SeaGypsy wrote:From what I have seen, I could buy some exquisite acreage in the USA for 1/10th the price. Then be stuck in the middle of nowhere.
Well, that depends on what your definition of "middle of nowhere is," most "rural" places in the US aren't going to be as rural as you're used to in Australia I think. Unless you go to Alaska.
A place like Florida, housing market's been very affordable for years now. If you want affordable "fertile land" as in you want to grow things, you can get that an hour inland from the coasts. You're still within hours drive of world class tourist destinations, and urban activities. Personally I'm sick of the place but objectively Florida's got it all you can't ask for more. Plus no state income tax here.
Perfect locale for me would be something like the pac northwest, those gorgeous forests, mountains and be near the coast too I can't ever give up the ocean. You may like parts of Oregon or northern Cali, it's a quirky liberal mindset plus West Coast a bit closer to Oz.
Some states like North Dakota / South Dakota and Wyoming are doing really well economy wise. Shale oil and whatnot. These states never even had a recession.
The American South is super cheap land wise. The South north of Florida though, you're going to be in Dixie culture with a lot of twang and lovely oddities like snake-handling evangelical churches. Personally I can't handle it, it's like a whole other country the Bible Belt culture is suffocating.
Texas is horrid don't even think of it.
New England is nice.. Vermont is rural, pretty, and liberal. You can get some good deals on land in upstate New York (that's Kunstler's doom spot).
If you've got a travellin' itch, why not try it SG? You're a US citizen. You can just fly here and give it a go. Of course you have young kids if I recall, that's got to be a big decision getting them settled in school for at least a few years, then it's disruption to uproot them, and do you want them to culturally be American or Australian.
On balance, given all I know, I think in general Australia sounds better for the future. Although I imagine it must feel darn ISOLATED down there. My top pick would be New Zealand, kiwis seem like such nice people.
I am white and I work for a living, I guess that makes me ok in the USA?
Lot has changed since '91. There's no problem being black in the US.
Anyhow, everyone likes Australians so you'd do fine. Where I live it's quite international, we have many Brits here with their vacation homes, Germans, Ukrainian immigrants, Latinos from all over, and a mix of Americans who resettled here from all over the US.
