Relocate just because you want to?

[Elisabet1]

My dh always has wanted to move north. I have not. Then, the final straw was a couple years ago. It was our usual winter....heavy winds, some chill in the air...no slow, not pretty out. Everything just looks dead. That, of course, followed our usual summer of sitting inside, a/c barely keeping up even though we have two very good units. (4000 square foot house). Over 100 degrees outside and we cannot go out. It is kind of too hot to go swimming because we are fair skinned and we burn. Sunblock only does so much for you and it takes time to heavily cover every last square inch of each persons body. People started posting pictures of the snow and such where they live. I went and bought some cold weather supplies...meaning hot cocoa, peppermint sticks, even some orange spice tea. Yay! Then I waited for cold weather. Finally..a day came. It lasted a day. Then, we were back to where to never got cold enough to even use the fire place again.

 

My husband wants us to head all the way north and land in MN or SD. Sometimes, I think he is not off base. Now, here it is, end of September. Last night, I dreamt it was fall and snow had come through. Everyone was excited and in winter clothes! People were stomping off the snow from their clothes when they would walk in. I started thinking maybe we could put up Christmas lights and they would look so cool against the snow! 

 

Then I woke up and realized my room was hot and I needed to turn down the a/c even more, even though it is already set at 75. I felt like I was in that Twilight zone episode where it was very hot in her dream and then cold when she woke up for real (or vice versa). 

 

But I am afraid that we will sell the house and move everyone across country, only to find that we do not like it and we just needed a break from the dreary heat and burning sun in the south. I feel like people in the north don't get what it is like to live in this sun and warm weather all year round. I didn't like the snow and cold when I was there. But now that I have not had it in so long, I miss that my children will never know what it is like to walk in snow, or built a snow fort, or just be inside and look out at the blowing snow and quiet. Or ever see the Northern lights, etc.

 

Any advice? 

[catz]

Well, Minnesota is a great place to homeschool and at least we're not snowed in all winter.  There's plenty to do inside and out in the winter.  And yes, we have some very cold days.  I like the change of seasons.  The weather is SO gorgeous right now I could cry.  There is 1-2 months of too cold and 1-2 months of too hot (for me - others might disagree).  We're good at dressing in layers and have a nice supply of smart wool socks.  ;)

 

ETA - this just came across my feed, so I thought it was meant for you to see.  :D  Minnesota is the 2nd happiest state to live in.

http://www.minnpost.com/second-opinion/2014/09/dont-worry-be-happy-you-live-minnesota?utm_content=buffer9a5aa&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

[Amira]

I've loved living in so many places and experiencing many different things.  I think moving can be really good, and it can be really hard.  

 

You might try a winter vacation to someplace snowy to see if that's enough for you. :)

[redsquirrel]

I could never live in the heat. I am a northern girl!

 

I think a vacation this winter is in order, but be careful. There is a likely chance you end up with 'vacation syndrome',which is a place you visit, even for a month can seem fantastic. I remember the first time I went to Florida. It was in January and I decided I was going to move there no matter what. Yeah, then I came to my senses...and got an earful from my friend who lived there. It is a great for me to visit, but I am not cut out for that life.

 

What if you start researching towns or cities in the areas you like and get at least an online subscription to the local papers. Read them every day, check out the local radio stations as well, most stream these days. Make them a part of your life and really think about it.

 

Boots and coats in the foyer and no good place to put them, getting up to shovel, having to do it again before bed, heating bills, no sun for days on end, February...just February, the work it takes just to walk out of the house in March, kids stuck inside for months on end, paying for physical activities in January just so the kids have something to do, cars stuck in snow, having to replace mufflers on a yearly basis due to salt on the roads

 

All of that might have slipped your mind, lol.

 

[milovany]

We did this a few years ago!  It wasn't weather-related, there were other more personal reasons, but we up and moved from Washington state to Colorado one fall.  We had four kids at the time, ages 7 down to infant.  While dh did have a job lined up when we left, once we arrived, there wasn't as much work as we'd hoped. We also left without having sold our home; it took about six months for it to sell, so we had double house payments at the same time.  But we made it through and enjoyed the experience!  We stayed there for three years and then moved back.  I love that we took a chance and tried something. We made some great friends during that time and our kids have great memories of living in Colorado. We also grew a lot personally and were better able to handle the situation we'd escaped from once we returned.  Coming back was more difficult than we'd anticipated, not for readjustment reasons, but because we spent another couple years trying to decide where to live and not having a firm idea of what the future held.  We moved back to an area that was two hours from where we'd lived when we left, but we weren't sure that's where we wanted to settle.  Eventually we made it back to the town that we'd left, and we've been here for almost ten years now with no plans to leave again. 

 

While many things were difficult, I wouldn't have changed a thing. 

[Orthodox6]

Weather is not "all or none". When I escaped from Torrid Texas to attend college in North Carolina, I excitedly realized that those early 1960s "Dick and Jane" school readers were right after all. There really WERE four distinct seasons.

 

Which goes to say that one must not move to Barrow to have pleasant weather.

