sleeveofwizzard

Thinking about relocating, who loves where they live?

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Trust me the last thing I want to do is move my business close to an established one. A big contender is still a suburb of Houston but on Google maps there are literally more sign shops then Starbucks in that area. Granted it is a huge city but to me it just doesn't make sense to try and add another one. 

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Ted, I think you'll be hard pressed to find any metropolitan area that isn't loaded with sign shops thanks to cheap cutters being readily available. But with your sales experience and general know how I think you can carve out a spot just about anywhere, I'd like to think that I could hang my shingle anywhere and make a living at what I do .

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Come on to the mountain state we have white water rafting ,fishing ,hunting ,ski slopes , one of the best state universitys in the south east air property taxes and only 1% tax on food soon going to zero on food and home of the national boy scout jamboree just to name a few . And some of the greatest secenery in the united states . Where I live in southern West Virginia we have 2 major interstate highways converging in my town . Oh yeah one of the better state football teams Go Wvu .

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There's an old saying, "wherever you go, there you are". I'm not sure of it's complete meaning but I have found from living and running a business in a few different places... It's just a matter of getting used to it and finding you niche. Small towns and large both have their pros & cons.

 

I figure the competition in a new place is like a snake in the grass... He's as much 'afraid' of you as you are of him.

Don't let that be your determining factor. Happiness comes from within. It's not something magical that one place has and another doesn't.

 

Just my 2 cents.

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I agree that there are going to be sign shops everywhere but I mean come on this just looks silly! I think this area is about 5 times bigger than mine but there are a total of maybe 15 shops max in my county.

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Looks like you are considering a much more populated area than where you are now...

 

Well, look at the bright side. There are PLENTY of spots that DON'T have a red dot on them.

Another good news... there must be enough business to support that many shops.

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Talk about 1 on every corner and here I gripe about 1 in the next town. Bet there's some great deals on used equipment cause theirs no way all those shops are good enough to stay open.

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We bought a 165 acre farm in Weston WV in 1994 for $97K ( 7 miles out of town ) . Free unlimited gas for 2 homes . Property tax then was $200 , now $600 . General busines there is bad . Only thing booming is gas production . 1 sign shop in town that does good . When I get to retire a little more and move there , making/selling decals out of an enclosed trailer along with knife sharpening at auctions , races etc is how I plan to suppliment my income & spend some time . That way I can choose what and when I want to do it . I have a 1/10th banked dirt kart track that is almost ready to open to the public . A dirt drags beside it should be fun & suppliment income also . Self employed is the only thing besides working for the gas industry that pays much . There is no zoning outside of the city limits and as long as you don't muddy the creeks , nobody bothers you . So it seems more like the " free " America I was taught abut in elementary school . I have some family in Elkview and 1 day I intend on having some time to visit and meet Dan . I still have meeting John on my bucket list . I am going to Tn soon & am hoping to have time for that :) . Where I have property in Tn , it is even more bleak economically .

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Yup... we never know what good is waiting right around the next moment of our lives.

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I agree that there are going to be sign shops everywhere but I mean come on this just looks silly! I think this area is about 5 times bigger than mine but there are a total of maybe 15 shops max in my county.

Plus that is only what that search comes up with , there are probably many more small shops plus people running it out of their homes & not licensed/registered etc .

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I never have looked at the google to see how many sign stores are in my area.

 

I'm busy and have plenty of clients, that's what counts.

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You have to consider "How old is the Google Map info?"... Many of those businesses may have already gone out of business.

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I agree and I have not even decided if I am going to continue to do signs full time but it is one of the possibilities. I am going to take on a large academic load so I can fast track my degree. I really need to finish college before my kids start lol. This is one of the reasons I really want to get to a place where the cost of living isn't so bad. My thoughts on the sign company saturation is that yes there are tons and it seems silly to add another one but if there are so many then there is probably a lot of demand for it. 

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Yup... we never know what good is waiting right around the next moment of our lives.

Yes indeed !!! Ambitious people will make it no matter where . Like the old adage , if life gives you lemons , make lenomade :) . Even around the DC and Baltimore area , the economy is tanked . I hear people complaining about no work , but when offered work , they don't jump . The cost of l;iving around here is not suited for retirement imo . I f close to retiring , a place that has a better cost of living should be considered . If still in the main part of a career , you need to be where people will/can spend the money .

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And one fantastic song ---

 

Take Me Home (Country Roads)

Good one, Slice... Haven't heard that in one long time. Took me home.

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We bought a 165 acre farm in Weston WV in 1994 for $97K ( 7 miles out of town ) . Free unlimited gas for 2 homes . Property tax then was $200 , now $600 . General busines there is bad . Only thing booming is gas production . 1 sign shop in town that does good . When I get to retire a little more and move there , making/selling decals out of an enclosed trailer along with knife sharpening at auctions , races etc is how I plan to suppliment my income & spend some time . That way I can choose what and when I want to do it . I have a 1/10th banked dirt kart track that is almost ready to open to the public . A dirt drags beside it should be fun & suppliment income also . Self employed is the only thing besides working for the gas industry that pays much . There is no zoning outside of the city limits and as long as you don't muddy the creeks , nobody bothers you . So it seems more like the " free " America I was taught abut in elementary school . I have some family in Elkview and 1 day I intend on having some time to visit and meet dan . I still have meeting John on my bucket list . I am going to Tn soon & am hoping to have time for that :) . Where I have property in Tn , it is even more bleak economically .

Yep I will have to take the time to look up banner john during one of my trips to Tn. I pass right through Johnson City on my way to Jonesborough and Greeneville Tn. My brotherinlaw in Johnson City Medical center now so we may need to go soon depending on the test results . I really like that area also if I was going to live anywhere else that is a good choice. But I really love my mountains .

Slice I had moved to Virginia to work and got so homesick when that song came out in 1971 that I packed up and came back home .

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Good one, Slice... Haven't heard that in one long time. Took me home.

John Denvers widow has asked a couple of our state delegates to bring legislation to make country roads our state song.

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I tag & insure some of my trucks in Tn and need to get there by the end of the month to renew the reg . There is some VERY cheap living around ... I let a gal who just had a kid move into the old mobile home and let her live there for free for 2 years . Came to an agreement for $200 a month Jan of 2012 . 2 1/2 payments since then :( . She moved out & let somebody else move in . I am going to try and promote some paying business when I get there :) .

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John Denvers widow has asked a couple of our state delegates to bring legislation to make country roads our state song.

She live in Tn ?

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Rodger said -- "Even around the DC and Baltimore area, the economy is tanked"

 

The unemployment rate is just 0.7 percent higher than the national average.

Major manufacturing & factories have closed, but service and professional occupations are strong.

 

I would not agree that the Baltimore suburban area economic situation has tanked --  

there is still plenty of opportunity.

 

To quote Rodger again-- "Ambitious people will make it no matter where..."

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Every time I get close to buying a home or land here in Ca something happens and it doesn't pan out. I have been looking at buying when I move and man are the prices cheaper. There are a few states that really don't care much if you build your own house. I think Montana is one of them that only requires a permit or inspection on the electrical but the rest is your problem. I think putting the family to work and building our own home would be a pretty awesome experience. Maybe get a mobile home for the property for while we are building.

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