at 3 months shy of the 50 been there my entire adult life
at least I have the bridge I want to live under in my dotage picked out. Now unless you have an extreme imperative to live where you are, find a job in a place you can afford to live. A MS in Social Work can translate into a school councillor in the right neighborhood. The best way to do a mortgage is 5/15/80 which is 5% down second mortgage ARM for the next 10 years for the next 15% and a first 30 year fixed for the balance. If you must live where you are, you are relatively young couple, look for the gay guys. Typically they will find a rundown section with possibilities and buy in and renovate. If you know of any folks of that persuasion ask them questions. They are usually the first into a gentrification project. If you join in, work like a dog doing repairs in a down trodden neighborhood you will reap equity awards.
Me I would find a place that doesnt seem to suck too bad and has decent housing prices, haul wife along and go wherever young man. At your age with no kids I would look at Huntsville Alabama, Pascagoula Mississippi and other places that have low housing prices and jobs that dont pay too bad in our industry. Omaha Nebraska is also high wage for the local living in what we do.
Again unless family is a deal breaker move. It sounds like from posts that your family out there is nothing you couldnt do long distance with so assume that susan has close relatives that are near by that you feel comfortable being near. Ask them for advice.
In all cases do it not out of desparation but adventure.
good luck,
thanx.
bill