[foxbridgeacademy]

My dh always has wanted to move north. I have not. Then, the final straw was a couple years ago. It was our usual winter....heavy winds, some chill in the air...no slow, not pretty out. Everything just looks dead. That, of course, followed our usual summer of sitting inside, a/c barely keeping up even though we have two very good units. (4000 square foot house). Over 100 degrees outside and we cannot go out. It is kind of too hot to go swimming because we are fair skinned and we burn. Sunblock only does so much for you and it takes time to heavily cover every last square inch of each persons body. People started posting pictures of the snow and such where they live. I went and bought some cold weather supplies...meaning hot cocoa, peppermint sticks, even some orange spice tea. Yay! Then I waited for cold weather. Finally..a day came. It lasted a day. Then, we were back to where to never got cold enough to even use the fire place again.

 

My husband wants us to head all the way north and land in MN or SD. Sometimes, I think he is not off base. Now, here it is, end of September. Last night, I dreamt it was fall and snow had come through. Everyone was excited and in winter clothes! People were stomping off the snow from their clothes when they would walk in. I started thinking maybe we could put up Christmas lights and they would look so cool against the snow! 

 

Then I woke up and realized my room was hot and I needed to turn down the a/c even more, even though it is already set at 75. I felt like I was in that Twilight zone episode where it was very hot in her dream and then cold when she woke up for real (or vice versa). 

 

But I am afraid that we will sell the house and move everyone across country, only to find that we do not like it and we just needed a break from the dreary heat and burning sun in the south. I feel like people in the north don't get what it is like to live in this sun and warm weather all year round. I didn't like the snow and cold when I was there. But now that I have not had it in so long, I miss that my children will never know what it is like to walk in snow, or built a snow fort, or just be inside and look out at the blowing snow and quiet. Or ever see the Northern lights, etc.

 

Any advice? 

Not sure about MN, but I know in SD you get a serious amount of snow.

 

I'm from Indiana and I spent almost 8 years in the South (FL,NC/SC, KY, TN) and can tell you in all that time I never missed the snow and cold.  I did not miss the dangerous roads, electrical outages or the insane heating bills.  I did miss my family so we're Hoosiers again.

 

 Yes, winter up here can be beautiful, and playing in the snow can be a lot of fun..... for 20-30 minutes.  Then you have to come inside because negative temperatures will freeze your rear off.  On the day we left Indiana for Sunny Florida, the temps here were a high of negative 6 degrees.  Just like your blistering summers, you can not go out in that.  You keep turning the heat up, but it can't keep pace.  There is nowhere to go if you can even get out of your driveway(an hour of shoveling, plus using an ice scrapper for another 1/2 hour puts a damper on travel).  That is the worst and it doesn't last all winter but when  March finally arrives with above freezing temps it's such a relief.

 

What really sucks about Indiana, (I'm a Hoosier we are required to bash the weather- state law or something) is that the summers were just as hot but more humid then when we lived in Charlotte NC.  They just don't last as long(I miss the super long growing season of the South).

 

So, what I would suggest is that you look into moving to some place like southern KY, or most of TN (we loved TN! especially near the mountains).  Also if you want snow the Northern part of NC gets it sometimes. Obviously the closer to the mountains the more snow.  Or you could take a winter Vacation to MN/SD, that should cure what ails you.

*** Not knocking any of the states mentioned, just the frigid weather that blows through them.

[Liz CA]

Have you thought of relocating to an area with a temperate climate where you neither have extreme heat nor dreary cold? There are places along the Western coastline that fall into that category. There may be other locales that fulfill that as well - I don't know the Midwest or East coast. Also, in the Western states, within hours you can be in the snow if you need to see some white stuff.

I am assuming that work/jobs are "portable" and you can go anywhere.

[OneStepAtATime]

Is there any way you could take an extended vacation and tour the areas you are interested in. get a feel for things, talk to the locals, etc. before making that kind of commitment? 

[aggie96]

We did this last summer, only we moved from Dallas to Houston because we wanted to ditch any hint at winter.   :)

 

Well, weather was not the reason we moved, but it was definitely on the pro-move list.  I have been very surprised at how this move has been.  I had been coming to Houston every 6-8 weeks for 12 years prior to moving here.  My family lives in Houston.  My baby siblings were being raised in Houston (over the last 12 years).  I have spent weeks at a time in Houston.  DH GREW UP in Houston and lived there until he was a 20yo.  We had been looking in earnest at houses and property for 5 years in Houston.  So we finally made the move last summer.  It has been VERY DIFFERENT living here.  Our expectations have been very, very off from reality.  In a million years I would not have thought we would have a hard time transitioning.  I mean, really, how much of a transition should be expected moving from Dallas to Houston...where we have been coming...every few weeks for years...to see both sides of family who all live here?   :)  Many of the things that appealed to us about the new place, turns out, has some drawbacks, too.  But we couldn't know those drawbacks until we LIVED them.  Some things we thought we would not like here, or miss about Dallas, have been OK in the end.

 

I could on and on with details, but suffice to say, the grass is not always greener on the other side.  It's just a different type that has it's own advantages and disadvantages.  Research and hard reality pro/con lists help me make these types of decisions.  Good luck!!!!!

[Orthodox6]

Goodness!  I grew up in Houston (ugh) and now live outside of Dallas (equal ugh).  This with regard to the weather.

 

Candidly speaking, I think Dallas is the Ultimate Dead Bore, also saddled with visually ugly terrain, whereas Houston has some very interesting places and activities. 

