Opportunity to move West
Elk
Morning folks.
My wife graduates in December from nursing school and at that point we will have an opportunity to move to any of the Pacific NW states.
I recently got promoted so I will travel to my territory of Nevada to Colorado, and NW through Washington and Montana. I live in Iowa currently, by moving to my territory I will be allowed to work from home full time of course.
My requirements- be within an hour of an airport that has domestic flights to Denver, SLC, Portland, Seattle and ideally Vegas. She will be a nurse and would prefer to work in a hospital.
We are both hunters and I fly fish quite a bit, we both enjoy camping and hiking as well. I was initially looking at Sheridan Wyoming, issue there is the airport/lack thereof for flights.
Ideally we can find a town that's in the mountains, or at least quite close. Denver is off the table, entirely too expensive, as is Bozeman.
Mainly considering Wyoming and Idaho. If you had the choice- where would you go?
Western Montana is a special place. Has everything you are looking for . Best move I ever made. Chase your dreams!!!
We live close to Grand junction Co. Smaller city good air port
Pinedale, Wyoming area or thereabouts would be a consideration.
Wyoming or Idaho.....can't go wrong. Good luck and congrats!
Canon City / Colorado Springs
I have friends and family doing as you are proposing moving from CA to the mountain areas in Denver, Nevada, Boise area and Utah N of SLC.
As you know with the work at home scenario now there is a huge migration to a lot of these really nice small town areas. It’s not only taking off the people that have been living there but driving up the prices. In some cases like Boise home prices have doubled in the last 3 years.
With both of you working, I would develop a spreadsheet comparing the cost of living of the different states including state tax, property tax, sales tax- along with cost of living factors. For example, living in Nevada with no state tax versus living in California at 13% will have a cumulative affect over a long term on your total assets. Then factor that a state like Wyoming, I think there is a program there where your kids can go to college for free to a state school.
Many good options, I’m curious as to where you end up. Best of luck.
I’d kill to be able to move to Pocatello.
We live near Boise. The only reason we’re this close too town is because my work is in Boise. If I could work from home we’d definitely move to a more quiet area in the mountains. The amount of people in the Boise area right now is insane. The fact that you travel for work gives you some great opportunities for building on your own property.
Pocatello and Idaho Falls are in the mix, maybe some places within an hour or so of Denver.
The issue with a lot of Idaho and Wyoming is flights. I have to fly once a month to the major metropolitan areas in Colorado, Washington, Utah and Nevada.
I have lived in WNY all my life and never felt the wanderlust, whatever you decide the best to you and your wife.
I've been in the SLC area for two weeks. Drove up to Bear lake on borders of UT/ID this week. Beautiful area, not far from Ogden/airport/hospital/mountains/fly fishing.
Moved to NW Montana late last year, best decision we've ever made. The west in general is going through a lot of growth right now because of all the telecommuting.
Lots of people want to live an hour from Denver. Check prices. They aren’t much different than Denver.
Cheyenne puts you about 1.5 hours from the Denver airport and they have a airport there that likely gets you to several of your location. It would make you a WY resident for taxes and hunting. You would not have all of the BS CO politics. If hunting a big deal to you don't under estimate the increase in quality hunting you will have as resident of WY versus CO.
I live just down the road from Sheridan and have to travel to Boston/DC reguarly for work, plus to visit grandchildren.
We fly out of Sheridan, Gillette, Casper all the time, 1 hour flight to Denver then to wherever. There are issues with Denver weather and with the 1-3 flight/day in/out of the WY sites. It can get "fun" on weather days. I just got home from DC, was supposed to fly today (Friday), United sent out a "hey you might want to change plans", so I did, changed from United via Denver to Delta Via SLC and got into Casper. Good move, weather today is pretty bad.
In Sheridan you are also fairly easy drive to Billings for more flight options.
Lots of options, be sure to check the bad as well as the good. For me, Wyoming is great but way to windy for me. Idaho is attractive, but, believe it or not, they now have traffic issues in arguably the best part of the state - the S/W. Montana is also great, but the winters, not so much. Alaska has appeal, but the distances and (lack of) a pilots license will negatively affect you. I've always loved Colorado, but the last decade or so, the politics have been a buzzkill. Utah is pretty cool. I would look into Northern Arizona. Good luck!
“Then factor that a state like Wyoming, I think there is a program there where your kids can go to college for free to a state school.”
I wish! ;-)
Western Wyoming. Think about this… people from Colorado, Idaho, and Montana etc apply for licenses to hunt there. People from Wyoming don’t apply anywhere to hunt! Boom!
Considering your requirement of being fairly close to an airport, I agree with MP. I’d take a hard look at Evanston. Only about an hour 15 minutes from Salt Lake. You’d be on the western side of the state, which offers fabulous hunting, camping, hiking, and fishing in countless streams and some rivers. If you like bigger water, Flaming Gorge isn’t far.
People who can tolerate the weather in Wyoming deserve to get a license every year. I live 8 miles from the WY border in CO, have basically the same weather (getting 14" of snow today and tomorrow) so I think I should get a WY tag every couple years just for putting up with their wind and long winters that spill over. ;-)
Lou 14” of snow…?! And here I am complaining it’s going to be 96 the next two days here.
yes we're getting snow here in Denver but it was 88 yesterday. you didn't say what you do for work but if you need high speed internet it can be spotty if your looking out of town, best make sure its available if you need it. house prices here are unreal. I've heard of houses selling for 100,000 over asking price. I know a guy who was looking to buy and had been outbid on 13 different houses.
Here in mass a house near my uncle on “The Cape” a very popular summer destination just sold for $325,000 over asking price at $1.85 million… 3 bed 2 bath … insane
If you are thinking western Wyoming, check out my link for a relator I have worked with in the past and some of the li$ting$.
