Did you move back?

[weluvdizne]

We live outside of Chicago, and for many reasons, want to move to another part of the country. Yes, I know, the grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence. But, number one, we are tired of the winter weather around here. There are multiple other reasons we want to move as well. However, 99% of the people that I know that have moved away, have moved back again. I don't want to go through the work and most of all, the expense of moving (twice), just to end up back here again. We wouldn't be moving for a couple years, but I feel it's time to start the long range planning. So, what is your experience? Thanks.

 

[lovepurple]

I used to live near South Bend, IN and would never move back there again. I hated the weather. It seemed like it was cloudy and gray all year. We do miss our friends, but I am not originally from that area and don't have any family there so I suppose that would make a difference.

 

[Swimalie]

When I met my husband it was in the town where he had lived since 1973 and 2 hours from my parents. Soon after we married, I told him to get me out of that town. We moved away a few years later and never looked back. That was in 2001. Since then we have only been back 3 times for vacations (his mom still lives in that town). So, no we didn't move back and never will.

 

[funnygarcia]

I think it depends on how attached you are to family and friends for support. Would you know anyone where you will be moving? Do you have children?

I grew up in northern MN, as a young adult moved to Twin Cities. Some family here in the metro, some "up north". My dh moved frequently as a child in CA and TX, teen years in Wisconsin. His family lives in WI.

If it was just my dh and I, if we were still young/ newly married, things might have turned out differently.

We moved from MN to California after my dh graduated.
We knew that landing a full time teaching position in MN would be difficult without experience. Too much competition in the Twin Cities metro. Off to California we went and thought it would be a grand adventure.

It was an adventure but after the first year we realized that the lack of family support was crushing to us. All of us were unhappy in this strange to us place and it was affecting my dh's health negatively.

We moved back to MN.

The bright note.. that one year of experience was enough to land a full time teaching job. We realize now that family is very important to our way of life. And our boys experienced a different lifestyle, explored somewhere beyond Disneyland and our own "backyard" of MN.

But ohhhh do I miss some parts of living there, especially this time of year when it's dark, dreary and winter seems to never end.

We hope to be "snowbirds" someday, spend the winters in the warm.. the hot summers back in the cool of MN. The best of both worlds.

 

[Missy Mousie]

we moved from the northern burbs about 10 years ago, and live in the Atlanta area now. Yes, we are far from home. Yes, I really miss it. It's a completely different way of life down here, but it's nice. And normally you can't beat the winters, but this year has been kinda cold. Down here, 30 is unseasonably cold. We actually got some snow 3 times this year. It comes, it melts in a day or 2 and that is the best part about winter down here. No snowblowers, no shovels, and no ice melt. Well, I do have a bag of ice melt, I bought it 10 years ago and have only used a few cups of it over the years.

I am enjoying having a larger home, a larger lot, 1/4 of the property tax and a lower cost of living. I miss my family, but I also like my support network down here. My parents retired last year so they will be visting a lot more from now on.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

We moved to CT in 1995 - just too much family 'dropping' in to visit, calling all of the time etc. We wanted to get away on our own for a bit.

Fast forward 10 years - we had a 5 year old daughter and were really ready to spend more time with family (my parents, 2 brothers and their families). So we moved back to the area.

Was it worth it - yes -I wouldn't trade our time in CT for anything. Loved our house, our town, our friends - pretty much everything except the heating bills (old victorian house) and single bathroom! But we moved back at a great time and have no regrets.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Gr8t Fan]

We live in Chicago too and actually put our house on the market in 2004 because we planned to move to FL. We drove down, in between Hurricanes Charley and Frances, and spent almost a month there looking for housing, checking out doctors (our oldest DD has a serious medical issue), interviewing for jobs, etc. The real estate market in Orlando was on fire and houses were selling the day they were listed way above asking price. But one thing we noticed in all of the neigborhoods we visited looking for housing (Dr. Phillips area, Windmere, Hunters Creek), was that there weren't any children outside playing, riding bicycles, playing baseball, soccer, etc. It just didn't feel like home.

