Where to move with warm weather, jobs, schools?

[fiona00004]

I live in wintery Quebec Canada where winter is about 6 months of the year with frozen grounds, potholes the size of your entire tire, and where the air actually hurts your face. It's long and depressing and we are so not winter sports kind of people.

We wanna move...even just for an experience...with our 2 kids, 3 and 5 years old. But where??

Any suggestions? It is so hard to find a place that fits the bill with everything we want like safety, good schools, jobs opportunities (I am an occupational therapist, DH is a manager in software development), beach access, warm weather, etc....

I am reaching out to my fellow Pricescopers who are located all over the world and have a variety of experiences!!

 

[kenny]

Beach cities of Southern California have, IMO, some of the best weather in the world.

Resumes that land high-paying jobs will get you into safe neighborhoods with clean air and low crime.

 

[arkieb1]

Queensland, Australia.

 

[Rhea]

Where are you able to realistically move to? Immigration is a big problem, even for skilled migrants, in many parts of the world. If you can make of list of where you are able to move to that would help others pick from those places!

 

[the_mother_thing]

U.S. - North Carolina ... We have great schools, communities, beaches and mountains, tech & healthcare jobs ... AND warm weather. I have lived all over the U.S., and this is where I chose to call "home" 10 years ago.

 

[missy]

U.S. - North Carolina ... We have great schools, communities, beaches and mountains, tech & healthcare jobs ... AND warm weather. I have lived all over the U.S., and this is where I chose to call "home" 10 years ago.

FiZ, We are also looking for a possible move. Like Kenny said Southern California weather and the beach community there cannot be beat but cost of living and traffic and the water shortage makes it not as desirable for us to consider moving there. I will be following your thread with interest and wishing you luck.

Hi JoCoJenn. We are considering NC as a place to move and retire. Thanks for your recommendation. There are some beautiful places in NC and the weather is certainly better than NYC IMO. What are your thoughts on the Chapel Hill area?

arkieb, I know Australia is amazing. Weather, people, quality of life. I don't know if you know the answer to this question but if you do- How hard is it for people from the US to emigrate there?

 

[the_mother_thing]

Missy - Chapel Hill is nice, but admittedly I don't spend a lot of time there except for when we need to go to UNC-CH for medical appts. The Triangle area in general is nice because it's centralized to so many great places and things to do (2.5 hours to the beach or mountains), and offers great communities in all price ranges, jobs, schools, outstanding nice people, a slower pace, etc. And there are LOTS of educational options for kids from traditional schedules to year round, public, private, charter and magnet schools, etc. Our summers DO get hot/humid, but the weather the rest of the year is so great that it all balances out in my opinion.

I have lived in 9 states around the country in my 40 years, sometimes in multiple places within a few states. I just celebrated 10 years of calling NC home, making it the longest we have been in one place, and for good reason.

 

[arkieb1]

I think it is more difficult to come and live here permanently. But I know a lot of people from all over the world who come here for 2 or 3 years work and either renew to stay here or then go home again so a working holiday. There are a large number of English expats that live not far from us and go to the same school as my son. My husband had a Canadian guy working for him he sponsored out here who was here for 3 years.

http://www.immi.gov.au/Work/Pages/Work.aspx

I just asked my husband and he says if you have enough money - you can apply for a "Significant Investor Visa" and if you are granted one then this will allow you to live here;

ttp://www.immi.gov.au/pub-res/Pages/statistics/significant-investor-visa-statistics.aspx

 

[Dancing Fire]

If I have money?...San Diego, Ca.

