I'm currently working a weekend only program. I'm a first year Rn so my base rate of pay is fairly low. The great thing about the weekend program is that the hourly rate is not based on your experience level. I'm able to make $40 an hour working 7a-7:30p on Saturday and Sunday. The program is also benefitted so I am able to provide health benefits for my family. There is also plenty of time for me to pick up extra time during the week through the hospitals pool program. I can earn $38 dollars an hour during the week this way. Needless to say, I am very happy with my compensation. Now here comes the rub. My wife and I have 4 school aged children. We are in a fairly small home and would like to sell our home and purchase a 5 bedroom house.
In the philadelphia suburbs, a house like that in a good school district will run $400,000 and up. I just don't want to pay that much for a house. We'd like to relocate to a warmer climate. There are beautiful houses in the Southeast that meet our needs for under $250,000. Unfortunately the pay for nurses is at least 25% less than what I'm making now. Does anyone know of an area that has good schools, affordable housing, and good weekend and pool rates for an RN? Warm weather a plus. I'm open to any and all suggestions.
How about commuting from the Lancaster area or even a little further west. There are a lot of nice places to live and I think the public schools are pretty good in most areas. I live probably too far from Philly for you-west of York. We are also w/ in driving distance of many Baltimore area hospitals. Chek out S.Central PA!. No warm weather here though. I have evn mest some nurse who drive to the DC area for weekender programs. Pretty good compensation in that area. It may be about the same as Philly.
You make 40$/hour and you're looking for homes under 250K. Out in SoCAL you could make 25$/hour as a new grad, and still be looking for homes that are well above 400K. Here's a few things to think about....
1) 400K+ to 250K... that's a 45% reduction. A 25% reduction in pay would be offset by 45% less house payments. As for cost of living... I'm sure that its considerably lower also... pay scales are usually somewhat proportionate to cost of living.
2) If you have to skimp a bit... I think the extra money you put into a house would be worth it. A five bedroom house in SoCAL... i can't imagine a nice one under 1 million dollars. Do I think its a waste of money? No. I consider every penny I put into a house as a savings account for my retirement. When things are all said and done... you'll sell the house and get your investment back... and more.
3) Of course... if you just can't afford the payments... you can't afford the payments.
Where I live, wages are probably not all that different than the rest of the country and our cost of living is relatively low..but all these horrible house prices I'm reading about here! a 200k house here is a veritable mansion..100k is way and above nicer than most homes..and there's no way I could afford a 100k home even in this area. I don't know how you folks in the high col areas like California, etc. ever get into a home, if I had to pay over 40-50k for a house I"d be drowning, for sure.
I guess our best bet would be to stay in the general area. My wife doesn't want me commuting an hour and a half to work. Does anyone know an area close to Havertown that the schools are good and we could get a house close to 300,000 that would fit our needs? We would like to stay in Havertown, but housing is ridiculous for our needs. We live in a twin, so our addition options are limited. Thanks. :)
imenid37
1,804 Posts
How about commuting from the Lancaster area or even a little further west. There are a lot of nice places to live and I think the public schools are pretty good in most areas. I live probably too far from Philly for you-west of York. We are also w/ in driving distance of many Baltimore area hospitals. Chek out S.Central PA!. No warm weather here though. I have evn mest some nurse who drive to the DC area for weekender programs. Pretty good compensation in that area. It may be about the same as Philly.