Why So Many Relocation Threads?
 

Does anyone know why we get so many relocation threads on this forum?

Curious. Are we suggested on some relocating site?

Hey gotravel - have wondered the same myself... IS there a relocation site? I know about findyourspot.com - but what I think people like here is the personal insight to different areas.

First response: what's it to you -- are you objecting? If so, don't read them.

Second response: The essence of many questions here is "what is city X like?" and the response is often from people very familiar with the area. I think there's less difference than most seem to acknowledge between asking the question "what is city X like, because I'm going to visit it," and askind "what is city X like, because I'm thinking of moving there." You need much more info in the second case, but you have to start somewhere.

If you are just beginning your thinking about changing locales, you are probably still thinking "like a tourist" or like a traveler; and if you've spent any time on this board at all, you know there are many knowledgeable people who will give you the benefit of their time, honesty, throughtfulness, and personal responses to a given place.

I haven't, myself, looked for or found official "relo" websites, but I would distrust them to start, because many are probably supported by local boosters (businesses, chambers of commerce, etc.) I'd trust Fodorites first, and then maybe look elsewhere.

And OF COURSE I'd visit the place myself before committing, but I have no problem with people beginning their research here before they spend the time and money on a go-see.

GoTravel...I wonder the same myself. Also, with some responses like the one above, have we become a place to come and abuse posters or to pick fight online?

soccr, they don't bother me a bit and if you read any of them you'll find I post on many.

I was just curious.

We've had several about inter racial relocating and many about relocating in the southeast.

Also, many are started by first time posters.

Does anyone else find it odd?

Also, the threads aren't really started by "What is city X like" but "Raleigh or Charlotte" or "Relocating".

OK, GoTravel, glad you are helpful to these posters -- thanks on their behalf, and mine if I ever consider moving to your area.

You're being a little literal, however, about what I posted. What I meant was that people like those you mention are in essence asking "What is Charlotte like? What is Raleigh like? How do they compare for my purposes?"

And I think the biracial post shows exactly why people might ask Fodorites about their cities -- they were looking for very subjective impressions and asking a question they might not feel free to ask a realtor or a relo person -- and it would push the limits of ethics or legality for a realtor or relo person to answer race questions, for sure.

I think you are all making some pretty valid points. I have also wondered why a travel-related site would begin to have so many relocation inputs. But if viewed in the context of "what is this city (or area) like?" it can at least make sense. I personally ignore most of them, but if there is a question about an area I know in some detail, I try to provide an informational response.

I don't think Fodor's is being referenced by some other relo sites. I think it's just a matter of someone having come along and asked a question, then eventually others followed suit and the practice blossomed.

I have posted relo questions here b/c so many Fodorites either have two homes, or have lived in different regions, or have traveled repeatedly to the same region such that they have a more than passing familiarity with it. even those who have stayed put, as it were, are engaged residents, with a healthy perspective on their hometown; perhaps that's a result of traveling.

I don't actually agree that asking "what is city X like?" is the same as asking "what is city x like to live in?" Relo questions often focus on neighborhoods and driving routes that are not relevant to tourists, to say nothing of housing price, school and tax issues. But IMO, there's room on this board for the odd relo question...

I think soccr's point is that when you are just beginning to think about these things, &quot;what is X like?&quot; is where you start -- then you get more specific about what X is like &quot;to <i>live</i> in.&quot; Obviously there's a difference between visiting and living in a place! But if you've never been there before, you have to start somewhere.

(Sorry, seem to be writing lots of PS's this morning). BTW, I actually have a problem with posts like the one the interracial couple's -- I completely understand why they would want this kind of subjective information, but it just begs for huge generalizations and stereotypes, something I'd hate to base a relocation decision on.

We're a peculiar group here, not always representative, and some have very strong opinions and impressions -- and particularly newbie posters may have no idea where someone is &quot;coming from.&quot; We try to be friendly, but few of us actually know each other or where we're &quot;coming from.&quot; Making a sweeping generalization about the reception of a interracial couple could be way off base and unfair, but could be enough to discourage the poster from even going somewhere to get their own information.

I think the relocation questions are often helpful even for travelers. One reason I think Fodorites are good resources for people considering relocation is that many/most of us are well traveled, so if someone says I live in X and would like to move to Y, you get informed answers--not only from people who live in X, but who have also lived or traveled to Y, so they can give insightful comparisons.
Moreover, these relocation questions also expand into suggestions for off the beaten track places to visit, things to see, restaurants to try--information visitors can use as well as potential relocators.

I just find it odd that so many are first time posters.

