Leaving Liberal Land – IOTW Report

Leaving Liberal Land

Wednesday, 27 September 2017, 17:00 Claudia Uncategorized 52

 

The happy choice of leaving Minnesota for my homeland of Western Michigan and family was pleasantly apparent yesterday when I picked up my Nephew from school. He proudly wears this at school and no one has been triggered. No one has demanded that he remove the button pin and the school has no problem with his choice of accoutrements.

 

I’ve also noticed that people don’t assume that I hate Trump. I realized this as I called Minnesota this morning to speak to someone about closing an account I had. He asked where I moved to and when I told him he laughed and said, “Oh, no! You know they voted for Trump!” I replied, “Yeeesss, I know. That’s why I moved here.” He laughed nervously and we continued our discussion. Ahhhh, that was so satisfying!!!

52 Comments on Leaving Liberal Land

  1. I too live in an area where tissue sales has not increased and no refers to “the occupier in the white house” anymore. We are now focused on the traitors that occupy Republican Seats who don’t support our President.

  2. Claudia — I am green with envy! We’re so close to selling off — maybe in another 18-24 months — our stake in Seattle and our plan is to relocate after spending some time playing and traveling. We hate leaving the coast and Puget Sound, but there seem to be no coastal states that are safe. We could move inland to the Spokane, but we’d still be in WA and still be controlled by Seattle.

    So great to read your updates and look forward to future reports!

  4. AA, Tic Toc, I just heard today the the Feds are allowing the Banks and Lending institutions to tighten way up on those reverse mortgages. Reason being is the expect a major correction in the housing market.

  5. BB — There may be a correction in the market, but I suspect that Seattle’s will remain very viable. We planned well — location, location, location. And I’ve been looking into owner financing of the sale. Considering we are not yet 65, there may be a big upside to taking only a part of the equity and collecting interest on the payments. It also guarantees our ownership if the buyer has problems. Most people don’t need a full cash-out if they aren’t buying a similarly priced home, and we might not buy anything right away or if we build it won’t be the scale we now occupy or as pricey as Seattle. After 8 years of uncertainty, it’s a nice feeling to be more-or-less in the driver’s seat again.

  6. BB — Geoff C. just remarked the other night that he’s disappointed that the state of Jefferson doesn’t seem to be a happening thing, otherwise we’d be looking at the northern coast area — maybe inland a little. Your area is too damn hot for us Norskis. Gerard would love for us to move to Paradise, but it’s too old school CA hippy for us. Uber conservative, true, but still a LOT of pony tails and patchouli oil.

  8. TO AA
    I had no idea you guys were moving! Safe travels!
    Don’t know about how the real estate market is where you are (soft, hot); do you want any ideas on gussying up a place to put on market? landscaping, kitchen, etc…….

    Any thoughts on general destination? Wow! Good luck!
    And GET OUT…NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😉

  10. AA, you should look at Prescott. Nice climate. Good home values. Hopefully we will be checking it out in November. Forbes listed Bozeman number 10 best city to live in last month. 1 thu 9 were in the south. But Bozeman might be a little cold.

  11. CoD — Yeah, our kid just graduated this spring and is fully and successfully fledged, so we’re next! We’ve been talking about this move for about five years or so. Geoff C. is a GC, so we’ve got the gussying part in hand. New kitchen, extra powder room, earthquake updates, etc. And we are situated perfectly between dt Seattle and Ballard (which is seeing unprecedented growth — again). We also are in a part of the city that is rated #1 for desirability, so we aren’t particularly worried about the rest of the Seattle market, though it is red hot at the moment. Our area has basically weathered every real estate downturn since before the mid-1970’s and white flight, Boeing recession, etc. And with Google, Amazon, E-Bay, etc. having a major footprint in dt Seattle, we’re not too worried about exec housing needs. Our two newest neighbors this year are from CA and they’re pockets are stuffed with cash looking for a way to be spent. Who knows, we might just lease the place and retain ownership, though I hate the idea of someone else living in my house. Monthly rental cost is no indicator of how people treat your stuff.

