What should I do? Any Ideas?

[JOHN B]

So....here is my situation. I have lived here in Ohio (mainly the Cleveland area) for the last 20 years or so now. Use to love it, now I hate it! I know where I want to move, (upper state New York) but just do not have the finances to do it. I told myself 4 or 5 years ago that I would be out of Ohio, and where I want to be, by the time I reach 45. Well, I am now 45 and I find myself thinking "By the time I am 50 I want to be out of here..." I do not want to wait any longer.

So....I have been thinking of trying to find a roommate situation in the city I want to move to. I have been looking online at room mate sites, and "local" (for that area) on line community ads, for "roommates wanted". I have some people telling me that that is dangerous, and most people placing those ads are just looking for someone they can steal from (once they move in), and then toss out. Someone else I know, feels it might be a great way to get a start in a new city, and it would help me make new friends there. I cannot afford my own place right now. (first second months rent/turn on utilities/buy furniture.etc....) Plus, even though I pay my rent EVERY month, and am rarely late with it, my credit SUCKS because I have credit debts I am slowly paying off....and apartment complexes usually turn you away if you have a bad credit score. So getting a place of my own right off the bat, is not feasible.
I just want to move to my new city, get a job, and carry on with my life as I am here. I am not expecting a move to be a big "gamechanger" and make my life perfect and all, like some people assume moving and starting fresh will do.

So....should I start trying to use these "room mate wanted" accesses to try to move? Or are there other ways that you guys can think of, that I might not have considered? I just REALLY want to live somewhere else, and start a life in a new city, before I get too old to move.

 

[JOHN B]

My "career" is retail, lol,......(even though I have a Social Work Degree, ..long story, ) so getting a job should be no problem. Yes, the economy is tough, but people are leaving my work place for other jobs all the time. I could probably get another job here, but it would be HERE. plus, more of the same old, same old. So...once I move, no...I would take any job i could find,..in the beginning, just to have some income while trying settle down there. (btw..."there" is hopefully Rochester, NY).

 

[ronboy]

John, are you sure you want to move to Upstate NY?

One thing I can tell you, because I live here, is that there are more similarities than differences between Cleveland and places like Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse. The weather is similar, but the culture of each place is quite different.

If you want to move to Eastern NY state (Utica/Rome, Albany, Adirondack area, Watertown, or Hudson Valley, again, it is different from Cleveland, but you may find that the employment opportunities are more limited than they are in Cleveland.

And if you are thinking New York City or Long Island, you will probably find the job you want, but it's a whole different culture there than in Upstate.

Sir Ron's advice...stay put unless you already have a job and nice place to live in the new city.

 

[ronboy]

You want to move to Rochester?

And you want to do social work?

You might have some luck.....

Good things about Rochester..... nothing is more than a 20 minute drive, we have Wegmans, the gay community here is smaller than in Cleveland, but they do try to organize and be active, the fact that we are swarming with higher educational institutions means that the general population is slightly more "white collar."

Bad things about Rochester....the weather sucks from November to April, and sometimes we get that "small town" mentality about things.....

 

[JOHN B]

Hi Ronboy! I love living near the Great Lakes. So that it why I chose upperstate NY. I am also obsessed with Toronto,...which is 6 1/2 hours from here, but only two hours from there. I WANT a different culture. Plus...even if it IS the same.....it would be a "different view outside my window" than I have had all these years here in Cleveland. Like I said in my original post, I do not expect life to be any different,...I just want to be living it in a different place.

Plus, there are so many things to do within a two hour driving distance from there (Buffalo, Toronto, Niagara Falls, woodland scenic drives) ..while there is really nothing around here. Everything is just too far away. Even Columbus (which is the only Ohio city growing) is about three hours away. Everything here is just "been there, done that" for me.


BTW---(about your second post)I do NOT want to do Social Work. I love retail. Oh...and I LOVE Wegman's!!! It's awesome. Rochester is a smaller city, yes, but a LOT less crime. Plus, from what I've seen, unlike Cleveland, there is no large "dead area" ring around Rochester. You walk through dangerous territory here, in going from Suburbs to City. I've driven there--to Rochester--three times in the last two years, and REALLY liked what I saw about the place. I'd love to make in my new home someday.

 

[vulgar_newcomer]

From the person renting a room in their home, or a duplex, apt you are the risk.
I simply would not even consider a unemployed person, or with no regular income as a canidate to cause me grieve on my property no matter how easy it could be for them to find a job.
If they paid extra security, enough to cover the time it would cost to evict them when they fell short because it wasn't easy to find as job as they thought or something else happened I may consider them.

You are looking at this from only your view most people do not want to rent their personal home to a complete strange no matter how nice.

Too many things can go wrong even with a back ground check. Moving to a new location without a network or much knowledge of really what its like to live there can cause major disillusion.
Once someone moves into your property and establishes residence they have certain rights making them hard to get rid of and costly legally to the landlord.
In a state like NY things are really tilted to the tenant even if hes just renting a extra bedroom.

The Risk is on both sides but ultimatly the landlord/property owner risk more because they have more invested.

What if you bring home some freaks that you didn't know were freaks but they cause a hassle thats the landlord sweeping up the mess!

A sincere propety owner looking for a good room mate is going to ask questions and if they fail to then its risky.
Contrary to what you are thinking, you will likely have to sell yourself just like you would to get a job.

After you get burned one time or another even with locals you play your cards much tougher and if things go right then it can be very decent.

Main thing is don't come to the table from a different location without a job unless you have cash in hand to escrow a couple/few months of security.

 

[rocabar]

John-
Just an idea, regarding rental places... Have Y'all tried contacting the Pride Centre in the community in which Y'all will be relocating? They may know of some folks that are looking for renters/room-mates.

Good luck, Dude!

 

[Harke the Boeotarch]

Check both places out for a few days, if you haven't already.

 

[JOHN B]

John-
Just an idea, regarding rental places... Have Y'all tried contacting the Pride Centre in the community in which Y'all will be relocating? They may know of some folks that are looking for renters/room-mates.

Good luck, Dude!

Hey! I never thought of that! I wonder if Rochester even HAS a Pride center? But,....the other poster was also correct. People renting out rooms/looking for roommates, ARE going to see someone who does not have a job lined up, or a few months rent up front, as a deadbeat. If I could AFFORD three months rent, I would have gotten my own apartment up there already.

I'm getting good advise here, though, So thanks.

 

[BostonPirate]

http://www.edgeboston.com/

 

[ronboy]

John,
here is the closest thing Rochester has to a Pride Center.....

http://www.gayalliance.org/

The Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley covers Rochester and much of Western NY.

 

[JOHN B]

THanks Ronboy! I bookmarked it.

 

[JOHN B]

Unfortunately, most dreams are fueled by $$$$$, which I have none right now, lol.

 

[swerve]

John...

Don't worry about the money...

Don't worry about the job...

Don't worry about the fears regarding an unknown roommate...

Just get the HELL out of O-HI-O -- and start living YOUR ONLY LIFE the way you want...

Best of luck!!!

 

[Beachguyj]

You should try PrideRoommates.

Also save as much money if you can, if your folks are still around move in with them for a year, or find a roommate in Ohio and save the rent money.

You only live one life go where it will make you happy. 3 years ago I moved to south Florida from NJ and I love it here. I was smart and was able to save for a few years and didn't have to worry about finding a job right away or not having rent money.

 

[rocabar]

John-

I was scrolling through the link that Ronboy provided... And found this-


http://ant-hill.org/


It's a housing co-operative. Sounds pretty neat. Probably cheaper than an apt, if cash is tight.

-R.