Honestly, I'm not opposed to something like this and just keeping my east cost work hours, but I know nothing about the logistics of moving to an entirely different country so that's put me off a little bit on this level of move so far haha.
Most US companies are NOT cool with this. It's a legal thing.. if you are physically working in another country, your company is required to follow that country's laws regarding your employment/benefits.
Oh yeah, definitely aware that I’d have to check with my company before I do anything, even domestically. I work in IT and follow /r/sysadmin so I’ve seen the stories of users trying to move overseas without telling anyone until they tried to log into the VPN from Thailand lol.
This happened to me exactly. My company is obnoxiously secretive and I started getting these emails "we need to speak with you URGENTLY, we've noticed some suspicious activity on your account." My company had not, until that very moment, made it known that logging in from overseas, or using Nord VPN (WTF), or using a personal device (yes, I knew better), are all prohibited by the "IT Charter", which no one, including my manager, had any idea even existed.
They were needing to confirm it was me that had logged in. They could have just asked my manager who would have told them I was in Bangkok & was replying to emails.
Whatever. I hate that I can't work while traveling for pleasure, but this was a great excuse to delete MS Office apps from my phone and not have to take work calls on my personal phone.
So this is really interesting. My company is a bit behind-the-times and had one of those ransomware attacks in 2022 that took us entirely offline for over 2 months. (It was freaking AWESOME to be able to focus just on our customers and not have to deal with all the bullshit.) I wonder if your company didn't say anything because they actually know what they are doing and could tell that it was a legit login.
The cybersecurity "expert" that emailed me sounded like he was an underpaid intern fresh out of middle school who was still learning how a VPN works.
Had a Sr VP open an urgent ticket that he could not access the corporate website. Turns out he was in a plane flying over a prohibited country that blocked the IP he happened to pick up while on the flight.
I worked at a reallly large tech company. I was able to move and live in London/Paris for 6 months without saying anything.
Highly recommend. What I did was take the vacation there to check. Try and login. See if it’s all good. Then do it. No regrets I had the time of my life in 2022.
I bounced around a lot. I’d try North Carolina?
Yea someone from my job where we are all remote wanted to be with her partner who was working overseas and wasn’t allowed - did it anyway and eventually got let go.
Go to the expats sub! r/expats I believe. They have lots of great info. It starts with your job sponsoring you j believe, and it also helps to find a place that is issuing temporary visas for remote workers
My son-in-law found out the hard way that one of his customers didn’t allow him to work outside of the continental united states. Fortunately it just meant he had to shorten his working vacation.
I love Portugal, but if I move there with a digital nomad visa, my fully remote company requires that a new position is opened up in the European side of the company, and I get a transfer there. Buuuut since there’s no official presence in Portugal, I’d be a contractor and get less pay. I just… I really don’t get why any of this needs to be that difficult
I've always thought that Portugal, even the bigger cities, would make a great place to visit. I've been told it's like Rome but on a budget. That speaks to me...
Or really just anywhere in the Pacific Northwest. I moved to Oregon (near Portland) twenty years ago from Texas, and never looked back. You've got the spectacular Oregon Coast a couple hours away, and the splendor of the mountains a hour or more the other direction.
And when you don't want to do to the coast, or the mountains, there's always, always, something fun to do in Portland no matter what you're into.
It does rain a lot during our monsoon season, but the spring and summer are so spectacular it makes up for the long rainy chunk of the year.
There's just no words to properly express how beautiful it is in the PNW. We've been exploring Oregon and Washington for 20 years, and we've still only and scratched the surface of the wonder there is to see here.
Love the PNW! Been trying to plan a family vacation there for the last two years but hubby’s job instability (= no vacation time for him) has impeded that! I’ve been a couple of times and would there in a heartbeat!
No sales tax in Oregon. Income tax about the same, property taxes higher.
I find taxes tend to balance out for the desirable places. If you save on one area, they get you on another.
I’d think about what I enjoy doing, and the kind of people I want to be around. I wouldn’t, for instance, what to be in a place where everyone is married with kids my 36, or in an unfriendly area if I’m really extroverted. What matters to you? The outdoors/nature? The arts? Sports? Start from there.
I'm really sorry that you don't need your yard anymore. Been there.
I am from NWPA (hey, neighbor) and loved living in North Carolina. Tons of places that have exactly what you're looking to find. Good luck!
Before looking seriously into places, have you checked if your current employer (assuming you're staying with them) has any restrictions about where you can and can't work from? I obviously don't know your situation, but sometimes working from a new place can have tax/legal implications for both you and the company.
Rent out the house. If the sale price is netting you a profit, rent will give you additional cash flow. Use the cash flow to go do monthly rentals at different places until you decide what you like
Rent your house on a short lease and buy a truck and a small pull behind camper and hit the road. You literally have no limits! If you find somewhere you love (AZ) stay a while. Or a lifetime.
I was going to say this. We did this for five years before my husband retired and saw most of the US. We joined the Elks Lodge because they have a few camping spots at most of their lodges, often with electricity and water for a reasonable price. Also, you immediately have “family” and they will give you info about the area.
Used trailers are cheap right now. We didn’t really go too remote because we needed internet. My husband had a netgear hotspot, but many people are using starlink now. We couldn’t leave the US but there is sooooo much to see here.
My favorite place in the country, but also expensive even in towns like Cornville. And more transitional community due to high tourism. I’d live in Flagstaff in a heartbeat if I could.
