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My husband and I (and our two daughters aged 5 and 11) are contemplating a move to Alaska from Colorado in summer 2018. We plan to land somewhere between east Wasilla and Eagle River.
We plan to drive as we have vehicles and pets (2 dogs and 1 cat) that we want to bring. We've done a ton of research, know what has to be done to go over the borders, and know it will be a $10K+ move.
The why - we are outdoorsy people. We love to camp, fish, hunt, hike, backpack, and just be in nature. We currently live in a suburb of Denver, getaway to the mountains as much as we can, and have always dreamed of living closer to all those things we love to do. Unfortunately, we can't afford to buy a home in the forest here - not anywhere. Denver (and Colorado) has gotten crazy expensive. The idea of finding a single family home to rent for under $1500 (as I've found several in Wasilla on Trulia) is laughable in Denver. You can get a 2-bedroom apartment for that, if you're lucky, and forget having pets. They'll also ask for deposits and two months rent up front. Crazy competitive rental market.
I also love to travel and experience new cultures. We feel a bit stuck in a rut and are looking for an amazing adventure also. We can also get more bang for our buck in terms of housing (both buying and renting) in the Matsu Valley vs Denver. We also love the ocean and the mountains, and have always dreamed of living in a place with both. We'd originally thought about the pacific northwest, but my husband is a survival man/homesteader fan, has spent lots of time perfecting his skills in these mountains, and wants a chance to take them somewhere really wild. We do appreciate the libertarian outlook that Alaska offers too.
My husband is being laid off in spring and I have several real estate deals in process (I'm an agent here). By the time we finish those deals, get my husband's severance pay, and sell our house, we will have over $50,000 in savings after moving expenses, depending on how my job goes between now and then it could be up to $100K.
We plan on having a rental secured before we leave the state, and will begin applying for jobs as soon as everything is official and we are close (in terms of time), but it's possible we may leave Colorado and not have a job on the other end.
My husband has 15 years experience in retail, warehousing, and manufacturing, including management experience. I have 20+ years experience in office and education administration and management, and also real estate. I also have a fair number of ways I can make money online because of my admin and web skills. We know unemployment is higher in Alaska as a whole, and that oil job losses are causing some problems. That being said, during the height of the 2009 recession when national unemployment was over 10%, we were both looking for jobs in Colorado and only took two months each to find and accept a position.
Schools in east Wasilla and Palmer out-rank all of the schools in our county, including the highly desired charter school our kids are currently enrolled in. At least, as much as you can research these things using school ranking websites.
We know about the crime - we've compared statistics back and forth between Anchorage/Denver and their respective suburbs ad nauseam. Both of us are street smart - my husband grew up in the ghetto of Las Vegas and though I didn't grow up rough, I've spend a lot of time in both Denver and Los Angeles and I've seen my fair share of drug users and homeless people in person, as have my kids. Denver is a huge city and these problems exist all the way into the suburbs and beyond. We get that there are more drugs and more rape than our home town, though my research on the latter suggests it's largely a domestic violence problem, not random people on the street. We also get that there's less gun violence (i.e., school shootings) and auto theft than Denver. So pick your evils I guess? As a real estate agent in Denver, I walk around the city by myself a lot, and take my kids there often. Big cities don't scare me.
Notes on the weather. We have real winter in Colorado. I've experienced -21F and 4ft of snow at once. I learned how to drive in the snow. In fact, we don't see as many cold winters here now as we did when we were kids, and we miss it. The summers here are too hot. Because we live on the west side of Denver, we're in the shadow of the Rockies and sunset here happens at least an hour earlier than other places. It's dark here well before 5pm in winter. If you've spent most of the day at school or work, you will likely have very little sunlight exposure on that day. So, I don't feel like the weather is a huge change (although the summer light will probably be a shocker).
So, are we crazy? What are we missing and haven't thought of? I hear from some people the job market is great, others say it's horrible. Looking on the job websites (in November), I've found dozens I would qualify for and would fit the bill pay-wise. Is it that out-of-towners are overlooked for locals? Because it seems to me there are jobs and plenty of them.
Tell me, locals and experienced movers, what are we missing?
Last edited by WandererGirl; 11-25-2017 at 08:12 AM..
