Can I realistically make my dream a reality?

Hi, AJ. Welcome.

1) Probably not. I generally put the chances of you finding a job that can support your family at less than 10%.

2) Yes, but what will happen in practice is that you’ll burn through your cash reserves and not find a job eventually.

3) I know there are people on this forum who homeschool.

4) Seems popular with forum members.

Look, if you’re not receiving passive income (are retired, independently wealthy, etc.) or can’t perform an online business where it doesn’t matter where you live, then it’s No. 1 above that matters.

You are almost certain to face financial ruin if you move to PR without having a job offer in writing before you move there.

I understand your love for the place. Plan on retiring there. But don’t move there now under your present circumstances.

Hi There,

I just wanted to give you some perspective as our real life journey to living here in PR  has taken a path almost identical to what you are dreaming and hoping for. We also relocated here from Denver and prior to coming, i could not speak Spanish.

I would highly recommend you find a job prior to coming.  My wife and i were both able to land jobs here while still being in Denver. The key i think as you mentioned is "not being picky" we both took considerable pay cuts but we have always known how to live within our means regardless of what our incomes are so as long as you and your family are good at budgeting you will find that there are plenty of resources here that can accommodate those that can budget well.

Compared to Denver housing is extremely affordable here. Your plan on selling (especially in that market now) is great. When we moved here 4 years ago the Denver market wasn't nearly what it is now so we actually used our home there as a rental (Airbnb ironically) to give us additional income while we established ourselves in PR  but once it became seller's paradise in Denver a few years ago we put our place on the market and had an offer within 2 days..im sure now you will have similar results.  Finding a comfortable affordable home  here is not difficult especially in the primary area you are looking in. Im a mortgage banker here and help many people in the Rincon area with financing.  There are homes in the 180-225k range that can work well for a family of 5. Some may need a little work...but if you are relocating there are programs that assist with repairs prior to moving in plus you dont necessarily have to buy right away as you can still find decent 3-6 month rental opportunities while you find the right place.  The jey again is the job..so  if a solid  job opportunity presents itself...just get here!!

I can't speak much on schooling,  but i know others can..we have a 4yr old and this year will be his first year attending school. We will be sending him to a small local bilingual school in our area. We did consider homeschooling and know others that are doing it, but we really want our son to have the social interaction as our neighborhood doesn't have many kids his age.

It sounds like you have great ambition and everything starts with a dream.  I will admit the transition to being full time in PR is not easy.  It takes a ton of patience and persistence, but its 100% worth it. 

I wish you well in whichever direction you select!!

Jobs are few and far between, but like anywhere else, it depends somewhat on your background and field. I suggest you check out https://www.facebook.com/groups/539145393109499/

This is a FB page for job seekers and employers in PR. I see some interesting positions, like project managers or folks to staff field offices for large corporations based stateside. The US government also employs quite a few PR locals. I, myself, am investigating tutoring in English on-line. Or, if you're super ambitious, you can start your own business. Since Maria, a lot of companies went out of business, and I've noticed many NEW businesses springing up to fill the void.

I have friends in PR who are active with Linkedin and get contract jobs stateside or on the island itself. It's not steady work, but pays well, and you get to work with a lot of different companies.

If you don't already have a Costco card, GET ONE. Buy in bulk to stretch your dollars -- and merchandise at Costco costs the same as it does stateside. If you're resourceful and frugal, you can extend the life of your cash quite a bit in PR, by grabbing a bite from a food truck, getting your veggies from roadside vendors, or bartering.

I grew up in southeast Denver, about 15 minutes from the Tech Center, so I can understand your desire to move to the tropics. By and large, home prices in PR are MUCH more affordable than in Denver. That depends on your location, of course. Rincon is overrun by Xpats, so home prices are a little higher there. There are quite a few areas near Rincon that are more affordable.  Also Old San Juan and Condado  are more pricey, and for good reason: location. But because Old San Juan is a designated historic district, home-owners pay no property tax, so that kinda balances the monthly payment a little.

(As a sidebar, I was back in Denver in May and took my family out to dinner at Fruition near Washington Park. If you haven't been there, go at least once before you embark to PR.)

I can't address the schooling issue. I do know many in the Rincon area send their kids to private schools or home school. Maybe some of the folks on the FB groups can help you out with that.

Living in PR, or any island for that matter, has its challenges. But with a good attitude, perseverance, and flexibility you can do it.

Look into federal government jobs, they tend to require less Spanish and in some cases none. Not knowing Spanish is your biggest stumbling block and the fact that a lot of people want to give it to a local is your second stumbling block. I seen people spend a year or more looking for a job before they returned to the states or got lucky.

Federal jobs is your best choice or a remote job for a company in the states that does not care where you live.

So does that mean I wouldn't have any luck with hairdessing?
I'm looking into luquillo area , was hoping to be a traveling hairdresser 😊 ( lots of condo's) but not sure how it start....

I could see that being successful if you honed in on expats for your services. In Puerto Rico (and NYC) Dominicans (there are A LOT in Puerto Rico) are on top of the hair game. So you may want to focus on expats who’d feel more comfortable having their hair done by a fellow expatriate and make that your niche. It’s definitely something I can see being successful with you travelling for their convenience and them spreading the word among the expat community. BTW, I went to school for cosmetology and have a small business in the industry. Buena suerte!

Hairdressing will work. I've noticed in PR, women are very beauty-conscious, and no matter what, they somehow find a way to have their hair and nails done, and if they can afford a day at the spa, they'll do that to.

You might consider taking advantage of the cruise business. There are lots of beauty services on cruises, but they are very expensive. If your rates are reasonable, you might be able to cash in on budget-wise cruisers as part of your business.

Hummm, I'm thinking about opening a salon in the Fajardo area around August, Sept. focusing on expats. I really don't want to be near the  San Juan area, a local salon for my convenience. I don't speak Spanish very well at all....I'm sure I'll pick it up as I go, but mainly want to focus on expats. I think I'll be ok?

Hi did you get your salon going?

Did you make a go of it? Hope you are doing well, there a many expats in the General Fajardo area.