The Relocation Thread

[Sox_Fan]

Great thread and I almost posted up a similar one yesterday. The wife and I are leaning towards a move to the pan handle of Florida, probably somewhere between Destin and Pensacola. Our daughter is in Pensacola and we'd like to get close enough to be a family again. We've been looking at areas on line and I'm pretty familiar with Destin, Fort Walton Beach and Navarre. Of course, I'm looking at golf course communities, preferably private. I've found private courses are hard to find, especially in Pensacola. Semi-private and public seem to be the norm, probably because they cannot sustain themselves as private. This has become more challenging than I expected. Destin is so crowded, but I love Emerald Bay and a couple of other communities there. Navarre (Hidden Creek) seems a little remote from shopping. Pensacola seems like a city that just happened with no thought going into development. Jeez. Sorry, this turned into a ramble deserving of the Rant thread. I'll come back later after my head clears.

Check out Rocky Bayou or Bluewater Bay in Niceville. I know Rocky Bayou is not a private community and not sure about Bluewater but they are both very quiet and nice communities. My parents lived right down the street from #6 on Rocky Bayou for almost 35 years.

 

[v.man]

Destin is a really nice area for golf, there are tons of courses within a 10 mile radius it seems. You are right though, there is a lot going on in Destin. If you could get into one of those communities tho, it may not be that bad.

Yeah, I go there every spring with a bunch of guys for golf. We've been doing it for thirty years. The golf communities are great and there are a lot to choose from. But, once you leave the community, 98 is so congested it's a nightmare. But, they do have everything you need from shopping to dining.....

 

[CAA_Beat]

Ken. My mom is in Pensacola (Gulf Breeze). It's been years but there is a course just east off there. Tigers Point I believe that is in a nice little (gated?) community.

Then of course there is Bubbas old home course just off I10 but it's a little bit of a drive.


SaA

 

[v.man]

Check out Rocky Bayou or Bluewater Bay in Niceville. I know Rocky Bayou is not a private community and not sure about Bluewater but they are both very quiet and nice communities. My parents lived right down the street from #6 on Rocky Bayou for almost 35 years.

LOL. I actually have Bluewater Bay open in another tab. I haven't played any of the courses on the other side of the bay, but, it's worth a look. Thanks.

 

[INgolfer]

I've only visited Greenville because my aunt and uncle lived there. Seemed like a very beautiful place to live. Havent had any extended time there yet though.

 

[Wake]

Yeah, certainly not many private courses in the area, Rocky Bayou and Pensacola CC are the only two I know of. Pensacola CC looks like a great courses, but probably not the area you are looking to live.

 

[v.man]

Ken. My mom is in Pensacola (Gulf Breeze). It's been years but there is a course just east off there. Tigers Point I believe that is in a nice little (gated?) community.

Then of course there is Bubbas old home course just off I10 but it's a little bit of a drive.


SaA

Yes, Tiger Point is on my list. Tanglewood is Bubba's old course I think. If you join there you actually get 3 courses (Stonebrook, Marcus Pt. also) in Pensacola because they are managed by the same company. Homes in those communities are mostly a little older than I would like. Perdido Bay is another community I'm looking at, but haven't seen it in person yet or any of those for that matter. I'm planning a trip down in the next week or so. I wish I could just rent for the winter down there, but, that's not in the cards right now. That would be ideal, of course.

 

[Chase]

I figured I'd start a thread for those that are looking to relocate to other cities, and hopefully others that live there or near there can provide some feedback from a local perspective.

My wife and I are looking now towards the western Carolinas. We are both looking for cooler summers and even though I hate extreme cold I can live with 40's and 50's in the winter. We've looked at Hendersonville NC, Asheville NC, Brevard NC, Greenville SC, Charlottesville VA, Historic Richmond VA, and Williamsburg lol.

Anyone live in these areas?

I live in Greenville. It is a beautiful place to live. Check out some of the national rankings and you'll see G'ville on a lot of them. Our downtown is beautiful and the area is booming with industry. It's a nice mix of having the beaches 3-4 hours away but also having the mountains and state parks that reside in the northern part of the state.

 

[Wake]

Ken. My mom is in Pensacola (Gulf Breeze). It's been years but there is a course just east off there. Tigers Point I believe that is in a nice little (gated?) community.

Then of course there is Bubbas old home course just off I10 but it's a little bit of a drive.


SaA

Bubba's old courses are Tanglewood (very much not private) and the Moors, which closed. Their is also Stonebrook which is a nice gated community with a golf course. Not a private course anymore, and I know at one point it was in bad shape but I think it is on the way back. I'm not sure if you want to be north of I10 though.

 

[Sox_Fan]

LOL. I actually have Bluewater Bay open in another tab. I haven't played any of the courses on the other side of the bay, but, it's worth a look. Thanks.

