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Thanks for the input, but as Craven Clan said above- a lot of the feedback is way off course. There has got to be other people with our situations just looking for a better place out there for our families. I guess the ones who have made it work are no longer on this site. Are we able to send individual emails to one another via this site? Craven I'd love to chat with you!!
I only mentioned what we made in Ft. Lauderdale b/c it relates to our budget of what we can afford here vs. out there. I know I won't be able to afford a $1,600 month rent payment out there if we were only able to make 1/2 out there.
It has brought me hope that yes we are able to make a living out there. After reading these boards it sounded like I was going to go from earning $60k/year to $8/hr for doing the same thing. Not the case.
I'll keep checking for posts that actually answer our questions without the bashing of the city and state. Please NO HATERS!!! Thanks!!
Boy, look and see around you. There are no female judges, no female attorneys, no female surgeons, no female bishops, no female principals in schools, the school board are all men. The family attorneys are all men. There are cases known that the LDS male attorneys have taken child custody away from the mothers. There is so much hipocrisy in this city that it is a joke! There are hardly female police officers available for domestic cases. Utah makes it very difficult to have women or minority voices to have rights, especially if your non-mormon. Although, that's about to change very soon, cuz there are too many new comers, new ideas, young women with real education needed to be given an chance to work and have a career in utah, otherwise, these important people in our lives will find somewhere else where they will be accepted and receive a high paying salary as oppose staying here in Utah and waiting around. Most of the the LDS young women get married at age 19 and began having children right away. No need for an education, just have lots of babies so that the mormon religion can grow and grow. I have encountered young women just graduated highschool and left to another state so they will not be forced to get married. They want an education and become a lawyer, dentist, nurse a doctor, social worker or run for a position in the govenment but it's very difficult for them and they leave Utah to find their dream come true. Cheers to them!
I am so confused. In one post, “The Casselli’s” make St. George almost sound like Mayberry. In the next, it is the new home of the Taliban. Will “The Casselli’s” please be consistent? Unless, as your name hints, you are a plurality of people using one username.
Irishmom, I hate to burst your bubble on the wages. The list you provided alink to is estimates. Those from info given by employers. The employers all say they pay more, but reality is they don't. In fact some of those jobs don't even exist in St. Geroge. Loo specifically at waitresses. They supposdely make over $10 an hour. Unless you are at a high end resturant, you will not make the wages that will push the standard 2.15 an hour up to that. Most places to eat are also fast food, which again pays minimum. The electrican states they make $16 an hour, I know for a fact that a recent transplant from Cali thought he would easily get a job making at least that, and found the best paying one was $13, and it was part time. Cal Mr. Lawton at the Utah Employment office. He can fill you in much better to what is really going on. We have state run employment offices here.
As to Casselli's post, so much of that is pure BS. There are women in those professions here. Maybe not in Ivans, but they are around. Also the women here are not forced to marry at 19. That is pure BS. One of the big tenents of the LDS faith is about getting an education. If someone choses not to, that is their choice. It is not dictated by the LDS church. She also has it that most the women here in another post have been married 4 times. Again that is BS. Utah runs about the same average as any other state when it comes to divorce. Mormon's are not exempt. Also from another post you have that the only good thing according to her is Californians coming in with their money. They are the only good thing, and they will force the changes. This area is old line families as the basis. A lot of the Californains that came did so to play the flip game. This has a very set culture here. Yes it revolved around the LDS faith becasue until recently it was 99% LDS. It is not California or even Florida. It is what it is, and will slowly change. Women are not some subjegated species of subhumans only designed as baby factories to be kept ignorant and pregnant. But then Casselli's also claimed in yet another post that Mormons don't drink sodas. That too shows a person who really doesn't know what is going on. What Mormons do avoid is caffeine. That is not to say they don't drink their Colas, they do.
What advise I can offer is to come visit. See what it is like. Ask questions of people while you are here. No real humidity. Very slow pace of life geared around outdoor activites. It has its drawbacks and it has it's advantages. There are trade offs no matter where you go. Just remember you adapt to the area, not the area adapting to the individual that moves here.
Ok then here is my question for everyone who says everyone pays "dirt wages" there. Who is living in these $600-3 million dollor homes b/w St. George, Ivens,Santa Clara, Washington etc? And please do not tell me- its all the retirees or lottery winners. How are these people making a living? In my home search in these areas there are TONS of homes in this price range. I realize the market is slow, but there are an abundence of these homes currently lived in also. I have realitives who live in Hurricane who can vouch for that people who live in these areas are making a nice living to afford these homes. Now I am not saying everyone is making a nice living, so don't jump all over me.
I completely understand that the McDonalds there may not pay as well as the McDonalds in California or Ft. Lauderdale. My initial questions on this site were about professional level jobs and was not about who pays the best for working in the drive thru at fast food restaurants. I listed what I do in my profession and telling me that Burger King and Dairy Queen pays crappy wages does not help me.