  12. North Idaho especially around Couer d Alene, Post Falls, Sandpoint is real nice. So is NW Montana up by Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls and all around Flathead Lake, beautiful country, a little expensive especially around Whitefish. And even Eastern Wash. isn’t bad but I’ve lived here most of my life and love it. So what if we’re stump bumpers(I was called a stump bumper when I was in the Navy because of all the trees, obviously these people have never been to Central Wash. before where the only thing you will run into is sagebrush) and we’re still fighting injuns out here. Other than the occasional Snowpocalypse we’re OK, it helps to keep the riff raff away and we’re used to it for the most part.

  14. BB — Bozeman might be a good choice for us. Funny you should mention it. Geoff C. wants to take a fall trip to check out Kalispel/White Fish. My idea of heaven right now is to put everything in storage, travel around for a while and then flip houses in hot markets. A kind of traveling real estate wild catter. LOL! The biggest challenge for us to make sure we’re on the same page — because I think Geoff’s idea of heaven is to NOT be GC-ing for a while. haha! Poor, poor man. He just doesn’t understand the way to my heart sometimes.

  16. TO AA
    Rentals is less emotional than Renter Roulette:
    most of the time, the cost of repairs (not even talking about the B!tchMoanWhine aspect, if you are not using a PropMgr) due to bad renters negates *any* advantage.
    I have know one – ONE, UNO, EINS, 1 – owner in my entire lifetime who has had luck (in part through diligence/”extreme vetting”…ha!) with renters, but others (including multi millionaire folks from owning developments to trailer parks) just to it to F the taxman (read: they need LOSSES). I don’t know about you, but that’s NOT my situation!

    If you nevertheless choose to rent: build/modify the place as bombproof as possible and get a couple of months rent as escrow…and may God have mercy on the soul of your house!

  18. BB — Prescott? That’s AZ, right? See, you people who live in the heat aren’t fazed by places like AZ. I need at least three seasons or I’ll go insane. I’m a thick-blooded Norwegian and I need to wear wool sweaters for some period during the year — LOL! I don’t know how people can manage places like San Diego with their 76 degrees and no clouds ALL the time.

    Geoff the Aardvark — We’ve vacationed many times in the northern Idaho areas you mention. CD is a great place but in the end it seemed too seasonal but Kellogg or Wallace area was appealing. Real estate prices for desirable areas on the water are appalling. We’re also looking at the Kalispel area. Our only worry is that Montana, at least parts of it, seems to be a magnate for those celebrity CA types who end up changing the whole landscape — like what happened to CO.

  19. AA.

    No Prescott is in the north part of the state. The heat bothers me here. No way I could do Phoenix or Scottsdale. Prescott is about 4200 feet elevation I believe. They get some snow. Sounds like a pretty good climate.

  20. I get a kick outta youse guys. What started off as Claudia telling us about her patriotic nephew quickly turns into a phuckin’ house flippin’ episode.
    Is there an NFL game tonight? Don’t mind me I’m just cranky lately. I need new meds.

  21. BB — “frozen solid” — haaha! Well, Anchorage is COLD and UGLY, but the thought of being as far the hell away from busy body Progtards makes up for all the downside. Besides, I really like the idea of community talking about something other than politics. Of course there’s always the nightmare thought that we’d be moving to the set of Twin Peaks. All I need is some rain — gotta have that rain — phone/internet and place for a shop and a workroom. A fireplace would be nice — wood burning or gas. 🙂 My needs are few, it’s Geoff C. who is the fussy one, but I do find myself saying, “Yeah, I never thought of that…” I mean, a couple years ago I was urging him to look at North Dakota.

    CoD — CD isn’t off the list entirely, so I will definitely let you know what goes. In any event it would be nice to get together. Don’t know what happened to Geoff C.’s plans to do a party this summer. I think he just got too busy.

  22. Moe Tom — Uh oh. Don’t be cranky, friend. I just had a few minutes this afternoon and I’ve been wanting to get some suggestions for conservative areas that we might consider. Besides, it’s fun to chat sometimes about just “stuff.” And Claudia’s move made me think of our own plans.