I haven't played Bluewater since my college days so can't comment on how the course is now since that was many, many moons ago but Rocky Bayou is a nice semi-private (I believe that is how it is classified now) course that is always well conditioned and presents plenty of challenges. There is also the Eglin Air Force course in Niceville that they opened up to the public a few years back. 2 quality and challenging courses. And the unique thing about Niceville is you have a lot of rolling terrain unlike Ft. Walton, Destin, etc.

 

[Chase]

If golf is mandatory, you can mark Greenville off the list. A couple of fun courses, a couple of private courses and that is it.

There is more than a couple. Overall, Greenville isn't bad for golf by any means, there are some really nice courses in the area within an hour's drive but it's not going to be on par with some of the major places in Florida.

 

[Sox_Fan]

LOL. I actually have Bluewater Bay open in another tab. I haven't played any of the courses on the other side of the bay, but, it's worth a look. Thanks.

Oh, and I would be more than happy to come visit you for golfing weekends if you move to that area...haha. I miss my monthly trips there to visit my parents since they are no longer there. Have not had a reason to go there in about 2 years since my 30th HS reunion.

 

[JB]

There is more than a couple. Overall, Greenville isn't bad for golf by any means, there are some really nice courses in the area within an hour's drive but it's not going to be on par with some of the major places in Florida.

Once you drive an hour though, arent you not in Greenville anymore?

I literally found a single course with in 30 minutes that was public that was worth playing in my time there. Im sure depending on where you live, that might be different for different folks.

 

[woody_74]

I have a question about careers in general when moving, and how many have done it. My wife and I are wanting to relocate, but really need the jobs to be there. We are both in health care so it is fairly easy to find a job, but I am on the management side which can be harder. My real question is when you determined you wanted to relocate how did you make sure the hr department knew you were serious. I know cover letters can help with this, but I didn't know if there was other ways to really show them that you are interested in that area. Just looking for a some help from individuals who seem to have done well in the relocating department.

 

[jdtox]

Great thread!

My wife and I are considering moving south. We have both lived in Michigan our whole lives. Her sister just moved to Georgia for work and the initial thought was to move near them, but when we visited we didn't care for the area too much. Hated being in the hills and 15 mins away from everything. We really enjoyed the brief time we visited the Tampa area just love St. Pete Beach.

My wifes requirements are there need to be palm trees and no winters. We'd have to rent for a while and I'd like low crime and good schools for the kids.

 

[CAA_Beat]

Bubba's old courses are Tanglewood (very much not private) and the Moors, which closed. Their is also Stonebrook which is a nice gated community with a golf course. Not a private course anymore, and I know at one point it was in bad shape but I think it is on the way back. I'm not sure if you want to be north of I10 though.

Yeah. The Moors is the one I was thinking of. And now that you said it, I do remember hearing about it closing a while back. Got in what may have been the windiest 9 holes I've ever played there many years ago.




SaA

 

[Martsy]

After living in the Northeast my entire life (NY 18 years, Ontario 2 year, Boston 10 years), I moved to Richmond in 2008, and I have to say I've been pleasantly surprised. Initially it was a reluctant move because my wife had a job here and I can work from anywhere, but between the cost of living change, and the growth I've seen over the past 6+ years, I've really enjoyed it. It's still has its seasons, but we see out fair share of 50+ degree in Dec-Feb, so you can golf mostly year round. From an actual course perspective, there are some really decent tracks nearby, and fairly well priced.

Funny you bring this thread up though, because I'm actually making a career change mid year into a field role with my company, and while my first choice is the Richmond area so we don't have to move, there is a possibility of me having to move as well. Knowing our sales organization, I'm currently limiting my choices to Richmond/Raleigh, Charlotte, Nashville, or Tampa. And I'm struggling with preference.

Richmond/Raleigh - pros are don't have to move, know the area and like it
Charlotte - purely sales org driven, though I hear the area is nice (never been)
Nashville - no state income tax, wife has family from the area
Tampa - no state income tax, warm weather, golf all year round, family in Naples

 

[JB]

Great thread!

My wife and I are considering moving south. We have both lived in Michigan our whole lives. Her sister just moved to Georgia for work and the initial thought was to move near them, but when we visited we didn't care for the area too much. Hated being in the hills and 15 mins away from everything. We really enjoyed the brief time we visited the Tampa area just love St. Pete Beach.

My wifes requirements are there need to be palm trees and no winters. We'd have to rent for a while and I'd like low crime and good schools for the kids.

Being that you like the beach, look at Pinellas County or West Tampa the most. Oldsmar, Westchase, etc all have options for you and rentals are no issue. You will be directly in between Clearwater Beach and the Middle of Tampa.

