Where should I live? FChat decides.

Do a little googling about Charlottesville, VA. Many of us came here for one of the best public universities in the US, and five, ten, or twenty years later still found ourselves unable to leave. This is why some old school transplant townies refer to this place as the Land of the Lotus Eaters. I won't bore the peanut gallery with a pro Charlottesville rant, but I'd be happy to answer any of your questions if you are interested.
HESSIAN

 

Detroit has been making a comeback in recent years. West Bloomfield is a nice area as well. There a re few others that are nice as well. My fiance is from Manchester, which is just to the West of Ann Arbor. Both her and I are planning on eventually moving to the Ann Arbor area. I'd settle on the Detroit area (areas mentioned above). Funny thing is I did the search on the website listed (www.findyourspot) and Ann Arbor came up number two on the list behind Grand Rapids, MI.

J

 

We visited Charlottesville last January - they had a warm spell where it hit ~70F! Very beautiful little city we really enjoyed.

 

Lubbock, Texas!

 

San Jose/Bay Area is a great place to live overall. Housing will be your biggest issue...yes and taxes both income and property due to the "biggest issue". I’m just lucky I got here in 87' after graduating. It's been no looking back ever since. I worked for both large traditional hi-tech companies the last 9 years at two start-ups. But the most important reason I love this place it’s where I met my wife and started a family. Now I am retired and enjoying my family and the flexibility I humbly have been afforded. I truly could not think of a place where you can be in San Francisco and Carmel on the same day and enjoy both for very different reasons.

 

New Orleans is in need of professionals like non other! Jobs abound here!

 

I love NO. We went there two years ago this past Christmas through New Years. Had the greatest time. I pray for all people in and out of NO that they bring it back better then ever. It's too good to do anything less. We had some good friends that lost everything but what they were wearing. They moved to Mississippi and don't plan to return. Too many lost memories. Nicest people I ever met in the service sector. They were always there to help and with a smile. Here in CA the attitude with services is "***** slapping" material.

 

I was pleasantly surprised with the San Jose area. I'm moving to Fremont (directly north of San Jose) next week, I'm looking forward to it.

 

Glad to here you were around our fair city recently! I have been back, permanently, for about 3 weeks and am surprised at what progress has been made in some areas. Obviously there is MUCH to organize and sort through, but I don't think I have ever seen New Orleans with so much pride and spirit over what we stand for. It's a shame people on the outside typically think the 8 blocks of Bourbon St. are representative of how people view living life here. The people and their outlook on life make the city, NOT one infamous street.
I love living in Uptown New Orleans and seeing the mix of people I encounter each and every day who are just happy to be living life. Here we have the feel of a singular neighborhood where everyone knows the bad as well as the good.

Any Fchat member who would like to come visit certainly should not pass on the opportunity. But get in touch with someone locally who knows the lay of the land and can make sure you experience the substance that is New Orleans, not the fluff

150th Mardi Gras culminates Fat Tuesday, Feb28th.

If New Years was any indication of how things will be then I almost fear the amount of living that will take place during the Carnival season

 

that findyourspot.com says i should live in Loveland, Colorado...

 

Darien, CT is a nice place, and you can take the train into the city (...perhaps to a job).

 

There are areas of Detroit that are rather nice. Palmer Park, Edison District, Indian Villiage. The suburbs are nice too, however they are generally subdivided so you get that .25 acre parcel with a 3000 sq. ft home...unless you got the big bucks and can afford an area like Turtle Lake http://www.turtlelakeliving.com or a similarly priced area of Bloomfield Hills/Bloomfield Township. Oakland Township is nice also EXTREMELY close to North American HQ for Porsche/Audi, Daimler Chrysler, Fanuc Robotics etc, etc, etc. houses are rather pricey in Oakland Township http://www.moceri.com/kirkhome.html http://www.moceri.com/kingshome.html http://www.moceri.com/chhome.html
These will give you an idea as to homes being constructed in Oakland Twp. They seem to go up from here $550K plus...although I seem to remember some condos (detached) that were built a few years ago (less than 5 yrs. old) that were in the upper $300K area. If you cross into Macomb County (where I live) there are several opportunities to live in the $300K-$900K range but you don't get the larger lots, generaly less than one acre. Check it out Metro Detroit isn't as bad as the media makes us out.

 

Need to be careful in Auburn Hills...some areas are Pontiac schools so resale value on a home is in the toilet.

 

Quit yanking the man's chain, he's trying to have a serious thread here.

(edit: After re-reading his requirements, Lubbock fits the bill, with the exception of being anywhere close to a major metro area.)

 

The pop-up blocker was working overtime, and then they ask for personal information?

Bzzt. Error. (Danger Will Robinson). The id trolls are everywhere.

(They're trying to make me paranoid!)

 

Judge4re was in TN for a long time. There are a few current residents here in the Central forums.

 

I lived in Knoxville for 10 years, still have property up there and will probably retire on that side of the Smokeys.

Only complaint is that the town is one giant strip mall. If you have the money, I would live in Sequoya Hills rather than out west. We used to live in the Lyons View/Westland area and really liked the area.

Oak Ridge, TN is nice and you could get a pretty good job working for DoE.

Don't worry about the salaries being low, cost of living is so much less you actually live a better lifestyle. Charlotte is getting too big and congested for our taste.

We prefer Huntsville, AL more. Bunch of rocket scientists in the middle of cotton fields...

 

I'm partial to Huntsville myself.