    Sorry, be of good cheer. 🙂

  23. TO BB
    Trust me. For folks of the skin/blood vessels who love/live “up North”, just SAYING “Arizona” is like turning up the thermostat 20 degrees extra! 😮

    I’m torn between parts of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana…knowing NOTHING about any of them, just Colorado (which I found to be a mix of boring and yucky).

    To each their own…that’s why we call is ‘MURICA! 😉

  27. CoD — Trust me. For folks of the skin/blood vessels who love/live “up North”, just SAYING “Arizona” is like turning up the thermostat 20 degrees extra! 😮

    Man, you nailed it! Too funny!

    I have family in Tuscon and in Silver City, NM. You might just as well move to Hell, because there is no respite from the heat!! At least in the cold you can PUT more clothes on!

  28. TO AA
    I think a party visit up ther is out of the question for us…though we’d LOVE to (apologies in advance): we’re in Florida (WELL worth the visit if you’re ever interested!) and – ahem – “occupied” spending my life savings on a lawsuit (“Private Property is a good thing”…what a concept) which may alter law [it’s been going on only (!) 5 years, so we don’t know if it’s finally going to be County, State or Federal law which we get to b!tch slap].

  29. TO AA
    I know.
    I’m from Washington, DC (let’s skip the politics and just talk WEATHER):

    you want heat? baby, we got heat.
    who gives a sh!t about heat, when you’ve got humidity up the wazoo when it’s in the 90s?!?
    just doe already!
    And THAT’S what you grow up with…NO “getting used to” THAT.

    We love cross country skiing, and would like to discover good states/areas for that but, even Florida has its positives (as long as you live in NON-evacuation Zones), as in biking, walking, investing in suntan oil companies….

  31. Just moved last month from the liberal land of CO to Central TX to a small town that is artsy and does have some liberals. A local restaurant/pub owner (of my now go-to spot) posted the below, something I’d never see in Boulder County:

    Ok, here’s the deal…….

    Here at XXX we have 4 TVs for watching sports of all kinds, football, basketball, golf, tennis, even curling! If it’s sports we have shown it to our patrons.

    But at some point you must take a stand. Here’s mine.

    If we see a broadcast on a live game of any player, coach or owner taking a knee during the playing of our national anthem, the channel will immediately be changed. And I don’t care if it’s a national championship game, Super Bowl, or any other important event that fans have come here specifically to watch.

    XXX won’t support you if you don’t support America.

    Now let’s just play the damn games. That’s really all they are.

  33. AA, Anchorage is not ugly, except during Spring breakup. But don’t think you will be leaving the libs behind by going there. They can be as ignorant as anybody up there, remember they think Murkowski is a republican.

  35. I live in the Bozeman area and it’s beautiful. It also weathered the real estate turndown well. We have gorgeous rivers for fishing, mountains for skiing etc. A university, excellent schools and a very nice downtown. Lots of activities available here as well.

  36. I’d love to continue this conversation — especially since it’s getting so interesting. But I’ve slacked off enough today and it’s going to rain on Saturday and I’ve only got two more scaffold set ups to do before I am done painting the house. So I hope you all are still talking about this stuff later.

    Thanks very much for all the input on locations!

    Moe Tom said it best, Love you all!

  37. I am 66 and relocated from New Jersey to Georgia with my company two years ago. I was the 1st in the company to sign up on the move. Couldn’t wait to get out of that corrupt hellhole. I bought my first home (had always rented) and the house is bigger and nicer in every way. My mortgage with interest, insurance and taxes is less than half my rent in NJ. And now that I passed 65 they dropped the tax on schools. It went from $1900 a year to $419. Ha ha! Everyone in my town is like-minded with me. There are some at the company who kept their homes in NJ and NY and can’t wait to go back someday – all Libs. See ya’! They think that these gun-happy Christian yahoos are an embarrassment. Buh bye! Just loving it here in the way northern suburbs of Atlanta. Every day with my honey is like a vacation in paradise.

