How to move across country

General The Pub
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Okay, gals, and guys, I am in serious need of help here. My wife and I have a dilemma. You may know we are looking to move across country soon.

Problem is that houses are taking up to 4 months to sell. When we put this house up for sale, we have around 4 months to find another home.

My wife uses a walker; thus, it isn’t practical to have her fly out to the Midwest and stay with family while looking for property. The area we like best is a 7-hour drive from family. A 14 hour round trip each time there’s a house to look at leaves me 2 hours to see any houses. I certainly cannot afford to stay in hotels there. Then there’s the very real chance that I’ll get confused and lost, even using a GPS.

Our 2nd best choice is Springfield, Missouri. That’s only a 3.5-hour drive. Missouri is a distant second. Colder, SNOW and a little higher cost of living.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to handle this?

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The simplest answer would to be to move closer to family.

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I know, but the foot hills of Tn. smokey’s are SO nice. Gets a little humid in the summer, but nothing like Mi. and not too hot 'cuz it’s on the lower foothills… Not too cold cuz it further south.

Springfield Missouri, foot hills of the Ozarks, get as humid as Mi. but not AS cold, and has a foot or so of snow/winter.

Last evening I realized I can rent an apartment for $800/month or mayhap find a senior citizen in need of a roommate. The latter of which may open a can of worms, but I think a studio apartment may work.

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Pauly, my man… my walnut-flavoured friend…

You really know how to make a simple move sound like the plot to a Netflix survival drama. I half expected the post to end with “Day 47: The GPS has turned against me. Send VG.”

Let’s break this down before you end up living in a shed behind Bass Pro Shops.

First off—yes, the Smokies are lovely. Magical, even. But you do realise you’re describing the place like a vape reviewer trying to justify buying the slightly shinier version of the mod they already own?
“Sure it costs more and the battery door falls off, but look at that foothill airflow, baby.”

Here’s the unglamorous Old Goat truth:

Option 1: Live close to family.

SessionDrummer already said it, but I’ll dress it up for you:
Family = built-in help, support, and people who can rescue you when you “get confused and lost” even WITH GPS.
(Seriously, Pauly, you make it sound like the GPS wakes up every morning specifically to bully you.)

Option 2: The foothills dream.

Beautiful? Yes.
Peaceful? Yes.
Practical when you need constant back-and-forth house-hunting, medical accessibility, and a walker-friendly environment?
That’s a hard ehhhhhh…

Option 3: Springfield, MO.

Not the dream, but also not Mordor.
A 3.5-hour drive is doable without needing a sherpa and a headlamp.
Costs are reasonable, weather is tolerable, and you can still get to family without chartering a rescue helicopter.

The Apartment Plan

Honestly? That’s your most realistic move yet.
Cheap, stable, no frantic driving, no senior roommates who might steal your cereal or insist on watching Judge Judy at full blast.
You rent for a few months, house-hunt properly, keep your wife comfortable, and avoid getting permanently lost in the wilds of Tennessee.

It’s temporary, practical, and won’t end with you writing memoirs titled “Lost in the Smokies: The Man Who Fought a House-Market and Lost.”

Pauly, you know we love you, but sometimes you need someone to tap you on the forehead and say:

“Brother. Rent the apartment.”

We’ll help you through the chaos—just promise not to navigate using Apple Maps.

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It did last week! For over 20 years, I’ve been going to the same pharmacy at least once a week. Grocery store…etc. Maybe 2 miles, and I’m looking around going, “where the hell am I?” I didn’t recognize anything!

Got to an intersection I DID recognize, and was good from there, but that’s it in a nutshell.

I’m thinking y’all are right regarding an apartment, NEAR family! Ozarks of Missouri. Moocho colder, more humid, but then I seldom drive/get out, and if I DO get out it’s to the porch. Can’t sip scotch there when it’s 30 degrees though.

But, like 'ya say, closer support. No driving so no car rental = cheaper. I’ll have one of my kids drive me around the Ozarks of a weekend to locate an apartment and once there, a realtor can pick me up to look at houses.

To put cold into perspective, It’s 57 degrees right now. I needed a coat to go to the detached garage! I’ll take that summer, 105 or more degrees (in the shade) over this, any day!

Speaking of weather, it’s been this cold for the last WEEK! AND raining. Should be mid 70’s and sunny skies. This is January weather. Weather is saying it’s going to be a wet, cold winter. That means snow in the Sierra/Nevada mountains and whatever the mountains are called around San Fran Sisco. That = a cool summer.

Oh, shit, Too, funny. 7 ear old dog just heard some good thunder. He’s trying to scare it away. Seems to be moving on, so he probably thinks he won.

Onto the next challenge. Moving companies. I’m hearing upwards of $20,000. Pack, drive and unpack.

Anyway, THANKS! I’m feeling better.

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Oh, good grief. The 9-year-old genius (Noah) just posted this on facebook:

“I’m writing a song. It’s called, I’ll always give you up. (Basically it’s ‘I’ll never give you up’ only the opposite.”

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