[CAmomof4]

I grew up in Houston too, and hated it, couldn't wait to leave.  Now I live in Southern Calif., and my husband has a company here that he cannot just pick up and move, so we're pretty much stuck.  And now I'd give anything to go back to TX.  :-)

[Bootsie]

We live in Texas and have been considering the same thing.  After having a miserable winter with heating bills higher than my summer cooling bills, for the first time ever, followed by more drought, I am getting tired of the brown.  The past year seems to have been one of the worst as far as being able to spend time outdoors in Texas.  The few fall or spring days coincide with high-pollen levels, which means when it is pleasant to be outside, I feel miserable because of allergies.  This year, my friends in Minnesota, Maine, and the Austrian apls had much better gardens and could spend more time outdoors.

[Joyofsixreboot]

I am cold blooded.  The '60 degree weather is killing me and as someone said an IN weather is unpleasant.  I'm lobbying to move where it is hot.  And stays hot.  I'm not getting anywhere with dh  :huh: .  

[apennieformythoughts]

I live in central MN. Right now it's BEAUTIFUL here. It's sunny, a light breeze, low 60's, high temp of 70. The trees are changing, it's going to be in the high 70's, low 80's here this weekend. April to October is wonderful here. I've lived here my entire life, and I'm ready to move. I want to move somewhere like southern Colorado or something. Somewhere where the weather is different enough to notice, but similar enough to still be tolerable. As a Minnesotan, we can't be too hot or too cold, you know! 

 

But MN really does have a lot to offer. More so than SD (but of course that is my opinion, lol)... just be prepared if you move to the northern Midwest... when it's cold, it's so cold it hurts to BREATHE. The snow is pretty.  But it does wear on you, especially if you have long winters like we did last year. But last winter was weird all over the US too. 

[Elisabet1]

Goodness!  I grew up in Houston (ugh) and now live outside of Dallas (equal ugh).  This with regard to the weather.

 

Candidly speaking, I think Dallas is the Ultimate Dead Bore, also saddled with visually ugly terrain, whereas Houston has some very interesting places and activities. 

I am super bored with Dallas. The whole college thing got me down. Everything is overcrowded, or shut down. It gets so old dealing with it. Our idea of an interesting time out is to head to some restaurant and maybe the Angelika in Dallas. 

 

I am tired of the heat. I am tired of the culture. I am tired of no snow and no seasons. I am looking at pictures from up north, where I grew up, and the trees are so many colors of red and orange right now. It is beautiful! I get told that a breeze is coming through in the evenings. I am jealous.

 

The reason MN and SD were picked is we know the areas. I have never been to VA and only visited relatives in NC a couple times. I also thought Idaho and WA looked interesting. But there are all places I know nothing about but thought might be worth considering.

[Ottakee]

We are in West Michigan.  Right now the weather is beautiful---upper 40s to lower 50s at night and upper 60s to lower 70s during the afternoon and the leaves are starting to turn.  This past summer was not bad at all for heat and humidity, a few sticky hot days but not that many.

 

Last winter though was LONG.  We had snow on the ground from Thanksgiving Day until late March and in the woods until April.  We can have snow as early as late Sept (doesn't stay long) or as late as late may (again doesnt' stick long)  This past year we had over 150 inches of snow which is almost 13 feet.  It does melt/compact but often the snow was a level 3-4 feet outside.

 

I would check out the cost of living----including heat which can be a huge factor in the winter.

 

I actually prefer the cooler weather to warmer as I can always put on MORE clothes but there is only so much an plus size mid 40s mom can take off.

[creekland]

We've always moved places just because we wanted to...

 

We moved to FL because we thought we would love no winters.  Five years later we moved to PA because we missed having fall and winter.  No regrets at all moving to PA.  It's been a great place to raise boys!

 

I grew up on the Canadian border (literally) of NYS.  Winter there was too long for me, so these PA winters are just right.  I'd be shying away from SD and MN personally, but we all have our preferences.  My comfort zone runs from 50 - 80 degrees, though if I'm outside of my comfort zone, I prefer colder to hotter.

 

I also NEED green scenery.  We've traveled a bit to places where it isn't green and I can't imagine living in those areas (to each our own, of course).

 

To be honest, we have found Feb to be a dreary month of winter, so to combat that, we often head south for at least a week during that month, sometimes more.  It's VERY helpful.  We also tend to head north for at least a week in Aug - usually the hottest month in PA, but this year, Aug wasn't bad!  Our whole summer was nice this year.

[ktgrok]

I have relatives in Wisconsin, and I was surprised how "not cold" their cold felt, compared to Florida. I think it is because it is dryer there? It was 30 degrees and felt warner than it does here at 60 degrees. 

[magnificent_baby]

I love, love, love having all 4 seasons. I cannot imagine my children not experiencing gorgeous fall leaves, chilly air, pumpkin patches, as well as the beautiful snow (at least the first few snowfalls of the season, LOL). Our winters tend to get long and tiresome, and driving can be a pain, but overall it is tolerable. Just a word of caution, if you are looking for work, you may want to rethink northern MN. I have family moving away from there currently because there is very little work up there without traveling, and in bad conditions. They have dealt with that for 15 years and job opportunities seem to be getting worse. If you could work from home, that obviously won't be a problem. If work is necessary, you may want to stick to the larger cities. 

 

[VeritasMama]

We've moved quite a bit. I grew up with the Artic winters of ND. We also lived for 4 years on the Georgia/Florida border. I loved it there, but the summers were hard.