 

[Tekate]

Austin, TX.. homes are reasonable(ish), jobs are plentiful, traffic sucks the weather is HOT in the summer, but everything is air conditioned, everyone has pools or there is a community pool, there are sports all year round, the schools are top notch, my kids went to Round Rock schools and both are computer programmers after graduating in 2005 and 2010 and attending Texas State University.. Tex-Mex is to die for good... there is no downside, IF one doesn't like a mild winter, warm spring and fall and hot summer then it's a no go, the thing I liked most about it was the low humidity compared to Florida or NC or GA... Austin is full of young people like you! we moved because I missed winter and I missed fall etc.. but I am considering at some point in the future of buying a condo there for winters, we are in New England now.. people are extremely nice also! I lived in Raleigh NC and the humidity was horrible, I spent 7 years in Raleigh and 17 in Austin and I would take Austin anyday... The colleges are great in Austin, Texas State, the great University of Texas, SMU, Baylor, Texas A&M.. medical care is great in Austin, had both my hips replaced at Seton downtown hospital... Best of luck!!!!

 

[UrsTx]

Austin, TX.. homes are reasonable(ish), jobs are plentiful, traffic sucks the weather is HOT in the summer, but everything is air conditioned, everyone has pools or there is a community pool, there are sports all year round, the schools are top notch, my kids went to Round Rock schools and both are computer programmers after graduating in 2005 and 2010 and attending Texas State University.. Tex-Mex is to die for good... there is no downside, IF one doesn't like a mild winter, warm spring and fall and hot summer then it's a no go, the thing I liked most about it was the low humidity compared to Florida or NC or GA... Austin is full of young people like you! we moved because I missed winter and I missed fall etc.. but I am considering at some point in the future of buying a condo there for winters, we are in New England now.. people are extremely nice also! I lived in Raleigh NC and the humidity was horrible, I spent 7 years in Raleigh and 17 in Austin and I would take Austin anyday... The colleges are great in Austin, Texas State, the great University of Texas, SMU, Baylor, Texas A&M.. medical care is great in Austin, had both my hips replaced at Seton downtown hospital... Best of luck!!!!

+1

I agree with all Tekate's comments, esp the sucky traffic part. Unless you have lots of $ to live in Austin proper, you'll prob live in the suburbs. I do and I commute to work near UT (25 min on weekends, 45 min on weekdays with no traffic accidents). Lots of jobs and great education.

 

[fiona00004]

Okay, as someone asked, I will narrow down the selection for everyone.

From what I understand, moving somewhere isn't easy so let's say my hubby's work transfers him...here are possible places:

Abu Dabhi
montpelier, france
Barcelona
Chengdhu, China
Shanghai, China
Singapore
Malmo, Sweden
north Carolina
san Francisco
Newcastle, UK
Dusseldorf,Germany
Milan, Italy

problem is, we don't speak Mandarin, nor Spanish, nor Italian, nor Dusseldorf. But we do speak fluent french

On a side note, what are peoples thoughts on somewhere in Florida? Or beautiful Hawaii?? What stops people from moving to Hawaii?

 

[liaerfbv]

I've lived in FL my whole life so thought I'd weigh in and offer you a few thoughts. You have harsh winters - we have harsh "summers" that last basically 9 months. It's almost reverse hibernation, honestly! I lived in Orlando for 15 years and the weather was the worst there, very muggy and humid. We recently moved to the Gulf coast and it's much cooler with the breeze off the Gulf and I like it much better over here.

Florida schools generally are not fantastic. You have to choose where you live very carefully based on the districts and the homes in good school areas are priced accordingly. That said, the cost of living down here is fairly reasonable compared to a lot of other places in the US. Florida politics are also pretty extreme. For me, it's one of the hardest things to deal with. It's a 50/50 split red vs blue and things get VERY VERY VERY heated during election times. I've had friends get their cars keyed and bumper stickers defaced, etc. It's something no one really talks about but it's definitely there. Campaigning is obscene as we are a swing state.

There are of course great things about living in FL - we have the attractions, all the theme parks offer FL resident discounts. There's always festivals happening, strawberries and oranges are major crops so there's things like Strawberry Festivals and Orange Fairs. Tons of water sports - boating, fishing, water skiing. The beaches here are magnificent. It's an enormous melting pot of cultures if you live in the cities so there's a million authentic food options everywhere you go, or you can live in a more rural place with lots of farmland. People are pretty friendly as well. And of course, there's no snow!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

U.S. - North Carolina ... We have great schools, communities, beaches and mountains, tech & healthcare jobs ... AND warm weather. I have lived all over the U.S., and this is where I chose to call "home" 10 years ago.