  40. I left the People’s Republic of Minnesota in 1998. I’ve been back for funerals. Other than that I don’t think I will ever go back.

    I landed south of Denver December of 1999 and thought I’d moved to heaven. I live in one of the most conservative counties in the country but the state wide politics are going to he’ll in a hand basket. Motor voter will do that. If my county buckles because of all the CA transplants next stop will be either Texas or Idaho (S.E. or northern pan handle, Not Boise)

  41. AA, I would never recommend renting. We tried that with our house and we’ve only gotten one that didn’t tear it up. It doesn’t matter if you do everything right, although I’ll admit the first two we didn’t do, so then we thought our bad we screwed up. From then on we’ve ran credit checks, background checks, call employers, previous landlords and it still didn’t work.
    After the last one tore so much up, we said we were done and are in the process of fixing it back up to put on the market.

  42. I’m glad that Brad is bothered by the heat. Starting in my mid 50’s I was bitching about the heat and running the AC more than usual.
    I thought I was becoming a pussy who couldn’t take the heat anymore.

  43. Mr. Illustr8r and I are leaving Friday for a weeks long trip. Part of it will be spent driving from Kalispell, Great Falls and Bozeman…skipping Missoula as it’s a lefty university town. Let’s just call it a recon mission for a future move. Our requirements are less Libs, 4 seasons, mountains and a local hockey team.

    Boise is next on the list. 👍

    @AA I look forward to reading your own version of Claudia’s I’m leaving story soon. I drove to West Seattle today-it’s changed so much! I drive across the Sammamish plateau-old horse farms are huge ass developments. Traffic is horrid everywhere. Career wise we have to stay for awhile (3-5 years). We think, anyway.

  45. @BB Will do. Lotsa driving ahead and we will b spending less time in places than we’d like but we want to get the hell out of here for awhile.

    I have a friend who moved/retired to Kalispell who moved from here to there in the spring. I’m anxious to hear how she likes it now that she’s settled into a routine.

  46. Illustr8r

    If it were up to me we would already be living in Bozeman. The wife and I are both California natives. She’s having a lot harder time letting go than I am. I’d appreciate any input on Bozeman.

  47. @BB The booming employment here is our reason to stay right now. Eventually, we hope to go to a smaller high tech community where experience matters more than age. Seattle is saturated with millenials.

  48. AA and Illustr8r:
    Mt has some great places to live if you wish to flee the heavy urban scene. I’d pick Livingston over Bozeman though. Helena is nicely located, about in the center of most of the recreation resources albeit infested with some libtwits (not as bad as Missoula and Bozeman, though). Lewistown is beautifully located and so far immune to libtwittery. Dillon and Hamilton are nice too unless you like big towns. As several hove noted, Kalispell is nice too – but VERY cloudy for much of the winter.

    If you want to tell me what you’re looking for, ask FUR for my address and get in touch. It would be nice to have you folks somewhere here.

    Same goes for any others of the IOTW family who may be thinking of relocating

  50. Dang! Now it’s late and there are so many comments I want to respond to. Can we post another thread on this topic, please?

    Illustr8r — My maternal family were all West Seattlites. I love West Seattle because it’s always been old Seattle to me — full of the best of Seattle. Never thought of moving there myself because I found my dream home early on, but it’s got all the old timers – kinda like Ballard. But now it’s overrun with the same people who have taken over the city.

    Want to hear about your travels, too.

  52. Bad Brad:

    Twin Bridges is very nice and is located on the W side of the Tobacco Root Range. Pretty all around and still has the MT small town friendliness. Good fishing and hunting and places to shoot. The Tobacco Roots are great to hike too. Ennis is another really nice little town too and I think those yuppies that come in for the summer likely leave by winter. And Fort Benton is another beautiful little spot where the steamboats used to turn around on the Missouri R. in the older days.

    Write the MT Department of Commerce and get a road map or get Fur to send me your address and I’ll get one sent to you with other promo stuff that I think they still provide. Same goes for the rest of the IOTW family that may want to think about great flyover country

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