Looking to relocate. Need advice.

37hotrod X-2. What ever gave you the idea that the DFW area doesn't have cold weather. If warm weather is what you want go to Houston.

 

There is real solid advice here for you.
Wherever you go its gonna get cold, hot,humid dry,great, ****y and damm ****y.
Mostly great.
If you have mad skills and can find quality prople with equal or better skills, you've only got 10 years before you're on top of the world. At 29 you have the time to do it. Get some projects, build em and put those on the market.
Dont believe the TV. Look in the background of the shows shops. There is alot of work going on, not just the car of the one week total resto.
And besides, its only on the internet you cant lie. Bonjour,hehehe.

 

After reading this whole thread, I say go for it and don't look back. Houston sounds like the best bid for warmer weather and a good place to get a start.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket, sit aside some rainy day money for the lean times tell things get rolling. It's going to be hard, you seem to have what it takes to succeed.
Remember excellent work at fair prices will put you in the game.

Good luck and kick *** if you can....................

CRUISER

 

It's easy to justify a change of location 20 different ways when the honest truth is that all we want out of the situation is a change...simply because we're tired of where we are, geographically and/or in life.

My dad would always say,"Sure the gr*** is greener, but eventually you'll have to mow it." And he was right.

There's been some good advice and insight given here, I'd take my time and make the right decision for the right reasons.

 

I had my Hot Rod shop in Calif. for 20 plus years with a retail store and sold it in 2006 . It lasted for not even a year as the market went down hill fast ! Out here on the other coast and I Think about it but reality sets in with all the problems of owning a business and regulations . I have my hobby back now and it's fun again !!!! Do it on the side and have a day job to start out if your content in being a business person !!! Good luck !!

 

This is sadlly true.. I'm in high school and EVERYONE is into imports and drives a civic. Then people look at me like im crazy because Im the only one in the school as far as I know that likes old cars. Hot rodders are defenitly a dieing breed. But in regards to the thread seems to me in a "one horse town" there wouldn't be enough cutomers.

 

Before you chase your dream, stop for a minute and read "Acres of Diamonds" . It's a short story about a guy, probably much like yourself, who chased after a diamond mine to make his fortune. I'm sure a google search will work or your local library. Good luck in whatever you choose. Stu

 

I lived in Texas for 8 years in the 70's in McGregor 15 miles west of Waco and I can tell you it is plenty cold there in the winter time. Maybe not Kansas cold for months on end but I think I was colder there when it was 25 than here when it is 0 and that's F not C.

I'd take a couple of weeks of vacation and hit various areas down the I 35 Corridor from Dallas and more likely between Waco and San Antonio. Check out the job possibilities for the marketable skill you have now in different areas as most likely you will have to do that for a number of years to have an income until your rod work takes off if it takes off.

Texans are damned particular about the quality of work that is done on their cars and that's at all levels of cars so you have to turn out top quality work or it isn't going to fly. On the other hand they are willing to drive a distance to have that work done if they find someone who does quality work. When I lived there and worked in Waco I had several customers who routinely drove 100 miles to get work done on their cars Pick a town where there is great food or other attractions that give a guy and his significant other an extra reason to drive to your shop and that might help attract a few extra customers.

 

Frankly I don't understand much of the car market at all. If there is something specific that interests you then go for it. But with the general public there seems to be more supers***ion than in any ancient eastern witchcraft story you can imagine.

Like, one of my coworkers was on a temporary contract and didn't have much savings. Working 2 jobs to make ends meet. His car was 3 years old. One day he comes to work in a new $22k car, financed. Yea his brother needed a car and they couldn't find one under $5k so he gave his "old car" to his brother. And a lot of people are like that. Wtf I bought my truck for $2500 in 1998 and I'm still driving it.

Then they say oh but the gas is so expensive. But if you compare apples to apples it doesn't make that much of a difference.


Sent from my Verizon 4G LTE smartphone

 

dang, reading this makes me want to sell out and try something different. But I won't

I can honestly say that I made it in the old car biz. But it wasn't without sacrifice. And that sacrifice is still occurring.

Long hours, no vacations, cell. phone on 24/7, people that depend on me to provide them with a pay check, etc.

But you also need to work smart, market smart, minimize mistakes, accept success and do all with impeccable integrity.

but my business would not be what it is had I not been properly capitalized. You will fail if you don't have a good business plan and the funds to allow yourself to prosper and survive the tough times. Whether you borrow or have a big stash beforehand, it is critical that you have ample funds before you ever start.

 

Kansas is as good or as bad a place to start a business as anywhere else

Relocating will only cost you $$$ which might not be a factor if you are flush

Personally, I would move to Nebraska .....

Kearney was where the action was (and still is some say)





Jim

 

You are 29 and have a skill to fall back on. Give it a try. The older you get the more tied down you will likely be. Do whatever you can to keep expenses low.

I happen to be on a business trip today in Irving TX (outside of Dallas), and I don't see anything but sprawl. G****vine looks cool, but not a one-horse town.

 

Nothing cheap in G****vine for sure

 

A lot of input from people who USE to live here , I am a car guy have been in the area a LONG time, First yes it does get cold and windy here but it as arule does not last very long, I have a business not car related I would not open the same business in DALLAS,,If i were looking to open a shop car wise ,I would go west from Dallas,, I think you would have less compe***ion if you served Tarrant County,,The rent and property as a rule is cheaper than Dallas county,Cleburne, Joshua, Aledo ,Burleson,etc, In my opinion Dallas already has many shops in comparison to the Ft worth, Tarrant area,, What are you considering as CHEAP housing????

