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[khix]

Hi!  My hubby is really wanting to move to WV (or maybe OH) one of these years.  (God willing!)  So, I was wanting to get info from people who currently live or used to live in WV or OH.  Here are things I am wanting to know:
1) What's the weather like?  How treacherous is it in the winter?  (we are not used to snow!)
2) What's the economy like?  Jobs? (my hubby does commercial drywall, and me, I'm mostly a SAHM, with some clerical & preschool skills) 
3) What are the people like?
4) What's the local & state government like?  (I prefer conservative!)
5) What are the morals & beliefs of the people?
6) How much is housing?  For example, a 3-4 bedroom, with 2 baths
7) Any funky bugs or animals that are unique to the area?
What are the public schools like?

Those are all the questions I can think of at the moment.  I'll post again if I think of more.  And if you can think of any other important info that I need to know, but haven't asked, then by all means, share it!   
   

[healthyinOhio]

Hi!  My hubby is really wanting to move to WV (or maybe OH) one of these years.  (God willing!)  So, I was wanting to get info from people who currently live or used to live in WV or OH.  Here are things I am wanting to know:
1) What's the weather like?  How treacherous is it in the winter?  (we are not used to snow!)
2) What's the economy like?  Jobs? (my hubby does commercial drywall, and me, I'm mostly a SAHM, with some clerical & preschool skills) 
3) What are the people like?
4) What's the local & state government like?  (I prefer conservative!)
5) What are the morals & beliefs of the people?
6) How much is housing?  For example, a 3-4 bedroom, with 2 baths
7) Any funky bugs or animals that are unique to the area?
What are the public schools like?

Those are all the questions I can think of at the moment.  I'll post again if I think of more.  And if you can think of any other important info that I need to know, but haven't asked, then by all means, share it!   
   

Well, we are planning on moving out of Ohio as soon as we can if that tells you anything about the state.    You can buy our house if you like!!  Give you a real good deal!! Ohio is one of the worst for unemployment in which construction has the highest.  So, with your hubby in construction, I wouldn't recommend it.  Southern Ohio will have cheaper housing, but that is because there is less work.  There is more work available in the North(more meaning a few months out of the year compared to NONE) than the south.
The weather is absolutely unpredicable!!  Springs and falls are nice.  Winters are either mild or severe like last winter.  So, if you are not used to snow, you may be shocked.
Most of Ohio is republican dominated, if that is what you are referring to "conservative" as.  We have a "no selling of raw milk" law. 
Homeschooling is sending a letter of intent to your local district and then the next years intent has to have the previous year's "academic assessment" done by a certified teacher.
A average house in my neck of the woods is $70,000 for a fixer upper or $95,000 for a better one.  Cheaper housing can be found in the city limits of Cleveland, Toledo, Columbus, which are going to be the three cities with the most work potential. 
Hope I could answer your questions well enough.  Let me know if you have any more.

[blsd2bhome]

Hi khix!
I am new to this group, but my husband grew up in southern WV!  I just want you to know that I will get back to you with your questions later tonight.  We love to go to WV, (Princeton) and housing is pretty affordable.  I think it is just beautiful, and the people seem nice when we are there.  I will ask about other areas of WV, is there a particular area that your husband is interested in? 
The schools in Princeton are pretty good, we have a few nieces and nephews that are enrolled (the eldest just received a full scholarship to Liberty University), and their mom does not have many complaints, but I can get back to you with more details in a bit.
I will ask about any building booming areas and your other questions.
We are also considering a move to the east, pending on a job (NC).

