Janeway Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 My husband has been interviewing with a job he seems to love. This one, he says, would be a great fit. Today, the manager spoke to him and gave him the details of the offer. The job pays about 10% less than what he was earning before. Ok. Not sure how the benefits compare. All this would be fine. But, the biggie here is, it would involve relocating across the country, but they would not pay for the relocation costs. There is no bonus to cover it even. It would be in a suburb of a major city in the north midwest. Husband seems thrilled. I am unsure what to think. I hate to lose all that money on the sale of the house and to fund the cost of moving, which could be a lot. The realtor fees on the house alone should be about $30K (cannot really negotiate that down when not staying in the area). And then all the finished repairs on the house (a/c, hot water heater, paint outside, new roof, replace a little bit of the siding, garage door opener). We had expected to pay for the repairs if relocating, but add in the realtor fees and the cost of actually moving, that is just a lot. What do you think? What would you say? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 (edited) If the job is really a good fit I would jump at it. To save costs on selling the house you can do for sale by owner. You can sell as is if the price increase with repairs will not put you ahead of the cost of repairs. If you are in a market with rental demand you can choose to rent rather than sale. You can radically declutter so you have less stuff to move. Long term unemployment has some pretty stiff costs as well. Edited March 23, 2017 by maize 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Compare the cols. fsbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Is there any kind of guarantee of length of employment? Like one year of guaranteed income assuming that your husband is not fired for cause? If the company is in good faith, then something like that might be negotiable. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 There are Help-U-Sell type services that come out in between FSBO and full realtor service, you might look into that. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted March 23, 2017 Author Share Posted March 23, 2017 Is there any kind of guarantee of length of employment? Like one year of guaranteed income assuming that your husband is not fired for cause? If the company is in good faith, then something like that might be negotiable. I will look in to that. Good point! I did not even think of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted March 23, 2017 Author Share Posted March 23, 2017 If the job is really a good fit I would jump at it. To save costs on selling the house you can do for sale by owner. You can sell as is if the price increase with repairs will not put you ahead of the cost of repairs. If you are in a market with rental demand you can choose to rent rather than sale. You can radically declutter so you have less stuff to move. Long term unemployment has some pretty stiff costs as well. If we made all the repairs on the house and had the house all shiny and pretty to sell, we could probably sell for $20-30K more. Which would mean another 1200-1500 in realtor fees. I am considering doing this thing from Open Door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 If the job is really a good fit I would jump at it. To save costs on selling the house you can do for sale by owner. You can sell as is if the price increase with repairs will not put you ahead of the cost of repairs. If you are in a market with rental demand you can choose to rent rather than sale. You can radically declutter so you have less stuff to move. Long term unemployment has some pretty stiff costs as well. Very very true. Although I am not liking the thought of all the expenses for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valley Girl Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Yeah, it is a lot. But compare that to whatever your job prospects are overall. We did the cross country move with no relocation package because it was the difference between a job with some decent prospects vs. low-wage temp jobs after a period of extended unemployment. We ended up with additional debt because of it. But it was necessary. Have you had an in-depth conversation with your realtor? Realtor fees depend on the sale price of the house. If you don't want to shell out for repairs, talk to him/her and see what your options are. You'd probably get less for the house, but then the realtor fees would be less, too. If your DH goes ahead of you to start the job, you could stay in the area to oversee the sale. (Again, that's what we did.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 (edited) A few things to consider: -If he has no serious prospects where you are, you may be making a very foolish mistake if you don't take the job. -Is there any room to negotiate with the employer making the offer? Maybe not for moving costs but for a bit more annual salary? -You have shared many times that you aren't able to access therapeutic services for your child with ASD where you are. I have two children with ASD, and when we looked into moving, I did a lot of research and found that many of the northern Midwest states have well regarded and fairly readily available ASD resources. Leaving your state may work out to be a net gain on that alone. Edited March 23, 2017 by LucyStoner 23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Whatever you pick to list your house on make sure it's on MLS. The last thing you need is a house sitting on the market for six months because it's on an obscure website. It seems the FSBO houses, around here at least, always take much longer to sell. The markets good, but not that good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insertcreativenamehere Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 If it's a job he's excited about and is a steady income, I would very seriously consider it even without a relo package. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