 

100k or less. As far as the weather it was 97 here yesterday, and today it's 40mph wind gusts and 27 with snow on the way. I know it can be that bad in Dallas. I don't want to open a shop in a one horse town. I want it right in the thick of it. I want my home to be in the small town. I'm from western ks so a commute is no big thing for me. I know I can fall back on my reefer experience if I have to. I honestly plan to set a deadline on turning a profit, or I will go back to reefer. I really feel like I would rather try and fail than to never try at all. I just have to take the chance. A very successful business owner once told me "god hates a coward" meaning you have to take risks to find success. Those are words I live by. West of Dallas doesn't sound like a bad idea, I will have to look into that.

I do appreciate all the input from everyone.

 

I'd go to North Dakota and work in the natural gas...

Actually South of Dallas would have better prices than North of Dallas and the further South you go the lest cold it is in the winter but hotter in the Summer.
North of where I live you could look into to a town called Melissa...or the Town of Lavon..
If you have a business in Dallas it will take you about an hour commute to get to a one horse town. Depending on the direction.
East of town you have to go to at least Greenville TX
There are plenty of small communities still around here. I just happen to live square in the middle of suburbia. I use to live in a little town called Shady Shores which is just south of Denton...which is another really nice area on I35. Any were North of Denton you can find nice small towns. I just got tired of the 45-1hour commute.

 

I love it here.
the weather is usually awesome. Sure it get hot, and traffic is a pain if youre in rush hour but I can't think of anywhere Id rather be. There are some smaller towns east, and we have the Sachse rod shop, in Sachse of course! They are all growing.
I didn't really read every post here but in good ol TX, we have no state income tax so that helps. I don't think there has ever been more than 2 weeks where I could not ride my harley or work in the garage. No long cold winters, no snow days to speak of.
Sure it happens but its the exception rather than the rule.

 

I would look in the Prosper or Celina area. Still plenty of rural wide open space out there and with the North Tollway going all the way to 380, you can get to civilization plenty quick when the need arises. I have dealt with most of the custom and hot rod shops around the area and most are plenty busy. The economy hasn't hit North Texas near as hard as the rest of the US. PM me if you want to follow up further.

Jim

 

i dontknow about the rest of the world. but here in n. al. people want to buy these old cars real cheap and sell that junk they just bought for the same price that show barrett jackson sells them for.withour spending the $ to get it there. these boys want a 10.000 paint job for 500.ive been thru this for so long im tired of it.they want 600 hp engines for the price of crate engines..not all of them but it seems all those that are like that find my shop!when they look at one of our cars or bikes and ask how much to build thiers like that ill price it where we aint makin all that much to begin with and they still think we are screwing them well we no longer work with the public,we work and build for ourselves. damn im alot happier now!!!.i had no rent because the shop is on my own property and it was paid for.all we had to pay was the parts bills every month and the utilities.and a few $s for ourselves.and it was still hard.and we were doing this long before jesse james and a few other tv boys got here.and im still poor..lol but i did it for awhile and thats what counts to me. i followed my dream. and when i die i wont say i wish i had done>..... get a plan and stick to it maybe it will be better for you than all those who failed.wish you luck ...oh yeah we didnt fail i quess, i just got tired of all the ****...

 

The economy is still doing pretty good here in sw ks too, just not the right kind of folks to support a rod shop. If I were selling custom horse trailers and hand made saddles I would have the world by the balls. But that's just not my thing.

 

No way you could ever buy a house for 100K or less in the G****vine area.

 

I've seen that. It ****s, because I have a 3 bedroom 1 bath with a ba*****t and a 6 car garage. I got it at a steal for 87k. It appraises at 125k. But down there in say lewisville it would be more like 200k. I want to buy something cheap for now and when the money is comin in then maybe upgrade.

 

Apple Valley, CA. Houses from 50k to 100k with big yards. 1 hour from Downtown LA & 2 hours from Las Vegas. And Dry, no humidity like TX.

 

If a person really wanted to make a living working on old cars. forget about wrenching and body work. I really think a upostery shop would be the ticket. they always have a waiting list and they can name their own price. If I where young I would get into the heating and airconditioning buisness. Even in the worst economy folks have to pay for heat and air. Old Wolf

 

Be carefull about moving to a "one horse town". I moved from a big city to a one horse town (more like a goat) and gre tired of it quickly. Had no grocery store, so even being in the mood to grill up some burgers, meant driving 30 minutes each way. Even wrenching o my own car became a PITA. Had a starter go out on a car, took 20 minutes to change it out, but took me 2 hours to drive to get the part and come back. Need a nut and bolt you cant find in your bin or bolt bucket? Well, that $.30 bolt just cost you $20 in gas.

Just weigh all options.

 

NOT true...

 

I grew up on a farm that was 30 min to the nearest anything. I have lived in Wichita too. I much prefer the rural life.

I apprenticed in an upholstery shop for about 6 months, and I've always wanted to take that further.

I work in refrigeration, so I can always find another job. That's why I chose this field. Food will always have to be kept cold.

 

Royse City, TX. Great town for raising kids in. You would not believe the car shows and swap meets in this area. This would be an ideal place.

 

+1, That's excellent advice.

Either that or body work/paint.

We all have good to excellent skills turning wrench's and even fab work. Finishing off a project is often beyond most of us. And many will pay dearly for quality paint/interior.

I moved just East of Houston 2 years ago. Left Ohio, the weather and haven't missed any of it. Cheap housing is available, ($50 - 80K range) plenty of rental shop space as well but you need to be picky.

Don't be in a rush, do your homework and let us know.

 

Bob's right, you can find a house in G****vine for less than 100K, ya just gotta know where to look!

If you like the rural lifestyle, then you want no parts of Dallas.

These places a big enough to have everything you need, but still feel like small town:

1-Weatherford
2-Abilene
3-Hillsboro
4-Gainsville
5-Royce City/Greenville

There's others, these are just ideas.

Good Luck bro