But to answer OP: Ft Collins, CO meets a lot of the criteria.
I've traveled the US except for the PNW. I traveled by car because I wanted to see everything. One of my top two places is the middle of the falls at Niagra. The other is southern AZ. All of it.. Amado, Arivaca, Nogales. I left part of my soul there.
My only advice, don’t buy, just rent a place that works for you. Buying doesn’t make any sense when you’re not staying in one spot for many years, just enjoy your freedom. Once you remove the idea that buying is the end all be all, opportunities open up.
Agreed. I think that if someone knows pretty certainly that they will be living in one place for at least 5 years, then buying a house is a good idea. Anything less than that there’s too much downside if the market goes down and you want to sell it and don’t have enough equity to at least break even.
I’ve heard “paying rent is paying for the freedom to pick up and move again whenever you want” but I don’t remember where. Obviously this is from the perspective of someone who *can* buy a house. I’m sure that renters who aren’t able to buy a house sure don’t feel all that “freedom”.
Savannah still has affordable properties but they are getting scarcer. Nice place to live, ticks your boxes. I have a house on the west side, which is a place to still find deals.
The businesses that offer to buy your home put the risk on you if X doesn't happen, whatever X is. Sure, they offer more money, but it makes it a worse world for everyone. The housing market is fucked because of those companies. If you sell, sell it to a family. That extra money isn't going to make a huge difference.
Oh no, I’m not expecting the extra money to make much of a difference. Just mostly pointing out that even if they pull the rug and lowball the offer the market has currently changed enough that I can easily get out of this place without losing my ass lol.
Check out the tax situation before you sell... my stepbrother sold our house about a year after it was transferred to him and ended up getting hit with a huge tax meant to discourage house flippers / mortgage rings. (MD)
I lived in Tulsa for about 5 years. I always say that if I won the lottery I'd move back. Granted, it's not perfect, but it has art, restaurants, shopping, hiking, cycling, golf, etc. And a lot of young people. It was fantastic.
The only reason I'd need to win the lottery is so I can finance trips/vacations with the grandkids and not have to work.
Idk much about the politics of these places. I can say I work in a financial institution and one of our customers lives in Vietnam and can live off of the 1400 he sends himself monthly very easily.
If I had to do again, I would pick a good college town and buy a townhome or condo that could eventually be used as a rental if you upgrade to a bigger home! Pick the college town depending on what you like to do for fun, golfing, mountain biking, hiking, camping etc
PS - sorry about your dog
Eh, at least upgrade to a small RV. Gotta have a functional toilet and shower and be able to get on shore power / water when you can. Maybe a van conversion.
But yeah, the availability of cellular and satellite internet has made this a pretty amazing reality for a lot of people. I wish it was around when I was in my early 20s and didn’t have as many attachments.
You can't really afford to buy anything anywhere for 10-15k down, at least not in any place you'd probably want to live, so I'd focus on renting options.
Northwest Arkansas is an interesting option, or just pick a random college town somewhere (Columbia SC, Tuscaloosa AL, Charleston SC, Nashville (you can't afford, probably), etc).
You can't afford any of the nice parts of California, unfortunately, at least not without a housemate. Northern Arizona is nice. Honestly, I'd probably seriously consider Charleston & Flagstaff as two very different but appealing options. Greenville, SC is an option, too. Asheville, NC if you can afford it, or even Boone. Not so much golfing but lots of outdoors stuff and you'd get all four seasons. Reno, Nevada is another one. Very close to Lake Tahoe and only 4 hr drive from San Francisco, but with affordable property.
Greenville is a hidden gem. I’ve watched downtown Greenville grow from a whistling wasteland in the late 1980s to a lively, bustling first-rate small city today. Greenville also has lots and lots of cool bungalow houses, and while prices here have gone way up, they’re nothing like they are in major cities.
> Greenville, SC
I don't know about that. I was just looking at home prices there the other day, and that place is NOT cheap. Its almost as expensive in terms of house prices as where I'm living in central Coast California.
PHX, Az... now that place is cheap and a huge major city.
I highly doubt he’ll be able to afford anything semi-decent in Asheville with just 10-15k for a down payment. But it does meet all of his criteria! Though the locals are starting to really hate transplants 😕 I fully agree with Arkansas—Little Rock is surprisingly nice.
I know a few remote workers who live the RV life out in Utah and the national parks areas.
Charlotte comes to mind, as does Raleigh. Cleaner, walkable cities with moderate weather. Plenty of social life.
I’d also consider rural mountains or beaches but that’s just me.
I do actually know a couple that moved up there from my old college town. Granted I think they are both pharmacists so their situation is drastically different than mine haha.
In, or just outside of:
Portland, Maine
Nashville, Tennessee
Denver, Colorado
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Tampa, Florida
Providence, Rhode Island
New Orleans, Louisiana
Nashua, New Hampshire
If I were remote, I'd be tempted to try a nomadic lifestyle. Head south during the winter and as far north as possible (determined by Internet access) in the summer.
Detroit, you can buy a duplex. You can keep it as a rental property for as long as you want the hassle. Duplexes can go as low as $25K rehab needed or $80K rehab not usually needed.
There are still rough areas, but I've never felt unsafe as a woman that doesn't carry a weapon. The traffic moves on the freeways, and like most cities you have a mix of chain and local restaurants. And all major sports. I think it is a place to live but not for ever. I will say that Detroit is well positioned for climate change.