[patp]

Hi Khix,
I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and went to college in Columbus, Ohio.  I really lliked it and would love to move back there someday.  I live in Minnesota now.  Ohio is VERY DIFFERENT region by region.  Northern Ohio is very Northern, (think Chicago, Buffalo, Detroit).  Southern Ohio is very like West Virginia or Kentucky in climate and lifestyle - somewhat appalachian.  Northern Ohio near Cleveland gets LOTS of snow, but the temps hover around freezing for the most part in the winter.  When you get to central or southern Ohio it is usually slightly warmer with much less snow.
My opinion about housing costs differs with Healthyinohio.  My parents own a nice three bedroom, one bath house in Cleveland worth about $80,000.  My sister owns a sllightly larger house (three bedrooms, two bathrooms, finished basement) in a Cleveland suburb worth about $110,000.  Now it depends on your perspective whether you think this is expensive.  Housing prices in St Paul, Minnesota are at least twice as expensive.  However, if you are thinking that you would be living in southern Ohio, like near West Virginia, home prices are way less than those in Cleveland.
Northern Ohio tends to be more liberal and Democrat than the rest of Ohio.  The Cincinatti area is particularly conservative.
I can't really tell you much about the market for dry-wallers - but, my bil is an electrician in Cleveland and always has plenty of work. 
I hope this helps.

Pat

[Amey]

I live in west-central Ohio, and it's very nice here. We live in a rural county -  conservative, good churches and schools, very hilly, lots of farms. I don't know about drywall work, except there are some Amish drywallers here that seem to keep busy. Housing prices depend on how much land you get and how close it is to industry (which is a Honda plant around here). I'd say it's very variable, but the cost of living is pretty average or perhaps on the low side of average. Our winters can be downright cold, or sometimes warmer than you might expect. We had a 63 degree day last January! But normal highs in Jan. are probably in the 30's. We don't get nearly the amount of snow that Cleveland does. HTH

[healthyinOhio]

but, my bil is an electrician in Cleveland and always has plenty of work. 

My hubby is an electrician and has his ticket in Cleveland.  He is currently laid off, if that tells you anything. 

[ladyhen]

We are in Southeastern Ohio.  The economy here is like healthyinohio said, really bad.  We have a lovely, completely remodeled two story house on a nice level lot in town.  It has 3 br and 2 baths, large two car garage and we are asking $82,000 for it.  You can buy a really bad fixer upper for in the 40,000 range.  Problem is, you have to inherit a job.  This is Appalachia and, if you're not from here they won't trust you.  We've been here 4 years without a decent job and we are on our way back out west. 
The weather is beautiful, the country is gorgeous, and we love our house.  You could buy it and be very happy.  But there is no work here.  Unemployment is highest in the state and this state is not in good shape, jobs-wise.

My husband is in construction, too.  He's been unloading trucks for WalMart for 3 1/2 years, trying to find decent work while we've been remodeling our bank repo house to make a little money on it.   We're going to where the jobs are.

[khix]

Thank you all for the info.  If anyone has any more info, keep it coming!!  

-----------

"You can buy our house if you like!!  Give you a real good deal!!"

How much?  

"I think it is just beautiful, and the people seem nice when we are there."

My husband agrees.  He's been there once or twice when he was little, and then again back in November.  He has family there.  He has roots there, too.  (And some family/roots in Ohio).  Most of his ancestors were in Marshall County or Ohio county.  With the beauty & the roots, WV is just calling him.  I've only seen pictures of WV, but I think it is beautiful, too.  

"I will ask about other areas of WV, is there a particular area that your husband is interested in?"  

Yes, the northern area....Marshall or Ohio county.  Wheeling, Glen Easton, Moundsville, places like that.  Or maybe eastern Ohio, along the river....like Jefferson, Belmont, or Monroe County.

Ugh!  I know that small towns like these would have NO work, except maybe the Local Five & Dime store.....or mining?  But, there's no way my hubby would ever do mining.  What about Charleston, WV?  Would that city have a decent amount of construction jobs?  I would really like my's hubby's dream to become reality, but with the lack of jobs, I'm worried it might not ever happen.  

[healthyinOhio]

You can buy a really bad fixer upper for in the 40,000 range. Problem is, you have to inherit a job.

That was funny!!  It is true, the people that are happy with Ohio are the ones that have steady work or have "inherited" farm land.  Farm land is very expensive in Ohio.  Haven't really figured out why, yet, but it is. 

Khix, we just want to be out, so you can have our house for what we owe on it.  It is like $87,000!!!!  So, I am sure you won't be interested in it!   To me, that is too expensive for a house.  I guess I am really cheap, though.  I want one of those forclosure houses that people find for like $20,000! 

