Thinking about moving for warmer weather

[Motorcitydak]

Sitting here in the middle of the next giant winter storm yet again makes me realize that I could not care less about anything at all that happens in the winter. My wife and I have nothing that we enjoy doing during this time of year. She 'is the coldest she has even been' for about a 3 month stretch......for me being stuck in the garage for 4 months is ok at best but gets really boring not being able to play with my cars for 1/3 of the year. Last winter was horrible, this one is better but why deal with it if you really do not care? She likes her horses and animals, cannot really ride right now because of the cold so we are thinking about heading somewhere that would fit our hobbies better. We are both in the health care field, she is an RN and I am a paramedic, also do construction on the side. She can go just about anywhere, especially if there is an Ascension health system hospital she could transfer to and keep her pay and seniority. I would have a bit more of an issue, just need to get my national license back but once that is done, could get a job just about anywhere.

We really do not have a set area we are thinking about but I know that we do not want to get much below freezing in the coldest months. I love fishing and it would be amazing if we could end up somewhere on the east coast where I could do deep sea fishing or just hit the pier all the time. I also really want to be within a few hours of at least a couple good race tracks. Also somewhere that just in general car friendly would be good. I heard Virginia is a no-go, super strict on speeding and stuff. I recently read something that turned me off about Georgia but cannot remember what. I am thinking something like South Carolina, she is more towards northern Florida.

We are not 100% set on leaving, especially seeing as everything we have here is great, it is just the weather really. We live out in a rural area and want to stay that way but a half hour or so drive to a big city where we could work would be great. So, where are you guys at and what do you think

[astroracer]

Hmm, I'm in Byron. Let's say VERY rural. 25 minutes to Flint. I work at the Proving Grounds and that's a 40 min drive on a good day. Just finished shoveling the walks and garage pads, for the 2nd time today. Been here all my life and wouldn't concider going anywhere else.
I am like you though and don't have any winter activities other then being cold and working in the shop. The thing you have to concider about moving somewhere warm is what other "conditions" will you have to cope with. Sure, cold and snow is not an ideal thing to contend with but what will you have if you move? Hurricanes? Earthquakes? Floods? If cold is the worse thing Michigan can throw at us, I'll take it... JMHO. :)
Mark

[cornfedbill]

I left Brighton, MI for Johnstown, CO. It gets cold here, but does not feel as cold as the humid cold in Michigan.

In fact, I used to work at the GM Proving Grounds many years ago. It is like working at Toys R Us for grown ups.

Now I am 20 minutes from Good Guys in Loveland. There is a couple of good road courses and a lot of SCCA autocross events within a short drive.

I like it here.

[Motorcitydak]

I hear ya Mark. I am very rural too, 10 houses on my mile, mostly farms. Just heard from the wife that we have about 2 foot snow drifts in the driveway, others are blown up to about 5 feet under some of the windows. Another issue is that we do not have natural gas for heat so we rely on wood 99% and use propane as little as possible because of its cost.

Another thing that I want to avoid are bugs. That I know is one great thing that the winter does for us, kills any large bugs around and then we get to start over in the spring. I have been to Florida a few times and seriously could not take the monster spiders down there. Even the grass hoppers are on a whole other level.

[NOT A TA]

I moved from New England to the East coast of South Florida about a mile from the shore. There's a lot less bugs here than in New England, rarely see a housefly and haven't even seen a grasshopper, the dreaded love bugs are north of here, occasionally a few mosquitos at dusk during certain months but nothing like up North. I don't think twice about painting car stuff in my garage with the door open during the day and very very rarely get a bug. Believe it or not it's cooler here in the summer than it is North of here and it rarely goes over 92-93 at my house. Winter? well it's 70 @ 10:30 PM as I write with the windows open and highs tomorrow will be low 80's. My only complaint is that the sun is brighter here and hot if you're in it during summer months.

All kinds of cars get driven all year from restored Model T's to the amazing variety of exotics.

Drag and road tracks within easy drive PBIR, Homestead, Sebring.

