I have a problem, What should I do?

[TRAIL-OF-TEARS]

Hello everyone,

First off let me apologize for being away from the board for so long. Work and life have been crazy lately.

My problem is: I have lived in the San Antonio area since I was 6 years old; I have lived in Texas my whole life. All of my immediate family lives in the SA area. Recently I have been offered a job in Golden Colorado making about $22,000 more than I am making now. With this increase we might be able to keep our house and 26.5 acres (we only have 7 more years until it is paid off) and still buy a small house in the Denver area. With the added expenses our disposable income will not change much but we will have two houses, and we would be living in a very nice beautiful part of the country (the only other state I have ever thought about living in.) Here is a list of pros and cons.

Pros: New job with a larger more stable company, a considerable pay increase, Denver is a nice place to live, much better schools, Pine trees are cool, and we get to be away from my in-laws.


Cons: Moving away from our families, living in a new town, our support group is far away, our kids will be far from their grand parents, and aunts and uncles.

Please give me your thoughts. This seems to be a no brainer, but I might have hyped it up in my head too much.

sorry for the long post. Thanks for listening.

[elmo]

Congrats!!

How old are your kids?? How well do you think they will adjust??

Other than the kids it sounds like a no brainer.

Stay closer to Golden than Denver. Are you going to work for Coors??

[Eunice]

with a huge raise plane tickets might be in order. I wouldnt pass up the money. If nothing else stash it away for retirement.
With the internet the world is becoming a very small place. My daughter is in Virginia with my two grandkids but with the computer and video I see them a lot.

[fornesto]

Check out http://www.bestplaces.net It has a lot of good information regarding cost of living, housing expenses, education, etc. If you compare where you're at, the cost of living, etc. you'll get a real good idea what that raise would actually mean. It might be lost in property taxes, higher fuel costs, higher utility costs, etc.

P.S. We're thinking real hard about moving to be near family, lower cost of living, etc. The rat race is for the rats.

[Ira]

and we get to be away from my in-laws.

And you're unsure of moving because of why???

Seriously--have you spent much time in Denver? No offense to anyone on the board from there, but that place is BORING.

[Todah Tear]

TRAIL-OF-TEARS,

Submit the issue in prayer.

Todah

[TRAIL-OF-TEARS]

Elmo- The kids are 4 and 2 so I don't think they will have a problem with adjusting plus we would be moving into a suburb with lots of kids around where we live now the closest house is about .5 mile away and she is 78 years old so my kids have no friends to play with. I think they might like having friends near by. Unfortunatly I am not going to Coors. I do Substation Engineering design.

keneunice- I agree with you my wifes friend lives about 20 miles away and most of the time they just e-mail each other anyway.

fornesto- I have research the area a lot the houses are a bit more but usually they have a basement we dont get those here. so that is almost a wash to me. fuel is about the same and groceries are close too. Prop taxes are lower there but we have ag exemption on our property so we pay $400 a year, so that will be more in Denver. utilities seem to be just a bit higher but not much.

Ira- You know my mother-in-law?

I have spent the past few weeks in Denver for interveiws, house hunting ect. I really like the place, Great weather. There is a lot more to do there than Spring Branch

Thanks guys keep um comming.

[TRAIL-OF-TEARS]

TRAIL-OF-TEARS,

Submit the issue in prayer.

Todah

Funny thing I am not a very religious person but I do remember being on a plane last week praying that I just want what is best for my family.

Maybe I got my answer.

[cs_whypt2]

My vote was that you move, with the better schools and the rasie, but then when you said you are leaving your house with no neighbors, to live in a place where everyone is in your back yard...I don't know. Otherwise, I would say go for it.


Dianne

[ATXKJ]

FYI - I spend 3 years in Colo Springs and loved it - however don't forget Colorado has a state income tax - it'll take a chunk out of that pay raise.

[tonyj]

Do it. Get out of your normal routine. But prepare for a different climate and all that it entails.

But I'd advise against keeping the Texas house. Being a long distance landlord is a disaster waiting to happen.

[Dean_A]

As far as the kids go, think about the importance of having a network of family around. My wife's family is back in RI, and my family all fled So. Cal. because of the cost. It left us with no family around for our new baby (now 3). We're jealous as heck of our friends with built-in grandparent/aunt/uncle baby sitting. Just something to consider.

My vote is change=growth, so go for it, but at the end of the day, I find trusting your gut is ususally a good bet.

Good luck!

[elmo]

Elmo- The kids are 4 and 2 so I don't think they will have a problem with adjusting plus we would be moving into a suburb with lots of kids around where we live now the closest house is about .5 mile away and she is 78 years old so my kids have no friends to play with. I think they might like having friends near by. Unfortunatly I am not going to Coors. I do Substation Engineering design.

I think this maybe a big plus!! Go for it, but that is just my opinion!!

What does the wife unit think??

Bummer about Coors!

By the way...if you see a TD pull up and start unloaded a dirt bike in the front yard...it is just me and the plug in for the electrical is on the drivers side. Just so you know when I get back from my ride...I like my steaks medium-rare and beer cold!!

[Nitetimes]

And the kin folks said...Steve, move away from there...Colorado is the place you wanna be!!!!

Go for it!!! You'll never know if you don't give it a shot!!!!

[TRAIL-OF-TEARS]

cs_whypt2- I have lived in a neighborhoods most my life so I don't really mind plus paved roads can be nice too.


Atxkj- Thanks the income tax has been put into the equation. I see it as payment for better schools.


tonyj- We really just want to hang on to the land the house has wheels it could be moved. If I coud get what we owe on it or even close I would move it out quick, but the market for moble homes is low.

Dean_A- The family will be missed for sure. we have been trying not to use the family as baby sitters too much so I think we would get used to that.


Elmo- I thought the wife was on board until I started to get offers now she is having cold feet.
sorry about the Coors.
Come on over you can park the TD next to mine. Med rare got it, Would Shiner Bock work for you.

Nitetimes- That is the funniest thing I've heard in a long time.
I keep thinking that if I stay I am just being complacent.