lalaland

My feeling is "go for it". If it works out, it was meant to be. If it doesn't work out (you can't sell our home), there's a reason. Don't give notice on your job until everything is a "go".

Boscobd

Go for it! After living most of my life in Upstate NY and as an adult deciding it was just too darn cold and snowy, my DH and I made the move when we were in our mid-40s. We both quit our jobs, put the house on the market and high-tailed it out of Dodge (Utica NY actually!). Best move we ever made and we absolutely love it. It was 78 degrees today - can't beat that for January 17th!

judee0624

YES! Do it!
judee

cathyvv

Here I am, the bubble burster...

It's not crazy to want a better, more comfortable life. I moved to SC because I hate winter.

At 52, it is, unfortunately, not easy to find a new job. There is rampant age discrimination in the job market, but it's very difficult to prove it.

If you quit your job, you can't collect unemployment and SS is at least 10 years away. Can you retire now with a pension? That would help.

Two years worth of savings can disappear in what feels like a heartbeat. I don't know if you have health insurance through your job, but if you do, and you quit, what will you do? COBRA is expensive; have you taken that into account when you calculate that your savings will last 2 years?

Why don't you work toward your goal in stages? First, sell the house. If you make some $$ on the sale, you have more of a stash (had to get that quilting word in!) to plan with. Once it is sold you can decide whether to move to AZ or to just get yourself a little apartment nearer to your job and stay put for a while longer. A shorter commute might make a big difference in how you feel about your job - plus you have more time to yourself.

Bottom line - think long and hard before you pick up and move without a job.

Butterfli19

I'm so happy I posted this and feel much better today. It would be foolish to leave what took me this long to get without job security, health insurance, or the risk of only making 1/2 of what I make now, for the romantic notion that 12 months of sun will cure all emotional ills.

If daughter wants to take a chance she at least can come back home, but if I don't make it (jobwise) what do I have?

And, although I will miss GS terribly, with them in AZ and DS in VT I will be alone alone and maybe that's what I'm secretly wishing for - just some time to be with me.

I could always move later, or to a different place, and if by chance I lose my job this will come up again, but until then I just might stick around as I'm not confident enough to make a major life change on a whim.

But there is this ice storm they are talking about right now...

ann31039

go for it. i'd go home in a heartbeat if i could find a job there. i have a house in georgia, but spent a year in louisiana working and have been in north carolina 6 months working. there is just no work in georgia or alabama right now. nc is nice, but it is so cold here. i've seen more snow and ice since i've been here that in my whole life in georgia and alabama. (42 years). i just wanna go home.

Becky Crafts

[quote=Butterfli19]With the exception of 7 years in AZ I've lived in NH / MA for my 52 years of life. I've discovered the last 8 years or so I really, really, hate the winter. I hate the snow, the ice, driving in it, shoveling it, looking at the mounds of dirty snow toward the end of the season, and I'm cold.

DH & I moved from southern NH/MA 11 yrs ago to central Florida. No snow - no ice to deal with anymore. We are not sorry although our family stayed up there & we miss them. We're FT RVer's although been in the same place all this time. We love it here!

azdesertrat

it always snow in az,Just depends where you go,Tucson even has a ski resort up in the catalina mountains,where skiers have a blast,but luckily we very seldom get any snow down in town :-)

plainpat

I'd agree with those who say use caution & do your homework.With a job like yours, I'm sure you can get on line to do a lot of it.Many ppl don't think of property taxes, state taxes, even grocery tax in some areas.All can be a shock to the system.
All older houses require up keep,anywhere you go.Zoning laws should be checked out,so you don't end up in a nice house beside a commercial business...or worse.
Think of moving costs. Unless you plan to go with nothing but clothes in a U haul, moving expenses are out of sight.One mo can only give you a bird's eye view.Big city areas are the same everywhere, tons of crime & pollution.You won't know Phoenix at all.North & South of the valley it's cold in winter & dessert areas isn't a place for sitting on the porch.Steamy summers & a lot of gray windy days in winter.
That's JMO.It's your life & your choice.I'd rent an apt for 6mos,then go from there.BTW,NC has had a ton of ice,snow & cold this winter. Guess we can't win......just go with what is best for you.

bbquilter

Nancy, now is the time to act, the housing market is great in AZ right now. I am not sure how the housing is in your area. have a Realtor come and give you an estimate on what you can get. Remembering that life is for living not regretting. If this will make you happy maybe you can live on less, cut cost, decide what is important; things or happiness. You will be surprised at what you can live without to love what you do and where you live I think.