So, where is your hubby leaning towards?  We don't really go by counties in Ohio.  Most of us don't anyway.  You mention a county and I have to look it up!!  Up North we go by cities.  So, if you have family here, then I would need a city to go off of. 

[khix]

You can buy a really bad fixer upper for in the 40,000 range. Problem is, you have to inherit a job.

That was funny!! 

Yeah, it was!   

Khix, we just want to be out, so you can have our house for what we owe on it. It is like $87,000!!!! So, I am sure you won't be interested in it! To me, that is too expensive for a house. I guess I am really cheap, though. I want one of those forclosure houses that people find for like $20,000!

So, where is your hubby leaning towards? We don't really go by counties in Ohio. Most of us don't anyway. You mention a county and I have to look it up!! Up North we go by cities. So, if you have family here, then I would need a city to go off of.

Actually, compared to Texas, 87,000 is not bad for a house.  But, still, that's probably more than we could afford.  We'd have to buy a fixer upper. 

Besides, I think my hubby's heart is leaning toward WV.

I'm sorry I used County names!     My hubby has researched his genealogy, and when you use the old census records, they go by county names, then city names....and I am sooooo used to hearing/using the county names, it didn't even occur to me that someone might not know where they are!   

In OH, my hubby has or used to have family in these cities:  Woodsfield, Bethesda, Bellaire, Shadyside, St. Clairsville, Holloway, Maynard, Bridgeport, Martin's Ferry.  These are all near the eastern border, near WV, near the Ohio River.  In WV, my hubby has or used to have family in these cities:  Wheeling, Weirton, Glen Easton, Glen Dale, Moundsville, Cameron, Salem.  All of these are small towns.  No jobs, but great people & atmosphere!   

[healthyinOhio]

 We'd have to buy a fixer upper. 
Well, our house IS a fixer upper.  How sad, huh!!  Fixed up we could get like $95,000, but just hate to put in the time.

Besides, I think my hubby's heart is leaning toward WV.
That's good, too.  Hubby said that right now WV is booming for work.  But in his area of construction, so I don't know about what the other areas are.  Land is much much cheaper there, too. 

I'm sorry I used County names!     My hubby has researched his genealogy, and when you use the old census records, they go by county names, then city names
Makes sense.  I just think it is funny!! 

   

[ladyhen]

Heh!  Sounds like you are looking on the edge of where we are!  I have a friend who lives in Barnesville, OH and shops in St. Clairsville.  We are in Guernsey county, near Noble county, Ohio. 

Some of the other 'transplanted people' here love it, too.  It is such a beautiful area, rolling hills, extremely green, and lots of beautiful wildlife.  We (the transplants) have had conversations about the local folks' reactions to us.   We are OFTEN asked why we moved here.  That is not an unusual question, but it is asked in such a funny way!  They ask it as though they are shocked or amazed that anyone would move here. 

Several of us have decided that there are 'innies' and 'outies' in people's attitudes.  Many of my relatives here have never (or rarely) been out of the county.  They would never be able to negotiate a big freeway interchange - can't even drive to a big city.  They are very happy with the small town, only stay local type of lifestyle.  They are shocked that I regularly drive or fly across the country to see our oldest children and my siblings.  Can't believe that I will drive an hour and a half to the airport and get on a plane!  The 'innies' are definately a small part of the population here (I think most of them are relatives of mine  )  I just seems so different to me - as I was raised in a large town in the west and have moved around a lot and experienced so much.  In the west, the people who we knew were more direct and outgoing.  The folks here are very kind, just very slow to warm up to new people. 

Hope that you can find work here!  My husband (working for a paint contractor, now) has been travelling to Wheeling to work for a big general contractor there who has a lot of commercial work.  There may be work in the Wheeling area, as it is growing.   We are just praying that DH will be able to keep working until the house sells.  Things slow down FAST in construction after Thanksgiving!

