FindYourSpot and places to live? MidAtlantic Coast?

[LuluLovesDisney]

Has anyone tried FindYourSpot.com?

or can you recommend similar sites that I could use to help me research potential places to live?

Here's my story:

I am in the process of looking at potential places to move after DBF and I get married (hopefully in the next 3 years, before we're 30) We tried FindYourSpot but most locales were Hawaii, California, Louisiana and Maryland. With the exception of Maryland, they're all too far away from my family for me.

I currently live about 15 minutes away from Manhattan in NJ. My area has a very high cost of living- a starter home with three bedrooms is about 500,000-600,000. I would like to move to another area- a safe community where I could be paid a decent salary as a teacher and afford a down payment on a home- preferably build our own, actually (we have 4 family members in the contracting/carpentry profession who would assist)

Does anyone know of any places that I might want to look into that are within a day's drive (5-6 hours?) of northern NJ? (I have older parents and would like to be near enough to visit them every week)

Near water is a bonus.

Thanks!

 

[Papa Deuce]

Wow, that is an EASY one! Look in Delaware!

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

Wow, that is an EASY one! Look in Delaware!

Very confident answer.

Actually, I *love* Delaware. My aunt lives in Rehoboth Beach- a beautiful area- but that's pretty expensive. Any areas in particular with a lower cost of living/decent teacher pay in DE?

 

[maciec]

Wow, that is an EASY one! Look in Delaware!

I second that! I currently live 2 acres away in Maryland from the Delaware line. I wish that we would be annexed in!

 

[maciec]

Very confident answer.

Actually, I *love* Delaware. My aunt lives in Rehoboth Beach- a beautiful area- but that's pretty expensive. Any areas in particular with a lower cost of living/decent teacher pay in DE?

Oceanview, Millville, Dagsboro, Millsboro, Frankford, Selbyville (where I live).

 

[MELISAZACK]

okay sorry I know this is mean - and my mom does live right over that del line in MD as well...but all I think of when I see Dagsboro, Millsboro, Selbyville and such is "slower lower" everything moves at a snails pace and isn't very up to speed on things...Beach living is expensive though - if you can move more to the north of Del. like Dover or Smyra which is developing nicely that may be good to.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

We live in Montgomery County, MD. It's nice, within your driving radius, not far from Washington DC, but it's expensive. How about northeast of here, ie Carroll (sp?) County, MD. It would be closer to NJ and is less expensive, but I don't know by how much. We had a baseball tournament up there a few weeks ago and it's very nice with rolling hills.

 

[maciec]

okay sorry I know this is mean - and my mom does live right over that del line in MD as well...but all I think of when I see Dagsboro, Millsboro, Selbyville and such is "slower lower" everything moves at a snails pace and isn't very up to speed on things...Beach living is expensive though - if you can move more to the north of Del. like Dover or Smyra which is developing nicely that may be good to.

I guess that's why I like it so much! I moved here from Baltimore 13 years ago and it is a totally different pace that does take some getting use to, but I wouldn't go back to Baltimore it you paid me! Crime vs. virtually no crime ... expensive living to much less expensive living. I don't know what you are referring to as not being up to speed on things, could you provide an example?

 

[Cindy B]

My parents live in Greenwood DE.. not far from Smyrna MD. It is very slower and lower down there as well.

Its very remote, but the cost of living was great. They used to live in NJ and now they are happy they are there in DE. The property taxes for thier home is only 900 yes 900 per year. (This is new construction and NOT a modular home)

As for jobs, well, since my parents retired, my dad was looking for something to do. He found a job as a CDL instructor at local county college. My mom is still looking and its been almost a year!

I personally could never live there though. I live in a fairly active suburb and I couldn't handle having to drive 1/2 hour to go to the hot spot of the Walmart!

 

[Johnfish]

If you dont mind a little further communte. The suburbs around Richmond Virginia are nice and the cost of living is resonable. We live in Midlothian and love it here. If I didnt have to worry about living close to a job I Would be living on the eastern shore of Virginia. It is absolutely beautiful out there and you have the ocean on one side and the chesapeake on the other.


John

 

[Poohnatic]

T&B had a good suggestion for Carroll Co. Westminster and Hampstead are nice.

I've lived all over Maryland, and enjoyed my last six years there-in Frederick, MD. 4 1/2 hours to visit family on LI, an hour from Baltimore (45 minutes if I pushed it) and an hour to DC.

Frederick brings you pretty close to Montgomery County without the expense, but you can teach there and start substantially higher than what is paid in Frederick.

When I first moved to Maryland, I lived in Hagerstown, which was an interesting place-now its got everything that Frederick has! It actually takes a little less to get to NY from there.

Good luck.

Suzanne

 

[hiwaygal]

If you dont mind a little further communte. The suburbs around Richmond Virginia are nice and the cost of living is resonable. We live in Midlothian and love it here. If I didnt have to worry about living close to a job I Would be living on the eastern shore of Virginia. It is absolutely beautiful out there and you have the ocean on one side and the chesapeake on the other.


John

yes, but doesn't the pay for teachers kinda...suck?

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

Frederick was one of my top 5 matches from FindYourSpot.

Salary.com has average salaries for counties but I'm still researching specific salaries by district. Eventually, I would like to be a professor, but that will take some time as I'm still young.

I wouldn't mind things being a little "slower" either. As long as I have a basic grocery store and a hospital close by, I can take a 30-40 minute drive for my other goodies. It'll keep me on budget. I definitely put safety and a nice peaceful neighborhood at the top of the list.

I am adding all your suggestions to my list, so keep them coming.

T&B had a good suggestion for Carroll Co. Westminster and Hampstead are nice.

I've lived all over Maryland, and enjoyed my last six years there-in Frederick, MD. 4 1/2 hours to visit family on LI, an hour from Baltimore (45 minutes if I pushed it) and an hour to DC.

Frederick brings you pretty close to Montgomery County without the expense, but you can teach there and start substantially higher than what is paid in Frederick.

When I first moved to Maryland, I lived in Hagerstown, which was an interesting place-now its got everything that Frederick has! It actually takes a little less to get to NY from there.

Good luck.

Suzanne

 

[Poohnatic]

Well then, Frederick is a good choice for a budding professor. Hood College and Mount St Marys are two colleges in the county (good ones, too) and if you want to commute a bit for a 4 year, Western Maryland College is in Carroll County (25 minutes from Frederick) and Frostburg University has a satellite campus in Hagerstown.

If you want info about Frederick LadyRedd and I can fill you in a lot. I'm really glad I moved to Florida (numerous reasons) but I liked where I lived there.

Suzanne