 

Dealing with months of sub zero temps is not any harder for me than dealing with the heat and humidity of the South.

 

The winters and springs are gorgeous in Georgia, and I love the Florida beaches, but I'd rather deal with the winter weather and have a gorgeous summer.

 

If you are looking for a more moderate winter, IA is by far the most moderate of the upper Midwest states I have experienced, which is all of them.

[SemiSweet]

I would do it, I love moving. I think it's a side effect of being a military brat/active duty/spouse, etc. :)

 

We live where there are no seasons, hot all year round and I'm not a fan. I'd like to live somewhere without extremes but still definite seasons.

 

When I was a civilian I moved from Northern California to Portland, Oregon just because I wanted a change. It was fairly easy and I didn't regret it at all. In fact, Portland is one of my favorite places because of my time there. Life is too short to live in a place you don't enjoy.

[Orthodox6]

To consider in any target location:

(no order to this list)

 

Are there state taxes or not?

Is food taxed or not?

Are you financially prepared for high fuel costs in the winter?

In general terms, is the local culture of the area of interest to you? (political, artistic, etc.)  Does it conflict with your values or preferences?

If there are cold winters, do you know how to drive on ice?  to install tire chains when needed?

If you homeschool, are you comfortable with the state's requirements?

Are the local medical facilities of sufficient quality for your present needs?  for your projected needs in the future?

Would the new location leave you awkwardly far from relatives or friends whom you might wish, or might need, to visit?

If you have children who might attend college, are the available institutions of higher education what you would like?

 

Without doubt I have left off other important questions.

 

 

 

[Elisabet1]

My relatives are all in the MN and SD area..the ones I am close to anyway.

 

Also..colleges are plus. From the MPLS/ St Paul area, there are tons of great colleges and university within one hour. So that was one of the reasons to go. Plus, MPLS has wonderful mass transit (I used it 25 yrs ago and it was great then, I have been told it is better now) that goes to the U of M campus. Where I live, the mass transit does not run to the suburbs. No tier one universities or well ranked colleges within several hours. There is one university that is not Tier 1, but good for the sciences. But it is still not on mass transit lines and involves driving on 70 MPH roads to get there in bad traffic. All this left us feeling a huge bind in college searching. Plus, being unable to get any sort of financial aid, despite a lot EFC really was quite upsetting. 

 

I do feel the cold will be more than I can handle. The other areas I thought that might be good would be Idaho (great home school laws, old friends from childhood are there and keep telling me how much they love it), WA (just seems nice), TN, VA, and NC (all of which seem nice, but I know little about them other than my online research). At least in MPLS or SD, I know my way around and I know a lot of people. I just think I would dread the excessive cold there. My husband thinks it would be the best thing ever. One last thing...in MN, last trip (over a year ago) we were on receiving end, multiple times, of insults for our family size. I am worried we might get there and find ourselves in a hostile environment for being home schoolers and a big family. That is the other thing that worried me.

 

Employment is not an issue. My husband already works in CT. He has no coworkers even in our state. He has no office in our state. He works from home. He is a software engineer.

[VeritasMama]

Well, Wisconsin is great, haha. Here are my cons for Minnesota.

 

I went to college in ND, my friends from Minnesota were pretty stuck up when it came to MN. Growing up in an Air Force family, I've been all over. The Cities are nice, we visit friends there often, fun stuff to do, but not any better than the other major cities I've been to. I have family in LA, DC, Denver, Des Moines, Austin, Chicago, Omaha, and Omaha. I've traveled to New Orleans, NYC, Memphis, St. Louis, Atlanta, and others. I laugh because my MN college friends thought they were so cosmopolitan, but they barely ever left the suburbs. I love my friends, but they really think MN is the end all be all without having seeing too many other places.

 

They have an increasing problem wih crime, my brother in law recently went to grad school at the U of M and was mugged twice near campus.

 

I hate the traffic. I've driven in rush hour traffic in LA, Atlanta, DC, Chicago, Milwaukee and the Jersey turnpike. I think the traffic in MLSP is the worst because half the drivers don't know what they are doing. I'd rather be stuck in traffic anywhere else. The mass transit doesn't help because everyone commutes from the suburbs and the outlying cities.

 

Add to this the fact that Minnesotans look down their noses at their neighbors, all which are very nice places to live, places I have lived, and I just get a bad taste in my mouth.

 

Please don't flame me, it is a great state, I still like to visit, but you should know the cons. There are very nice people there, and having family nearby is a huge bonus, so I'm sure you'll be happy there.

[catz]

Well, Wisconsin is great, haha. Here are my cons for Minnesota.

 

I went to college in ND, my friends from Minnesota were pretty stuck up when it came to MN. Growing up in an Air Force family, I've been all over. The Cities are nice, we visit friends there often, fun stuff to do, but not any better than the other major cities I've been to. I have family in LA, DC, Denver, Des Moines, Austin, Chicago, Omaha, and Omaha. I've traveled to New Orleans, NYC, Memphis, St. Louis, Atlanta, and others. I laugh because my MN college friends thought they were so cosmopolitan, but they barely ever left the suburbs. I love my friends, but they really think MN is the end all be all without having seeing too many other places.

 

They have an increasing problem wih crime, my brother in law recently went to grad school at the U of M and was mugged twice near campus.