My husband who works for a Big Box Retailer here in Ft. Lauderdale and who has a store in St. George- for the same hi level mgt. position only has a $4,500 dollor/per year difference in wages (obviously $4,500/yr more in Ft. Lauderdale)This goes back to the wage site that I found (which has been pretty acurate in wages for Hi Level Managment), but Blondie Rabbit thank you for not wanting to burst my bubble. However, I do not want to be a waitress nor electrcian. No offense- but I would either drop your drinks or burn down your home if I was in either of those proffessions. More power to the people who do a tremendous job at it.
So again, if someone has first hand knowledge of salarys in the following fields or close to- please respond. Director of Property Management in a Luxury Market or Director of Project Management for the Luxury Market. Also, I do know for a fact that there is a need for this in these areas- have already spoke to different companies out there. They are also letting me know of proper salaries for these positions. I was curious as to anyone reading these posts who are actually in a same type position as mine.
Thank you again to everyone who has provided substance to these posts.
Location: Small town Texas, from Southern California
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I wondered about those homes too!!!! Those houses are comparable to where i live, and what i am selling my home in California, mind you mine is about 6300 sq ft, and $2.2, where in St. George you can find 5000 sq ft for about 1/2 the price you can here!! Then again the BIG question is, like you said, what are they doing to afford it?? My husband is a concrete contractor, we would like ot start that business there, and realize in no way is he going to make the money we have made here (besides we have made more $ by building and selling custom homes-1 of which we are living in now to sell) BUT we also know it will take time to become established, and we are the new people. He is an awesome contractor, honest and hard working, that is hard to find no matter what religion you are or where you go!!!
I agree about the posts on minimum wage, and i know we are not looking for those stats either, so are there ANY professionals that could give us some insight??
Irish Mama, that is awesome that you found out so quick on your husbands job...That is not a big difference, so i assume that is in your favor...depending on where in St. Geroge you desire to live, and what not...
Do that many people really commute to Vegas for bigger $$. I know that would be a possibilty for my husband, BUT longterm that is not our goal.
Irishmom, the homes have mostly become os over inflated it is unreal. You haven't heard of the dirty little secret of the snowballing default rpoblem and bankrutpcty problem this county has. What drove the p rices up were the people that came here to buy a home and turn around in 6 months and flip it to make a profit. The train ended on that. Too many have those high priced house they leveraged themselves into and now can't sell because they are worth less than they paid for them. There are those trying to hang on, and many who just can't afford it. Nope not a big influx of retirees here. The average median age is 27. I heard one lady at the post office claim that those moving in are all making millions on the internet. I hope the koolaide she drank didn't get distruted to others.
The higher end professional jobs are far and few between. Too many get lured out here with the promise of high wages, to find that is not so. Get a concrete signed contract for employment that states wages, benefits, and length of probation if there is one. Also check to see if you make it past the initial probation how long that contract will run for. nearly 2 years ago when there was a opening for a dispatcher at the police department that would handle calls from the whole county, we had people from as far away as SLC trying to get that position. There was almost 600 that applied for it. It paid a whopping $14 an hour. Sad fact that the executive type jobs are too often a bait and switch type of thing or they put you on commission. STAY far away from the commmission positions.
With your husband if he decideds to come this way. Please Please make sure you have a fully signed and detailed contract. I could tell you horror stories of those who didn't. I can only think of off the top of my head I can't think off the top of my head which big box it might be. WalMart has even it's local people switching back and forth to the distribution center and the stores becasue of the down turn in their revenues. Best Buy does well, but the kids that work there are all part wage part commission types. Target is ok, K Mart is ok, If he were to come in as the manager he may do well. But it would need to be the top manager. HOme Depot has three stores in the area and seems to be over sturated. We also have a Lowe's
My hubby is in an enviable position that he is a VP for IBM and can live anywhere. He sits in his underwear in our spare bedroom making conference calls all day long. He pulls in nearly triple what the higher end people make.
The subdivision who have contractors that would hire your type are hurting big time. 17 contractors/construction compnaies went bankrupt in the St. George area last year alone. There really is no big resort unless it is Green Valley Spa. They bring quite a few people in from other areas. Again get it in writing and signed. do not assume that you will find something once you get here. So do a lot of people. Competition for good jobs is very keen. There are those that give up and finally commute to Vegas for a job. Mesquite is close and would have more opportunties for you. It is not a bad commute.
Do that many people really commute to Vegas for bigger $$. I know that would be a possibilty for my husband, BUT longterm that is not our goal.
Any Realistic info??
Yes there are quite a few. They even go so far as have a apartment to live in Vegas during the week and come home on weekends. I have an old roommate from college whos hubby runs one of the largest Cement companies in Vegas. If you ever get pushed to it, I can get you in contact with him. Be warned Vegas air makes LA look like it has no smog.
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