So we found a new appreciation for our home and neighborhood and have not considered moving again. That doesn't mean that the crazy Chicago winters don't still bother me, but we make a very conscious effort to get out during the winter, even if it's only to the museum or zoo to get out of the house.

We do hope to buy a second home in Orlando so we can be snowbirds once we retire and have the best of both worlds as a previous poster mentioned, but I don't think I could live there full time.

 

[dd50]

I moved from LI, NY to FL in 1983 and never looked back. No, I am not a senior yet.

 

[vicki_c]

We live in Chicago too and actually put our house on the market in 2004 because we planned to move to FL. We drove down, in between Hurricanes Charley and Frances, and spent almost a month there looking for housing, checking out doctors (our oldest DD has a serious medical issue), interviewing for jobs, etc. The real estate market in Orlando was on fire and houses were selling the day they were listed way above asking price. But one thing we noticed in all of the neigborhoods we visited looking for housing (Dr. Phillips area, Windmere, Hunters Creek), was that there weren't any children outside playing, riding bicycles, playing baseball, soccer, etc. It just didn't feel like home.

So we found a new appreciation for our home and neighborhood and have not considered moving again. That doesn't mean that the crazy Chicago winters don't still bother me, but we make a very conscious effort to get out during the winter, even if it's only to the museum or zoo to get out of the house.

We do hope to buy a second home in Orlando so we can be snowbirds once we retire and have the best of both worlds as a previous poster mentioned, but I don't think I could live there full time.

We had a similar experience - moved to central (but coastal) Florida in August 2004 when I got a new job. We just never really felt it there though. We had good jobs, built a brand new house (as the PP said, the housing market was nutso and building was more affordable, but we had to wait a year to get into our house), but we just were never happy. Too far away, too different from our experiences in the Northeast, didn't like the weather much of the time, etc. So while we didn't move back home, we came about 1/2 way back and now live in Maryland. We only stayed in Florida for 2 years and I was fortunate to be offered a transfer with my company, so they paid for both my moves.

So I would say, yes, the grass is not always greener. We didn't move because we wanted to be in Florida, just for my job and I guess a bit of an earlyish mid-life crisis - just needed to shake things up a little!

I would just recommend you really do your homework before moving to make sure it's the right choice for you.

I also have family friends that moved from WNY to Hilton Head when they retired. They thought it was perfect - golf, tennis, warm weather -- all the things they loved. They moved back to WNY about 2 years later!

 

[samshane]

Due to marrying someone in the Navy, I started in NH andam now in WA state. He will be geting out soon and we won't be going back. Nothing to really go back to - he is from RI and we have created our own life here. And our kids consider this home now. Besides, we really like it here.

 

[Piglet4Ever]

Due to marrying someone in the Navy, I started in NH andam now in WA state. He will be geting out soon and we won't be going back. Nothing to really go back to - he is from RI and we have created our own life here. And our kids consider this home now. Besides, we really like it here.

Similar story, I grew up in OH and since marrying Dh who is the Navy we have lived in VA, FL and WA twice. We are headed back to the VA/MD area for two yrs, then DH can retire and we are moving back out here to WA to live. DH and I have no wish to live in OH again or in CO where his family lives. We miss our family sure, but it is easy to hop on a plane for a visit.

 

[smidgy]

if you're not sure: when you move...rent. for a year or two.
that way you're not "stuck" if you change your minds.

 

[Kay1]

Yes, we moved back. I'm a native of Homestead, Florida. My family have been here since the 1920s so there are quite a few of us. My husband is not a native but his family have been here since the 1960s so he has a lot of family here, too. We lived in Miami when we first found out we were expecting a baby and did not want to raise a child there.

We moved to Roanoke, Virginia, which was fine, but ended up renting a house way out in the country - a fantasy of ours. Big mistake. It was a nice place to vacation but not for us.

We moved back down to Florida and lived in Key Largo for five years and now live in the Tampa Bay region. We're close enough to all our family and life is more what we're accustomed to.