I lived in Charlotte, NC for 10 years and loved it. Cost of living is very low.

 

[Gypsy]

CA. But the cost of living is ridiculous.

I suggest the Research Triangle in North Carolina.

Or Australia.

 

[Rhea]

Okay, as someone asked, I will narrow down the selection for everyone.

From what I understand, moving somewhere isn't easy so let's say my hubby's work transfers him...here are possible places:

Abu Dabhi
montpelier, france
Barcelona
Chengdhu, China
Shanghai, China
Singapore
Malmo, Sweden
north Carolina
san Francisco
Newcastle, UK
Dusseldorf,Germany
Milan, Italy

problem is, we don't speak Mandarin, nor Spanish, nor Italian, nor Dusseldorf. But we do speak fluent french

On a side note, what are peoples thoughts on somewhere in Florida? Or beautiful Hawaii?? What stops people from moving to Hawaii?

Newcastle is beautiful but I don't think it'll be the change that you're looking for. Newcastle sits a bit closer to the North pole than Quebec so has shorter winter days. The winters are milder with the temperature rarely dropping below 0c. The summers have a lower than average temperatures in Newcastle v Quebec so it's not exactly warm there. There's little to no snow in Newcastle but it rains much more often.

It'd be a change and it'd be warmer on average but may not be the big change you're after.

Because Malmo Sweden is even further North I'd say the same for it. It has even shorter winter days, about 90 minutes shorter on average than Quebec, cooler in the summer, and a wee bit more mild in the winter. Neither of those cities are going to be huge changes weather wise.

 

[missy]

Here's an interesting article.

http://www.trulia.com/blog/3-generations-americans-moving/

Living in the city isn't for everyone — some generations prefer the burbs.
Moving Trends for AmericansWhile there are no shortage of horror stories of boomerang kids living in mom and dad’s basements well into their 30s, millennials and their baby boomer parents couldn’t be more different. Not only would they like to not share a roof, most would prefer to live in the opposite sides of town! More and more ​millennials are settling into the suburbs, while baby boomers and toddlers are enjoying city living.

You’d think millennials, the tech-savvy generation roughly ages 20 to 34, would favor big cities. But America’s young adults were actually more drawn to the outer suburban rim of major metropolitan areas in 2013 than the year prior.

Here’s a breakdown of three generations and where they’re now living.

Millennials: The ‘Burbs Beckon

Whether they’re seeking more affordable housing or more living space, millennials clearly favor commuting to major cities like Houston and Orlando rather than living in the heart of downtown.

The number of millennials living in big-city suburbs and small cities grew about 1.3 percent, versus about 1.2 percent in big cities. Still, young adults aren’t exactly flocking far from city life.

Among the metropolitan areas where millennials’ ranks are swelling: Colorado Springs (up 3.2%), San Antonio (up 3.0%), and Peabody, Massachusetts (up 2.9%).

Babies: City Slickers

Big cities aren’t going desolate just yet—they’re just being inhabited by a bunch of babies (thanks to their city-loving parents who are making the call on where to live). The number of kids under the age of 5 increased about 0.2% in big cities versus declines in suburbs and rural areas. Babies, the number of which has declined nationwide, are flourishing inside major cities like New York and Washington, D.C.

Other major metropolitan areas drawing unusually high growth in children 4 and under: Orlando, Seattle, and San Diego.

Baby Boomers: Destination — Downtown

As for America’s baby boomers (ages 50-69), they’re heading to cities with warmer climates as they begin retirement and start downsizing. Their numbers are growing most heavily in both big cities and their dense suburbs, where their population in each area rose about 2.1%.