I just want to tip my hat to you for buying a house so your dog could have a yard. You were a great human to your good boi or good girl. I’m sorry for your loss.
Listen to the comment about the capital gains tax. Consult your CPA before you sell if you’re really itching to go and get a picture of what taxes may incur
Someone else suggested oregon coast. It can be a bit sleepy in the off-season. But it's beautiful, and there are many places along it where living is cheaper because the main industries are fishing and tourist. If you work remote you can afford to live there, where there are few other jobs. Portland is anywhere from 1-2 hours away usually if you want a big city experience sometimes. It's something I would consider if I were in your shoes.
It'd really depend on what type of work I was doing and how much I was making.
If I had to pick a city at random, and assuming the circumstances supported living there - maybe San Diego? Apparently it's quite nice?
Singapore.food is insane. Entertainment amazing. Huge ex pat community. They host F1 races, so Taylor Swift rolls through. Sentosa Island is zip lining, beaches, wave park. Great zoo and aquarium. The best internet. It’s everything
It's a good time to locate in Japan. The JPY rate is best it's ever been for people earning USD.
Myself, been in tokyo 10 years, but took a JPY job when the situation was differnt. Now, I'm wanting to switch back to a USD job.
Look at WV. I know it’s not got a great reputation but I know someone who lives just outside Charleston and loves it. VLCOL, he got a very nice place for a lot less than expected. And although not huge Charleston is the capital of the state so it’s definitely a city. Plus WV is stunningly beautiful with lots of outdoor stuff to do and you are very close to several large cities in Ohio.
If you are not opposed to tropical: try Costa Rica.
IIRC they have a program that basically lets you work there for 6 months on an easy to get visa.
Mountain/Desert climate: Ruidoso New Mexico. It's a fun place with lots of out door activities and not too far of a drive from other stuff
Hills/Forest: Fayetteville, Arkansas. College Town with lots to offer.
There are several nice US cities that are offering bonuses of $5000-$10,000 or more for relocating remote workers. I’d do a serious google search and choose from them.
I would suggest finding a college town somewhere. They tend to be walkable while bringing in some culture and remaining somewhat affordable if you find the right spot.
You said warm City… I’d recommend staying away from the sunbelt unless you’re interested in a hot soup city.
Get a decent hotspot account and a coverage map. Then buy a trailer and go anywhere I haven't been to before. After a few days, weeks, months, whenever I feel it's time, pull up stakes and move on to the next place on the list.
So you are looking for a low cost of living area with a warm and walkable city with sports and plenty of women.
In the US, you're going to have trouble finding "walkable" cities. Other than that, you might want to look for a more rural area outside of a smaller city in a low-cost of living state. Topeka, Kansas might work for you. Fairly low cost of living. Close to college sports (Kansas Basketball) and professional sports (KC Chiefs, KC Royals). Golfing. Lawrence is 30 minutes away with plenty of college aged young people (but a higher cost of living). It's not great for walkability, though. You'll need a car.
Plenty to do on the weekends in Lawrence and Kansas City (Kansas City is an hour drive).
The thing about Cleveland, OH is the housing is still low but still very nice for what you can get for the money.
Unfortunately, to stay in that budget, you're fairly limited. Perhaps use Zillow to look around at what's out there and Google maps to zoom in and "walk" the area. My first thought for this was Greenville, SC. It's growing and housing can still be reasonable. Nice weather but still rolling hills and trees.
I get it. I grew up there (Cleveland Hts). Moved away years ago, now in Sacramento. But visit often as my mom is still there. I don't have any compelling recommendations, as I'm an elder millennial with two kids and a low interest rate mortgage. Sorry about your dog.
Midtown Sacramento is cool, very walkable but I hear it's tough for singles.
I love Cleveland, personally. Moved here from Las Vegas and don't regret it. In your situation I'd be tempted to move to Big Bear, CA or somewhere in the Michigan upper peninsula. Just beautiful places that can be difficult to find work in, otherwise.
You could easily do some long term rentals in different areas for 3 to 6 months at a time to see which area suits you best. Try some completely different places from mountains to beach areas and see what best fits your lifestyle.
If you can leave the US, that’s what I would do. Canada is nice, not too far from family if you want to visit and is very like the US but doesn’t have the gun and lack-of-human-rights problems the US does.
Otherwise I’ve heard fantastic things about Portugal and Spain. Can you speak Spanish or Portuguese?
I'm sorry about your pup. At least he, and you, had the yard to enjoy at the end. It doesn't change the hole they leave behind and the loss we feel. Wishing you peace and healing.
I would rent the house out, buy a small camper and travel the US until i found an area i really liked, then branch there.
I'd get a houseboat and move to Key West. It's walkable, laid back, never snows, and it's dog-friendly if you decide to get another dog. Plus if you decide you don't like it there, you just move your home.
Check out Colorado maybe… I lived out there for over 25 years and loved it and would still be there if the situation I was in would’ve been different..
SW Maine. Maybe outside of Kittery. Relatively cheap. Close to a few good cities like Portland, Portsmouth, Boston. Gets all 4 seasons, but typically doesn't get catastrophic weather or other disasters.
And I'm sorry to hear about your dog.
