My wife and I are at a crossroads, we are trying to figure out where to settle while making the least amount of compromises.
We are 35, no kids yet, but hope to have one in the next few years.
She works in digital marketing, and I work in corporate finance.
We currently live in Livermore, CA but we each commute > 50 miles one way in opposite directions.
So this is what we are looking for (in no particular order):
1) Stay west of Texas
2) Commute < 30 minutes one way
3) At least one of us needs a good job. All in w/ bonus right now we are combined 270K gross, so would like to end up in an area where we can gross 150ish combined
4) Would like a healthy housing market in the 350-550K range, preferably one with a bit of character (not keen on mass subdivisions)
5) Active culture as we are still training and racing triathlon, etc.
6) Decent airport access as our families live back east and we do like to travel for races & non-races alike.
7) Natural beauty would be great, we have been spoiled by that here in Livermore.
8) Not afraid of heat or cold, but would like to avoid the extremes
9)Ideally not in California/Oregon due to tax rates
We are looking beyond the cliche'd spots of Boulder, Portland, Bend, etc. so please no recommendations for these locations. Here are a few others we have put on the radar. I do not know much about really any of these places save their geography and a quick browse of realtor.com. What else am I missing?
Boise, ID
Spokane, WA
Carson City, NV
Colorado Springs, CO
Flagstaff, AZ
Albuquerque, NM
Ft Collins, CO
Salt Lake
Anyone want to share experiences of making a big life change from a major market to a quieter pace of life?
We are 35, no kids yet, but hope to have one in the next few years.
She works in digital marketing, and I work in corporate finance.
We currently live in Livermore, CA but we each commute > 50 miles one way in opposite directions.
So this is what we are looking for (in no particular order):
1) Stay west of Texas
2) Commute < 30 minutes one way
3) At least one of us needs a good job. All in w/ bonus right now we are combined 270K gross, so would like to end up in an area where we can gross 150ish combined
4) Would like a healthy housing market in the 350-550K range, preferably one with a bit of character (not keen on mass subdivisions)
5) Active culture as we are still training and racing triathlon, etc.
6) Decent airport access as our families live back east and we do like to travel for races & non-races alike.
7) Natural beauty would be great, we have been spoiled by that here in Livermore.
8) Not afraid of heat or cold, but would like to avoid the extremes
9)Ideally not in California/Oregon due to tax rates
We are looking beyond the cliche'd spots of Boulder, Portland, Bend, etc. so please no recommendations for these locations. Here are a few others we have put on the radar. I do not know much about really any of these places save their geography and a quick browse of realtor.com. What else am I missing?
Boise, ID
Spokane, WA
Carson City, NV
Colorado Springs, CO
Flagstaff, AZ
Albuquerque, NM
Ft Collins, CO
Salt Lake
Anyone want to share experiences of making a big life change from a major market to a quieter pace of life?