Anyone in Southern Alabama?

[Pablo]

Theres a possible job opening for me in the city of Ozark which is near Dothan/Enterprise/Ft Rucker

I told my employer that I am interested and now am waiting on information from them.

Everything I have read and heard (I have a friend who is originally from dothan) sounds great compared to Southern CA.

One thing I read online was that Dothan had the lowest cost of living in the western world according to US news and world report.
The real estate I have been looking at online is crazy. You get a mansion for what you'd pay for a shack here.

Seems like there are a lot more freedoms down there too, no e-check, better gun laws, etc.

It also seems like there isn't a big problem with illegal immigrants down there too

anyway, if any of you are from there or lived there, can you give me an idea what it's like?

BTW I'm originally from Florida so I have an idea of what the south is like already

 

[The Blob]

I used to live in Mobile and wish I still did.

Dothan is like less than two hours from Panama City so that would be a major plus in my book.

I'm not sure how bicycle friendly it is, though. I'm guessing not very. But that would be by my standards and I've got a very low tolerance for dogs and idiots in pickup trucks.

 

[Evans Ward]

I grew up about an hour from there just over the GA line. I've never been to CA but you may get culture shock if you move to AL! Oh I see from your post you've lived in FL so you'll be OK. It's laid back let me tell you! Dothan is a good sized city- everything you need will be there. You also have Montgomery north of Ozark too. Yes, that area does have a low cost of living. Pretty high poverty rate too all things considered so skilled and college educated is a plus.

 

[Pablo]

I used to live in Mobile and wish I still did.

Dothan is like less than two hours from Panama City so that would be a major plus in my book.

I'm not sure how bicycle friendly it is, though. I'm guessing not very. But that would be by my standards and I've got a very low tolerance for dogs and idiots in pickup trucks.

lol, same here

I was stationed in Pensacola for a little while and the riding wasn't bad actually.

I think the one plus around dothan is that it seems to be pretty rural (i.e. quiet country roads)

But yeah, I was thinking that might be one of the only downsides.

BTW I don't remember you mentioning that you rode. Maybe I just have a bad memory.

 

[Pablo]

I grew up about an hour from there just over the GA line. I've never been to CA but you may get culture shock if you move to AL! Oh I see from your post you've lived in FL so you'll be OK. It's laid back let me tell you! Dothan is a good sized city- everything you need will be there. You also have Montgomery north of Ozark too. Yes, that area does have a low cost of living. Pretty high poverty rate too all things considered so skilled and college educated is a plus.

I will be working in Aviation so I think I should do OK. My buddy that used to live in dothan was only making slightly less than what I make here doing the same work. The difference in housing costs are enormous though and you come out WAY ahead.

btw, yes, I much prefer the South to out here in CA. I am sick and disgusted with the people/politics of this place

 

[TurboDave]

I will be working in Aviation so I think I should do OK. My buddy that used to live in dothan was only making slightly less than what I make here doing the same work. The difference in housing costs are enormous though and you come out WAY ahead.

btw, yes, I much prefer the South to out here in CA. I am sick and disgusted with the people/politics of this place

Well, if you spent time in Pensacola, you'll be fairly familiar with the weather and such around Dothan. I was also stationed in Pensacola for several years back in the mid 70's.
So the cultural shock wont kill you, but it'll be close. After living in San Diego for over 12 years and moving here where I am, it took some getting used to.

 

[The Blob]

BTW I don't remember you mentioning that you rode. Maybe I just have a bad memory.

I never did.

Eight Ironmans... so I've ridden just a little.

But that was in an past life... although I am thinking about coming out of retirement for IMF in November.

 

[a trail rider]

I've never lived there, but I've done a fair amount of driving through and around Dothan, and I've stopped there many times... I definitely WOULD live there if opportunity permitted. It is rural, but as someone said, Dothan is a fairly large city. Definitely one of the larger in Al.

Troy has a college... Ozark sits between both, along 231. That area gets quiet at night.. You know, "We roll up the streets" kinda quiet. But during daytime, it's pretty busy.

I considered buying property near Dothan just last yr because it was cheap enough and I could get away from things. But I changed jobs and decided I'd better not go out on that limb just yet.

About 1.5hrs gets you to Panama City... Daatz nize...

Good luck with it. I think you'll really like it there as compared to most any part of CA. Then again, I kinda dislike CA myself. It's gorgeous, but not enough to be so expensive. Ozark will probably cost half or less anually to live in overall.

 

[Junior Samples]

good luck on the job Pablo, get out of the ratrace, Cali blows, hr drive to go 5 miles...no thanks, you'll just have to learn how to suck the heads off of the crawdads is all, aquired taste.

 

[951le]

dothan

I live in Alabama but not Dothan,I go there a lot though.It is a real nice place the best thing about it is the whole city is in a big circle.The main road makes a circle around the city and everything is either in the circle or just on the outside of the circle.Really cool how it is layed out.

 

[benoitthegr8]

I lived in Ozark from 1993 to 1999, I was stationed at Ft Rucker. Enterprise is a decent town, it rates the normal chain stores and restauraunts. They had a Golds Gym at one time, a Lowes, Wally World ect. Dothan is bigger and has more of the same. I'd without a doubt stay away from Ozark, unless your willing to live outside the city and drive about 30+ minutes to Ft. Rucker. Ozark has cheaper property prices, but the reason for that is more poor people. Not to sound like I'm rich or something, I'm middle class and prefer to live and or associate with the same type of people with the same interests. That being said when I was living there I was an MP in the Army. When living in Ozark I would tend to run into people that I had busted on a regular occasion, this is not a prefered situation... If you have any questions feel free to email me...

