Microsoft--layoffs? (Seattle, Pacific: sale, real estate market, lease)

[marylee54]

Ok, thought the title would get peoples' attention!

No, I haven't heard anything about pending layoffs at MS, quite the opposite, my husband has an offer with them! Thing is, he has a good job right here in Austin. The MS job would pay more, but we wonder--we uproot ourselves to move up there, then, get laid off?

Ok, the pros are--MS pays more, plus great benefits, plus I think relocation is part of the package. Also, great retirement package.

Cons--We move, if we can sell our house, the real estate market in Austin is somewhat flat right now. So, we manage to sell, don't have much equity, move up there, take on a much bigger mortgage, then, layoffs hit. Layoffs are common here in Austin, we've both been hit by the pink slip in the last few years.

So, it boils down to--where will we have the most long-term security, here in Austin or with MS? I realize that job security is an oxymoron, just doesn't exist except in relative terms. But its a great offer from MS!

So, for those of you with your fingers more on the pulse of MS, how does it feel for long-term security?

[just*us]

We are weighing this same thing...I watched my uncle get laid off from HP and then since so many HP'ers lived in Fort Collins, the real estate went south, everyone had to move for new jobs, etc. It is hard to leave a pretty stable job for the "unknown"...

[obsidian97]

Originally Posted by marylee54

No, I haven't heard anything about pending layoffs at MS, quite the opposite, my husband has an offer with them! Thing is, he has a good job right here in Austin. The MS job would pay more, but we wonder--we uproot ourselves to move up there, then, get laid off?

Ok, the pros are--MS pays more, plus great benefits, plus I think relocation is part of the package. Also, great retirement package.

Cons--We move, if we can sell our house, the real estate market in Austin is somewhat flat right now. So, we manage to sell, don't have much equity, move up there, take on a much bigger mortgage, then, layoffs hit. Layoffs are common here in Austin, we've both been hit by the pink slip in the last few years.

So, it boils down to--where will we have the most long-term security, here in Austin or with MS? I realize that job security is an oxymoron, just doesn't exist except in relative terms. But its a great offer from MS!

So, for those of you with your fingers more on the pulse of MS, how does it feel for long-term security?

I think you have a good grasp on the situation (btw -- ask your recruiter about the relo benefits) between the two communities. If MSFT started into heavy layoffs, well, it'd be armageddon for the eastside economy. So it's a risk.

I'd say if you came to Seattle the only thing that would really create a risk situation for you is if you were to buy a home. If you rent, I don't think you would really be putting yourself at much risk because the worst that would happen is you'd have to break your lease to get another job.

The Pacific Northwest has a strong export economy, and MSFT is a global company not tied to the whims of a single economy. Just look at the results they've been posting despite the shape the economy in America is in. If you sit down and calculate the total economic impact of MSFT to the world economy it's well into the trillions of dollars.

Layoffs can happen for a number and variety of reasons, but I think as far as worrying about MSFT layoffs because business is bad, it's not something that's impossible by ANY stretch, but also not something likely to occur overnight either.

[marylee54]

At this point we need stability over "big bucks" but where's stability, anyways? Also, I understand the climate in Seattle is not so nice, dreary and rainy a lot............

[marylee54]

Now there's a thought--rent a home in Seattle and rent our home here in Austin. We could ride out the slow real estate market here in Austin and hope for better times, and, if something go wrong with the job with MS, well, we have a home here.

Ok, now, what to do with 8+ years of stuff, 4 cats, a dog and a guinea pig?

[Politico]

Originally Posted by marylee54

Now there's a thought--rent a home in Seattle and rent our home here in Austin. We could ride out the slow real estate market here in Austin and hope for better times, and, if something go wrong with the job with MS, well, we have a home here.

Ok, now, what to do with 8+ years of stuff, 4 cats, a dog and a guinea pig?

This doesn't apply to pets, but you could rent a climate-controlled storage space for $50-$250/mo, depending on the size you need. My husband and I rented one big enough for a 3-br home for $189/mo recently in Phoenix.

Or, you could sell stuff you don't need anymore. I did it recently. It's actually very liberating to get rid of crap you don't use.

[marylee54]

Or, you could sell stuff you don't need anymore. I did it recently. It's actually very liberating to get rid of crap you don't use. [/quote]

I know that feeling! I spent all day today cleaning out two closets and the bedroom, couldn't believe how much crap we're keeping! Just tossed most of it, some for Goodwill, some for that garage sale I'll never have. We could furnish a whole second house with all this stuff!

I admit, the idea of moving is somewhat daunting, partly because of all the stuff we have. I think I'd need an 18-wheeler just to move it!

[Politico]

Originally Posted by marylee54

I know that feeling! I spent all day today cleaning out two closets and the bedroom, couldn't believe how much crap we're keeping! Just tossed most of it, some for Goodwill, some for that garage sale I'll never have. We could furnish a whole second house with all this stuff!

I admit, the idea of moving is somewhat daunting, partly because of all the stuff we have. I think I'd need an 18-wheeler just to move it!

I can't stand having junk stuffed in closets and drawers. Here's a good rule of thumb that I follow:

For stuff - If you haven't used it in the past year, you probably don't need it...toss it, sell it or give it away.

For clothing - If it's stained, torn, has a hole, doesn't fit, or hasn't been worn in the last year, toss it, sell it or give it away.

If you have doubles or triples of anything you don't generally need more than one of (kitchen utensils, coffee makers, blenders, toaster/toaster oven, video game systems, sets of cheap wine glasses, etc), get rid of the extras...toss them, sell them or give them away.

For furniture - If it's old, heavy or inexpensive (like IKEA), it may be better/cheaper to sell it and buy new when you get to your new city, rather than pay for movers to move it, or for storage.

[marylee54]

For furniture - If it's old, heavy or inexpensive (like IKEA), it may be better/cheaper to sell it and buy new when you get to your new city, rather than pay for movers to move it, or for storage.

I agree, its cheaper to sell or donate old furniture then buy new when you move, compared to the cost of moving it. I like to shop at thrift stores, Goodwill, etc, have found a lot of nice furniture, tables, lamps, wall hangings, etc, our house looks quite nice, not like "sanford & Son", but we don't have so much invested in it we would hate to leave it, just sell or donate, then, when we move, shop at thrift stores again. Of course, we do have stuff we would take with us, but a lot we would leave behind.

[marylee54]

So now that I have some time to think about it, I can list books on Amazon, stuff on Ebay, have a garage sale, donate stuff for a tax write off, and you know what? I'd never miss any of that crap!