Hello from deep south Texas. I have been offered a Job in the Midland area and need a little info and advice.

I have a short period to decide on accepting it or not. I qualify for a relocation co. paid move as well.

I would be looking for a home somewhere within a 30 minute ride from midland. Dont know the area if there are better places to live than other places like there is less snow in this area or there is less flooding over here.

My kids are grown, my 23 yr old son will be going with me and my wife. Hes out of work due to the oil drilling ban.

Any and information would be appreciated.

 

Bump for advice
We are looking in this general area.

 

Hey rockey, You shoulda just PM'ed me your number in the first place.


Send me your number. I'll ring you up and talk to you about it.

 

This particular area of Michigan you are looking in has a wide range of homes/area to look at. You are looking from city life to very rural in your map area . It all depends on what you desire. Frankenmuth is a very nice small town with a bavarian flair for example. Please advise as to what you desire.

 

X2 on this,

ALot of great area to look at, depending on what you want to do, including just staying right there in Midland.

As far as your son goes, I dont know about how much work there is there, but we are still sitting at about 13.6% unemployed for Mi, so your son will have to hump hard to find a job. There is work, but I think the interview is going to have to go real well, there are alot of people to contend with.

 

Thanks William, bigredtruckmi and Pat for the replies.

The job is in Midland and I dont know the driving conditions of the area and several other things about working in a colder climate. I have worked in Alberta for a summer stint but the family stayed here in Texas.

So as far as living in the area I prefer less big city a more of a rural setting but close enough to be able to get to work. The work is going to be demanding and so I will not have time to have a large property to deal with and need to be able to get to work easily at no more than a hour drive. Also on a rare day will it ever get into the teens here in Texas so I am not familiar with the cold weather life.
The 96 psd should be okay but my wife's car does not have a block heater.
In the winter months and other, do you carry certain items in your vehicle besides tools gloves etc.?
My wife is a little reluctant to make this jump, my current job is okay but the new one has a lot to offer. She is reluctant to move away from the family in the area and friends and all, so I have been trying to get some information about living in Mi. to be able to make a decision about this. My new boss (if I accept) is new to the area as well and he is out of Houston so he does not have much information about life and living in Michigan.

I may be able to use my position to get my son hired for the construction Co. Its 4 yr. exspansion project. So I pay for him right now most of the time; so if he does not get a job early on, thats not much of a concern. Currently he has two part time jobs one with a swimming pool co. and the other as a suite attendant at Reliant Foot Ball Stadium in Houston.

So I have been scrambling around on the pc to try and find information about the area in general.

I have a small window to decide on this. This job has a lot too offer. But I want to do whats right for my wife and family as well. So thats the reason I started this thread in hope of gathering more information about life in Michigan and working and living in the Midland area.

I really appreciate your replies and the information

 

Yea, As for places to live, you have so many choices around midland

And as for friends, I don't know if you noticed how many of the OBS guys are here in michigan. =)

You dont' need block heaters for your cars though here in lower michigan. They help in upper michigan, but are not necessary there either.

As for our unemployment rate. Fun fact I learned.
The % of the rate is only based upon people collecting unemployment.
There are many a people just on welfare here in michigan. haha.

Oh sorry, not supposed to scare you off.

Midland is actually an expanding area, I'm not sure how, but they are.
They have a good college and some other nice places around there.
I'm pretty sure the son can find a job in midland. I could, its just to far for me to drive for the pay I would get.
Dow Chemical Has a presence there in Midland, I think that helps with keeping the town afloat. Dow diamond is amazing stadium. There is also the Dow Event center as well.

Bay city is a short drive away, as is saginaw (why ever you would want to go to that place)

Water everywhere also.

Wife might be scared of driving in the snow for a while, thats about it.

 

I think I would suggest living in the Midland area, or at least looking. You HAVE a choice in the Midland for what ever you want, from a small yard, up to 20 acres, or more. The down town is not massive, but busy enough for a night life, and as William said, Bay City is 20 mins away. Frankenmuth is about 40 mins away, and your wife may enjoy that.

Michigan Life, it varies. The area you are speaking of, well, you probably will never be waived at more then in Mid to Northren Michigan area, people just seem to be friendlier the further North you go in Michigan, where I am, we normally waive using one finger, and during specific times of the day, referrred to a rush hour. Its hard for me to make the change as I head up that way, but I slowly learn.

In Midland, they get a decent amount of snow, but they are not in our snow belt area, they are though right on the edge of it, so Midland will have a dusting quit often.

I have not shopped in any other states, so I can not tell you the cost of living, but for a quick reference, We can buy milk for 1.69 to 2.49. A good piece of steak will go fro 6.49 to 9.99 a pound.

Home prices have dropped significantly, nearly 50% in some areas, and if you are talentend, you could find a home for 30% of its value, but buying from the bank can take up to 3 months. Rentals should be found easily, many people are not making the trip "Up North" anymore, so cabins are being rented as homes, and some cabins are nicer then the homes down state, so that may be a oppertunity.

By the way, if you head to the Midland area, you will be considered Mid State, so you will need a large garage to host the Michigan Chapter get togethers..just a thought.

If you have anymore specific questions, please ask.

I dont know what to expect for Michigan in the next 4 years, so I guess I would ask this, when this job is over, are they taking you with them?

 

Yea, pats last question there is a good one.

If you have a good job here, its great. Cost of living is pretty cheap in michigan despite some of our taxes. More depends on the area you live more than the state as well.

Insurance for vehicles varries strangely in the state as well.

A big garage is mandatory here as a michigan member as well. Just sayin.

Plus, you get to hang out with an almost all diesel chapter. =)
And...
I'll let you meet TJBeggs too. =)


Pat, he's an OBS 7.3 guy.

 

Yea, pats last question there is a good one.

If you have a good job here, its great. Cost of living is pretty cheap in michigan despite some of our taxes. More depends on the area you live more than the state as well.

Insurance for vehicles varries strangely in the state as well.

A big garage is mandatory here as a michigan member as well. Just sayin.

Plus, you get to hang out with an almost all diesel chapter. =)
And...
I'll let you meet TJBeggs too. =)


Pat, he's an OBS 7.3 guy.

 

There maybe some oil biz jobs available in the area too. Or natural gas. The jobs are out there, you just have to want it bad enough and go the extra mile to prove it. If I was debt free and looking to move into that area, I would research lake frontage. Its as cheap as its been in 10 years.

 

Thanks Pat, William and FordBlueHeart for the replies.

I have done some research since the post and the area is appealing to me. Seems like the rain there is spread out more than it is where I currently live, in that here we sometimes get all or none. Snow fall seems to be about avg 2 ft there as well and those summer temps are awesome. Just yesterday it was 98 deg f in the shade and the humidity was a stagnate 82% here.

Today I will be finding out some information from the HR department. Like compensation and other benefits.

After the project construction there will be 300 new jobs. During construction about 1200 jobs. I will be ground floor management level. Position is not yet set in stone in that I was head hunted for the position and the HR department sets the rules. So today I get to see whats actually offered.
Out the door now. Have a Happy Hump Day

 

Good luck. Keep us posted.

 

Very cool.. dont forget.. you need a garage.. you will be the Michigan GTG place, being in the center and all!!

Good Luck Rocky with what ever your choice!!

 

That two feet of snow is for the whole winter! Snows 2 inches, melts. Snows 3 more, melts and so on. Come up 2 hours further and you will see 2 feet on the ground all winter.