[blsd2bhome]

Sorry! it has taken me longer to answer than I thought!   We have had some plumbing problems this weekend, and have gone with out water for almost the whole weekend. DH is figuring it out, so for now we have water, but will be turned off again after lunch!!

We had a conversation about the WV area, even though DH is from the southern part, he had some good info.
Defintely look into the larger cities for construction jobs (Charleston, Wheeling,Huntington, Parkersburg) he thinks they may be the only area with consistant jobs.  Not much else is growing (that is just his opinion, I know someone else said it was growing).  You might think about calling a realtor or the Chamber in those towns and ask how much housing prices have risen in the past years, and how much new construction is going on---they may be helpful or be able to direct you to an office that can help you.  I am not saying to call a realtor for houses, just to ask questions about median housing prices--that is a good indication of how fast an area is growing.

Some bad news is he thinks WV unemployment rate is about 6%.(nation is 4%)

I don't know how your DH feels about commuting, but outside the city you can get a better price for the house, while he is getting a good paycheck by working in the city.  I also don't know how a commute in the mts would be.

WV has been a Democratic state for a very long time, and are usually Dem controlled.  I am not very political, so I did not know what else to ask about that!

As far as weather, northern could be a lot different than the southern part.  Mostly snow, but not a lot of high wind, four seasons, Just be aware of mountain driving----I find it treacherous on a sunny day!!!  Some of the roads in my DH home town are not even 1 car wide, and people pass you!!!   So I will not even drive unless we are headed out of town on the highway (downtown is not so bad either).  We have an extended Venture and it is not easily maneurverable on such small streets.

I agree (I forgot who mentioned it) that if your husband finds a good job, the housing prices will be higher.  But if you find an area that is grwoing, you may pay more for your house than you would like, but in 5 years the value could have doubled.

If you are interested in moving to the midwest, where I currently am, (in my opinion) the place is BOOMING.  Des Moines (Iowa) is eating up farmland all over with expansion.  Especially in the West Des Moines area.  We live an hour from Des Moines, and my DH commutes, but our value of our house has doubled since we bought it 8 years ago.  That is really my experience.  Iowa is really growing as an Inurance, Financial and publishing hub.  Wells Fargo just built a HUGE mortgage headquarters there.  I just checked the stats, and in 2005, W Des Moines had $88 million of commercial construction.  But there is still affordable housing to be found in the area.  Just a thought, I know Iowa probably seems boring, but it is a nice place to live, and there are rolling hills and trees in the area I just told you about (south of WDM).  I won't try to sell you on it, I was just throwing out my experience of my area.

My DH heart lies in WV also, and he is currently applying for a job in Northern NC--close to his hometown, but the income is better there for him (he is in the cable industry).

A move is an incredible undertaking, and I will be praying for you about it. And for your husband to find what he is looking for!

[khix]

My husband (working for a paint contractor, now) has been travelling to Wheeling to work for a big general contractor there who has a lot of commercial work.  There may be work in the Wheeling area, as it is growing.   

I told my hubby this, and he was sooooo glad to hear that!  So who knows, God willing, maybe one day....!

Defintely look into the larger cities for construction jobs (Charleston, Wheeling,Huntington, Parkersburg) he thinks they may be the only area with consistant jobs. Not much else is growing (that is just his opinion, I know someone else said it was growing). You might think about calling a realtor or the Chamber in those towns and ask how much housing prices have risen in the past years, and how much new construction is going on---they may be helpful or be able to direct you to an office that can help you. I am not saying to call a realtor for houses, just to ask questions about median housing prices--that is a good indication of how fast an area is growing.

Some bad news is he thinks WV unemployment rate is about 6%.(nation is 4%)

I don't know how your DH feels about commuting, but outside the city you can get a better price for the house, while he is getting a good paycheck by working in the city. I also don't know how a commute in the mts would be..........

.........A move is an incredible undertaking, and I will be praying for you about it. And for your husband to find what he is looking for!

Thanks for the all the tips & info!     I appreciate it!  And thank for your prayers, too!

I will definitely be praying about this too.  If it is God's will, I'm asking Him to just open doors & make everything just fall into place.  Because there is no way we could do a big move like that without God having something to do with it!   

