al was released from Alcatraz, likely not a coincidence.
I moved
and can tell you it takes a long time to break in to a new scene... and that's in good times.
With construction slow, I would expect great difficulty getting any work in a new town, whether you're an employee or a sub. I would not move unless you have at least a couple of years of living expenses in cash without using retirement money.
In a place like Maine you might well be an outsider from Califernia. In Colorado they're much more used to transplants. Not sure I see the appeal of the midwest but maybe that's because I was born and raised and left.
Anyway, one thing economists and such say about the recession... it has reduced the mobility of our society. People are less likely to be moving around. I'm sure it's true.
kid....
couple things.... the old saw about why u rob banks ?....cause that's where the money is...
the kind of work you want to do requires a conjunction of that style of architecture ...and the money to pay your rate
coastal areas in new england have those
if you can cash out .... this is an opportunity that will not present itself again in our lifetime...
the ability to buy into a community in coastal new england... if you live there , you can do business there
i could never buy into the real estate market in our town today... except that i already own a piece of the rock
comming from the sf area... i bet you could relocate to coastal ne
coastal ne
I didn't know that Nebraska had a coast! ;-)