 

I hate the traffic. I've driven in rush hour traffic in LA, Atlanta, DC, Chicago, Milwaukee and the Jersey turnpike. I think the traffic in MLSP is the worst because half the drivers don't know what they are doing. I'd rather be stuck in traffic anywhere else. The mass transit doesn't help because everyone commutes from the suburbs and the outlying cities.

 

Add to this the fact that Minnesotans look down their noses at their neighbors, all which are very nice places to live, places I have lived, and I just get a bad taste in my mouth.

 

Please don't flame me, it is a great state, I still like to visit, but you should know the cons. There are very nice people there, and having family nearby is a huge bonus, so I'm sure you'll be happy there.

 

I would just say, I would guess your sample size is small.  I don't live in the suburbs, I live in the city itself.  There are a  couple suburbs I don't like crossing the border for because of some of the attitude in them.  But most, if not all, major metro areas have their snobby "all that" suburbs.

 

The transit system here is quickly growing.  There is one train running to northern suburbs, and a line to SW suburbs is starting very soon.  The Blue Line runs through Minneapolis to the mall of america in bloomington.  The new green line from Mpls to St. Paul is getting 40,000 riders a day and I see a HUGE difference in traffic in my area.  That runs about 2 miles from where we live.  I do agree traffic can really stink here.  We very intentionally chose a home which is a reverse commute for my DH. 

 

The other thing I would say about the twin cities metro as someone who has traveled to pretty much all the U.S. major metros and many in the world is well, is for the size of our population, we have a really nice arts/theater/museum amenities base and education is valued.  There are many nice college options and enrichment options for kids available.  No - we are not Chicago, DC, LA, or NYC.

 

Anyway - not trying to sell anyone on the Twin Cities.  I would just say, I have traveled extensively as well has lived here most of my life and I just am not seeing what you are.  I live in a very crunchy, down to earth neighborhood IN the city where many families are transplants.  I've never been mugged, and the 2 car breaks in I've had were in the suburbs.  Heck, the biggest crime we've had committed against us ever was when we were on a road trip in NM.  I lived on or near the U of MN campus for many years.  We actually live blocks from campus now.   So as in any larger city, there is crime.  There are parts of town to avoid, especially during late hours.  I think insinuating it is rampant or common place would be an exaggeration. 

 

[Katy]

I loved the snow when I lived in upstate NY (I wasn't shoveling), and it wasn't brutal cold like living in the northern midwest.   If it's snow you like, and not frigid weather, you might want to look at New England.

[Guest]

What I {and just about all my friends here from other cold places} love about Houston--- I don't have to shovel heat off my driveway---ever! I hate being cold. Take a vacation this winter and call it done. Then come home and be warm. Better yet, move to Houston. We are nicer than Dallas. UGG!

[gaillardia]

I want to relocate. I don't like summers in the high 90s or over 100 for weeks and months! It gives me reverse SAD. I miss being in the mid Atlantic.

Maine. Alaska. Florida Gulf coast or the Keys. Virginia.

What I want: fresh seafood; ocean or something like it; mountains. I want to go swimming; groove on the scent of moldy leaves after it rains in the woods; not worry about fire ants as I sit on the ground or walk barefoot (Florida has those little buggers). I don't want tornadoes and wildfires in my neighborhood.

I can deal with power outage in the winter, but not in the summer.

[KidsHappen]

When my hubby received his lump sum disability payment from the military we picked up and moved from TX to UT just because we wanted to. We had both been to UT before and really liked it and had previously talked about living there. There was no planning. We decided and moved within a week. We only ended up staying for about six months because my new job relocated me but we are really glad we did it. Now we are too old and settled to do such a thing.

[PrincessMommy]

If you're children are still  young you should jump at it if given the opportunity.  I always wanted to move a way from here (still in the same county I grew up in), but dh was firmly planted.  Now the kids are grown/growing up...grandkids coming... I would still love to pick up and move away, even if it were only for a short time (like Milovany).  But, it would mean moving far away from my kids.    If it's something you've wanted to do and your family has the means, then don't live with the "I always wished we could have ....."

 

So, if you're going to do it - do it now.

[plansrme]

Move while your children are young!  Before they get involved in sports and clubs and such that make it hard to pick up and leave.

 

I think weather is a fine reason to move.  It is one of the big reasons that my husband and I are planning to retire in Wyoming.  We have lived in the Deep South our entire lives; I have never lived farther north than Nashville, and my husband grew up in Louisiana (now THAT is some weather) and has never lived farther north than Atlanta.  I am sick to death of heat.  It gets to you after a while.  I love the greenery, but the heat and the humidity--COMPLETELY OVER THEM.  I also have had it up to here with Atlanta traffic.  I swear, it gets worse every stinkin' year.  We have 7 1/2 years until my youngest leaves for college, and then we are going to seriously start looking at homes in Wyoming.  We hope to live there and work remotely at our current jobs for a month or so at a time until we  retire and live there full-time.  If the winter ever really gets to us, we'll pick up and visit the kids and what are sure to be our adorable grandkids every January.  

 

 

[Laura Corin]

Have you thought of relocating to an area with a temperate climate where you neither have extreme heat nor dreary cold? There are places along the Western coastline that fall into that category. There may be other locales that fulfill that as well - I don't know the Midwest or East coast. Also, in the Western states, within hours you can be in the snow if you need to see some white stuff.

I am assuming that work/jobs are "portable" and you can go anywhere.