 

[gordyzx9r]

I'm moving to Enterprise in June, as I'm being reassigned to Fort Rucker. I was stationed there in '99 to '00, and I went back for awhile in '05.

In the area surrounding Fort Rucker, Enterprise is usually the best choice. Ozark is nice, but it's a bit longer drive. Stay away from Daleville, it's a dive. Dothan would be a bit of a trek and with gas prices, just not worth the hassle.

There were some locals with turbo Regals in the area, and when I went back in '05 to visit there were still a couple driving around in Enterprise. There was also guy who worked at the Chevrolet dealership in Enterprise that had his own shop, he was very good with a Turbo Regal and I'm hoping he's still in town too.

It might be Alabama, but the area around Fort Rucker is made up of people from all across the states as people get stationed there, and retire in the local community. It's got that sleepy small town feel to it. The farther out you get, the more you start to encounter the stereotypical deep south. If you are planning on buying a home there, do some research on where the home is. Fort Rucker is the home of Army Aviation and there are always helicopters about. There are quite a few stage fields in the region where they go to train, and some housing developments were build around stage fields that were previously "closed" but later reopened and now people are complaining about the noise/vibrations.

Also, Enterprise had some nasty tornadoes go though and do quite a bit of damage, so be sure to have a inspection done before buying anything.

EDIT: There is no emissions check, but IIRC, if you take your car in and it doesn't have a cat on it; I believe they are obligated by law to put one on it for you at your expense.

 

[gordyzx9r]

I lived in Ozark from 1993 to 1999, I was stationed at Ft Rucker. Enterprise is a decent town, it rates the normal chain stores and restauraunts. They had a Golds Gym at one time, a Lowes, Wally World ect. Dothan is bigger and has more of the same. I'd without a doubt stay away from Ozark, unless your willing to live outside the city and drive about 30+ minutes to Ft. Rucker. Ozark has cheaper property prices, but the reason for that is more poor people. Not to sound like I'm rich or something, I'm middle class and prefer to live and or associate with the same type of people with the same interests. That being said when I was living there I was an MP in the Army. When living in Ozark I would tend to run into people that I had busted on a regular occasion, this is not a prefered situation... If you have any questions feel free to email me...

I think Golds is gone and it's a locally owned gym now. Lowes and Super-Wal Mart are still there. The Shoney's that was just off the 4 way into the circle closed down and became a Chinese Buffet place. Right next to it, they put in a Waffle House. If you took a right at that light, as if you were headed to Lowes, there is a new Holiday Inn Express and a small shopping center with new restaurants there. It'll be interesting to see how they handle traffic around Fort Rucker now as it's a closed post. When I was there before, it was open and truckers/travelers would drive through Fort Rucker to save time.

Ozark has actually become a hot bed for retirees, Daleville become more of a dive (if that's even possible).

 

[a trail rider]

It'll be interesting to see how they handle traffic around Fort Rucker now as it's a closed post. When I was there before, it was open and truckers/travelers would drive through Fort Rucker to save time.

I drove a truck through the area many times last yr. We ran alongside the base, but I don't recall entering. One day I passed by and saw a swarm of police and military activity... Apparently someone had lost control of their vehicle and slammed the fence. It was rather surprising to see so many different uniforms all around the scene. Didn't slow me much though.

 

[benoitthegr8]

Ozark has actually become a hot bed for retirees, Daleville become more of a dive (if that's even possible).

I purchased a house there in Ozark, right next to the Wally World (Camilla Dr.). We had dumped some money into the place and in a matter of 3 to 4 years people started moving out. The neighborhood got undesirable real quick, when It became time for me to move to Fort Bragg we had a hell of a time selling the house. After paying a mortgage for 5 years and doing probably 20K in upgrades and repairs we only made 8K out of the house. That's why I have a negative outlook on the town. If I moved back there I'd live in Skipperville or out in the county some where.

 

[gordyzx9r]

If I moved back there I'd live in Skipperville or out in the county some where.

That's a pretty long drive though to get to Fort Rucker. Ozark didn't have many houses that were appealing to me, so I bought one in Enterprise. The BAH rates there are insane now, it's literally skyrocketed through the roof. I could have bought a huge, beautiful home with the BAH they give me and my wife (dual military) but we decided to go with a nice, modest home that we know we could sell when we leave and that my BAH alone covers the mortage on so we can bank hers or double the payments.

My biggest concern though is that AL didn't have tornadoes like they're experiencing now (at least not that I recall) so we may have to have a shelter put in.

 

[Pablo]

guys, thanks a lot for the information so far. It sounds like a great place to live. I'm still waiting on information from the higher ups.


The Blob... 8 ironmans?!?!? in this past life did you used to hang out with Dave Scott and Mark Allen?

 

[gordyzx9r]

Well, I'm here...the truck & trailer almost didn't make it though as someone punched my door lock in the GMC but still couldn't get into it (they did this during lunch time and I parked it where I could see it...SOB must have low crawled up to it). Anyways, Enterprise has grown a little bit in some respects but declined in others. Dothan went thru one heck of growth spurt, probably won't have to go to Montgomery or Birmingham for much of anything nowadays.

Houses galore on the market here.

 

[cool 84]

I was born and raised on the Gulf Coast. Born in Pascagoula, MS, family in Biloxi, Ocean Springs, Gautier, and Mobile. Moved to CA in 87 but I still consider the South home. Every time I go back for a visit, I mellow out, it's just a slower paced way of life. People are friendlier, just all around better. I would give anything to go back. In my current line of work, I'm hoping to be able to finally make the move back in a couple years. I've even considered taking a 50% pay cut and starting all over just to get back there.