Boomers are loving the South, with cities like Austin and Raleigh welcoming a more than 4 percent rise. And they’re really loving cities where millennials live — Austin has the highest share of millennials of any city. Charleston, Dallas, and Houston are also places that attract both boomers and millennials.

So, take heart millennials — when you’re ready to move out and start your life, so are your parents!

FiZ, if money was no object and I had to choose from your list I think I would choose San Francisco for my young family. Lots of culture and you still have a change of seasons though it is cooler than Southern California. Cost of living is high but this is if money were not a consideration.

Thanks for the info re Austin Texas Tekate and UrsTx. Austin is a great city.

Arkieb, thanks for the info on Australia. Truly on the top of my list to visit. I can only dream about moving there however as it is too far from my aging parents and my nieces. Plus we probably wouldn't qualify for that "Significant Investor Visa".
The weather alone is enough to get my vote and from what I understand your healthcare is also top notch. Lucky girl!

JoCoJenn, thanks again for the NC info. I am glad you are so happy there and it sounds like a lovely place to live.

 

[zoebartlett]

U.S. - North Carolina ... We have great schools, communities, beaches and mountains, tech & healthcare jobs ... AND warm weather. I have lived all over the U.S., and this is where I chose to call "home" 10 years ago.

I lived in Charlotte, NC for 10 years and loved it. Cost of living is very low.

My husband and I also also lived in Charlotte (near Tacori, actually), but only for one year. We LOVED it, particularly the area of Charlotte we were in. Charlotte is in Mecklenburg County. I'd also look at towns in Union County, like Matthews, which is right next to Charlotte. If I remember correctly, Charlotte is about 2.5 hours from the beach. It was a little too far away from the water for me, but overall, we loved it. I still miss it.

 

[JDDN]

Hawaii is awesome but a lot of the economy is from the tourist industry (good if you work in the tourist industry) but there are not many tech jobs there. Also, housing is crazy expensive!! I think those two things are hard and I have heard that education is a bit behind compared to the main land.

I'm from the Bay Area and while we have great jobs, great schools, and safe neighborhoods (these all depend on which part of the BA of course), it's gotten sooo expensive to live housing wise. That and traffic is a bear.

I lived in southern virginia for 5 years and Virginia Beach is really nice. I'd say it ticks off your boxes, maybe a similar feel to North Carolina? And if you're into ocean activities, the water is much, much warmer compared to the water in California! I could actually surf without a wetsuit which I would never, ever do in California!

 

[JaneSmith]

I live in wintery Quebec Canada where winter is about 6 months of the year with frozen grounds, potholes the size of your entire tire, and where the air actually hurts your face. It's long and depressing and we are so not winter sports kind of people.

We wanna move...even just for an experience...with our 2 kids, 3 and 5 years old. But where??

Any suggestions? It is so hard to find a place that fits the bill with everything we want like safety, good schools, jobs opportunities (I am an occupational therapist, DH is a manager in software development), beach access, warm weather, etc....

I am reaching out to my fellow Pricescopers who are located all over the world and have a variety of experiences!!

How about Vancouver Island? Better weather, same country.
However, if you have the opportunity and desire, I'd suggest being a semi-itinerant family for a few years. Try out two or three countries over the next few years to really see the world and experience new cultures and ideas.
It's hard to make and leave friends, and you could live feeling slightly unsettled and always an outsider, and you might not make as much headway financially by always paying rent, but you will have really seen these places as a traveller never can, you would learn so much more about the world and yourself, and be one of the lucky few who get to step out of the standard cradle-work-grave trajectory that so very many plod along on.
If you move to a larger city, you will be able to get by in English until you learn some of the language, and you are already at an advantage by being bilingual. Spanish and Italian would come easily, and you've probably seen firsthand how easily anglophone kids pick up French in the immersion schools. Your kids will probably outshine you when it comes to language acquisition.
Go for it!

