WIXers...I need your help.

mtpopejoy · **Posted:** Thu Mar 26, 2009 7:45 am

WIXers...
My family could use your help. We are tossing around the idea of a move from Suburban Detroit to Charlotte. We can't seem to decide. One day we are leaning toward staying in Michigan, the next we think moving to NC would be best.
We both grew up here in Michigan (though we did a 2 year stint in Florida due to my job).
My wife's company is headquartered in Charlotte and we think it would be a good career move for her to move but that means I would have to find a new job.
We have family in both places but obviously no friends in Charlotte.
The wife hates the cold weather here in Michigan.
We would be pretty close to buying a great farm house here in Michigan close to my wife's Aunt who said she is willing to provide free daycare for our 3 year old daughter ($1000/month savings).
In NC we would have to pay daycare and be stuck with renting an apartment or house for another year or so.

I volunteer at the Yankee Air Museum and am a member at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo and we are within a half days drive of Dayton. What is the Warbird situation like in the Carolinas?

We are pulling our hair out on this one. The pro's and con's of each pretty much outweigh each other.

We know Michigan is a DUMP and going further downhill but we are blessed with good, stable jobs at the moment and have called Michigan our home since we were born.

What do you all think?
Chime in if you feel the need.
Regards,
Mark

Django · **Posted:** Thu Mar 26, 2009 11:42 am

I voted stay in Michigan because you said...

A. you have good jobs
B. you have family (day care and babysitting)
C. You have the Yankee Air Museum close by.

I sure understand the lure of warm weather though. But having a kid and no family nearby would be tough. My parents are 3 hours away, but my in laws are 30 minutes away. It certainly helps with the baby.

mtpopejoy · **Posted:** Thu Mar 26, 2009 11:57 am

Thanks Chad.
We would have family down there but the closest would be about 2 1/2 hours away.

I did tell my wife if we move down there I am going to spend her money finishing my pilot's license and be a stay at home dad and full time volunteer at an air museum down there somewhere!!! :twisted:

Liza · **Posted:** Thu Mar 26, 2009 3:16 pm

Air Museums in NC

I voted for the move...

- have moved once already for your job. If this is a better career move for your wife, it may be time for the family to move for her.

- easier to move while children are young. Pulling them from friends and changing schools can be heartbreaking.

- No snow is enough reason to leave.

- nothing wrong with renting until you find something you like.

- things don't work out, you can always move back.

mtpopejoy · **Posted:** Thu Mar 26, 2009 4:29 pm

Thanks for the list of museums and your imput Liza.

I value everyone's imput as we all seem like a big Warbird family!

Regards,
Mark

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 26, 2009 6:45 pm

Mark,

How close are you to the grandparents and family being in Michigan? Frankly, from what you've described I think I'd probably stay in Michigan, from a family standpoint, though being a southern boy myself I'd scurry down away from Yankeeland. If you tend towards Yankee thinking (and I'm not talking about anything racist - more about the mindset of big government and big brother vs. local government and more personal responsibility), then please stay up there... (J/K).
At the risk of being called chauvinistic (I don't care!), I'd remind you that it's your primary responsibility to provide for your family - not your wife, so I'd stick with the place where you have work established.
Oh, and getting out to the old farm house is the best part! I'd say that from friends I know, yes MI might be a dump, but look at it this way, how much worse could it get before it gets better? Would NC likely fare any better? How would being rural help?

Ryan

Cvairwerks · **Posted:** Thu Mar 26, 2009 7:16 pm

Mark: Can you guys take a week or so off together and simply drive out to NC and visit the area and let her spend a half day or so at the office there so as to get a feel for it? Then spend a little time around the area visitng and feeling it out to see if you might fit in, or if it doesn't feel right to you both.

I've had the option a couple of times to move to other locations for work, but have elected not to due to not feeling like I could adjust to the locale within a reasonable amount of time after visiting. If you can visit, then you wouldn't be making the decision based only on word of mouth info.

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11324

We pay $700/month for pre-school here in the land of fruits and nuts. I think $1000/month is a little high from my experience.

I'd move for the weather and I think that NC would offer better opportunity in the long run.

JDK · **Posted:** Thu Mar 26, 2009 10:48 pm

Best advice I can offer it to get hold of Richard Nelson Bolles' 'What color is Your Parachute'*. There'll be copies at your library. It's an annual or so, but editions don't matter.

There are a number of exercises in it to assist you in organising your priorities in work and where you want to live - it's also geared so you can do separate ones with your spouse and see how they match up.

It takes time and a bit of work, but it's one way of quantifying and really examining what YOU want to do.

Mrs JDK has used the book in depth - she's smart (well, apart from marrying me

) eddicated to MA, but found it VERY helpful. We've worked through the 'where do you want to live' exercise together, and it confirmed beyond question what we wanted to do - which was encouraging.

There's lots in the book - but just pick what bits address the questions you want to answer, and really do them - don't skim. That will, I'm sure, help.

HTH

*It's an American book - but applicable for most of us I'd suggest.

mtpopejoy · **Posted:** Fri Mar 27, 2009 8:39 pm

Thanks guys and gals,
We are planning to take a long weekend and drive there soon. We will leave Wed. night so she can see the office down there on Thursday or Friday and have those nights and the weekend to "get around" a bit.
JDK, I will definitely check this book out.
Thanks again,
Mark

Enemy Ace · **Posted:** Sun Apr 26, 2009 6:04 am

so what happened? move or not?

mtpopejoy · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2009 10:10 am

No move,
My wife and I visited Charlotte, NC. last weekend to see what we thought. We were not "wowed" by anything we saw. We did a lot of driving checking out neighborhoods in and around the city. There are some very beautiful areas (way out of our price range of course) and some not so beautiful.
My wife got a chance to put in a full days work in the main offices and liked being able to meet people in person for the first time that she has talked to on the phone and over email for the last few months.
After 4 days we have decided to stay in Michigan until her employer requires us to move.
Being blessed with steady jobs in this economy in this state affords us many opportunities that we would not have in the Charlotte area.
The farmhouse I had mentioned here in Michigan has been sold but in this market there are many others to choose from.

Regards.
Mark

P.S. I was planning on getting in some "Warbird Time" while my wife was at work but the museum at the main Charlotte airport is closed on Mondays :cry:

so I checked out the "northern suburbs" meaning I made a trip over to Lowes Motor Speedway. Huge joint when nobody is in it!!!

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