It sounds as if you both have put a lot of thought into your prospective move and have the resources to back it up, I commend you on that.
Considering your position and thoughtfulness I encourage your making the move. The only thing I did not see is that you researched the weather, understand that the winters are very long, very cold and very dark. The change in daylight hours may be the greatest factor to have to adjust to, and many are unable due to the effect it can have on one's mood. An example is winter solstice, the shortest day of the year Dec. 21 Anchorage receives roughly 5 1/2 hours of daylight, compared to Denver which receives nearly 9 1/2 hours of daylight, that is a tremendous difference.
Another significant factor is sunny or clear days. Anchorage gets 60 clear days on average annually, with the majority of those occurring during the winter months of Jan. and Feb., that means COLD. July, August and September are the wettest months of the year with October transitioning to snow. By November it is full on winter, dark and cold.
Get used to being active in cold, dark, wet, cloudy conditions for the majority of outdoor activities. Loose the cotton and invest in synthetic and/or wool fibers for your families clothing needs. Always be prepared for the weather to turn nasty at the drop of a hat, always expect that the weather will change to rain overnight when camping. Never expect continuous days of dry sunshiney weather that you are accustomed to in CO. Always expect adverse weather and be prepared for it.
Not at all. What you're doing makes perfect sense. My advice is to enjoy every step of your way in this adventure.
Matsu area may be wet compared to Denver, I don't know, but it's practically desert like compared to where I'm at. Winter are indeed long, dark and cold though. No two ways about that.
I just moved from Alaska to Colorado and I would move back in a heartbeat. You will feel like super people with all the oxygen there is in AK. Getting used to the dark in the winter and the light in the summer will take some time. Winter days are waaaaay longer here in CO and it doesn't really compare to Alaska. AK really is not as sunny as CO. That is another thing I miss. It is way too bright here.
It does sound like you have planned this out and have a good amount of savings. My only concern is that AK is in a recession so jobs might be harder to find. We are in the San Luis Valley so the rural schools don't really compare to the Denver area schools but my kids education was far superior in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District compared to what they have now. Good Luck!
Notes on the weather. We have real winter in Colorado. I've experienced -21F and 4ft of snow at once. I learned how to drive in the snow. In fact, we don't see as many cold winters here now as we did when we were kids, and we miss it.
Winters here are hit and miss this last decade. There was several years with mostly ice and more brown due to not enough snow to cover the ground.
As for jobs. Anchorage area has plenty, but any where else in the state is lacking. Especially Kenai peninsula. This state heavily depends on oil and fisheries for a major source of income. The oil market has not bounced back like the lower 48 and will probably be a couple years behind.
Be prepared to hike in wet conditions. Once in a while you'll get lucky for a clear warm day.
Alaska is both a blessing and a curse when it comes to traveling. It's fun traveling here, but once you're here, it's quite the series of long flights to get anywhere besides Seattle. All that translates to expensive plane tickets, so unless you're very wealthy with unlimited time off, you should plan on seeing relatives in the lower 48 less than you otherwise would. That doesn't sound so bad, until people start dying, getting married, etc and it's just too much $$$ and time to go..... Something to think about.
Colorado also has some pretty nice weather with approx 300 sunny days a year. It's a tough transition. If you want to know what Matsu's weather is like, take a really cold shower, immediately hop into your deep freezer and have your husband turn the leaf blower on and point it at you, with the lights off. That should give you an idea.
I don't blame you for wanting to leave the craziness of the front range sprawl, but you'd also be coming to the fastest growing area of Alaska. There's plenty of people and craziness there. It's not an idllyic quaint little village by any means.
In all fairness, I'm not a huge fan of anchorage or the surrounding areas. I just don't see the point of moving all the way to Alaska just to live in an urban or suburban environment. But many people obviously disagree with me and think it's great. I love Alaska but would probably move to Montana, Northern Idaho, or Wyoming before I ever moved near Anchorage. You should honestly look at those states as well. They offer a lot of what you're looking for and are cheaper and closer and none of them have the craziness of Colorado (yet).