 

I like temperate too.  We get some snow most winters, but it's not normally over about a foot and doesn't usually hang around for more than about a week.  And the summers don't usually go over about 70 degrees F.

 

L

[City Mouse]

About 4 yrs ago, we picked the place we wanted to retire to and bought a project house that was going to be a vacation/retirement home "someday". Six months later, we were up working on the house when my husband found out about a job opportunity there. Six weeks later, he had retired from his big city police job to be a police officer in the very small town. Has a pp said, there will be good and bad things about any place you move, and many of the bad things will not be apparent until after you move. There are something's that I wish I had known before we chose to move, but I was so ready to leave that none of that would have made me change my mind.

I don't regret the move, but we are not so attached here that we would not move again if the right job opportunity came our way.

[KrissiK]

I totally understand! It was 100 degrees here last week. I am so sick of summer. And our winters aren't much to speak of, either. I was looking at the cute jackets and coats in the Land's End Catalog and then realized I'd probably never wear them. I actually do look at real estate in Colorado and Wyoming and North Dakota. We're not going to relocate, though. We have too much family and too deep of roots where we live. But I am completely envious of my one girlfriend.... her husband is military reserve and they are going to deploy him stateside, so they are going to spend a year on the east coast somewhere. That would be my dream.... move some place different, but only for a while.

[KungFuPanda]

You may really want seasons. There are places with snowy winters AND hot summers that only last three months. Springs and Falls are beautiful in those climates. You may want to hit the middle before overreacting and moving to the tundra. Winter is HARD in a way warm weather isn't. All that cold and dark can induce a depression you don't understand. You can be literally trapped in your home and have to plan accordingly. That's fun occasionally, but gets old FAST. Winter clothes cost more. Shoveling snow can be backbreaking and it HAS to get done. You can't ignore it like a dead lawn.

 

REALLY think about this before you are forced to own a roof rake or risk snow damage.

[JessReplanted]

I just wanted to add that there's more to consider in a big move than just the weather.

 

We moved from PA to north TX 2 years ago. Yes, trying to adjust to the heat here has been ridiculous. But, there has also been a big cultural adjustment that we didn't expect. We do miss some things about winter, and we do hate the summer heat, but it is the culture that has caused us to decide that we don't want to be here permanently. 

[JessReplanted]

And just as a side note: As a transplanted northerner, I was very surprised to discover that southern summers can cause seasonal depression too! I would not have believed it if I hadn't experienced it. But, when the temps are near or over 100* every day for weeks, you often feel trapped inside  your house - just like during the northern winters. You can also begin to find the bright, glaring sun to be a detestable thing.

 

Personally, I don't think it's quite as bad as living in the snow belt because you are still able to leave your house at night and go for walks. 99* doesn't feel too bad once the sun has gone down.

[gaillardia]

I do miss the way seasons display themselves in the mid Atlantic except for the humidity in the summer. Read an article recently about how global warming is definitely going to affect where Americans will be wanting to move to over the next 100 years. I'm sorry I don't have a link for it. I want to live where I know there will be water. I don't want to have to move because of a drought.

 

[ktgrok]

You may really want seasons. There are places with snowy winters AND hot summers that only last three months. Springs and Falls are beautiful in those climates. You may want to hit the middle before overreacting and moving to the tundra. Winter is HARD in a way warm weather isn't. All that cold and dark can induce a depression you don't understand. You can be literally trapped in your home and have to plan accordingly. That's fun occasionally, but gets old FAST. Winter clothes cost more. Shoveling snow can be backbreaking and it HAS to get done. You can't ignore it like a dead lawn.

 

REALLY think about this before you are forced to own a roof rake or risk snow damage.

 

Where are these places? I want to move there!

[Ottakee]

West Michigan often only has 3 months of HARD winter and 3 months of HOT summer with spring and fall usually being pretty nice............but it can snow Nov. til early April so you can have 5+ months of never seeing bare ground.  It just varies year by year.  A few years ago it was 55 the first week of January and we were horseback riding in hoodies.  The lake helps makes our climate a bit more temperate than those even a few hours east........but we also get more snow from the lake effect and have a lot of lake effect clouds so the sun can be hard to find many months.

 

 

Where are these places? I want to move there!

 

[mommymilkies]

Not sure about MN, but I know in SD you get a serious amount of snow.

 

I'm from Indiana and I spent almost 8 years in the South (FL,NC/SC, KY, TN) and can tell you in all that time I never missed the snow and cold.  I did not miss the dangerous roads, electrical outages or the insane heating bills.  I did miss my family so we're Hoosiers again.

 

 Yes, winter up here can be beautiful, and playing in the snow can be a lot of fun..... for 20-30 minutes.  Then you have to come inside because negative temperatures will freeze your rear off.  On the day we left Indiana for Sunny Florida, the temps here were a high of negative 6 degrees.  Just like your blistering summers, you can not go out in that.  You keep turning the heat up, but it can't keep pace.  There is nowhere to go if you can even get out of your driveway(an hour of shoveling, plus using an ice scrapper for another 1/2 hour puts a damper on travel).  That is the worst and it doesn't last all winter but when  March finally arrives with above freezing temps it's such a relief.

 

What really sucks about Indiana, (I'm a Hoosier we are required to bash the weather- state law or something) is that the summers were just as hot but more humid then when we lived in Charlotte NC.  They just don't last as long(I miss the super long growing season of the South).