Oh, yes I've noticed. It was getting to the point where I was going to say just click my name and see what I've written before for general questions. If someone has something specific I'll try to provide an answer.

And I'm also amazed at the number of people who move without a job lined up.

I think it's simply that this is a VERY active board.

Especially the US which attracts posters from all over the country. If you want advice regarding an area you are thinking of moving to - you are going to get a response to your question.

I should think that most relocation forums are only used by people moving, who abandon the board the minute they've moved

I'm guessing the recent rash of posters is simply that they've Googled 'Relocation' and have found a link to Fodors :-)

Hi all. I actually think this is a pretty good place to ask about relocation - because we live all over the country. So that doesn't surprise me.

What does surprise me is that someone would ever think of moving somewhere without visiting it first.

Military families move all the time without visiting first. And some corporate moves are virtually mandatory, so if one's budget doesn't allow for multiple scouting trips...I know these are exceptions, but one shouldn't assume all moves are elective.

E - I agree that if your company relocates you, you don't have any choice about where to move, or much time to go and visit. But I wouldn't purchase a house until I've been to a neighborhood a few times - I'd rent first before I got my bearings.

alya, that would certainly make sense and thank you.

I have personally done google searches and gotten links to this travel board.

I've relocated 5 times, lived in 5 states at least -- and wish I'd had the benefit of some people's comments here. In the last 2 moves, I had exactly 1 week to go househunting, and we really weren't in a position to rent out our house and rent a house in the new area before we actually chose a town or neighborhood (had to commit to a school system, etc.) Both times, we came out more or less okay, although knowing what I now know, I would have chosen otherwise.

So next time -- and I pray there's only one more time, moving is a major hassle even for the young and subsidized -- I will probably plan to rent first and then buy -- but I'll start here!

There is website that will help people locate you using your old address: just register at http://www.irelocated.com

Hello, I never saw this thread of yours before GoTravel. I would think because the threads here end up on Google that people looking to relocate for whatever reason probably go onto Google and then see threads from Fodor's, read them and consequently post their questions here on Fodor's. Just a thought.

I don't mind the relocation questions.
The potential problem is when someone who doesn't even live in City X feels compelled to share why they personally loathe City X ad nauseum.

All cities are not created equal but none of them are 100 percent unlivable. Different people thrive in different cities.

I have to agree w/the above poster. Perception is everything and many Fodor people are NYC natives or from other major cities on the east coast and anything outside that geography is inferior to them because they are so close minded because they can't imagine any other city or town beats their overcrowded snobby one.

Really? Where are all these *recent* posts that are down on everything that isn't NYC or urban East Coast? We have a (former) East Coast poster who recently moved to Portland, OR, and raves about it. We have other posters from the Pacific NW, from Florida, from Texas, from Chicago, from various other places in the midwest and nonurban mid-Atlantic, the West Coast, etc. etc. For example in a few of the recent threads on relocating to OR/WA, there were plenty of VERY positive posts from former urban East Coast residents.

Stephanie, nobody on this board is as closed minded as YOU.

Why?? Because it seems to be a sensible place to come. If I were relocating, I would come here. I just don't know of any other place that might have information. The Chamber of Commerce of that particular city would give only the pretty side of the area.

I think it's just that more and more people are getting used to using the computer as a source. And since Fodors may be one of the best known resources for all areas, it's only natural that someone like me would think of it first.

If more that &quot;are getting used to using the computer&quot; as a relocation source,then why don't they research in true sites that provide appropriate relocation materials and information than Fodors.

Examples would be homefair.com and relocationcentral. These provide the tools that relocation experts (i.e. human resources departments of companies, headhunters and search firms) suggest.

What these Fodors relocation threads tell me is that the OPs do not really know how to do their relocation research appropriately.

Travel and tourism are almost always not the same as the subject of relocation, unless one is relocating for the pure sense of being in a tourism-oriented location or because they are looking to find a tourism-oriented opportunity in another location.

&quot;What these Fodors relocation threads tell me is that the OPs do not really know how to do their relocation research appropriately.&quot;

But you see, that's the problem. Many do not know how. They do what they can. I am one of those google-handicapped people that can seldom find what I want by searching.

Would you prefer that those people, who may have a great deal of information on traveling in their old area, just not bother to come to Fodor's?

I would doubt that this is the SOLE or even the first place people go when looking for relocation info. Just like TRAVEL info, it's best to use as many reliable sources as you can find.

We recently moved to NC and since I've always had good luck with Fodorite recs on places to see/stay/eat at while traveling, I felt that I'd at least find some who could keep me from making any major mistakes when first looking at neighborhoods.

