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[J3 Guy]

I actually flew for a NWA Arkansas chicken company, for several years.
So yes I am making fun of AR, we could not wait to get back to civilization.

The cost of living was less, but that was about it. The roads were inadequate, to much traffic, once a week trash pick up and so on.

Lots of millionaires per capita, but they keep the wages low for obvious reasons.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

I love the "Its cheap to live here" line when justifying low pay.

Thats great....all it means is that you will never be able to move, never build big equity in a home, never save more cash, etc...

Hope the job lasts forever!

 

[fisherpilot]

I lived in AR for 6 yrs. I loved it there. Walmart is a decent place to fly for from what I've heard. There is also a great flight department out of LIT. That's the one I was referring to. It takes an act of congress to get on with them. I've been trying for years.

 

[NCherches]

...but facing certain unemployment I declined the interview...

Oooook?

 

[ksu_aviator]

I love the "Its cheap to live here" line when justifying low pay.

Thats great....all it means is that you will never be able to move, never build big equity in a home, never save more cash, etc...

Hope the job lasts forever!

If that's the attitude you have, then it must be from ignorance. When you can buy a 4,000 sqft home for under $150, you can build equity real fast on a moderate salary while living in a huge house. Or....you can move to NY and only be able to afford a studio that is the size of the closet in that house while making twice as much money.

Hell, I'd rather bag grocieries for Wal-Mart and live in a nice house than be the chief pilot for a north east based department and only be able to afford a tiny apartment or a shack that was here when Columbus first came.

I mean seriously...who would want to live like that? But hey, if you hate the rural states so much, please stay away. We don't need you.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

If that's the attitude you have, then it must be from ignorance. When you can buy a 4,000 sqft home for under $150, you can build equity real fast on a moderate salary while living in a huge house. Or....you can move to NY and only be able to afford a studio that is the size of the closet in that house while making twice as much money.

Hell, I'd rather bag grocieries for Wal-Mart and live in a nice house than be the chief pilot for a north east based department and only be able to afford a tiny apartment or a shack that was here when Columbus first came.

I mean seriously...who would want to live like that? But hey, if you hate the rural states so much, please stay away. We don't need you.

Ignorant? Oh really? try the math!

Get a gain over your lifetime of, say, 50% on your big rural home.....or a gain of 50% on your wealthy suburban home in NY, Chicago, etc.

Now try to retire....hummm...

yup, you will be stuck in ruralville in your big ruralville house because you cant buy a shack someplace nice for those gains.!! which is fine if that's where you want to be. Like I said - hope the job never disappears!

Low wages in a low cost of living area make you STUCK. Seen it many times interviewing people, they cant afford to move. And guess what...there's no more jobs in bumfuk!..STUCK....like you said, bag groceries at walmart may be your option? - until the bank repos that track mansion.

Why would I live like you describe?? - I DONT!...I LOVE rural areas. I live in a town of 2500 people and cant see a neighbor until the leaves are all down, live on a quiet private road, can shoot guns in my backyard, pets stay out all day, very private, etc etc....and I'm within driving distance of every NY metro corporate airport....something that has kept me well employed....I know NO unemployed corporate pilots in my area right now, even with big layoffs last year the longest I knew guys to be laid off was about 5 months..and these were certainly weaker guys. I know guys in rural areas going on 1yr+ of unemployment. Sorry, people aren't going to move you right now - or anytime soon likely.

Also think taxes. Poor areas have high taxes and low home values....urban sprawl breeds cheap developments full of kids and SUVs and the need for more schools. No thanks, not for me. YMMV.

Heck, not a slam on Arkansas...I actually like Arkansas...nice people, great fishing, etc...just not an ideal place to live to be a corporate pilot (IMO)

The ideal place to live? very low cost of living combined with high wages and security of many good corp jobs nearby. I'm still looking for that place. It does not exist.

Really man, whatever makes ya happy is whats important - I think far, far more than money gained....just don't think for a second that a low cost of living area and an equal low wage puts you ahead in life. It couldn't be further from the truth!

 

[Fr8DoggyStyle]

Ignorant? Oh really? try the math!

Get a gain over your lifetime of, say, 50% on your big rural home.....or a gain of 50% on your wealthy suburban home in NY, Chicago, etc.

Now try to retire....hummm...

"wealthy suburban home in NY, Chicago, etc."? I'm sorry, I thought we were talking about pilots, I must have misunderstood.

Now everyone has their own idea of retirement, but personally, I'm not banking on "cashing in" a bunch of home equity to allow me to retire. For one, while home value does tend to go up, the bottom can fall out as we have seen all too well. I don't want to have to wait for my home to inch it's way back up to some value to be able to retire. Second, cashing in home equity to retire means you are planning on downgrading when you retire. I don't want to have to do that either.

But to each their own.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

"wealthy suburban home in NY, Chicago, etc."? I'm sorry, I thought we were talking about pilots, I must have misunderstood.

Now everyone has their own idea of retirement, but personally, I'm not banking on "cashing in" a bunch of home equity to allow me to retire. For one, while home value does tend to go up, the bottom can fall out as we have seen all too well. I don't want to have to wait for my home to inch it's way back up to some value to be able to retire. Second, cashing in home equity to retire means you are planning on downgrading when you retire. I don't want to have to do that either.

But to each their own.

OK, but for 99% of Americans their home is their largest asset. I'd like to maximize that as much as possible.

And I will bank on a nice home in a desirable area over a 401k anyday.

As the stupid saying goes....location, location, location.

I have watched 3 career corporate guys I know in the last year retire - all of whom profited around 1mil (one more like 1.5) from their home sales. They were all in those homes 20-30 years, and it was ALL about location...even in this lower market. Their 401ks have tanked, their millions in company stock has certainly tanked, yet their houses saved their asses.

And yes, they moved the hell out of this expensive area and are living very well exactly where they imagined they would.

Seems to me the key is staying in your home, preferably in a sought after area....and leaving the equity alone. And really - nothing worse financially then having to move for a job in a down market. The most important advice I would give to anyone starting in corp aviation is LIVE WHERE THE JOBS ARE. Its free advice, so worth exactly that.

But I agree 100% - to each his own, lifes too short to obsess about money or any F'n flying job...and I know my idea of retirement if far from the beach/golf course in Florida type that many desire..

 

[Shag McNasty]

Excellent point KSU. Folks in the northeast think the world ends at the Hudson River.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Excellent point KSU. Folks in the northeast think the world ends at the Hudson River.

Damn Yankees! kick our asses in the big war now they be thinkin' the world ree-volves round them.

You guys should come check out New Jersey. It really is a pretty place....and I think its even west of the Hudson?