Hospitals in Jackson and in Afton.
Good luck, Robb
Lou, I agree you should get a tag every year like a Wy resident should.
OP if possible, it may be prudent to wait a few months. All indicators point to a severe recession. As soon as the consumer confidence starts sliding. people will start pulling back and the housing market will slow too. A year from now, instead of paying over asking price, the buyer will most likely be in the drivers seat. Of course if the feds print and hand out more money it could artificially prop up consumer confidence and delay the coming recession. But buying at the height of a boom takes longer to get long term equity. You may want to rent in your chosen area first.
I Would agree. Buying right now would be the peak of the market and you will more than likely lose all your equity in one year.
My one hunting buddy moved out of Cheyenne he said he just couldn’t handle the non stop wind.
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Left our house in Fort Collins Thursday pm at 5:00 and it was 82 degrees. Arrived in Cheyenne 35 minutes later and it was 41...
You can’t time the market and you gotta live somewhere. If buying investment property, yes I would agree, maybe hold tight and see what happens. You lose every single dollar you pay in rent, that’s a fact. If you have a 5-10 year window, historically you will be way ahead buying. Not much is getting cheaper……
I heard or read somewhere maybe even this forum that you can find someone to say they like the cold, heat, sun and rain, but, nobody likes the wind! It is always windy in Wyoming, like always......
Pocatello and Idaho Falls are in the mix, maybe some places within an hour or so of Denver.
The issue with a lot of Idaho and Wyoming is flights. I have to fly once a month to the major metropolitan areas in Colorado, Washington, Utah and Nevada.
Thats funny Jaq….but you need to tell the rest of the story…..
My buddy lives in Elizabeth, Co and my daughter in Denver….both said it went from 80’s to a winter snow storm in a flash….
No doubt being a WY resident would be a big plus. I did the travel thing for years and it was just easier to be near DIA (Denver). Colorado appears to be lost. I grew up here and loved it. The geography, weather and diversity of habitat is about perfect for what I like but no fun watching it drift left in politics and demographics. Most of the State is normal locally, just no escaping the bad decisions at the State level we have to live with.
Everything North, West and South of DIA for an hour is basically the same price as Denver. You could go East and save but you are out on the plains and may not fit the idea of living close enough to the mountains. Here in the Ft Collins/Loveland area is very nice but losing the mid-size town, all-American charm it had when I grew up.
Cheyenne isn't a bad drive to DIA but not my favorite place other than its gets you that WY residency. Plenty of WY isn't windy like Cheyenne but generally not convenient for a big selection of flights.
Maybe Spokane, Couer d'Alene?
It's not windy here in western Wyoming because there's no air! Bring plenty of oxygen bottles. :)
You can’t time the market and you gotta live somewhere. If buying investment property, yes I would agree, maybe hold tight and see what happens. You lose every single dollar you pay in rent, that’s a fact. If you have a 5-10 year window, historically you will be way ahead buying. Not much is getting cheaper……
I wonder what the direct flights out of Jackson look like.
I love the Pinedale area.
My wife finishes nursing school in December, will likely do school part time after that while working to get her nurse practitioners license.
IA bowhunter, Never discount the proximity to family. These questions come up often here. I think if you want to be a good western big game hunter, you need to live out there but proximity to my family is more important to me than that. My 2 cents.
What I consider the best parts of the West for hunting and quality of life doesn't coincide with being near a major airport. A compromise is necessary.
Iowa The family statement above is good. I made this same move almost 20 years ago. If you find a spot near the Wy Mt S.D. NE borders it's a day drive back to family in Iowa. I landed in the black Hills. Tons of Medical jobs here. I hunt 3 of the 4 states. Fly out of Rapid city or Gillette . Good luck
I moved from western WA to spokane WA last year. I am six miles from the airport. Live on 20 acres nest to a 13,000 arce parks with the spokane river running through it. deer an moose move through my place. What ever you do pay attention to the RE as its all skyrockingting.
We won’t move until next Spring at the earliest, gives us time for rates to rise and home prices to fall.
I’m fine paying a bit higher rate for a few years until it drops, I’m not going to overpay by a couple hundred grand on a house.
Up for the day.
Getting closer to her graduating which will be nice to have another functioning income!
Where will you move to? Have you visited anywhere?
Colorado = East California
I hate to say it but just about every state out west is turning to East California. California is more like a disease rather than a state. Good luck on whatever you decide.
I lived in Montana for a few years and visited most of the state.
Went to SLC a couple weeks ago, beautiful out there but I’m not sure I could deal with the people.
Looking pretty hard at Idaho
Idaho definitely has a lot to offer…. Love the fishing opportunities!
I lived in Montana for a few years and visited most of the state.
Went to SLC a couple weeks ago, beautiful out there but I’m not sure I could deal with the people.
Looking pretty hard at Idaho
I lived in Montana for a few years and visited most of the state.
Went to SLC a couple weeks ago, beautiful out there but I’m not sure I could deal with the people.
Looking pretty hard at Idaho
If you’re conservative, by all means move to Idaho. Boise is swamped with commiefornians who’ve moved there to escape the miasma they helped create. They could use the votes. Nevada is done for. Too much Vegas and Reno. Montana is not far behind.
If I didn't live in Alaska, I would live in Wyoming. If you look at what you get as a resident hunter compared with what you can get as a non-resident hunter in the same state, Wyoming blows the rest of the West away.
And it's a great place with a lot of great places to live.
Buskill are you still up around Claypool Hill? I'm still shaking my head over running into you in Roanoke on my way out to Kodiak.
Have live in Denver area for 24 years now. I'd not move here at present as real estate is just nuts. I'd look hard at Cheyenne or perhaps Helena, MT. Helena checks a lot of boxes and real estate compared to here is not even close.
