Anyone from Hannibal, MO?

[paigeoliver]

I currently live in St. Louis. I have always sort of wanted to move away from here. Of course the thought is a little scary since I am single and thus have no support group coming with me like a married person would.

I have visted Hannibal a few times and I really liked it there, and from checking real estate listings it seems that homes are dirt cheap there (LOTS of good houses 35,000 - 45,000, with some decent smaller ones cheaper than that). I saw one absolutely beautiful 4-bedroom 2 story house listed for 37,000 that would easily be 150,000 in my area, and probably 450,000 in California.

Does anyone here live there? Are there jobs to be had? Note, I only make $11ish per hour NOW, so I am not in the position of needing to replace a 60,000 a year job.

I know moving there could get me on the fast track to being extremely stable financially, (since I could literally save up enough to move into a "paid for" house there in a few years, and they have at least one college, thus paying roommates would be easy to find). Also, it would probably be better for me to put some distance between me and my mother (a very nice and extremely paranoid lady who can't quite understand that her grown children are no longer 5 years old). Leaving behind my friends would be hard, but they are all getting married now anyway, so I don't see them nearly as much as I used to.

[IntruderAlert]

Welcome to Hannibal, MO
Boyhood home of Samuel Langhorne Clemens - the famous Mark Twain!
http://www.hanmo.com/

[JackTucky]

I'm moving my family from NJ to Indiana next month.   I'm comfortable about leaving my friends because I don't mind the 12 hour drive.  I made it 4 times a year in one direction to visit my wifes family, I'll make it the other way to see my friends.

I don't expect any of my friends, most of whom I've known for at LEAST 25 years, to make the drive that often.  I'll be living 5 minutes from a riverboat casino, maybe I can get the ones that like to gamble to fly out once and awhile.

Unless, Hannibal is just a 30 minute drive, then no problem at all.

Art

[Stingray]

Mapquest says it's a two hour drive. What's the big deal? I have plenty of friends who live two hours away who I see all the time.

-S

[walls83]

Im in Lee Summit Mo.

[GGKoul]

I would find a job in Hannibal first before making the move.

[Avery]

The job advice is sound.  I moved to Bloomington, IL a few years ago (thinking I had a job) and found (when the job failed to materialize, shortly before the company dematerialized) that the job markets in small to mid-sized cities ain't what it is near the bigger cities.

Does Hannibal have particular alure for you or would, say, Columbia, MO or Decatur, IL or the Quad Cities do it for you? 

What kind of job would you be looking for anyway?  One of us might have a friend of a friend.

[monkeybomb]

I hear there's loads of women in grady, AR

[JackTucky]

2 hours?  done and done.

job market?  he needs to earn $11 an hour.  If I remember, he's a hotel clerk.  Surely there are hotels and other office jobs that pay $11 in Hannibal?

Art  "Lives where Six Flags pays $9 to work 'Security'"

[paigeoliver]

Yes, I'm a hotel auditor with 6 years experience and sterling references, I'll have no problem getting at least THAT job again.

Anyway, this would be more of a long term idea. I like Hannibal because I have visited there a few times and I really liked it. The houses are cheap enough that I could pick up a second job right now and bust my but for 2 or 3 years and then buy one with CASH.

[nostrebor]

I hear there's loads of women in grady, AR

  KLOVer you are!

You might check out the Springfield, MO area. More job opportunities, plus cheap cost of living, several colleges, and you can live quite rural if you want and still be 15 - 20 minutes from center city. It has big city amenities with small town feel.

I can make the drive to St Louis in 2 1/2 hours, so it's not that far from what you know.

[paigeoliver]

Hmmm, Springfield ALSO seems to have a BUNCH of Sub-$35,000 houses. How is the traffic there?

[Daniel270]

You might check out the Springfield, MO area.

Been almost 4 years since I've been there, but I can say it's not too bad there.  Several major shopping areas, lots of job opportunities and pretty good areas to buy a nice home.... definitely worth checking out..

I'm headed to Branson area come November......

[paigeoliver]

I couldn't live in Branson, massive traffic, and most of the town shuts down in the winter, including all the jobs.

[nostrebor]

Hmmm, Springfield ALSO seems to have a BUNCH of Sub-$35,000 houses. How is the traffic there?

Traffic...

Compared to St Louis, it is Mayberry Traffic is busy, especially South of town, but I assume based on your home pricing preference that you would go North. I drive constantly for my job and I can get anywhere I want in the city, edge to edge, inside of 20-30 minutes.

I also would avoid Branson. Too many people and really not much to do once you wear out SDC and the strip. It is a fun place to visit once in a while.

[Avery]

Yes, I'm a hotel auditor with 6 years experience and sterling references...

Given some of your various posts here, I would have guessed your job to be electronic ninja or something. 

[GGKoul]

Hmmm, Springfield ALSO seems to have a BUNCH of Sub-$35,000 houses. How is the traffic there?

I need to see a pic of these sub-$35,000 homes.

[Daniel270]

I couldn't live in Branson, massive traffic, and most of the town shuts down in the winter, including all the jobs.

True... most of the town DOES shut down, but it's pretty much 3 months GUARANTEED off time if your job agrees to keep you for the next working season, starting in March....

[JackTucky]

True... most of the town DOES shut down, but it's pretty much 3 months GUARANTEED off time if your job agrees to keep you for the next working season, starting in March....  and you draw unemployment without having to look for other work in the meantime...

Nice, collect unemployment as a way of life.  Way to go.

Art

[Avery]

Nice, collect unemployment as a way of life.

[Daniel270]

Just thought I ought to mention.... my grandfather's last employer was paying him over $14 an hour... just to help park cars for one of the theaters in town.... and he worked 8 hours a day with occasional overtime...