 

So, what I would suggest is that you look into moving to some place like southern KY, or most of TN (we loved TN! especially near the mountains).  Also if you want snow the Northern part of NC gets it sometimes. Obviously the closer to the mountains the more snow.  Or you could take a winter Vacation to MN/SD, that should cure what ails you.

*** Not knocking any of the states mentioned, just the frigid weather that blows through them.

 

Yup.  There's so much variation, too.  Some places get TONS of snow and some just get ice.  And those prairie winds...brrrrr!!!  You need lots of gear for that, IMHO.  And you won't want to be outside long-especially if you're not used to it.  Not to mention if you are very fair skinned you will also burn badly from the sun reflecting off the snow.  Ask me how I know.  :glare: And the summers are just as brutal and humid as in the south.  It's a trade off, though.  We had more dangerous critters, tropical storms/hurricanes, flooding, drought, and insane cooling costs, and about the same tornado risk.  But at least the hot season is a bit shorter in the midwest. :)  Complaining about the weather is a common source of small talk here, too.  So be ready for it.   :lol: The winter is too cold and the summer is too hot for many people.  Those nice in between areas are not very long. 

Have you thought of relocating to an area with a temperate climate where you neither have extreme heat nor dreary cold? There are places along the Western coastline that fall into that category. There may be other locales that fulfill that as well - I don't know the Midwest or East coast. Also, in the Western states, within hours you can be in the snow if you need to see some white stuff.

I am assuming that work/jobs are "portable" and you can go anywhere.

:iagree:   The midwest like MN and SD will have temperature swings in the extreme. We are not known for predictable weather or mildness!!  You can expect extremely rough winters and summers. Oh, and they seem to be getting more extreme and unpredictable every year.  Don't get me wrong, there are certainly good points to the midwest: four seasons, lower crime than many places, relatively fewer risks (except tornadoes and earthquakes some places.  Or drought and flood.  Ahem.), and lower COL in much of the place.  

 

Personally I'm sick of both extremes.  I've been in the Midwest too long and lived in both extremes.  I want PNW weather where it's relatively mild all year.  I hate humid hot summers and my burning in pain from cold feet in the winter.  Bah.

[Impish]

We moved for opposite reasons. The severe cold was a major factor in moving from Alberta to BC.

[KungFuPanda]

West Michigan often only has 3 months of HARD winter and 3 months of HOT summer with spring and fall usually being pretty nice............but it can snow Nov. til early April so you can have 5+ months of never seeing bare ground.  It just varies year by year.  A few years ago it was 55 the first week of January and we were horseback riding in hoodies.  The lake helps makes our climate a bit more temperate than those even a few hours east........but we also get more snow from the lake effect and have a lot of lake effect clouds so the sun can be hard to find many months.

I have a hard enough time with Mid-Atlantic winters, so I'm not the best source. We get true winters and true summers. I whine about the cold from October through June and the summer never lasts long enough for me. I loved in Savannah GA for two years and LOVED it. Still, there's nothing like winter to make you REALLY enjoy spring, so I like having seasons.

 

Anywhere that involves "lake effect" snow is nowhere I want to live. I've lived in Cleveland. I have friends in Syracuse (that's how I know roof rakes exist). My brother lived in Alaska for a few years and moved to Colorado. I grew up in Southern WV and NEVER 'got used' to winter. Some people are cut out for it, but I'm not a cold weather girl. I got VERY lucky in the service when I was never stationed anywhere cold. At least as a civilian I have the option of hiding in my house. They Army has no sympathy for such wimpiness.

[redsquirrel]

I have a hard enough time with Mid-Atlantic winters, so I'm not the best source. We get true winters and true summers. I whine about the cold from October through June and the summer never lasts long enough for me. I loved in Savannah GA for two years and LOVED it. Still, there's nothing like winter to make you REALLY enjoy spring, so I like having seasons.

 

Anywhere that involves "lake effect" snow is nowhere I want to live. I've lived in Cleveland. I have friends in Syracuse (that's how I know roof rakes exist). My brother lived in Alaska for a few years and moved to Colorado. I grew up in Southern WV and NEVER 'got used' to winter. Some people are cut out for it, but I'm not a cold weather girl. I got VERY lucky in the service when I was never stationed anywhere cold. At least as a civilian I have the option of hiding in my house. They Army has no sympathy for such wimpiness.

 

I live in upstate NY, about an hour south of Syracuse. It's not that bad here, lol. We have glorious but short summers with sunny days and cool evenings, beautiful autumns with leaves changing and apple picking fun, sharp winters with occasional big snowstorms, muddy yet bright springs. I don't know anyone with a roof rake, lol. But we don't get lake effect...even though we have a lake? Hmm... I doubt our winters are much better than Syracuse, but I know my town is much better than Syracuse so there is that.

 

I also grew up on the NY Canadian border so being south of Syracuse is 'south' to me, lol. And with climate change the winters in upstate just aren't as bad as they used to be. Two years ago we didn't even get snow and it hardly got below 40. For the past decade the winters have been extremely mild. My kids find snow to be an exciting event, not an everyday thing.  This past winter was very hard, but I don't expect to see another winter like that for a very long time. Pretty soon we'll be growing mangos in the backyard.

[fairfarmhand]

Not sure about MN, but I know in SD you get a serious amount of snow.