Indeed, I got some excellent suggestions from folks here (and hope to meet them in person at our GTG in Raleigh next month).

GoTravel, I do agree with some of the other posters regarding the possibility that &quot;new posters&quot; may have found us via Google searches.

When I first started reading this thread, I was also wondering why anyone would turn to Fodors for relocation questions. But as I've read some more, I've changed my thinking (yes, that can happen!).

Although there are specific relocation sites available on the web, as bill boy points out, they appear to be completely fact-based as opposed to opinion oriented. So they are good for what they are providing, but only go so far. They don't really give the whole picture.

If I were considering relocating, I could use those sites to tell me the size of the population, the climate, the medium house price, the number of schools, etc. But how would I get the &quot;feel&quot; or &quot;flavor&quot; of the area? How would I know which neighborhoods were considered trendier, or friendlier, or blander, or up-and-coming, or on-the-way-down, or faster to downtown, or more accessible to culture, restaurants, or more family oriented or more adult oriented, etc. These are the intangibles that you won't find on a relocation website. You won't even find total agreement on these issues on Fodors, which is what makes it so great. Yet it provides a framework for someone to get an idea of what an area is actually like to live in, and then add that information to the myriad of facts provided by other sources.

I guess it's like the difference between using a travel guide to plan a vacation, and then coming to Fodors to get opinions based on what you've learned.

I think the best resource our country has is it's people. Why not ask for advice when having to move. In today's economy - as in years gone by -- you go where there are jobs. My son had many interviews but no offers -- so the first offer he received - he accepted, only visiting the city for an one day interview. We were grateful for the advice fodorites gave -- and if anyone was bothered by it -- remember you may find yourself in the same position one day.

I wish relocation is as simplistic as your son's case.

But, when one needs to factor in, for example:
The difference in the cost of living between my current city and the city that I intend to relocate to - i.e. is there a salary calculator here that will determine my required income in order to live my current lifestyle?
How about the tax situation? Will I be better off, in terms of personal and income taxes?
Just to complicate it a little bit more - how about schools? Is there anything here that provides school comparison among cities/towns in the area that I intend to relocate?
How about housing? Are data on availability and costs of housing reliable here?

I do agree that it's nice to have personal accounts from people. However, I believe that relocation is a complicated matter that requires more details and accuracy than would be available here, especially if there are no data to support such suggestions.

I just wanted to clarify something concerning my earlier post. I'd say about 95 percent of the time, the folks posting here are pretty good about being balanced in giving their comments on what City X is like.

It's that remaining five percent who, on occasion and not in every relocation post, choose to bash a city they don't even live in.

In sum, I think most of the folks here are incredibly helpful with their input. If I was considering a move, I would not hesitate to asking the folks here about City X.

I would assume that those that are planning to move to another area check out the area via all sort of sources and consequently that Fodor's is one of the sources, not the only source.

some people in more expensive areas of the US are cashing in their chips and moving someplace cheaper - I have friends who were able to sell their home, pay cash outright for a new one in a different (and very nice - but a little slower paced) area, and still have a ton of money left over for traveling, living, etc. not altogether a bad idea!

Let's turn this back-to-front a little. Maybe we're drawing the line a little sharply between where we live and where we travel -- I mean, the point of making a distinction between being a &quot;tourist&quot; and being a &quot;traveller&quot; is that travellers try to get as good a taste/feel of a place, and what it would be like to live there, as possible during a visit. So why not ask a bunch of travellers all collected in the same virtual place -- as well as natives of a certain area -- about what it's like to live there?

And of course someone seriously facing relocation uses a number of resources -- consulting Fodorite friends would be only one. Problem with other resources is that they are either fact-based (as already mentioned) or sponsored by people with something to sell (realtors, chambers of commerce, etc.). Much much harder to get personal impressions or real experience.

And where else on the web can you ask people with a degree of sophistication and travel experience about how their home town compares to other places? If nothing else, you're going to get some blunt honesty here.

I posted a &quot;relocation&quot; plea a few minutes ago. A google search zoned in on a relocation posting. That is how I came to find this forum. For me, I'm only moving a few hours away but with three dogs, apartment living isn't really fesible. I'm hoping to connect with a couple people living in Raleigh or surrounding areas to offer opinions on the areas. The standard relocation packages offered by the Chamber and real estate firms offer stats and a map. Not very helpful in the quality of life category.

I have actually recommended this site to friends looking to relocate. Thought they might get insider's opinions and help, which they DID.

Suspicious minds....:-&lt;

Belle