You never really know until you try it. I spent a couple years in Raleigh, NC, and then accidentally settled down in Richmond, VA suburbs. I moved to Richmond for a job opportunity with no expectations. I was bummed they had no sports teams and didn't know much else about it. It turned out it was on the cusp of becoming one of the top small foodie towns around, and an exploding, world class, craft beer scene. The suburbs aren't that different from Calgary suburbs and the public schools are fantastic. I had no kids when I moved here, so it wasn't even a factor. Sure, there are some ugly American attitudes, but most of the people I associate and deal with are as liberal or more so than I am. The weather is certainly better (but I like the heat), and it's nice to have a posh, modern 4000 sq ft house on a half acre lot where trees grow like weeds, for $450k on a 3%(tax deductible/fixed for 30 years) mortgage. Having Trump as president is definitely making me question it all though.
|