 

[SkiBumGolfer]

I absolutely love the Northwest - the weather is pretty mild, the scenery is gorgeous, and outdoor opportunities (golf and otherwise) abound. That being said...we live 3000 miles away from our families, and there have been a number of days when my girlfriend has felt extremely homesick/lonely and wanted to move back east. Therefore, I wouldn't be surprised if I find myself moving within the next year or two. My folks live in South Jersey, but neither of us wants to live there again. Her folks live in SW VA, but I doubt there will be good chances to find a job for either of us there. So honestly we'd probably be looking for a place that's at least semi close (i.e. driveable in a day) to our family/friends, but where jobs would be available in both our fields (aerospace for me, travel for her). What will be really tough if it eventually happens is finding a climate and geography we like...we LOVE the mountains and coastline here, and the mild climate.

So I'll be interested to follow this thread.

 

[Kutros]

I figured I'd start a thread for those that are looking to relocate to other cities, and hopefully others that live there or near there can provide some feedback from a local perspective.

My wife and I are looking now towards the western Carolinas. We are both looking for cooler summers and even though I hate extreme cold I can live with 40's and 50's in the winter. We've looked at Hendersonville NC, Asheville NC, Brevard NC, Greenville SC, Charlottesville VA, Historic Richmond VA, and Williamsburg lol.

Anyone live in these areas?

I currently live in Chesterfield county, a suburb of Richmond. I have lived here most of my life and really like it. The summers are normally not cool with temperatures in the upper 80's or low 90's. Humidity is always an issue too. I have either gotten used to the heat and humidity or the last few years have been milder than I recall.

That being said, the winters are definitely more mild than in the north or in the mountains. Snow is rare and if it does fall, it is usually gone by the next day. Today it is supposed to be 55, which is abnormal, but it happens on occasion.

Outside of weather, the area has a lot to offer. Tons of history is so close with Petersburg, Williamsburg, and Charlottesville within an hour or so. There isn't an insane amount of good golf in the area, but there is enough to satisfy me.

 

[Chase]

Once you drive an hour though, arent you not in Greenville anymore?

I literally found a single course with in 30 minutes that was public that was worth playing in my time there. Im sure depending on where you live, that might be different for different folks.

LOL, true. But proximity wise it's not bad. Most of G'ville's courses lie on the outer parts of the county or places like Simpsonville, Traveler's Rest (Furman University has their collegiate course there), etc. all reachable in about 30 mins. If you're looking to play right in the city though then you're right, there is only about 1 public course that's any good (The Preserve at Verdae) and the rest are private. Some REALLY nice private courses around though. But alas I can only dream

 

[Trout Bum]

I think Richmond would be a bit better in the simmers than here in Charleston. I grew up around the DC area so I'm somewhat familiar with it but I know Richmond is closer to the water so I'd imagine it's a little more humid. Charleston is incredible, the history, the food, the winters, the locals are wonderful people but, the summers are the hottest I've ever experienced, I thought south Florida was hot and humid but Charleston is ridiculous lol. The allergies here aren't bad until the fall, it seems like the moldy season is one of the worst in the country.

There's some great posts in here and it seems like lots of people are pondering moves, good info.

 

[Trout Bum]

I have a question about careers in general when moving, and how many have done it. My wife and I are wanting to relocate, but really need the jobs to be there. We are both in health care so it is fairly easy to find a job, but I am on the management side which can be harder. My real question is when you determined you wanted to relocate how did you make sure the hr department knew you were serious. I know cover letters can help with this, but I didn't know if there was other ways to really show them that you are interested in that area. Just looking for a some help from individuals who seem to have done well in the relocating department.

I've moved on a corporate level quite a few times and most of the time it takes either patience or flexibility, you can put it in a resume but I've found that as soon as in internal posting comes up for a position in an area I like I jump on it quick. I've also just saved a couple months bills and loaded a truck up and moved and found something after I was there, a lot of companies will not hire you until you are local to them. You guys should find work pretty easily within your fields.

 

[Sanzabar]

I currently live in Richmond, VA and have my whole life.

It was a great place. Love everything about it. You have city life, country living, art, short drive to the beach, short drive to the mountains... plenty of golf.

With that said, I would prefer moving a little further south. I am not a fan of cold weather and it can get really freaking cold in the winter.

 

[6ixOhFore]

I had thoughts on starting on tread on this very topic, I am thinking of moving on elsewhere. Truth be told, long story short I am not enjoying it here and have been living here far too long. I need a change and a place to further advance in life and my career. You may ask why I am still here, to take care of my ailing grandma. She was hospitalized last year for over 8 months where I took care of her personal shopping, paying bills and ect. She has no other family and friends here so I am here until it is her time to move on. Ideally I am looking forwards a hotter climate as I rather enjoy that compared to rain as we have here. I am in the process of applying in other countries for employment, reaching out to companies. As I am flexible and have expertise in a couple of different fields I am not limited to one kind of job. Right now I do convention centre services, setting up stages,lighting ect I really enjoy the hospitality industry the most. I also am semi fluent in Spanish so Latin America is on my list of places to relocate. I feel the next couple of months I want to learn more and gain more experience so when the time is come I am ready to jump right into what is in store.


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