Move from the Wasatch Front to St. George area?

wabenho

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Sep 18, 2017
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I have recently been offered a career opportunity in the St. George, UT area (Ivins to be exact). Similar to @misSOULa's thread (https://backcountrypost.com/threads/how-do-you-like-living-in-the-slc-area.8301/) I am hoping to gather a little more information from you guys about the area.

Like most folks from Northern Utah, I have spent an occasional weekend St. George. I used to spend a fair amount of time in Zion, but my passion has fizzled with the increased visitation in recent years. From my visits, I would say I like the area well enough, although the summer heat worries me a little (I'm offsetting that worry with stoke for pleasant winters).

As far as I can tell, the job opportunity and many other factors would be similar to our current situation. The decision is coming down to where we want to live. The move would involve myself, my wife, and two elementary age boys, so having other families around and access to good schools are considerations.

A few reasons we would like to leave the SLC area: inversions, commute time/traffic, my wife and I like the idea of a smaller town (although we may only like the idea of it - see below).

A few reasons that concern us about leaving the SLC area: more difficult access to a major airport, cultural events, pro and collegiate sporting events, restaurant diversity etc.

I already know I would be super happy with the MTB trails and year-round riding season. I would love to get back into exploring the deserts and canyons. It seems that access to mountain areas is not horrible, but also not as convenient as northern Utah.

Any thoughts you guys may have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
 
I lived down there for 4 years 2010-2014, with both my kids. That was 4 years ago and a lot has changed in that short period! I was amazed when I blew through the area in November. I was not super impressed with either elementary school my daughter attended (one of them they did knock down and rebuild so hopefully the culture there changed with the new building). I did like both Snow Canyon High and Dixie High. Dixie High I felt was a better fit for my son. I will say keep a close eye on your kids as the drugs are very prevalent in southern Utah schools as you should really anywhere kids go to school. But my daughter and her friends turned in a few kids in elementary school for pushing drugs. STG is on I-15 and close to LV.

With all the desert exploring and access to Pine Valley you won't miss the mountains as much as you think. I missed the mountains more in Idaho Falls than in STG. If you are a skier then yes you will miss them more. Brian Head is fun but..... definitely better options out there. I usually by passed BH and went to Eagle Point.

Ivins area is great. Hurricane honestly has come along way since I lived there and if I had the notion to be in Southern Utah again. I would consider Hurricane. There is a lot of hidden housing that you don't see when you just visit STG. South east of STG near the air port.

The one thing I didn't like where I bought my house was that many of the homes were vacation homes. We were pretty much isolated and the community I was hoping for my children as in neighborhood kids didn't exist. On my entire block on 3 houses were occupied all of the time out of the 7. It was pretty much that way for several blocks around us. So keep that in mind when looking for a home. Also do EXTENSIVE research on the soil of STG. DO NOT buy a home on the expansive clay. Google it and you will understand. Oh and make sure you have a Pest Control company lined up from the minute you move in. No matter how much you have them come spray you will have cockroaches as your closest neighbor. You can also be as clean and sterile as a freshly built hospital and they will be your closest neighbor.

You still have a major airport in Vegas and a shuttle system from STG to Vegas so I wouldn't let that be a con. STG has several cultural venues like Tuhacuan and others you just have to look.

Traffic--- you will hate every holiday and start planning to get out of STG because Northern Utah descends upon it especially in the colder months. And college kids with retired people and out of town drivers makes for an interesting traffic cluster F sometimes.

The heat sucks in the summer! I just wanted to die sometimes but I still think a summer in Tennessee with the humidity is worse.

Overall I enjoyed my 4 years in STG. Might still be down there if my contract had not ended but I really don't miss it and am super happy to be back in Northern Utah.
 
Oh and if you do get serious about buying a home in STG message me and I will give you my realtors name. She found me a screaming deal. @Nick can vouch for that one as he did get to see my cute little house. She has a ton of energy and is really good at what she does.
 
I have nothing constructive to add, but I'll just say that this desert rat would move to St. George in a heartbeat if I had the opportunity. I have some gripes with the place itself, but the proximity to so many other places would be amazing. And clean air would really be great. I'd much rather have to figure out how to cool off in the summer than figure out how to breathe in the winter.
 
Now how much as of late has St. George been growing. I have some good friends who live near St. George and often visit them. St. George right now is one of the most fastest growing places in the U.S. Those canyons are nice. But too many people there for myself. Go for it if that is what you want. I remember how small it was many years ago. But that area to the west of St. George where Utah, Arizona, and Nevada come together is awesome.
 
Now how much as of late has St. George been growing. I have some good friends who live near St. George and often visit them. St. George right now is one of the most fastest growing places in the U.S. Those canyons are nice. But too many people there for myself. Go for it if that is what you want. I remember how small it was many years ago. But that area to the west of St. George where Utah, Arizona, and Nevada come together is awesome.
I remember visiting my grandparents when I was a kid. They stayed in a trailer park where the Washington Walmart is now located. If you blinked your eyes as you drove through STG you missed it.

Blows my mind how much that town has grown.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
Thanks for the replies! You guys are great and make some good points to consider.
 
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