To Move or Not to Move: My Reasons + Some Advice

That was the question. In fact, I had been asking myself that question for many months before I finally decided to move. Then I spent a few more months debating the merits of various cities and which would be the best fit. It was a little like online dating, but without meeting the person. Then I made the move. It’s been a couple of years now, and I haven’t regretted it one bit.

People still ask me why? Why would I leave Austin, one of the trendiest cities in America? Why would I leave the house I had moved into after just three years? Why go through the enormous hassle of selling a house, packing up my worldly possessions, and moving halfway across the country?

The simple answer: Money. The complicated answer: I want to get rid of the debts I had accumulated helping my kids through college, to find a more meaningful job, and to have the option of retiring in the distant future without being dependent on my kids. I’m tired of never having savings or extra money for fun, and I’m ready for a change!

When I moved into my last Austin house, it was considered to be in a “transitional” neighborhood. Yes, it was up and coming, but maybe in a decade. Who knew house values would skyrocket in just a few years? I didn’t move to that neighborhood as an investment, though. I had moved there to be closer to downtown, to explore a new part of the city, and to downscale significantly from my suburban life. I was an empty nester, so I gave up over a thousand square feet to move into a mid-century ranch house just ten minutes from downtown. It was a perfect fit. Big enough for me and visiting offspring. Small enough to discourage said offspring from moving back home.

The reality is that I had been accumulating a lot of debt from helping my kids in college. My car was pushing 20. I was already in my 50s, so good luck paying off the house before retiring (or rather not retiring). The house was the same age I was, and I foresaw some expensive maintenance down the road (not to mention the expensive maintenance I may need down the road). I had no savings, which was scary.

I began to look around at other jobs in Austin that paid more, but my heart wasn’t in it. I don’t have the kind of ambition that’s needed to climb the corporate ladder to get those big bucks. In my post-cancer life, I want to find a job more meaningful to me, and that may mean less pay, not more. I want a higher quality of life. Something had to give. That something was my life in Austin. The hipsters were already pushing into my neighborhood and housing was at a premium, a high premium. So in July 2015, my brother and my son packed up all my worldly possessions into a van, and then my son and I started the cross-country journey. Let a new adventure begin!

Before moving, consider the following:

Don’t be impulsive! Don’t rush the process! While the idea to move to Florida came to me in a light bulb moment, I took my time with the actual move.

Research and plan; then research and plan some more. If you can, use social media to get a look at daily life in your desired city (tourist books are of limited use). Read the local newspapers and magazines.

Line up realtors early! Realtors are often busy and may not be able to take on an unknown, out-of-town customer.

Get your finances in as good as order as possible. The mortgage industry learned a lot of lessons from the housing crisis. Getting a loan is much harder with a lot more paperwork than a decade ago, even when your credit is good.

Accept that there will be glitches in the process and be flexible. Finding realtors or a house or getting the timing right with leaving the old home and moving into the new one are big challenges.