Moving Out of State - Lansing,IL

I moved from Wisconsin to So. California in 1985 before the internet. So it was not as easy to research jobs or housing. At that time the unemployment rate in Orange County California was 3.9% Today it is considerable higher. You can start a job search and a housing search via the internet and see which area is best for you to move into.

I honestly believe Texas would be better for you, more jobs and the cost of living is lower than California.

Ahh

I would find a job first, then put your old home on the market and look for another just as you would in a local move.

We still have a home in Illinois because we are too lazy to sell it.

You don't want to do anything with moving until you have a job to move to.

Sorry M. S, you sound like you want guarantees and that can't be given in situations like this. You can however make the plan to move starting with getting a job in the new state first. 2nd would be getting a home, unless you are staying with family. 3rd, sell the home in IL. You can always do that from afar. I've had 2 friends that did this and one was happy and all worked out, the other, it didn't and she came back to NY only to start over what she had already accomplished. But you'll never know where your path will lead you if you don't take a chance. Go for it and good luck to you.

I would start a job search in both communities in which you're interested. Test out the market. Try looking on the Internet and perhaps subscribe to a local paper. Perhaps your family can help you with this since they live in the area. It's been much too many years since I looked for a job and so I don't have suggestions on how to do that.

I doubt that anyone would hold a job for you until summer but you can get a feel for the market. Find phone numbers for places you'd consider working and call their human resources people and ask questions.

Do the legwork as much as you can from where you live now.

You can rent, sell, or leave empty the house in IL. If you may come back to it, then rent it. Or if you don't have a job when you leave, leave it empty for a short period of time. I guess I wouldn't do anything with the house and not even move much until I had a job in the new place unless you know the move will be permanent.

When I was a child, my father went to the new state and found a job and a house while my mother and kids stayed in old house and state. Once he had a job, they put their old house on the mkt. and once it sold we all moved to the new state.

I suggest you could do something similar if you wait until schools out. Take your daughter to the new state, stay with friends/relatives and look for work. Once you find work, find a place to live and sell your house in IL. Before you leave IL engage a realtor who will then sell the house when you tell him to do so. I think you could have the realtor or a friend keep an eye on your house.

First thing you need to do is find out the licensing laws for your degree. Some states have different requirements for you to practice and receive 3rd party payments.

I would do Texas over California because the cost of living in Texas is less than it is in California. I am in Oklahoma and the housing costs in Texas are not much higher than ours. Ours are pretty cheap right now.

I also think that getting a job in a market like this is going to be interesting for you. If you could find a job through a mental health facility then you could have a steady job with benefits until you decide where you want to live and what the next step is.

Why not take Spring Break and leave Friday after school then stay with family for the break. Go to the facilities or practices in that area to see if any of them are considering taking on any more staff. If they are thinking about expanding. Sad as it is there are lots of people in therapy now due to loss of jobs, homes, and family's.

I hope you find something that is interesting and fulfilling. This way if you get a job offer you can get your daughter in school over those next few weeks and she can meet her peers and make friends.

Could you rent out your house in Illinois? At least cover your mortgage, insurance and taxes with the rent. Make sure to have a realtor handle it, and get a property manager. You don't have to get a company to do it. If you know a handyman who does this as part of his living, it's good because they know all the good subcontractors, plumbers, electricians, etc. $150 to $200 a month, according to your area, is good for an individual. A company will run you more, like $300 a month, and they will call other companies to fix things, costing you a lot more money.

A realtor can find you vetted renters. Don't accept anyone without running their credit (your realtor should be doing that) and a copy of their most recent bank statement. You should know where the rent is going to come from every month as well. Have an air tight lease, and keep in touch with your neighbors by email or phone to see how things are "next door".

You will save a ton of money moving to Texas instead of to California. I really mean it.

I'll let others give you answers to the rest of your question.

Good luck,
Dawn