 

[Robinrs]

I moved from Brooklyn NY to Atlanta in 1987. I love NY but couldn't live the lifestyle I wanted there and wanted my parents to be safe after retirement.

It's been 23 years and I can't believe I'm still here!! Both of my parents have passed away so my connection here is limited. I cannot move back to NY, I moved my entire family here and would not raise my son there. I still love it, but will visit, not live there.

I plan to move to the typical NY next step, FLORIDA when my son goes to college. I want to retire there and am making plans to do that now.

 

[powellrj]

We are thinking about leaving our area too. Both DH and I have always lived in Central Indiana. DH has lived in the same county for his entire life and I have lived in different areas of Central Indiana.

I hate the weather and hate living in a dying community. I want to change before its too late! I will be interested in hearing what others have to say.

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

I didn't read all responses, just a few but...
DH and I moved from PA to MO because of family issues, we needed to get away and live our own lives. After about 3 years we did move back, but we had our first son, and the whole family thing drew us back. We missed the family and didn't want them to not know or son. It was a pain all the moving, but the experience was well worth it. You can learn and grow so much and I'd say if it's what you are feeling is needed for whatever reason, it'll be good -- even if you do move back, the experience will be something you can't get any other way. Better to have done it and come back then wonder what if the rest of your life IMOH. Good luck

 

[PatriciaH]

I moved from NYC to MD during college and loved it. Then I moved back to NYC several months after graduation. Worked in Manhattan for a while and then met DH. Moved to MA for 9 years and we were sick of the winters and high home prices so we moved to Florida. We really like it here and have a lot of friends but it is totally different than up north. Never really felt like home- more of a vacation for 5 1/2 years That would be fine if we made a lot of $$$ but we do not-we made a ton more in MA. So DH just got a really good job offer back in MA and we are headed back next month. I am torn because I do like it a lot here (being close to the parks, our great friends) but I love MA/NH too and we will not struggle there. My parents are here-his are in NH (close.) My sister is in Cambridge, MA so that is great. We will still visit a lot-we were coming to Disney at least 2 times a year before we moved As a matter of fact I plan on visiting in October and seeing Harry Potter land, MNSSHP, F&W and Halloween Horror nights.

 

[DawnM]

I WANT to move back!

 

[OzFan]

I have 2 sets of friends, both with different stories. One family moved to TN. She was there for a year, she HATED it there. She would call me crying, saying the Walmart was 45 minutes away. They moved back 1 year almost to the date. They had to buy another house and get settled all over again. She tells me to this day, she will NEVER leave Chicago again.
The other family was "sick" of the crime, weather, and whatevers. They moved to Orlando. The grass is not always greener, they are back after 18 months.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, it has been a crappy winter. Just hang in there, spring in Chicago is one of the best times of the year. Let the weather break, get out and see what makes our city one of the greastest in the country.
BTW: There isn't a "greener" city in the US as we are at St. Patty's Day!

Did I mention, I was born and raised in St Augustine, FL? Did I love it there? YES! Do I want to move back there? NO! Chicago is my home.

 

[Belle5]

People should be very careful about where they choose to live in any area of the country. The above poster mentioning her friend crying because she had to drive 45 minutes to a Walmart tells me that they did not choose their location wisely. I think it is very smart to investigate like crazy before you move to an area and then rent for at least a year before purchasing a home. (I realize sometimes you are relocated to an area where there just aren't options. I am not talking about those situations)

I love the Dallas area--at least the part where I live. I will hear stories from my mom of people she meets who have moved back to Ohio from the Dallas area and they just "hated" Dallas. Then I ask where in Dallas did they live. Without fail, they have always lived in some lousy section of the DFW area. If I lived in ________city (won't mention any suburbs/cities in particular) I would hate Dallas, too!

My in-laws moved to a retirement area in South Carolina where my FIL could golf all day but there was no shopping for MIL. Of course she hated it there! They turned around and moved to FL and chose just slightly better. Finally, after FIL passed, MIL moved to THE VILLAGES (a happening retirement area with shuttles to WDW) and had so much more to do there!