In the real estate market, the tag line of location, location and location is often seen because it is true. Where you are matters. In many communities some areas tend to be more stable than others, it the city, because of government buildings, there tends to be more stability than in areas with few government buildings. The same thing it is for work. Most of us believe that education is a path towards higher incomes and often times higher incomes are paid in larger cities, which means moving to larger cities to try to access those larger incomes. Then COVID happened and companies changed procedures to allow people to work from home. But where is home? could it be anywhere that stable internet is found? in some cases yes.

In an article by Emma Goldberg of the New York Times News Service, business leaders and local officials in Tulsa, Oklahoma puzzled for years how to fill the openings as people left Tulsa to go to either coastal cities? What would keep professionals in Tulsa?

The short answer is money. A local foundation the George Kaiser Family Foundation offered $10,000 to remote workers willing to move to Tulsa for at least a year. It has been paid to 3,300 people. This has led to other cities such as Topeka, Kansas; Savannah, Georgia; and West Virginia and northwest Arkansas to duplicate the efforts.

A study was done to find out if it was a good investment for Tulsa? A survey of 1,248 people found that the average person saved $25,000 on annual housing costs (cheaper rent or can buy a bigger house for rent in the big cities); the state brought in more annual income tax revenue and more sales tax revenue.

Why is this a good thing. In Tulsa, there are a number of colleges and universities including University of Tusla; Oklahoma State University (OSU) Tulsa; Oral Roberts University. but over 1,000 people that were college-educated were leaving the area than staying.

Remote workers has jumped from 4% of the country’s workers to 43% in the spring of 2020. The good news for Tulsa is that nearly 3/4’s of the people have stayed longer than one year. Some of them have been thinking Tulsa will be home for a long time. (The foundation has said it will continue to fund Tulsa Remote for the foreseeable future)

Linking to dividend paying stocks, initially many decisions are tied to money. Can you keep more of it and make more? then other factors will influence other decisions and all things equal, money while important is not the sole reason. You can think it is great to invest in a company to make money, but if you could make the same money and be within your values what is the better investment? only you will know the answer.

There are more questions than answers, till the next time – to raising questions.