Get used to being active in cold, dark, wet, cloudy conditions for the majority of outdoor activities. Loose the cotton and invest in synthetic and/or wool fibers for your families clothing needs. Always be prepared for the weather to turn nasty at the drop of a hat, always expect that the weather will change to rain overnight when camping. Never expect continuous days of dry sunshiney weather that you are accustomed to in CO. Always expect adverse weather and be prepared for it.
Definitely appreciate your input on the weather. We know it will be darker, wetter, and colder much longer than it is here. Kind of part of the appeal honestly. But sudden turns of weather aren't rare here - we can have huge swings in temperature and precipitation in the same day. It can go well below 0F and dump several feet of snow. Hiking and camping in the winter require synthetic layers as well. So, more extreme but nothing that's completely unfamiliar territory. Thanks for replying!
I have never understood the whole ocean and mountains in alaska. If I wanted ocean and mountains, I'd move to Hawaii.
Sounds like you got it figured out. Just keep some of your money in reserve to get out of you can't find a job.
Good luck finding a place that will rent to you without a job.
I just moved from Alaska to Colorado and I would move back in a heartbeat. You will feel like super people with all the oxygen there is in AK. Getting used to the dark in the winter and the light in the summer will take some time. Winter days are waaaaay longer here in CO and it doesn't really compare to Alaska. AK really is not as sunny as CO. That is another thing I miss. It is way too bright here.
It does sound like you have planned this out and have a good amount of savings. My only concern is that AK is in a recession so jobs might be harder to find. We are in the San Luis Valley so the rural schools don't really compare to the Denver area schools but my kids education was far superior in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District compared to what they have now. Good Luck!
We always love that super oxygen feeling when we visit California. The adjustment to less sun I think will be the biggest difference. But hey, we're in it for the adventure! I'm concerned about the job market too - this is the thing most likely to derail our long term plans.
Alaska is both a blessing and a curse when it comes to traveling. It's fun traveling here, but once you're here, it's quite the series of long flights to get anywhere besides Seattle. All that translates to expensive plane tickets, so unless you're very wealthy with unlimited time off, you should plan on seeing relatives in the lower 48 less than you otherwise would. That doesn't sound so bad, until people start dying, getting married, etc and it's just too much $$$ and time to go..... Something to think about.
Colorado also has some pretty nice weather with approx 300 sunny days a year. It's a tough transition. If you want to know what Matsu's weather is like, take a really cold shower, immediately hop into your deep freezer and have your husband turn the leaf blower on and point it at you, with the lights off. That should give you an idea.
I don't blame you for wanting to leave the craziness of the front range sprawl, but you'd also be coming to the fastest growing area of Alaska. There's plenty of people and craziness there. It's not an idllyic quaint little village by any means.
In all fairness, I'm not a huge fan of anchorage or the surrounding areas. I just don't see the point of moving all the way to Alaska just to live in an urban or suburban environment. But many people obviously disagree with me and think it's great. I love Alaska but would probably move to Montana, Northern Idaho, or Wyoming before I ever moved near Anchorage. You should honestly look at those states as well. They offer a lot of what you're looking for and are cheaper and closer and none of them have the craziness of Colorado (yet).
Good luck!
Yes, we did look into the travel expense issue. Well, we're hoping that my parents, who we see often and are travel bugs too, will visit us often. As for my husband's family, I think he's looking forward to putting some distance between them.
We will miss the regular sun for sure. Still, part of the reason we want to leave is because Colorado is getting super dry and we miss real weather.
We know the Matsu area is growing, but Colorado's growth is unreal. One of the fastest growing states in the nation. We're not really concerned about lots of people and craziness that comes with them, it's how expensive things are here vs what you get for it. I actually like cities - my husband is the one who wants the opportunity to be remote (why we settled on this as a compromise while our kids are in school).
That was the take-home message of all the research and price comparisons we did. Sure, Alaska is expensive in comparison to most places. What we found was that so is Denver, especially when it comes to housing. For $50K less than what our house is worth we can trade up for something newer, bigger, and on an acre or more in Wasilla or Palmer. In terms of renting, the savings on a similar house is something like $1000 a month.
Alaska is the draw in terms of location because it has both mountains and ocean, and we think the adventure there will be bigger.
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Winter are indeed long, dark and cold though. No two ways about that.
