Is a house something to move for.

Sara and I yesterday went exploring after the hospitol trip.
We had some last minute Christmas shopping and after I decided to look at some houses. We saw that houses normally, 1 million in Ventura, are in the high $300,000s here. Amazing, Boise is great, housing is great, what is holding us back from packing up and leaving?
When Sara and I first got married we would go back and forth about moving, Sara hated the cost of Cali, and I never wanted to move becaue of all it’s benifits. Before their were so many reasons not to move, now, only one. Before I would say, the weather, now I am over it. Before I would say, the Bridge, now, I could never get over it, but I could move on. Lastly, before I would say, my job, now it is biggest reason not to move away from the expensive; perfect climate; densly populated; my family; dick heads; the B; traffic jammed; Ventura California.
I am so torn, with a child on the way, what is better?
A big house with a big yard, frigid in the winter, boiling in the summer, low cost of living, with great schools, and freindly people?
Or a perfect climate, with perfect freinds, with jerk neighbors, in a small condo, barely making it on a good waged job that I like?
But, could I ever leave?
What about you, I would’nt be able to see you; my family.
The perspective I see right now is Mac, our baby to be, or even future Mac’s, what is a better family desicion, from my viewpoint Boise beats Ventura, but only by speculation from the mind. The most important factor, GOD, only he will lead us to were he wants our child to learn and grow

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December 25

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About the Author, Dan Cameron:

I'm the owner and solution engineer at Sprout Venture, a web solutions company that specializes in web development including WordPress.

I started my first blog in 2003 and transitioned to WordPress in 2004. Since moving to WordPress I've written a few plugins and themes for public consumption. Lately I'm busy engineering/building/coding and have only been able to share a few code snippets.

If you're in need of some web development, web design or custom WordPress plugins and/or themes contact me, I'll be happy to discuss it with you.

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  • This issue seems to be something we in this mobile society have to deal with due to the ease of traveling and moving and jobs around.

    It's funny because of perspective.
    Ventura is so much better to come to from "out there", those who grow up here don't seem to know or appreciate the town.

    The big complaint ( in Ventura) I hear is the about the wind. Wind - Big deal - I laugh internally, many here in Southern California are Spoiled and have No Clue; try a 45 mph wind with gray sky and dead plants and trees( not to mention slipping on ice, driving in snow, staying in the house when it rains yet again on the weekend,) in 20 degree weather for 2 months. Then the good weather comes and it's what we call a cloudy day here , they call a sunny day. It's wearing after awhile. You can wear shorts for 2 months out there. The first 2 years we lived here we didn't need to turn on the heat and we gave away our winter jackets and gloves. It's a joke. IF anyone is cold here they are in for a Serious Adjustment Time.

    When we first moved to Ventura it was so much nicer than Long Island New York. Still is I'm sure. No one beeped their horn when the light changed red, people were friendlier, and the atmosphere ( spiritually, physically ) was healthier. It's interesting in that when you get familiar with a place then the ugly side is revealed more. Things here have gotten worse with the traffic etc. Complaining though is not isolated to one location.

    Just recently I know of some people who moved out of state and are now returning having become dissatisfied with the place they moved to. Planes make it so much easier to get around now to help with parent visiting etc.

    The book " The romance of God " ( not exactly sure if this is the title )deals with how God uses the power of romance ( more than just man /woman romance ) to place people where He wants that fit who He made us to be. The author talks about how his grandparents' farm was so awesome when he was young and held so much adventure and mystery every time he stayed there. But when he went back as an adult it was just an old house and some woods. The author remembered many great times but it just wasn't the same.

    Hopefully, both husband and wife have the same romance about a place.
    Dan, maybe God is giving you a romance about this place. We would love to visit you and Sara and Mac and keep in touch.
  • When I think of leaving, I think of the intangible. Sure, a house for cheap is great, but what about irreplace-ables (sp)? Think of the family and friends, (us, sniff sniff). No, really I cannot imagine leaving here without many of of the people who are here. What would my $300,000 house be without all the people who make up my family, whether it be biological or otherwise? So many things... Just something to think about. If you believe God is taking you there, then go. If you are going to get a cheap house...think and pray, then go-if he says "go".
  • No - don't go!

    I say that of course from my own selfish viewpoint of not wanting you guys to leave....

    A couple years ago, when Kinko's first started moving to Dallas, there were several opportunities for me to go, but it was always an easy "no" for me. Lots of people who did decide to go did a lot of talking about the great houses they could get out there, and the lower cost of living, etc. Maybe it's just me, but the house thing has no appeal whatsoever to me. They would tell me about this luxurious layout of the place they're looking at, and I would nod and wish them well, but in my head all I could think of was "ya, but how good is that house really, when you step outside, you're quickly reminded that YOU'RE LIVING IN TEXAS!"