Horse stuff, check.

Fishing everywhere, you can fish within walking distance of most residences. Ocean fishing, check. People fish the canal across the street from my home all the time.

Healthcare jobs are plentiful because of the retirees and snowbirds.

Never below freezing.

No heating bills.

No snow removal.

No winter stuff to buy, clothes, hats, gloves, scrapers, salt, blah blah blah.

Utilities are cheaper.

Grass does have to be mowed all year though.

Hurricanes, Only one since since I moved down. Got hit dead center by Wilma cat 3 in 05. Power out 3 days and had to cut up some trees and replace some roof shingles. Concrete block house and hurricane windows. Where I lived up north has gotten hit hard by a couple hurricanes since I moved. Did I mention no snow or ice storms here?

My canal doesn't lead to the ocean but connects to nice lakes. Plenty of fish.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/02/MVC028F3-1.jpg (http://s240.photobucket.com/user/NOTATA/media/MVC-028F-3.jpg.html)

[Dunnum1]

San Diego is nice I'm in imperial beach some people ride their horses on the beach we have local car shows good guys del mar. la is only 2 hrs glen Helen and Paris race tracks are within 2 hrs and just a few more to vegas for sema. We also have scca races at the stadium. And the best fishing in the country.

[rickpaw]

I moved to Texas after 20 years in Oregon. Much better weather, other than summer months. I'm in Houston and there are plenty of lands around Houston suburbs. Circuits of the Americas in Austin is 2 hrs away, and Texas Motor Speedways in FW is 4 hrs. 1.5 hr drive to Gulf of Mexico. Of course car show season is 9 months out of the year.

[ZZ430]

Another Texas guy here. ^^^^

I lived in Michigan for a couple of years because that's where my wife lived. Forget it! During the winter it snowed nearly every day and it stayed on the ground for months!

Now we live in a place where it never snows.

I've also lived in San Diego, it's great but Calif political issues were too much.

I spent a winter in Florida and it was balmy!

[Interceptor5588]

Subscribed. Canada is no bowl of cherries either.

[cornfedbill]

Subscribed. Canada is no bowl of cherries either.

I used to make winter vehicle test trips to Kapuskasing, Ontario. That is cold.

[Nicks67GTO]

Subscribed..... because I HATE my Iowa winters.

[vintageracer]

You ain't left yet????

Sounds like it's ROADTRIP time!

We all have our personal preferences on what "WE" think is best and most everyone who currently lives outside the "Snow Belt" thinks where they live is the best. After all that's why they live there!

You are truly the only 2 people who know what's important to you. There are lot's of place with sun, fun, beach, race tracks, fishing piers, warm temperatures and NO SNOW or COLD WINTER. The BIG issue will be employment, the cost of living, real estate prices and STATE TAXES!

Pick the places YOU think YOU might like to live and spend the next 6 months to 1 year traveling & visiting these locations by spending a couple days or more checking out the area. YOU might like the first place you visit or it might take 6-9 visits to different locations. Based upon your original post it appears to me that you certainly don't have to move tomorrow and can take your time to make a good decision. Besides traveling and looking is a lot of fun and with cheap air fares, car rentals and hotels spending $5,000 traveling to look at places to live sounds to ME like a great investment in YOUR future. After all we are talking about picking up and moving your whole life to a new area.

I sure would hate to get it all wrong!

Happy Trails!

[cornfedbill]

Subscribed..... because I HATE my Iowa winters.

I grew up in Cedar Rapids. I used winters to lock myself in the garage and work on major projects. Hibernation is good.

[BMR Sales]

Sitting here in the middle of the next giant winter storm yet again makes me realize that I could not care less about anything at all that happens in the winter. My wife and I have nothing that we enjoy doing during this time of year. She 'is the coldest she has even been' for about a 3 month stretch......for me being stuck in the garage for 4 months is ok at best but gets really boring not being able to play with my cars for 1/3 of the year. Last winter was horrible, this one is better but why deal with it if you really do not care? She likes her horses and animals, cannot really ride right now because of the cold so we are thinking about heading somewhere that would fit our hobbies better. We are both in the health care field, she is an RN and I am a paramedic, also do construction on the side. She can go just about anywhere, especially if there is an Ascension health system hospital she could transfer to and keep her pay and seniority. I would have a bit more of an issue, just need to get my national license back but once that is done, could get a job just about anywhere.