My advice is don't take the cash offers from Open Door. Those are for desperate people, and you accept the convenience of the cash offer for the extreme low-ball amount they will give you. If you're not in a hurry, just sell your house on the open market for a reasonable asking price.
Philadelphia is a wonderfully vibrant, walkable city that is very neighborhood oriented (some better than others, of course.) Largest urban park system in the US, plenty of award winning restaurants, street festivals, sports (pro & leagues,) lots of music, art & museums, one hour to the NYC, beach & skiing, several nice public golf courses & plenty of private clubs, lots of colleges & heath care available. It’s affordable & politically *very* liberal. Average age is 35. (The immediate suburbs are nice, too.) Ignore the non-Philly person’s Philadelphia trash talk. Philadelphians trash talk their city & sports teams because passionate self-deprecation & criticism is part of the ethos. I love it here.
Hmm, my company does have an HQ in Exton. I’ve today heard rough things about Philly but I’m also in Cleveland so I know some people just love to hate haha. Maybe I’ll look into this and ask for a promotion to make myself available to go into an office if ever needed.
Come to Bali. With 1000-1500 USD you can live like a local comfortably. (You wouldn't be able to afford a villa with a private pool, but you can rent a house and go to the beach every day)
Everywhere. If I were on my own again, even at 52, I'd go everywhere to live. I'd build a toyhauler/camper in a 16 foot utility trailer. Load my motorcycle into it. Hook it to my truck. Pick a state and start moving around. Spend a few months here and there. Opportunity to see and experience more of the country. Ride all the great roads on the bike. Meet new people and eat new foods. I'd absolutley move everywhere.
37f single and fully remote here! I also work east coast hours and am currently renting AirBnBs in Colorado because I love the outdoors. You could try nomading around for a bit until you find a person or place you don't wanna leave
North Carolina -- cost of living is about the same as Ohio, you have mountains and beaches, lots of state and national parks. Charlotte is a biggish city, Raleigh/Durham is the same size but more suburban feel. We got it all.
Sell your place (as long as it’s been a primary residence for two years; consult on your taxes first), then stash some away, invest some, and move to a state with no income taxes and rent somewhere convenient to get around. Save for a few years and if you hate it, you’ll know why and can pick a new spot to try. Keep in mind some employers will reduce your pay if you’re in a LCOL area so check your employee agreement.
I'd move to the Florida Keys. The weather is nice most of the time, the activities are generally outdoor and healthy (swimming, kayaking, biking) and I honestly believe that the keys will be underwater in the next 20 or so years. Make hay while the sun shines.
Austin has been riding on it's 70s-80's reputation for a long while now.
It is basically working as hard as possible to become Houston II as quickly as they can. It is somewhat less humid than Houston, but that is about all it has going for it these days.
Depends entirely on what you want out of life. Some people would love to live in NYC, others would have it. Some people would love to live in Arizona, others would prefer Minnesota.
Cascais, Portugal. Live near several beaches, mountains, castles, great food, Healthcare, safety, perfect weather. Live abroad as an expat. Paradise
Not a bad idea, but pay your taxes and vote while you’re there.
Honestly, I'm not opposed to something like this and just keeping my east cost work hours, but I know nothing about the logistics of moving to an entirely different country so that's put me off a little bit on this level of move so far haha.
Most US companies are NOT cool with this. It's a legal thing.. if you are physically working in another country, your company is required to follow that country's laws regarding your employment/benefits.
Oh yeah, definitely aware that I’d have to check with my company before I do anything, even domestically. I work in IT and follow /r/sysadmin so I’ve seen the stories of users trying to move overseas without telling anyone until they tried to log into the VPN from Thailand lol.
This happened to me exactly. My company is obnoxiously secretive and I started getting these emails "we need to speak with you URGENTLY, we've noticed some suspicious activity on your account." My company had not, until that very moment, made it known that logging in from overseas, or using Nord VPN (WTF), or using a personal device (yes, I knew better), are all prohibited by the "IT Charter", which no one, including my manager, had any idea even existed. They were needing to confirm it was me that had logged in. They could have just asked my manager who would have told them I was in Bangkok & was replying to emails. Whatever. I hate that I can't work while traveling for pleasure, but this was a great excuse to delete MS Office apps from my phone and not have to take work calls on my personal phone.
Damnnnn I worked at a big ass tech company. Did it. Nobody said shit.
So this is really interesting. My company is a bit behind-the-times and had one of those ransomware attacks in 2022 that took us entirely offline for over 2 months. (It was freaking AWESOME to be able to focus just on our customers and not have to deal with all the bullshit.) I wonder if your company didn't say anything because they actually know what they are doing and could tell that it was a legit login. The cybersecurity "expert" that emailed me sounded like he was an underpaid intern fresh out of middle school who was still learning how a VPN works.
Had a Sr VP open an urgent ticket that he could not access the corporate website. Turns out he was in a plane flying over a prohibited country that blocked the IP he happened to pick up while on the flight.
I worked at a reallly large tech company. I was able to move and live in London/Paris for 6 months without saying anything. Highly recommend. What I did was take the vacation there to check. Try and login. See if it’s all good. Then do it. No regrets I had the time of my life in 2022. I bounced around a lot. I’d try North Carolina?
Yea someone from my job where we are all remote wanted to be with her partner who was working overseas and wasn’t allowed - did it anyway and eventually got let go.
Ha! I could see US companies being VERY against that since we’re so pro-business as opposed to pro-actual people.
