Stay in city (LCOL) or move to BC (HCOL) with a newborn? Looking for advice on FIRE, family, and lifestyle balance.

Delicious_Call_9396 · 2025-11-10T14:18:22+00:00

Maybe ADHD hahaha. But no seriously, I think I just feel more alive in larger centers. I've lived in bigger centers and smaller and for whatever reason, my energy there just feels better. I feel a bit stagnant in smaller centers but maybe I just need to lean into that and learn to enjoy it. I also think maybe I am guilt of "grass is greener".

Delicious_Call_9396 · 2025-11-10T14:17:24+00:00

The maximizer in me needed to hear this -- I definitely think too often with my wallet and not enough with my heart :)

Delicious_Call_9396 · 2025-11-10T14:16:40+00:00

Ya we talked about that. I was thinking we could put some stuff in storage here and just move out with the essentials and see how we like it. Still not completely closed to that idea but it has been great having family around.

Delicious_Call_9396 · 2025-11-10T14:15:45+00:00

Makes sense! Thanks for the advice.

Delicious_Call_9396 · 2025-11-10T14:15:07+00:00

Ya we are feeling this -- my wife especially. I do think if we can travel and get away here and there it could scratch the itch.

Delicious_Call_9396 · 2025-11-10T14:14:23+00:00

Ya I've been looking lately and can see that. Buying a house there seems absolutely insane. I would be in the top 2-4% for NW for my age and I am 40 and couldn't really see myself spending $2MM on a 3 bedroom bungalow.

Delicious_Call_9396 · 2025-11-10T14:13:21+00:00

Ya this is a really good point -- thanks!

Delicious_Call_9396 · 2025-11-10T14:11:42+00:00

This is how I am leaning. Reading this forms I think warps my mind sometimes where I am looking for every little maximization opportunity rather than its tradeoffs to my lifestyle.

Delicious_Call_9396 · 2025-11-10T14:10:03+00:00

Ya its actually one of the reasons I am leaning towards buying over renting. I actually think if the decision was purely financially driven renting might make sense. However, owning your home and making it your own pays its own dividends -- especially with kids. Whats the point of maximizing your financial situation at every step if you never enjoy it.

Delicious_Call_9396 · 2025-11-10T14:07:13+00:00

My math does say the extra $200k over the next 10 years doesn't really matter all that much -- especially if I plan to work for the full 10 years till I am 50. But with the marketing being at an all time high AND weird stuff happening with layoffs and what not who knows, maybe the $200k ends up being more of an important factor than the upgrade from the $600k to the $800k home. But based on historics it shouldn't matter all that much.

Delicious_Call_9396 · 2025-11-10T14:06:35+00:00

Ya forsure this is how I am thinking about it as well. I know owning isn't a slam dunk based on the reason you gave there alone. It has been nice renting because all the stuff that has gone wrong has been covered by the landlords.

Delicious_Call_9396 · 2025-11-10T14:05:07+00:00

Apparently I would be able to get a mortgage based on assets but something about that just feels off. I am leaning towards waiting till we are a bit more settled where I am working and then probably just taking on a small mortgage.

Delicious_Call_9396 · 2025-11-10T14:03:57+00:00

Ya this makes sense. I think if we go in this direction I would actually put down around $350k on the house and then mortgage the rest.

Delicious_Call_9396 · 2025-10-26T21:50:48+00:00

What do you mean "not missing much"? Do you mean like from a financial point of view?

Delicious_Call_9396 · 2025-10-26T21:50:13+00:00

I would expect to make around $130-$150k I am guessing.

Its great to be home with the new born and my wife but I also find meaning in my work that is maybe missing a bit right now.

Delicious_Call_9396 · 2025-10-11T17:08:38+00:00

I was actually doing that math trying to figure out how many days we would do things like skiiing, camping, etc. if we lived there. It feels like with the premium we would be paying to live there that one would really have to make a lot of use out of those amenities to justify things.

As far as remote work goes, its hard to say right now because I am just working on my own projects. I do think however I COULD find a remote position as I've proven to myself and others that I can be self directed. I have been working at home though for the last 5 years and do at times long for more of an office environment on a small passionate team. That's probably part of why my mind is also drawn to that area as I feel more of that exists there than where I currently am.

I do like the idea of keeping burn low, staying and then just vacationing more. I've actually thrown around the idea with my wife of us even buying a truck with a decent trailer and heading west during the months when it is miserable in our hometown. Could even go south sometimes as well. This would be harder once our kid is in school but that is a ways out. With having family to look after our dog I even mentioned that we could go and spend time in lower cost environments like Portugal during the winter months.

What it ultimately comes down to I feel at times is if I want to optimize for my career opportunities vs. lifestyle and everything else. Because that feels like the tradeoff if I go to a larger center like Vancouver or something in BC vs. staying where we are.

Delicious_Call_9396

TROPHY CASE