Bearish on RI

[runawayjim]

Well, that I don't really know. Obviously, part of it is just frustration, with a new accounting degree that was advertised as a meal ticket in one of the "hottest occupations of 2006," can't find enough warm bodies to do all the work, etc.

But just on the basis of the usual conventional job-hunting methods, it seems like there's not a very exciting economy in RI. There are some banks, some insurance, some manufacturing, a few corporate HQ's, and stuff. But there's no technology industry at all, to speak of -- when you have less than Springfield (I kid you not, in terms of tech writing openings), that's pretty bad.

What kind of work do you do, that you were able to find here but not in CT?

Urb

[Cotuit]

"hottest occupations of 2006,"

[Jerry2]

On 6/1, I will be relocating to Philadelphia with the same place I have been over the last 2 years. Although I have lived in RI for most of my life, I have come to realize that there is essentially nothing here for my future. I'm 31 and have just recently gone back to finish my degree in the last year. I still have a little over a year left and the prospects of finding a good paying job in RI are slim to none. Even if I commuted to the Boston area, I would still be faced with ridiculous real estate prices and the prospect of either renting forever or struggling to make ends meet with a mortgage. I'm not in a relationship anymore so it's imperative that I make it on my own. Real estate prices in the Philly area are still very much affordable. The metro is home to a diversity of business and NY is an hour away. It will be sad to once again leave RI ,but after 30, I feel like everyone reaches an epiphany. The cons far outweigh the pros every time I have my doubts. I will actually be working over the river in NJ but am looking forward to living in Philly for the urban experience.

Although I may not have agreed with some people on here, I have always enjoyed checking out UP. I'm still going to check up every now and then so I can get the scoop on what's going on around here.

[Recchia]

Good luck Jerry! Philly is an awesome place and like you said, pretty damn affordable.

I've been house hunting a lot lately and am kind of getting frustrated. I got a pre-approval for a mortgage amount that I know is way higher than I could actually afford monthly (47% of my monthly gross pay), and everything I'm finding in MY price range is either a 1bed condo or a "2bed" condo that's less than 800 square feet, with ridiculous condo fees. I want to be in Providence proper since it's likely I'll be getting a new job downtown pretty soon and I want to be able to walk to work. I found some small houses but I'm worried about utility costs and things as they would probly put me over my limit. I'm sick of pissing money away on rent but am beginning to think thats the only option for a single middle class person like myself. What the hell are we supposed to do?

[runawayjim]

Good luck Jerry! Philly is an awesome place and like you said, pretty damn affordable.

I've been house hunting a lot lately and am kind of getting frustrated. I got a pre-approval for a mortgage amount that I know is way higher than I could actually afford monthly (47% of my monthly gross pay), and everything I'm finding in MY price range is either a 1bed condo or a "2bed" condo that's less than 800 square feet, with ridiculous condo fees. I want to be in Providence proper since it's likely I'll be getting a new job downtown pretty soon and I want to be able to walk to work. I found some small houses but I'm worried about utility costs and things as they would probly put me over my limit. I'm sick of pissing money away on rent but am beginning to think thats the only option for a single middle class person like myself. What the hell are we supposed to do?

[urbie]

philly is an great city, not a whole lot different than providence. i don't consider it more affordable, but i don't consider providence unaffordable... i'm not sure where you're looking for places to buy or what your range is, but there are a ton of houses for sale in the elmhurst area, most pretty affordable. you just won't be able to walk downtown, but there are 2 bus lines that run by here, smith and admiral. it seems that every street i'm on in the area has at least 1 or 2 houses up for sale.

[Recchia]

Hows is even $200,000 affordable for someone who makes $40,000 per year? It just isn't, even if you have no other debts.

[runawayjim]

Ya -- I don't see what's so "unaffordable" about Providence, in terms of real-estate. Tons of houses for well under $300K, which -- by today's ridiculous standards -- should be no big deal, considering what a professional job is going to pay. My gripes about the job situation notwithstanding, it's not unaffordable here, unless you're in a low-paying profession. The condo down the street from us -- roughly comparable to our apartment -- just got reduced to well under $200K. I dropped in on an open house at another property down the street, and since then, the realtor's been sending me listings; they look pretty reasonable, to me -- but then, I grew up near Boston, so just about anything looks cheap by comparison!

Urb

[runawayjim]

Hows is even $200,000 affordable for someone who makes $40,000 per year? It just isn't, even if you have no other debts.

[urbie]

[q