 

[fiona00004]

Thanks for all your suggestions everyone. I kind of want something exotic and out of continent but at the same time, transition might be slightly easier within the americas...north carolina or virginia sound great!!

Yeah, what was me tioned about hawai is what i knew before and having had someone mention the same here, gives me doubts...but it is so pretty there!

I am pushing DH to get his work to find somethingout of country...we'll see how motivated he is

Vancouver we considered too...it is beautiful there but rain is a bummer...guess we can't get everything huh?

 

[ckrickett]

I've lived in FL my whole life so thought I'd weigh in and offer you a few thoughts. You have harsh winters - we have harsh "summers" that last basically 9 months. It's almost reverse hibernation, honestly! I lived in Orlando for 15 years and the weather was the worst there, very muggy and humid. We recently moved to the Gulf coast and it's much cooler with the breeze off the Gulf and I like it much better over here.

Florida schools generally are not fantastic. You have to choose where you live very carefully based on the districts and the homes in good school areas are priced accordingly. That said, the cost of living down here is fairly reasonable compared to a lot of other places in the US. Florida politics are also pretty extreme. For me, it's one of the hardest things to deal with. It's a 50/50 split red vs blue and things get VERY VERY VERY heated during election times. I've had friends get their cars keyed and bumper stickers defaced, etc. It's something no one really talks about but it's definitely there. Campaigning is obscene as we are a swing state.

There are of course great things about living in FL - we have the attractions, all the theme parks offer FL resident discounts. There's always festivals happening, strawberries and oranges are major crops so there's things like Strawberry Festivals and Orange Fairs. Tons of water sports - boating, fishing, water skiing. The beaches here are magnificent. It's an enormous melting pot of cultures if you live in the cities so there's a million authentic food options everywhere you go, or you can live in a more rural place with lots of farmland. People are pretty friendly as well. And of course, there's no snow!

I've lived in Florida all my life (south florida) and the summers are AWFUL!!! Super hot, and thunderstorms everyday, sometimes twice a day. Heat, Humidity and... UGH I hate summers!

Also I am completely unhappy with the state of our school down here. Especially our County's school board. DH are weighing our options for educating future kids, and we are so worried about most of the options.



Virginia is Beautiful, and I vacationed in North Carolina all the time and it is gorgeous there! so I'd say check out those areas. I am very Particular to Asheville NC and Charlottesville Virginia

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Kelowna?

cheers--Sharon

 

[TooPatient]

Seattle area. City or country and lots in between. Condo in city or big house with acreage...

Warmer than where you are. We have friends from Quebec who are happy here. Lots of jobs (especially software and occupational therapy). Lots of great public and private school options. Great medical centers.

Currently 82 and sunny. Been about 70 and sunny a lot lately. Mild winter. Nice spring. Nice but not too hot summer.

Rain forest, mountains, lakes, and desert all within day trip range. Great food, museums, etc.
Beaches. Not my thing so I am not as familiar with these, but we have them.

Big airport. Easy access to flights or cruises to pretty much anywhere.

 

[iLander]

Here's a unique experience; what about a warm, tropical island with a K-8 top rated school, an arts center, a fabulous library, a live theater and beautiful beaches? A place where 70% of the land is nature preserve and there's a small close-knit town where you and your kids can ride bikes to the grocery store or to a nice restaurant? Where there are no fast food places, no stop lights, and no high-rise buildings?

I'm talking about Sanibel Island, Florida, and if I were going to live anywhere in Florida it would be there. The island is the size of Manhattan with only 6,000 people during the off season. Building is strictly limited, nature is the big draw, and it's about as far removed from the rest of Florida (and it's crowds) as possible. But there is a 3 mile bridge, so you can go to the mainland in no time for malls, big box stores, etc. The businesses are privately owned (town law), and everyone is friendly. During the winter tourist season, there are concerts, farmer's markets, art festivals, and the cutest Christmas festival you've ever seen. During the summer there's an old-fashioned Fourth of July parade and fireworks, and the tourists are gone, so you have the beaches to yourself. There's an excellent police force, a multi-million dollar recreation center with a kids pool and programs, little league, many churches and 2 weekly newspapers.