We really do not have a set area we are thinking about but I know that we do not want to get much below freezing in the coldest months. I love fishing and it would be amazing if we could end up somewhere on the east coast where I could do deep sea fishing or just hit the pier all the time. I also really want to be within a few hours of at least a couple good race tracks. Also somewhere that just in general car friendly would be good. I heard Virginia is a no-go, super strict on speeding and stuff. I recently read something that turned me off about Georgia but cannot remember what. I am thinking something like South Carolina, she is more towards northern Florida.

We are not 100% set on leaving, especially seeing as everything we have here is great, it is just the weather really. We live out in a rural area and want to stay that way but a half hour or so drive to a big city where we could work would be great. So, where are you guys at and what do you think

I left Upstate NY after I graduated from College to escape the Cold, & I haven't regretted it for a minute. Now I love Florida, but many that move here do not. Not sure what you read about Georgia, but if you wife likes North Florida, consider Savannah. My son lives there & it would be one of the few places I would move to. It's an awesome place & clean as a whistle. Right by the Ocean, but also Rivers. You have Roebling Road, a very nice road course owned & operated by the Local SCCA. Savannah also has a Track downtown that gets used for a Vintage Race in October.

[TheJDMan]

If I were moving the first place I would be looking would be the Charlotte/Mooresville/Concord, NC area. Amazing car culture and mild year round climate. Affordable access to virtually any speed part you could possibly need. Some of the best race tracks bar none. World class race shops. Great driving roads like "Tail of the Dragon". A Win/Win in my book.

[sccacuda]

North Florida here. Not as warm as South Florida, but Miami might as well be Cuba, so you better speak Spanish! Jacksonville is a nice middle ground. Relatively cheap real estate, warm year 'round, NO STATE INCOME TAX!, no toll roads yet (mid Florida sucks with the toll roads everywhere!), hour from Daytona, hour and half from Roebling, hour to the Gainesville track, and tons of healthcare jobs. Best part is not many snow birds, so your not stuck behind someone going 35 mph everywhere. The ocean is right here and the river runs through JAX.

BTW, the sun is starting to go down now and it just dipped into the '60's. Hate Florida winters!

[cornfedbill]

BTW, the sun is starting to go down now and it just dipped into the '60's. Hate Florida winters!

Let me know how it feels in August when we have 50% humidity at 80 degrees here in Colorado. Everything has its price.

[sccacuda]

Let me know how it feels in August when we have 50% humidity at 80 degrees here in Colorado. Everything has its price.

Don't remind me, I'm still bitching about being cold. Won't start on hot for a few months.

4' Portacool, 8 ceiling fans, and 52" fan that moves 22,000 CFM, makes it bearable.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/02/IMG_2110_zpsf8w9skwe-1.jpg (http://s1060.photobucket.com/user/340cuda/media/IMG_2110_zpsf8w9skwe.jpg.html)
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[WallaceMFG]

I'll throw in word for Arizona. Sure, it's really hot for two, maybe 3 months out of the year. But for all of fall, winter, and spring it is nice weather. Roads are nice, lots of clubs out here, easy to find rust free project cars. And other than monsoon season, NO humidity. I mean none. Where else can you media blast a car and have it sit for 4 months and have absolutely no surface rust form? haha

[cornfedbill]

I'll throw in word for Arizona. Sure, it's really hot for two, maybe 3 months out of the year. But for all of fall, winter, and spring it is nice weather. Roads are nice, lots of clubs out here, easy to find rust free project cars. And other than monsoon season, NO humidity. I mean none. Where else can you media blast a car and have it sit for 4 months and have absolutely no surface rust form? haha

I have to agree with you. But too many hot weather test trips to the GM Proving Ground have reminded me why I don't like the summer heat in Mesa.

