Housing

One of the most difficult things to find in North Dakota is housing. Due to the recent boom, rent has skyrocketed in the majority of the booming cities. The average cost of a 2 bedroom apartment ranges between $1500 and $2500 a month.

The majority of people moving to the area have a camper or RV. They are also paying astronomical prices for lot rent. The average cost is $800 a month, with you paying for your own utilities. One of the best offers I have seen is in Watford City, ND. There is an INDOOR camper park that cost $1000 a month. However, this covers all of your expenses (electricity, lot rent, etc...)

The days of camping out in Walmart parking lot are long gone. City officials have ban this practice and made it illegal for you to just setup camp wherever you like.

Make sure you have a place to stay lined up before leaving for the area. There are several MAN CAMPS that offer decent rates. Such as $200 - $400 a week. This is the cheapest I have found. Just do your research and make sure you have a place to lay your head after those 12 to 16 hours days. This place get COLD in the winter!

2 Weeks and Counting

Here we go!

Like many before us...my wife and I are making one of the BIGGEST moves of our lives. We are selling everything we own and moving to North Dakota for the chance to make in big in the OIL BOOM!

We are moving to a city called New Town, ND and hoping to find positions as a Roustabout (me) and a Retail position for the wife. Let me tell you a little about us and what we plan to accomplish with our blog. I am an Army veteran, I served as a Cavalry Scout (19D) from 2007-2010. Prior to joining the military I worked as a Warehouse worker and various Construction jobs (roofing, trim, tile, and a little framing). Since getting out of the military in 2010, I have gone to the University of Alabama as a full-time student under the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

My wife has always worked in Retail and Food Service. She has 10 years of experience as a server. We are hoping to find her a suitable position in the area or covert her into a secretary or something more ladylike. She is not interested in working in the Oilfields (go figure).

Since the job prospects in Alabama are slim....we decided this would be a worthwhile move. I have family living in the area and they are making very good money for the work they are doing ($75,000 to $90,000 a year). My father moved to New Town last year at 56 years old and worked as a Roustabout. He had NO EXPERIENCE when he arrived and grossed $75,000 in the 9 months he worked. We are planning to live with him in a small camper until we can afford our own. We are also going to use this time to scout out a suitable place for our daughter to attend school/childcare. She is 3 years old and will be staying with her grandmother for a few months until we acquire our own 5th-Wheel or camper.

During our time there....we will post everything we can to help others looking to make this move. Such as places that are hiring, what you need to bring (cold weather gear, shelter, etc...), how the locals feel about outsiders, and what to expect when arriving. Fortunately we have people to help walk us through the process. Without support, we would probably not be making this move.

Hopefully I will have time each week to provide an update on our current conditions. We are planning to make a photo journal and add it to this blog. If you have any questions or comments...feel free to post them. We would love to hear from you.