It has regular hotels, or condos and houses to rent for 1-12 months at a time. Arthur Frommer, the big travel guru, rated Sanibel his favorite place to visit, above all the places in the world. It's also listed in many travel mags as family-friendly, with gentle Gulf of Mexico waves. Check out Sanibel, it might be what you're looking for.

 

[aviastar]

Here's a unique experience; what about a warm, tropical island with a K-8 top rated school, an arts center, a fabulous library, a live theater and beautiful beaches? A place where 70% of the land is nature preserve and there's a small close-knit town where you and your kids can ride bikes to the grocery store or to a nice restaurant? Where there are no fast food places, no stop lights, and no high-rise buildings?

I'm talking about Sanibel Island, Florida, and if I were going to live anywhere in Florida it would be there. The island is the size of Manhattan with only 6,000 people during the off season. Building is strictly limited, nature is the big draw, and it's about as far removed from the rest of Florida (and it's crowds) as possible. But there is a 3 mile bridge, so you can go to the mainland in no time for malls, big box stores, etc. The businesses are privately owned (town law), and everyone is friendly. During the winter tourist season, there are concerts, farmer's markets, art festivals, and the cutest Christmas festival you've ever seen. During the summer there's an old-fashioned Fourth of July parade and fireworks, and the tourists are gone, so you have the beaches to yourself. There's an excellent police force, a multi-million dollar recreation center with a kids pool and programs, little league, many churches and 2 weekly newspapers.

It has regular hotels, or condos and houses to rent for 1-12 months at a time. Arthur Frommer, the big travel guru, rated Sanibel his favorite place to visit, above all the places in the world. It's also listed in many travel mags as family-friendly, with gentle Gulf of Mexico waves. Check out Sanibel, it might be what you're looking for.

Well, I'm sold!

 

[Candygrl]

I live in Hawaii (O'ahu) and i love it here so much. There is so much culture and so many beautiful traditions here. I would stay here forever if I could. My daughter has attended 4 years of school here, and she tests on par with the rest of the Main Land. However we live on the side of the island with good public schools. The traffic here is ridiculous during rush hour though, but there is a great bus system. We are moving back to the Main Land (Oceanside, Ca) next week, and I am extremely heart broken. I love Hawaii so much.

I recommend researching the windward side of Oahu and the Hawaii Kai area.

 

[HegemonyCricket]

Another vote for Austin, TX! No beaches per se, but there's Barton Springs pool in the summer. As a Canadian, your husband should be able get a TN visa pretty easily if he has at least a BS in computer science or engineering.

 

[HopeDream]

If you want to stay in Canada, try Victoria, BC.

No snow, Cherry blossoms in February, Close to Vancouver and Seattle (and twice as sunny as both), yet without the urban sprawl of mega cities. The bustling tourism economy means that there are way more restaurants than average. It's really beautiful.

And there are tech jobs http://www.victoriatechjobs.com/tech-professionals/get-job/about-victorias-tech-sector and lots of work in healthcare as well.

 

[Sky56]

North Carolina - Many of my friends love it. They migrated there years ago from New York. Chapel Hill, Research Triangle area highly recommended by them.

Sanibel Island, FL - Reported by an acquaintance as "their favorite place on earth."

Victoria and Vancouver Island, Canada - I love it! Every time I go, I dream of living there. If I were Canadian, I'd move to that area.

Hawaii - A close friend used to live there. She loved it - especially its natural beauty - but she moved away because the cost of living was so high. It was hard to live on a low-middle or middle class income.

Oregon - small town, suburban or rural living - My favorite place, but too rainy for what you want. The Central and Eastern side has high desert and 300+ days of sun a year, but the cold winters are not for you.

Austin, Texas - I love the area but prefer the area right near it, the Hill Country.