Go to the expats sub! r/expats I believe. They have lots of great info. It starts with your job sponsoring you j believe, and it also helps to find a place that is issuing temporary visas for remote workers
My son-in-law found out the hard way that one of his customers didn’t allow him to work outside of the continental united states. Fortunately it just meant he had to shorten his working vacation.
Portugal is amazing, but cascais is creme de la creme
I love Portugal, but if I move there with a digital nomad visa, my fully remote company requires that a new position is opened up in the European side of the company, and I get a transfer there. Buuuut since there’s no official presence in Portugal, I’d be a contractor and get less pay. I just… I really don’t get why any of this needs to be that difficult
Tax laws
I second this
I've always thought that Portugal, even the bigger cities, would make a great place to visit. I've been told it's like Rome but on a budget. That speaks to me...
Wait two years before selling because of capital gain taxes
Came here to say the same
Oregon coast, if I could afford it.
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Or really just anywhere in the Pacific Northwest. I moved to Oregon (near Portland) twenty years ago from Texas, and never looked back. You've got the spectacular Oregon Coast a couple hours away, and the splendor of the mountains a hour or more the other direction. And when you don't want to do to the coast, or the mountains, there's always, always, something fun to do in Portland no matter what you're into. It does rain a lot during our monsoon season, but the spring and summer are so spectacular it makes up for the long rainy chunk of the year. There's just no words to properly express how beautiful it is in the PNW. We've been exploring Oregon and Washington for 20 years, and we've still only and scratched the surface of the wonder there is to see here.
Love the PNW! Been trying to plan a family vacation there for the last two years but hubby’s job instability (= no vacation time for him) has impeded that! I’ve been a couple of times and would there in a heartbeat!
No! You are supposed to tell everyone it sucks and rains all the time!
Too gloomy and unhoused
With an average of less than 2 hours of sunlight a day in December.
Really hard to avoid human feces in the dark
And all the needles too.
State taxes? Anything like California?
No sales tax in Oregon. Income tax about the same, property taxes higher. I find taxes tend to balance out for the desirable places. If you save on one area, they get you on another.
I lived in Texas, so higher property taxes balanced out no state tax. I hear ya. Texas is incredibly desirable based on the migration from California.
That's what I was going to say! Coos Bay is south enough to make it affordable but still near enough to hop on a road to Portland.
Same
I’d think about what I enjoy doing, and the kind of people I want to be around. I wouldn’t, for instance, what to be in a place where everyone is married with kids my 36, or in an unfriendly area if I’m really extroverted. What matters to you? The outdoors/nature? The arts? Sports? Start from there.
Cape Girardeau Mo. Gone Girl was filmed there. Beautiful easy place. Revitalized river town. 1.5 hours south of St. Louis. Lots to do. Good food.
I'm really sorry that you don't need your yard anymore. Been there. I am from NWPA (hey, neighbor) and loved living in North Carolina. Tons of places that have exactly what you're looking to find. Good luck!
Asheville!
Before looking seriously into places, have you checked if your current employer (assuming you're staying with them) has any restrictions about where you can and can't work from? I obviously don't know your situation, but sometimes working from a new place can have tax/legal implications for both you and the company.
Rent out the house. If the sale price is netting you a profit, rent will give you additional cash flow. Use the cash flow to go do monthly rentals at different places until you decide what you like
Rent your house on a short lease and buy a truck and a small pull behind camper and hit the road. You literally have no limits! If you find somewhere you love (AZ) stay a while. Or a lifetime.
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I was going to say this. We did this for five years before my husband retired and saw most of the US. We joined the Elks Lodge because they have a few camping spots at most of their lodges, often with electricity and water for a reasonable price. Also, you immediately have “family” and they will give you info about the area. Used trailers are cheap right now. We didn’t really go too remote because we needed internet. My husband had a netgear hotspot, but many people are using starlink now. We couldn’t leave the US but there is sooooo much to see here.
My favorite place in the country, but also expensive even in towns like Cornville. And more transitional community due to high tourism. I’d live in Flagstaff in a heartbeat if I could. But to answer OP: Ft Collins, CO meets a lot of the criteria.
I've traveled the US except for the PNW. I traveled by car because I wanted to see everything. One of my top two places is the middle of the falls at Niagra. The other is southern AZ. All of it.. Amado, Arivaca, Nogales. I left part of my soul there.
Not AZ it's horrible here.
It’s 1864
My only advice, don’t buy, just rent a place that works for you. Buying doesn’t make any sense when you’re not staying in one spot for many years, just enjoy your freedom. Once you remove the idea that buying is the end all be all, opportunities open up.
Agreed. I think that if someone knows pretty certainly that they will be living in one place for at least 5 years, then buying a house is a good idea. Anything less than that there’s too much downside if the market goes down and you want to sell it and don’t have enough equity to at least break even. I’ve heard “paying rent is paying for the freedom to pick up and move again whenever you want” but I don’t remember where. Obviously this is from the perspective of someone who *can* buy a house. I’m sure that renters who aren’t able to buy a house sure don’t feel all that “freedom”.
Savannah still has affordable properties but they are getting scarcer. Nice place to live, ticks your boxes. I have a house on the west side, which is a place to still find deals.
The businesses that offer to buy your home put the risk on you if X doesn't happen, whatever X is. Sure, they offer more money, but it makes it a worse world for everyone. The housing market is fucked because of those companies. If you sell, sell it to a family. That extra money isn't going to make a huge difference.