[ladyhen]

Amen!!

We, too, are praying for His guidance in the sale of our house and our *planned* move to the West.  We know that He has perfect timing in all of this.

Let us all know when something happens!

[khix]

Let us all know when something happens!

Well, I doubt anything will happen any time soon, but if it does, I'll be SURE to let everyone know, because it would mean that a MIRACLE had happened!   

I do have another question - what about WV & OH tax rates?  Property taxes, sales taxes, income taxes, vehicle registration fees, etc...

[ladyhen]

I'm not real sure about the taxes here in southeastern Ohio.  All I know is that they are moderate, not too high.  But then, you have to consider that we are below poverty level and don't own much worth taxing!  hee hee

The taxes on our house, a modest 3 BR, are about $650 a year.  We drive older vehicles, too.  Registration on our 1999 Plymouth van is about $50.  Sales tax in our town is 7 0/0.  Car insurance isn't too bad, either.  I suppose that is because it is a small town. 

We like the small towns here, and some of the local governments are crazy.  It is interesting to read about and hear about the City Council meetings and some of the other local government stuff.  Sure is a LOT different from when we lived in Phoenix!

[khix]

We like the small towns here, and some of the local governments are crazy.  It is interesting to read about and hear about the City Council meetings and some of the other local government stuff.  Sure is a LOT different from when we lived in Phoenix!

What do you mean by 'crazy'?  As in 'silly, funny, different, quirky'?  Or as in 'insane & stupid & corrupt'?

[ladyhen]

By "crazy", I mean silly, funny quirky, and a general "non-professionalism" in many areas of life here. 

Understand, I grew up and lived for 25 years of married life in a big town.  My family are all professionals, and I am accustomed to a 'fast lane' sort of life.  So I am looking at things from this perspective.  Many people here look at life with a, "Well, that's just the way we do things." or "It's always been that way." perspective.  I find that interesting and must resist the urge to just jump up and down and point out the (to me) obvious solutions to problems. 

The town that we are in, for instance, has just recently decided to retire the school superintendent.  The person in question had no degree, credentials, license, or whatever.  Said superintendent was informed of this lack about 5 years ago and agreed to obtain credentials.  From what I read in local paper, would have meant taking two or three courses and then applying for an accredation.  Person did not follow through with that commitment.  So, two years ago, someone pointed this out at a school board meeting and the flurry of decision making began.  That went on until around 3 months ago when the decision to fire/retire the superintendent was made.  The newspaper was full of letters too the editor and critical remarks to the school board.  "The superintendent is really nice.  She said something kind to my child" and that sort of thing were written.  Many, many people wanted to keep this superintendent, in spite of her lack of attention to the detail of complying with the law.  The justification that kept coming up for keeping her was her 'kind personality'.  It just didn't make sense to me that her character, her lack of commitment to comply, and her record as an administrator (very poor) were not mentioned very often and even the school board had difficulty making the decision to retire her.  Maybe the lack of qualified persons to replace her played a part, as we now have an interim superintendent borrowed from another area.  They expect the search and hiring process to take one to two years. 

Same way in City council and other government functions.  Things happen slowly and with a 'good ol' boy' atmosphere that is rather new to me in such things.  Like I said, I am used to the fast lane of big and professional.  I just really enjoy following local politics!  But then, I have alway enjoyed politics.

[healthyinOhio]

Hey Khix,

Just wanted to inform you that a ton of people in my hubby's local are going to work in Weeling, WV.  They are getting a ton of overtime and asking for travelers to come in to work. I guess a drywall factory and a coal burning power plant is going up.  Well, I think that is what he just said.    He said they have reported about four full years, at least, of work in the area.  But it is construction and can change at the drop of a hat!!  I am sure your hubby knows all about that! Just some things to consider.