Summer in Colorado - winter in Mesa. Now I just need to get rich enough to buy two houses with big shops...

[Windycity1]

This thread is right on time. The Chicago winter blues have got me down. I got a little more than a year before retirement. I'm am bidding farewell to this city forever for warmer parts unknown.

[HarleyR]

Another vote for the Charlotte/metro area... Ive been here for 8 years and love it.... I thought I loved Vegas where I spent the previous 8 but nc and the pretty much the whole southeast has really grown on me... Not only is the car scene awesome,like awesome in the sense if you need a stick of DOM tubing or sheet of aluminum or any performance part for that matter they are easily accessible... The quality of life is an upgrade as well

[Reckn8]

I'm an Arizona guy leaving Iowa 30 plus years ago! Sure, it's bad for a couple of months but so what!!

[Kenova]

:crying::crying:
I'm two hours drive (in good weather) north east of Toronto Ontario.
I turn the fireplace on and hide in the basement all winter.
When I take my dog out for a whizz I have to knock the icicle off his pecker before I bring him in.
The furthest south I can move is Windsor.
The weather isn't the only thing that sucks up here but that is best left for the political forum.
North Carolina looks tempting, but lets face it, if it was easy to move from here to there permanently everybody would be doing it.

Ken

[snappytravis]

I have to agree with you. But too many hot weather test trips to the GM Proving Ground have reminded me why I don't like the summer heat in Mesa.

Summer in Colorado - winter in Mesa. Now I just need to get rich enough to buy two houses with big shops...
Your in the banana belt,, That's where my brother lives Greely (kersey) I am up north Riverton wy. It always seems like it's 20 degrees warmer down there.

[AZ's68]

hey buddy. I'm in Tx. Grew up in Dallas, and recently moved out to Forney which is a small suburb just east of Dallas. Way better schools for the kids. Cost of living is great out here. Very quiet and friendly city, not too big but not too small. Only about 20 miles from downtown Dallas. Variety of choices in property out here. Acreage for your animals, or a simpler small community living. Can easily get a couple of acres with a very nice house in the low $200's and up of nice house in a quiet community in the $180's. I thought I would throw out some numbers out there to you for comparison. I see both you and your wife are in the medical field, and so are my wife and I. My wife works at a hospital and I'm a firefighter/paramedic in Dallas. Hey the weather in the DFW area isn't too bad. Summers are pretty hot, july august maybe in the 105F range, but hey, its very drivable temps, and the freezing cold temps are a whopping 34f right now. Oh and rarely any freezing precipitation. But hey, the medical field here in Dallas is booming! Just this year, 2 new hospitals in Dallas opened up. Well and if you want to continue being a paramedic, Dallas Fire hires almost every January. Or if you would consider an police officer career, Dallas police hires year round! and pay through training. Apply today, have a job next month. Good luck on your decision. Oh and I'm in the middle of building a 68 Camaro in the garage. Oh and Tx motor speedway hosts goodguys event twice a year.

[hotrodalex]

Nor Cal/Oregon/Washington coasts or somewhere around Charlotte. Decent weather balance, fun driving roads.

[cornfedbill]

I'm an Arizona guy leaving Iowa 30 plus years ago! Sure, it's bad for a couple of months but so what!!

Where in Iowa? I left Cedar Rapids over 30 years ago chasing work all over the US and even to Tokyo.

[Windycity1]

What makes it worse is all my friends that live in warm winter climates love to call me this time of year. So unfair.:hammer:

[BMR Sales]

Dante', I like to call all my Northern friends on Christmas day ................. from the Beach!

[Windycity1]

Dante', I like to call all my Northern friends on Christmas day ................. from the Beach!