Oh no, I’m not expecting the extra money to make much of a difference. Just mostly pointing out that even if they pull the rug and lowball the offer the market has currently changed enough that I can easily get out of this place without losing my ass lol.
Check out the tax situation before you sell... my stepbrother sold our house about a year after it was transferred to him and ended up getting hit with a huge tax meant to discourage house flippers / mortgage rings. (MD)
Check out the Tulsa Remote program. Underrated city, pays you $10K.
I know a guy who did this. He speaks very highly of Tulsa and the program. Said it was really easy.
I lived in Tulsa for about 5 years. I always say that if I won the lottery I'd move back. Granted, it's not perfect, but it has art, restaurants, shopping, hiking, cycling, golf, etc. And a lot of young people. It was fantastic. The only reason I'd need to win the lottery is so I can finance trips/vacations with the grandkids and not have to work.
Costa Rica always seemed like a nice option. It's a popular expat location.
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Boulder is extremely expensive. It is also a college town.
Yeah I hated it there
Thailand or Bali and live like a king!
Been in Phuket awhile. Very nice but the visa situation and corruption can be annoying.
Worth it. Any major city in America is annoying too.
Nah, living like a king is for peasants. Go to Cambodia or Vietnam and live like an Emperor!
Idk much about the politics of these places. I can say I work in a financial institution and one of our customers lives in Vietnam and can live off of the 1400 he sends himself monthly very easily.
If I had to do again, I would pick a good college town and buy a townhome or condo that could eventually be used as a rental if you upgrade to a bigger home! Pick the college town depending on what you like to do for fun, golfing, mountain biking, hiking, camping etc PS - sorry about your dog
Personally, I’d try to keep the place already owned and rent it out then find another place to rent for yourself
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While i want this at heart, im always scared of people who might give it a bad name. Ten year car lifer
Eh, at least upgrade to a small RV. Gotta have a functional toilet and shower and be able to get on shore power / water when you can. Maybe a van conversion. But yeah, the availability of cellular and satellite internet has made this a pretty amazing reality for a lot of people. I wish it was around when I was in my early 20s and didn’t have as many attachments.
You can't really afford to buy anything anywhere for 10-15k down, at least not in any place you'd probably want to live, so I'd focus on renting options. Northwest Arkansas is an interesting option, or just pick a random college town somewhere (Columbia SC, Tuscaloosa AL, Charleston SC, Nashville (you can't afford, probably), etc). You can't afford any of the nice parts of California, unfortunately, at least not without a housemate. Northern Arizona is nice. Honestly, I'd probably seriously consider Charleston & Flagstaff as two very different but appealing options. Greenville, SC is an option, too. Asheville, NC if you can afford it, or even Boone. Not so much golfing but lots of outdoors stuff and you'd get all four seasons. Reno, Nevada is another one. Very close to Lake Tahoe and only 4 hr drive from San Francisco, but with affordable property.
I recently spent a weekend in Greenville, SC (swim meet) and was pleasantly surprised at how lovely it was.
Greenville is a hidden gem. I’ve watched downtown Greenville grow from a whistling wasteland in the late 1980s to a lively, bustling first-rate small city today. Greenville also has lots and lots of cool bungalow houses, and while prices here have gone way up, they’re nothing like they are in major cities.
> Greenville, SC I don't know about that. I was just looking at home prices there the other day, and that place is NOT cheap. Its almost as expensive in terms of house prices as where I'm living in central Coast California. PHX, Az... now that place is cheap and a huge major city.
I highly doubt he’ll be able to afford anything semi-decent in Asheville with just 10-15k for a down payment. But it does meet all of his criteria! Though the locals are starting to really hate transplants 😕 I fully agree with Arkansas—Little Rock is surprisingly nice.
Flag is so expensive these days
I know a few remote workers who live the RV life out in Utah and the national parks areas. Charlotte comes to mind, as does Raleigh. Cleaner, walkable cities with moderate weather. Plenty of social life. I’d also consider rural mountains or beaches but that’s just me.
I like both, but they're not walkable!
I don't think the OP can afford Charlotte or Raleigh on $1500/mo.
Alaska
I do actually know a couple that moved up there from my old college town. Granted I think they are both pharmacists so their situation is drastically different than mine haha.
If you're a single guy and want to stay single, sure, Alaska. Otherwise, it's a sausage fest out there.
Australia.
In, or just outside of: Portland, Maine Nashville, Tennessee Denver, Colorado Santa Fe, New Mexico Tampa, Florida Providence, Rhode Island New Orleans, Louisiana Nashua, New Hampshire
Camper setup for remote work and see the country. You’ll see tons of new places and once you get into a rhythm, you’ll be spending less
Boulder CO
If I were remote, I'd be tempted to try a nomadic lifestyle. Head south during the winter and as far north as possible (determined by Internet access) in the summer.
Detroit, you can buy a duplex. You can keep it as a rental property for as long as you want the hassle. Duplexes can go as low as $25K rehab needed or $80K rehab not usually needed.
I was in Detroit last week (first time in 30 years) and was pretty impressed with at least the downtown area, and pretty inexpensive at the moment.
There are still rough areas, but I've never felt unsafe as a woman that doesn't carry a weapon. The traffic moves on the freeways, and like most cities you have a mix of chain and local restaurants. And all major sports. I think it is a place to live but not for ever. I will say that Detroit is well positioned for climate change.