[Smittygal]

I have lived in Ohio for over a year. My husbands family is from here. We live about 20 minutes East of Cincinnati. I really enjoy this area, there is a huge variety of housing. Housing is around I guess for a 4 bed 2 bath, probably 175, to 200,000. That is depending on the area. If you are more of a farm girl, an area not to far from me is called New Richmond..GORGIOUS out there. Right along the river. It's inexpesive. Land is around 10,000 an acre. It all depends on where you live. Columbus is one of the HIGHEST rated area of repossed housing. I wouldnot suggest the northern area. If you are more a of corn field gal, the north is the best. Myself on the other hand prefer hills and trees over corn fields.
The weather is sometimes unpredictable. Over all the winters are fairly mild. They may get cold, but we're not too slammed with snow. The summers are humid and hot. Overall, it's a nice state to live in. Like healthy in Ohio, it is mostly a republican state of governement. The schools are pretty good. There is a lot to do here in Ohio family wise. Many places to go. Good luck in your search.
In this area, there is construction everywhere. This area is growing like wild fire. Houses going up left and right. Even businesses are being built a lot around here. I think it's a option to check out. best wishes!!!

[khix]

Hey Khix,

Just wanted to inform you that a ton of people in my hubby's local are going to work in Weeling, WV.  They are getting a ton of overtime and asking for travelers to come in to work. I guess a drywall factory and a coal burning power plant is going up.  Well, I think that is what he just said.    He said they have reported about four full years, at least, of work in the area.  But it is construction and can change at the drop of a hat!!  I am sure your hubby knows all about that! Just some things to consider.

Thanks for the info!    

[BJ_BOBBI_JO]

I can not speak for if Ohio is a good state to live in or not because I have always lived in Indiana. But about every year until we had kids I would go down to extreme southern Ohio and WV with my dad and his family to see their family down there where they grew up. We would go to the ironton( sp) Ohio and Huntington , WV areas.

It is beautiful with its rolling giant wooded hills. Homes clinging to the sides of the hilly type of mountains. I have not been there since the the 90s. Even then there were lots of people that did not have electric, no in door toilets, no running water in the homes ( they had to go outside and pump the water) and stuff like that. I notice over time more and more people were getting modernized but still many seemed to live in poverty but not everyone. Some choose to live like that. I saw more and more nice homes going up as well.

Down in that part ( unless it has changed a lot since the 90s) reminded me of good old home town hicks ( that would be my dads family and that is not a bad thing) with dogs and kids riding around in the back of the pick up trucks and small country bumpkin mom and pop stores that sold individual candy pieces for like 5 cents. Ya don't find those types of stores very often anymore! LOL. Many homes were at the top pf the hilly-mountains which would take almost an hour of driving up violently bumpy thin trails to get to them. No joke.

There are a lot of what they call copperhead snakes down there that are poisonous. For years my cousins down there kept telling me I will smell cucumbers or something like that when copperheads are near by. I found that to be true. Also there is black bears but Im told ya rarely see them. I saw bear poop piles and tracks but never a bear.

I have no idea what the schools and jobs are like. I was almost kind of disappointed when I started noticing all the modern satellites for TV and other modern high techs stuff invading the high up hills and hollers because it started taking away some of the nostalgic family oriented homeyness of it all. But that is progress I guess. I dunno if that helps but it is all what I have noticed when staying down there in south eastern  Ohio near the WV border. I found That part of WV to be much the same as south eastern Ohio but with bigger hills and more isolated homes and places. Very beautiful. My Cherokee Grandpa made money down there by gathering herbs in the many rolling giant forrest to sell to the whites.

[Deb]

Yep, that's just what it was like in southeast Ohio on the border of WV. I grew up and lived around Gallipolis for 40 years. Back in the hollers you will still find chickens and sometimes a hog running out of a house. There are still houses with dirt floors. If any of you ever saw the CHRISTY tv series, well I've been in homes like that. In the 90's. Now there are nice houses and even what we would have called mansions, but poverty is very real in the Appalachian foothills. But a lot of it is the mountain culture. Folks grow up a certain way and that's just how you live. You don't change or you change slowly.Of all the places to live, there is no more beautiful place than the Appalachian foothills and the mountains themselves.Maybe it's just in my blood but I sure do miss the hills of home.

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