 

I'm from Indiana and I spent almost 8 years in the South (FL,NC/SC, KY, TN) and can tell you in all that time I never missed the snow and cold.  I did not miss the dangerous roads, electrical outages or the insane heating bills.  I did miss my family so we're Hoosiers again.

 

 Yes, winter up here can be beautiful, and playing in the snow can be a lot of fun..... for 20-30 minutes.  Then you have to come inside because negative temperatures will freeze your rear off.  On the day we left Indiana for Sunny Florida, the temps here were a high of negative 6 degrees.  Just like your blistering summers, you can not go out in that.  You keep turning the heat up, but it can't keep pace.  There is nowhere to go if you can even get out of your driveway(an hour of shoveling, plus using an ice scrapper for another 1/2 hour puts a damper on travel).  That is the worst and it doesn't last all winter but when  March finally arrives with above freezing temps it's such a relief.

 

What really sucks about Indiana, (I'm a Hoosier we are required to bash the weather- state law or something) is that the summers were just as hot but more humid then when we lived in Charlotte NC.  They just don't last as long(I miss the super long growing season of the South).

 

So, what I would suggest is that you look into moving to some place like southern KY, or most of TN (we loved TN! especially near the mountains).  Also if you want snow the Northern part of NC gets it sometimes. Obviously the closer to the mountains the more snow.  Or you could take a winter Vacation to MN/SD, that should cure what ails you.

*** Not knocking any of the states mentioned, just the frigid weather that blows through them.

Like where I live!

 

Harsh winter is usually about a 6-8 week period. We'll get a couple snows and then we're done.

 

I am super bored with Dallas. The whole college thing got me down. Everything is overcrowded, or shut down. It gets so old dealing with it. Our idea of an interesting time out is to head to some restaurant and maybe the Angelika in Dallas. 

 

I am tired of the heat. I am tired of the culture. I am tired of no snow and no seasons. I am looking at pictures from up north, where I grew up, and the trees are so many colors of red and orange right now. It is beautiful! I get told that a breeze is coming through in the evenings. I am jealous.

 

The reason MN and SD were picked is we know the areas. I have never been to VA and only visited relatives in NC a couple times. I also thought Idaho and WA looked interesting. But there are all places I know nothing about but thought might be worth considering.

TN and KY have gorgeous seasons.

 

I like temperate too.  We get some snow most winters, but it's not normally over about a foot and doesn't usually hang around for more than about a week.  And the summers don't usually go over about 70 degrees F.

 

L

I do think I might want to look into where you live. Scotland isn't it?

 

You may really want seasons. There are places with snowy winters AND hot summers that only last three months. Springs and Falls are beautiful in those climates. You may want to hit the middle before overreacting and moving to the tundra. Winter is HARD in a way warm weather isn't. All that cold and dark can induce a depression you don't understand. You can be literally trapped in your home and have to plan accordingly. That's fun occasionally, but gets old FAST. Winter clothes cost more. Shoveling snow can be backbreaking and it HAS to get done. You can't ignore it like a dead lawn.

 

REALLY think about this before you are forced to own a roof rake or risk snow damage.

Ugh. What I hate most about winter weather is the inability to go outside without wearing so many stupid clothes. I think this is why I prefer blazing hot summer. You can at least go out barefoot.

 

here in TN and in Ky, the gorgeous, temperate weather is wonderful from about March-early June

 

Late June to August are really hot.

 

September is GORGEOUS! October GORGEOUS! It really doesn't start getting miserably cold until close to Christmas.

 

I like it because for a majority of the year the weather is very doable. Not too hot to be miserable, maybe a little uncomfortably warm at times except in the dog days of summer. Not to cold to be frozen.

[CAmomof4]

I've been to almost all the lower-48, and I think Tennessee's just about as perfect weather-wise and landscape-wise as I could ask for.

[Tess in the Burbs]

It's costly to move.  And without a job in place it's risky financially for the family.  Sounds like you visited a place you liked?  Or had family there?

 

Dh and I moved to TX right after college.  Hated it. Moved back in 9 months to our home state.  

 

Dh and I moved to WA state.  I had spent 6 months north of the area and loved it.  Dh moved based on my experience lol.  But we loved it.  

 

Long story short we ended up back east and due to job lay off had to move to a new state for the only job he could get.  Spent 10 years there.  Can't say I ever loved it, but it was a home for our family.  

 

We just moved back west.  We have dreamed of being here since we left 11 years ago.  So yes, we did choose to come here.  But it took years for the right opportunity to come into place.  

 

I think it's fine to relocate b/c you want to.  Weather is huge for me.  I can't be hot.  I get physically sick.  I needed a cooler place.  But it brings other issues(allergies) for the family.  And now we are 3k miles from family.   Loosing that opportunity to bond with family is hard to accept.  But yes, relocate if you want.  Create the life you want to have for your family.  Nothing wrong with that. 

[Laura Corin]

 

 

I do think I might want to look into where you live. Scotland isn't it?

 

 

Yes.  I wouldn't recommend western Scotland - the prevailing wind is from the south west off the Atlantic, and the western side is pretty wet.  By the time the wind gets to us in the east, the weather has dried out a lot.

 

L

[MedicMom]

I think you are nuts.

But I love it 90 degrees and humid, so of course I live in upstate New York, where the seasons are winter, winter, winter, and road construction.