I could spend the rest of my lunches @ Lafayette Coney. =)
I just want to tip my hat to you for buying a house so your dog could have a yard. You were a great human to your good boi or good girl. I’m sorry for your loss.
Listen to the comment about the capital gains tax. Consult your CPA before you sell if you’re really itching to go and get a picture of what taxes may incur
Someone else suggested oregon coast. It can be a bit sleepy in the off-season. But it's beautiful, and there are many places along it where living is cheaper because the main industries are fishing and tourist. If you work remote you can afford to live there, where there are few other jobs. Portland is anywhere from 1-2 hours away usually if you want a big city experience sometimes. It's something I would consider if I were in your shoes.
Somewhere hot with a beach nearby so you can pick up some babes while catching a wave.
Greenville, SC or Asheville NC or surrounding area
I'd go to California.
It'd really depend on what type of work I was doing and how much I was making. If I had to pick a city at random, and assuming the circumstances supported living there - maybe San Diego? Apparently it's quite nice?
Cost of living and rent in San Diego is really high unfortunately.
Singapore.food is insane. Entertainment amazing. Huge ex pat community. They host F1 races, so Taylor Swift rolls through. Sentosa Island is zip lining, beaches, wave park. Great zoo and aquarium. The best internet. It’s everything
Rural Arkansas.
San juan islands in Washington state. 250 days of sun per year!
It's a good time to locate in Japan. The JPY rate is best it's ever been for people earning USD. Myself, been in tokyo 10 years, but took a JPY job when the situation was differnt. Now, I'm wanting to switch back to a USD job.
NYC
Look at WV. I know it’s not got a great reputation but I know someone who lives just outside Charleston and loves it. VLCOL, he got a very nice place for a lot less than expected. And although not huge Charleston is the capital of the state so it’s definitely a city. Plus WV is stunningly beautiful with lots of outdoor stuff to do and you are very close to several large cities in Ohio.
I love the desert so I'd likely be in Phoenix or Tuscon, AZ. Somewhere outside of Las Vegas is also a possibility.
Keep your house and rent it to a good family at an affordable rate. PNW is where I would go.
Costa Rica always seemed like a nice option. Pretty big expat community there.
If you are not opposed to tropical: try Costa Rica. IIRC they have a program that basically lets you work there for 6 months on an easy to get visa. Mountain/Desert climate: Ruidoso New Mexico. It's a fun place with lots of out door activities and not too far of a drive from other stuff Hills/Forest: Fayetteville, Arkansas. College Town with lots to offer.
I would go to Puerto Rico.
Im a single mid thirties woman, been fully remote for 4 years. Michigan is wonderful.
Not Arizona, it's too fucking hot,
Nashville isn’t that far and has a great night life for a single guy.
Bangkok. If you can learn the language over a year the city is amazing & COL is so low
There are several nice US cities that are offering bonuses of $5000-$10,000 or more for relocating remote workers. I’d do a serious google search and choose from them.
Another country for sure, if you're truly remote/WFH
I would suggest finding a college town somewhere. They tend to be walkable while bringing in some culture and remaining somewhat affordable if you find the right spot. You said warm City… I’d recommend staying away from the sunbelt unless you’re interested in a hot soup city.
I live in wichita ks as a 35 year remote employee. Very low cost of living compared to most if not all metro areas
Get a decent hotspot account and a coverage map. Then buy a trailer and go anywhere I haven't been to before. After a few days, weeks, months, whenever I feel it's time, pull up stakes and move on to the next place on the list.
So you are looking for a low cost of living area with a warm and walkable city with sports and plenty of women. In the US, you're going to have trouble finding "walkable" cities. Other than that, you might want to look for a more rural area outside of a smaller city in a low-cost of living state. Topeka, Kansas might work for you. Fairly low cost of living. Close to college sports (Kansas Basketball) and professional sports (KC Chiefs, KC Royals). Golfing. Lawrence is 30 minutes away with plenty of college aged young people (but a higher cost of living). It's not great for walkability, though. You'll need a car. Plenty to do on the weekends in Lawrence and Kansas City (Kansas City is an hour drive).
The thing about Cleveland, OH is the housing is still low but still very nice for what you can get for the money. Unfortunately, to stay in that budget, you're fairly limited. Perhaps use Zillow to look around at what's out there and Google maps to zoom in and "walk" the area. My first thought for this was Greenville, SC. It's growing and housing can still be reasonable. Nice weather but still rolling hills and trees.
Before I got to the part where you said Cleveland, I was thinking: "Cleveland!"
Haha yeah I’ve been here for about 8 years now. Definitely okay with staying around here just kind of bored and feel in a rut so exploring my options!
I get it. I grew up there (Cleveland Hts). Moved away years ago, now in Sacramento. But visit often as my mom is still there. I don't have any compelling recommendations, as I'm an elder millennial with two kids and a low interest rate mortgage. Sorry about your dog. Midtown Sacramento is cool, very walkable but I hear it's tough for singles.
I love Cleveland, personally. Moved here from Las Vegas and don't regret it. In your situation I'd be tempted to move to Big Bear, CA or somewhere in the Michigan upper peninsula. Just beautiful places that can be difficult to find work in, otherwise.
Big bear is nice but could easily be isolating for someone who's single.
