Gentlemen,
Thanks for all this knowledge and experience. You have expanded my area of interest and I will make efforts to see them all. I had written Idaho off as having too many Californians already. Most of them had made a lot more in the equity lotto than I will and so have probably snatched up the better places. But they may have different tastes than I do, so I will look around. I have not yet been to Idaho or Montana.
As for the Mormon community issue, I know that I will be the outsider moving into their area. I have had good luck with LDS kids coming by as missionaries. I am concerned as any parent would about the girls getting along and making friends. The renting idea is a sound one.
It's just too bad I can't afford multiple homes.
Good advice from Rocky......so & tooooooo many new homes being built.......it all takes W A T E R ....
Buy an established home with all your utilities & water
The winter of 2018-19 was a blessing for Utah & all of the west..we need it every winter !
Nearly all the reservoirs this spring/summer in Utah just dumped water.....
Our irrigation company had 'free' water from mid April until Aug 1st.....or it went downstream.......
Plenty of places to consider.....I'm a transplant myself....Oct '79 from west PA.....never a moments regret !
Soooo much wide open space......in my part of Utah..........stop in some time......show you my land/your land !
Utah is a land of contrast........my first ex wife & mother of my children once said 'Utah is a man's land'
She now lives in Mesa AZ close to the malls & all that BS.........