    But honestly those factors (housing, money, etc.) weren't even a consideration for me in that decision process. The things that mean the most to me (people - friend and family relationships, etc.) were way more important than a job. I was prepared to get laid off and take whatever work I could find, including a cut in pay, to stay here. Luckily, God made a way where that was not necessary, and even ended up providing for a much better financial situation.

    It sounds like for you guys, that will be the tough part; since you have friends / family in both places, it will make the decision harder. Like I said above, just in case you're counting votes, I vote for you to stay :)

    But seriously, if you do decide to go up there, maybe with all that money you'll be saving you could afford to come back down and visit for vacations, and then we could still see you guys every once in a while ('cause I'm sure as heck not going up to Idaho anytime soon!)
  • Dangit Dan, you even got me to use a smiley face!!!

    P.S. - Idaho is a "red" state, just so you know... heh heh
  • Top Ten Christmas Gifts in Boise:

    1. " Rotten Teeth it's Nature's Way ", Living in Idaho Handbook,

    2. One bowling shirt for league night and weddings,

    3. Mesh Plastic Hat embroirdered with " Shut Up and Fish" State Slogan,

    4. Video Game - " Grand Theft Lynching Mayhem kkk style "

    5. Subscription to the "The Boise NRA Turkey Shoot Times",

    6. One .22 rifle,

    7. Gun rack for rifle

    8. Two pickups - one with wheels to drive , one without wheels to rot out front,

    9. T shirt with screened " Charleton Heston for Pres." on front ( on the back it says "Moore is a commie" ),

    10. Self-Help Bestseller - "Why the movie Deliverance was wrong! How to embrace your inner Hillbilly Gay Man/Fun in the Woods.
  • Hobychow
    One thing for sure in Idaho is your stress level would drop from not being in traffic, everyone speaks proper english, leaving your doors unlocked(I think you do that here, when you coming home :) ), a mortgage of only about $400, people wave at you on the road instead of flipping you off, your child will be in a club at school not a gang (I just started my savings plan for my kid to go to private school K-12 and college). But, Martha has a good point above, you need to fill your home. But no doubt you will make new friends, they may not golf or know what a computer is but I am sure you will enjoy cow tipping and mailbox baseball. It's your call dude, I have had the same thoughts. I was looking at what I could buy in Arizona and asked myself "what the hell am I living in CA. for?"
  • Dan
    I hope you are staying for the one main reason I am. You, Martha, Jared, and all of my FAMILY; including you.
    I am glad to hear that you are going through the same thing we are. Nomatter what we have to wait, my plan is to reasess in 5 years. Maybe you can join us Hoby, at least in Idaho there is snow; but Arizona has some aeswome golfing.

    Lets bring this back up in 5.
  • Dan
    Dave too.
  • Thanks Dano! We would love to be neighbors. Kathy loves young kids and could help all of you guys.

    I am going to look on Kauaii for a vacation/retirement/investment house for all of us to use as the boys both know the island and have friends there. John's girlfriend's family live there and housing is going to come down out there within 5 years.
  • we go through the same thoughts too, but ours are with portland. the rainy days we're experiencing now give a good, solid reminder of why we're staying, when our mind drifts from the closeness of friends and family.
  • Hobychow
    I just watched Napoleon Dynamite and it is based in Idaho, I'm there dude!!!
  • Dan
    That's funny you say that, for two reasons; One being the movie, as I remember it, doesnt depict boise very well, Boise is actaully just a big spread out city just like Ventura or LA, only it doesnt have as many freeways, Two Sara's mom wants that movie and it is nowere to be found. We checked everywhere, even kmart (the Kmarts here are nice; almost comparible to target).
  • Jamie got it on ebay.
  • What about moving collectively? Somewhere affordable. We could weather the change together and benefit from a lower cost of living. I'm with Jared regarding housing. I'm way more about surroundings than house. That's why we continue to live in a city we can only afford to rent in (and in a small place to boot.) On the other hand, not having a backyard or living in a suburban neighborhood has been hard for our only child. There's a lot to consider. Ventura is a fabulous place. We love it but we also see it changing for the worse. Not just because of cost, but people. It's getting meaner. A few of us have fantasized about pooling resources, buying a big piece of land off the avenue and building a compound where each family lives in a modest, sustainable home and we have gathering spaces and common areas, gardens, orchards, media centers, gallery, etc.
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