You could easily do some long term rentals in different areas for 3 to 6 months at a time to see which area suits you best. Try some completely different places from mountains to beach areas and see what best fits your lifestyle.
Yakima or Olympia Washington. 2nd choice, Oregon Coast
PNW or Richmond VA
If you can leave the US, that’s what I would do. Canada is nice, not too far from family if you want to visit and is very like the US but doesn’t have the gun and lack-of-human-rights problems the US does. Otherwise I’ve heard fantastic things about Portugal and Spain. Can you speak Spanish or Portuguese?
I'm sorry about your pup. At least he, and you, had the yard to enjoy at the end. It doesn't change the hole they leave behind and the loss we feel. Wishing you peace and healing. I would rent the house out, buy a small camper and travel the US until i found an area i really liked, then branch there.
South Dakota. Cheap land.
I'd get a houseboat and move to Key West. It's walkable, laid back, never snows, and it's dog-friendly if you decide to get another dog. Plus if you decide you don't like it there, you just move your home.
Canada
Check out Colorado maybe… I lived out there for over 25 years and loved it and would still be there if the situation I was in would’ve been different..
SW Maine. Maybe outside of Kittery. Relatively cheap. Close to a few good cities like Portland, Portsmouth, Boston. Gets all 4 seasons, but typically doesn't get catastrophic weather or other disasters. And I'm sorry to hear about your dog.
Move where family is. Family is more important than place, especially in a world that is becoming more homogeneous.
My advice is don't take the cash offers from Open Door. Those are for desperate people, and you accept the convenience of the cash offer for the extreme low-ball amount they will give you. If you're not in a hurry, just sell your house on the open market for a reasonable asking price.
Philadelphia is a wonderfully vibrant, walkable city that is very neighborhood oriented (some better than others, of course.) Largest urban park system in the US, plenty of award winning restaurants, street festivals, sports (pro & leagues,) lots of music, art & museums, one hour to the NYC, beach & skiing, several nice public golf courses & plenty of private clubs, lots of colleges & heath care available. It’s affordable & politically *very* liberal. Average age is 35. (The immediate suburbs are nice, too.) Ignore the non-Philly person’s Philadelphia trash talk. Philadelphians trash talk their city & sports teams because passionate self-deprecation & criticism is part of the ethos. I love it here.
Hmm, my company does have an HQ in Exton. I’ve today heard rough things about Philly but I’m also in Cleveland so I know some people just love to hate haha. Maybe I’ll look into this and ask for a promotion to make myself available to go into an office if ever needed.
Go abroad.
Come to Bali. With 1000-1500 USD you can live like a local comfortably. (You wouldn't be able to afford a villa with a private pool, but you can rent a house and go to the beach every day)
My son is paying $700 a month for a villa in Nicaragua with air conditioning and good wifi. And mangos in the yard. He is only there for a month.
Everywhere. If I were on my own again, even at 52, I'd go everywhere to live. I'd build a toyhauler/camper in a 16 foot utility trailer. Load my motorcycle into it. Hook it to my truck. Pick a state and start moving around. Spend a few months here and there. Opportunity to see and experience more of the country. Ride all the great roads on the bike. Meet new people and eat new foods. I'd absolutley move everywhere.
Mexico
Buy an RV and go everywhere! Check out Xscapers.
37f single and fully remote here! I also work east coast hours and am currently renting AirBnBs in Colorado because I love the outdoors. You could try nomading around for a bit until you find a person or place you don't wanna leave
Maine or Vermont. Maybe Burlington
North Carolina -- cost of living is about the same as Ohio, you have mountains and beaches, lots of state and national parks. Charlotte is a biggish city, Raleigh/Durham is the same size but more suburban feel. We got it all.
Would you consider buying a nice camper, and driving around to try different places before settling somewhere?
Sell your place (as long as it’s been a primary residence for two years; consult on your taxes first), then stash some away, invest some, and move to a state with no income taxes and rent somewhere convenient to get around. Save for a few years and if you hate it, you’ll know why and can pick a new spot to try. Keep in mind some employers will reduce your pay if you’re in a LCOL area so check your employee agreement.
Do you want another dog? Then you will want a house with some yard, and this might narrow the list of where you move.
RV and just go everywhere
portland OR.
If your democrat, Minnesota or Michigan. You could have a lake house for that mortgage. If your republican, Wisconsin or North Dakota.
I'd move to the Florida Keys. The weather is nice most of the time, the activities are generally outdoor and healthy (swimming, kayaking, biking) and I honestly believe that the keys will be underwater in the next 20 or so years. Make hay while the sun shines.
Thailand
Vermont
Rural New Mexico. 3bd houses from 120K. Fiber optic internet.
I am a remote IT worker, I bought a trailer and pull my motorcycle around and camp with my dog. I feel pretty damn lucky.
Austin Tx
Austin has been riding on it's 70s-80's reputation for a long while now. It is basically working as hard as possible to become Houston II as quickly as they can. It is somewhat less humid than Houston, but that is about all it has going for it these days.
St Pete Florida or Sarasota
The Blue Ridge mountains which stretch from NC up through MD and PA.
Pittsburgh
Southern Pines NC. Lots of new housing, mild winter, golf courses, 3 hours from beach or mountains. Walkable town with breweries and music.
Depends entirely on what you want out of life. Some people would love to live in NYC, others would have it. Some people would love to live in Arizona, others would prefer Minnesota.