That's sooooooo wrong. Lol

[Motorcitydak]

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/02/20150202_112339_zps6lmadujh-1.jpg (http://s57.photobucket.com/user/motorcitydak/media/20150202_112339_zps6lmadujh.jpg.html)

This is what i got to spend 4 hours clearing, had mine and the barn across the street to do. ...... after i spent an hour getting the tractor to fire up. The drift behind that ram was almost 4 feet deep in places

You guys are all really helpful, really appreciate all the input. We are not in any hurry to move, I really like the idea of visiting the area a few times to check everything out. Neither of us speak Spanish so we would not want that to be another hurdle. I really like what i read about the Dallas area and also NC, maybe leaning more towards NC. One thing is that my charger build is not going to have a/c. I'd like to avoid wishing i had it since there is no way it could be done now.

We just spent a week in Tennessee in the fall, loved the area and the roads are SO much better than around here. I just did not like being in the mountains. Roads around them area amazing! We took my mini Cooper s So i had a blast! I just did not like how it rained almost every day

Since someone mentioned it, our house now is worth about 200k with 5 acres, a small horse barn and pasture and also a big pond out back that keeps my fishing really easy. I think we could sell it relatively easy and get out with a good chunk of change. Would be looking for basically the same thing else where

[rchaskin]

If I were moving the first place I would be looking would be the Charlotte/Mooresville/Concord, NC area. Amazing car culture and mild year round climate. Affordable access to virtually any speed part you could possibly need. Some of the best race tracks bar none. World class race shops. Great driving roads like "Tail of the Dragon". A Win/Win in my book.

I live about 30 miles west of Mooresville...
It is a very nice area. Maybe 1 or 2 snows a year at most. Couple of inches usually.

The four seasons here are:
Almost summer, Summer, Still Summer, and Christmas.....LOL.

[Motorcitydak]

that sounds amazing

[shmoov69]

Well, we currently have a windchill of 5° but hey, it's supposed to be 70° here Saturday!! LoL! Winter is mild compared to what you got there, but it still gets cold..... Just don't last long! LoL! Lots of lakes and rivers and woods and a really good "car culture" here!

[surlyjoe]

The timing of this thread is helpful for me. Was -40 with the wind the last couple of days. -30 today. And this winter has been warmer than last year. Combine that with crazy house prices and average to below average pay and we are definitely considering a move.

I have a potential job offer in Wilmington NC. Wondering if anyone can tell me anything about the town. From what I can see online looks like a nice place. Car hobby is important for me but family is first to be honest. Two young boys starting school in a year or two. Concerns that I can see are crime and hurricanes.

[FANTM58]

It's 70 degrees here in Denver today, beautiful
We will welcome another gear head !!

[Motorcitydak]

We have been looking around the New Bern, NC area, like what we see so far. Probably going to do a trip down there this summer to check it out

[MonzaRacer]

One reason I really like where I am in southern Indiana, still have some winter but decent summer time also.

[cornfedbill]

It's 70 degrees here in Denver today, beautiful
We will welcome another gear head !!

Another spring-like sunny day in Northern Colorado. A second on that welcome to another gearhead!

[TexasT]

I'll throw out another plug for Texas, as long as you don't say, "we did it this way or that where I am from."

While it was just below freezing beginning the week in the am, it was 75 here today. We had the grill fired up and I know the drag strip was open as I can hear it from my back yard. Some times we get the white stuff but it rarely lasts for a day or two.

I chased the money in my younger years, but I doubt I'll ever move from Texas again. No state income tax, decent cost of living, and plenty of work. If I did I would look at Tennessee and NC as was mentioned above.

Good Luck with what ever you decide. If you have questions about Texas let us know. One thing I learned, "never ask a man where he is from. If he's from Texas, he will tell you, and if not, no sense in embarrassing him." Just a little Texas humor.

[rustomatic]

I think you have to earn an official government invitation or something, but I probably don't need to advertise CA. An RN can make six figures here. We have tracks, good weather, and countless roads that frequently make the tracks seem pointless, if you can afford tickets and dent repair. If you want snow, you can have it, but it's not necessary . . .

Not everything here costs a million dollars. Economic collapses create opportunity; apartments are made for waiting . . . you're obviously a car freak, and this is where your kind tend to breed . . . just sayin'.