displace Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 My husband has been interviewing with a job he seems to love. This one, he says, would be a great fit. Today, the manager spoke to him and gave him the details of the offer. The job pays about 10% less than what he was earning before. Ok. Not sure how the benefits compare. All this would be fine. But, the biggie here is, it would involve relocating across the country, but they would not pay for the relocation costs. There is no bonus to cover it even. It would be in a suburb of a major city in the north midwest. Husband seems thrilled. I am unsure what to think. I hate to lose all that money on the sale of the house and to fund the cost of moving, which could be a lot. The realtor fees on the house alone should be about $30K (cannot really negotiate that down when not staying in the area). And then all the finished repairs on the house (a/c, hot water heater, paint outside, new roof, replace a little bit of the siding, garage door opener). We had expected to pay for the repairs if relocating, but add in the realtor fees and the cost of actually moving, that is just a lot. What do you think? What would you say? I think it all depends on job prospects. If he's out of work and this is the only likely offer, I'd probably take it as long as it's not a bad job. If there are other interviews and likely offers, I'd try to delay or negotiate a better salary. I'd do the math. Can you buy a cheaper home in the new location? Is insurance covered? Etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 We moved a few years ago cross country with no package. We were told up front the salary and it was honestly too low for the COL in that area. But they wanted to fly DH out for an in person anyway. After there the offer went up in salary, a month to 'work at home' while we moved cross country, and a small bonus to help toward moving. My dh negotiates any job offer and always gets what he wants. Your dh just needs to get the offer and then work on getting more $$. We did not have a house to sell, but we did have to sell a ton of stuff to pay for the move. Including dh's car. He went 2 years on the bus to work until we could buy another one. I'm a big believer in things working out if it's meant to be. When dh mentioned moving for the job it was a no-go in my mind. I made a list of things that had to happen and dang if every single item on my list didn't happen and here we are on our third year here. My advice is get the offer and then negotiate. If they want him, throwing you a 5k bonus is nothing and then you can write off the move on taxes b/c of the distance and recoup any higher tax b/c of the bonus. My thing would be sure the salary/benefits will work in the new area. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Can he take the job and move there alone for a few months to make sure he likes it (and they like him,) before you sell the house and uproot the whole family? 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 We are moving without a relocation package. My husband went ahead of us, renting a small apartment. Since we are absorbing the cost of the house until it sells it just made sense to do it this way. We'll rent for at least a year to get the feel of the area. I stayed here to do the selling of the house and tie up loose ends. I think you should talk to a couple of realtors. The one we ended up going with is able to have a smaller percentage fee than others we looked at, and gave us papers showing our net after selling at a few different price points. Between her estimates and others', we were able to find the price point that works for us. We are not moving most of our *stuff*. Goodwill will take about 50% of it. It's not worth it to move. Other stuff we are boxing up and will take about 1500lbs total.For us, A job was better than NO job. Period. End of story. We are willing to make the short term sacrifice for long term stability. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 My husband has been interviewing with a job he seems to love. This one, he says, would be a great fit. Today, the manager spoke to him and gave him the details of the offer. The job pays about 10% less than what he was earning before. Ok. Not sure how the benefits compare. All this would be fine. But, the biggie here is, it would involve relocating across the country, but they would not pay for the relocation costs. There is no bonus to cover it even. It would be in a suburb of a major city in the north midwest. Husband seems thrilled. I am unsure what to think. I hate to lose all that money on the sale of the house and to fund the cost of moving, which could be a lot. The realtor fees on the house alone should be about $30K (cannot really negotiate that down when not staying in the area). And then all the finished repairs on the house (a/c, hot water heater, paint outside, new roof, replace a little bit of the siding, garage door opener). We had expected to pay for the repairs if relocating, but add in the realtor fees and the cost of actually moving, that is just a lot. What do you think? What would you say? need more information: will they match his current salary? when you include benefits - is it still less? what is the COL of the area where this job is located? how does that compare to where you are currently located? how much would it cost to move? you could also consider this an opportunity to do lots of dejunking and get rid of a lot of stuff so it doesn't have to be moved. no matter what - you have costs to sell a home. you could try listing yourself on zillow/redin/realtor.com/etc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Look at the costs. We were in a similar situation a few years ago. The job was a good fit but also had a 1 year "probationary" period. No moving package. Also, a major change in climate...going from deep south to northeast....so everyone would need winter coats, boots, clothes, more bedding, etc. We looked at dh going ahead of us. He could rent a room or share an apartment. That way if the job did not pan out as anticipated, then we would be in a lower cost of living area and not recovering from all the moving expenses. While we were considering it, another, better offer came. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Janeway, I forgot to say it in my other post, but congratulations to your dh on the job offer! :hurray: 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Being out of work for more months has a cost too. I would not expect money for relocation if my dh was out of work. If the cost of living for the new area is reasonable the 10% cut s no big deal especially with a high salary already. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 (edited) Since he has been searching for a job for several months now, I would take the offer. As I said several times in earlier threads about your situation, I would consider it advisable if he moved first to test out the new location, look at houses, sees if he likes the job, before selling the house and moving the family. The cost of the move will be less than continued long term unemployment. And it will be much easier to find a different job when he is applying as an employed person. Edited March 23, 2017 by regentrude 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 The offer is what the offer is. He should take it. He can certainly *ask* for a relocation allowance. Something along the lines of, "I'm in!! I accept your offer and will be there on 4/1/17 as requested. Is there any possibility that Company XYX could help out with our relocation expenses? If so, please let me know who to contact and what the procedure is to get relocation assistance. Thanks so much for this awesome opportunity!" If his new bosses can/will provide any help, I'm betting they'd offer it. Hiring is a win-win kind of negotiation. The hiring team wants him to be happy. I'd be surprised (but not shocked) if they didn't offer at least some help with relocation expenses if he asks that way. (Assuming he hasn't already asked and been turned down. If that's the case, let it go.) Anyway, definitely take the job. If dh is excited about the job, that's HUGE. He's your main (only?) bread winner, and he's got a lot of pressure on him due to that. Take the job, adjust your budget accordingly, tap out your savings/retirement if you must to cover the moving expenses. You can get through this smoothly if you do that . . . a LOT better than an indefinitely long period of unemployment. Go for it. Congratulations! Meanwhile, I'd agree that your dh should move ASAP to start the job, living as cheaply as possible (Craigslist or similar can probably find a room to rent cheap), while you get the house sold and stuff packed up and then move the family out there. It'll take a few months to get the house sold, so you might as well keep your family there until that happens. Then you get it sold and have the $$ from the house to finance the move. Whatever you have leftover after the move can go towards a down payment eventually if the job & location are keepers. I'd personally suggest renting for a year to get settled first. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 I'd take it. I'd keep the family in place and have dh rent a room or otherwise find a way to be there cheaply. Then I'd put getting the house fixed in high gear and get it sold. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Agreeing, you honestly need for him to have a job, and not only can you not be too picky, but he actually WANTS this job, that is HUGE. Hoping the move goes smoothly. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Several of the jobs we are applying for don't cover relocation. In the scheme of long term employment it's just not a big deal. Yes, it's nice to move and not pay for it, but it can be done fairly inexpensively if you're smart about what you ship and how you do it :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 I would say, "Congratulations, honey!" I'd have him accept, move ahead of us, and proceed forward with fixing up the house to get it on the market by no later than mid-April with a realtor. The more of a gap he has between jobs, the more difficult it will be to get interviews for a new job. I would rent a modest home in the new location for a year; if nothing else you guys can move on in a couple of years. This doesn't have to be a "forever" move. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Sometimes that's the option there is. They could (possibly) hire someone local who doesn't need all that. Unless he has some sort of extra special hard to find somethin somethin....that's how it goes. We didn't move super far when we moved here, but nobody offered any sort of moving package either. A huge plus is he is happy about the place. No moving package can make up for that. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 (edited) And I totally forgot - CONGRATULATIONS! I'm so glad an offer came in that he is excited about. That's the most important thing in my book. If hubby is excited and the work suits him, I can adjust with the rest. He is the one going in every day but I consider it a character test to make a nice home wherever I can :) Edited March 23, 2017 by Arctic Mama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Sometimes that's the option there is. They could (possibly) hire someone local who doesn't need all that. Unless he has some sort of extra special hard to find somethin somethin....that's how it goes. We didn't move super far when we moved here, but nobody offered any sort of moving package either. A huge plus is he is happy about the place. No moving package can make up for that. :iagree: I know the saying is Happy Wife, Happy Life, but Happy Husbands count for an awful lot too. Being out of work is hard on everyone, but I think as a provider, especially with a SAH wife, it's harder on men to be out of work in a different way than we as women realize sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 With your kids age, I'll get your husband to rent first at the job location so that he can check out the surroundings for safety reasons, walkability and anything else important to you. Also rental is cheaper with just your husband and you don't need to rush the selling and moving. We like where we are currently staying in terms of facilities but if we are moving, being in walking distance to the YMCA would be a consideration I would take. We rented across the street from a community center when we have two under two and it was wonderful pushing a stroller to events and classes there. Congrats and good luck. A good fit job is hard to find. Pay and benefits can go up anywhere so the only deterrent is if it is a 10% pay cut in a much higher cost of living area making it a living from pay check to pay check situation. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 :iagree: I know the saying is Happy Wife, Happy Life, but Happy Husbands count for an awful lot too. Being out of work is hard on everyone, but I think as a provider, especially with a SAH wife, it's harder on men to be out of work in a different way than we as women realize sometimes. Husbands get a say? That is just crazy talk! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 I also want to add a huge Congratulations! to your Dh on the job offer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 (edited) nm Edited March 27, 2017 by 1234 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Bummer that they won't pay relocation costs but at least your moving expenses are tax deductible. That will help a little. Congrats! Hope it works out. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambam Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 When we've sold our houses, we renegotiated the real estate agent fees. 3% listing agent, 3% buying agent is typically here, but for a more expensive house, they are generally happy to lower those. Ask. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Is he unemployed now? If so, has he been unemployed for a long time? Are there opportunities for him in your local area? Has he interviewed with them in-person at the facility he would be working in and met the Hiring Manager and Hiring Supervisor? How is rapport with them? Is that company growing in size or just hanging on? Would you psying the Moving Expenses save you $ on your 2017 Federal Income Tax return (I think you can take off some Moving Expenses) Many things to consider... If there is a pay-cut involved, is that position in a place that has a lower COL or a higher COL? Did he know they would not pay Relocation costs when he applied for this position? Could they make this up to your family (partially) by keeping him on the same salary he is getting now (or was getting, if he is unemployed at this time) or decrease the cost of the Health Plan that you will pay for or improve the Retirement or do something to help you out financially? GL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 I would also be checking around for realtor percentages. 30% seems crazy high. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Just a thought on actually moving. After having many relocations paid for, if i had to do it on my own dime, I'd definitely try to sell off as much furniture and "stuff" as possible to avoid moving costs. I'd rent in the new place for a while, live very simply with little home maintenance as I got to know the lay of the land and figure out the geography of a new church, physicians, activities. Moving like that would seem very liberating. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Just a thought on actually moving. After having many relocations paid for, if i had to do it on my own dime, I'd definitely try to sell off as much furniture and "stuff" as possible to avoid moving costs. I'd rent in the new place for a while, live very simply with little home maintenance as I got to know the lay of the land and figure out the geography of a new church, physicians, activities. Moving like that would seem very liberating. That's exactly what we are doing. I'm looking forward to it. And it makes sense to rent in a new area for awhile so you can actually get the lay of the market, where specifically you'd like to be, and have the time to wait for the right housing deal to come along. We don't even own a ton of stuff but I'm practically giddy to toss everything easily replaced that's heavy or bulky. Who wants to pay to move that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 That's exactly what we are doing. I'm looking forward to it. And it makes sense to rent in a new area for awhile so you can actually get the lay of the market, where specifically you'd like to be, and have the time to wait for the right housing deal to come along. We don't even own a ton of stuff but I'm practically giddy to toss everything easily replaced that's heavy or bulky. Who wants to pay to move that? Not to derail this thread but have you guys decided where you are going? I remember Minnesota being on the table. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Rent for 6-12 months in the new place to see what you think about the area before buying a house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Rent for 6-12 months in the new place to see what you think about the area before buying a house. If dh goes ahead of you and gets a room or something cheap for him, while you are dealing with home sale, he can scope out distance he wants to commute and find a rental for the family to stay for a year, while you determine neighborhoods and housing prices for purchase. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Not to derail this thread but have you guys decided where you are going? I remember Minnesota being on the table. Waiting on offers at this point. Unfortunately DH's field moves very slowly compared to average on that. Anywhere inside 2-3 MONTHS is typical time from application to interview. Ugh. We were very selective for what we applied for and only picked jobs that really sounded like him and his skill set, so now it's just a waiting game (which I utterly hate). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambam Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Not to be a downer, but this is what we saw when my dh last looked for a new job. Companies that before had complete relocation packages didn't offer such. We were lucky to get what we did, but if he switches jobs again, I don't know that we will get a nice package. So, this may well be the new standard. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted March 23, 2017 Author Share Posted March 23, 2017 One thing that concerns me is that we currently live in an area that is supposed to be a tech hub. And then we will pay to move to an area that is not. I worry that after paying all the money to move, if anything happens with this job, we will end up paying again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted March 23, 2017 Author Share Posted March 23, 2017 I would also be checking around for realtor percentages. 30% seems crazy high.Not 30%, 30k. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 (edited) nm Edited March 27, 2017 by 1234 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 One thing that concerns me is that we currently live in an area that is supposed to be a tech hub. And then we will pay to move to an area that is not. I worry that after paying all the money to move, if anything happens with this job, we will end up paying again. How long has he been looking for a job in the area you're in? You may end up paying to move again. There's a lot that life throws at us. But if he's been looking for quite a while in an area that is supposed to be a tech hub, and he's not being hired, is it right to stay? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 (edited) nm Edited March 27, 2017 by 1234 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 One thing that concerns me is that we currently live in an area that is supposed to be a tech hub. And then we will pay to move to an area that is not. I worry that after paying all the money to move, if anything happens with this job, we will end up paying again. If you opt to rent in the new place, and you drastically reduce household goods, then packing up and moving again would not have to be a majorly expensive undertaking. When we moved to an area where we knew we would be renting and also did not expect to stay permanently (home prices being preposterously out of our league) we rented out the home we had been living in and rented something smaller in the new state. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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