Author: Harrison

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Minnesota

Minnesota is Booming!

MINNESOTA: HUMBLE, HEALTHY WEALTHY

It sure does get cold in Minnesota, but the locals have a way of warming you up. From great food, thousands of miles of coastline, lowest propensity to use swear words, and the world’s highest concentration of Fortune 500s? Gosh golly, you read that right! Minnesota is booming, and it has been for a long time. As a long distance moving company, we have been a part of countless moves bringing people and their corporations to the Twin Cities. With a GSP of $381 billion, this northern spectacle of commerce and innovation has more to offer than could be listed in a few paragraphs. Here are a few cold hard facts about Minnesota that will have you moving there by the end of the week.

Largest Concentration of  Fortune 500’s in the World

Target, UnitedHealth Group, 3M, Best Buy, General Mills, and Land O’ Lakes have chosen the Twin Cities to house their corporate headquarters. And this is only a small portion of the 17 massive corporations that reside in the area. This concentration of corporate juggernauts is unheard of anywhere else in the world. The wealth of a few Minnesota residents surpasses the entire GDP of some first world nations. The Cargill-MacMillan family alone generates $108 billion in revenue per year. What does all of this wealth do for a state like Minnesota? It sets a precedent of success for its residents. Those ambitious Minnesotans are your employees, they educate your children, and they put a cast on your broken arm. Minnesota attracts and produces the best of the best. Nobody can argue statistics, and Minnesota has the highest rate of high school graduation at 93% and is in the top ten for college attainment. While Minnesota isn’t a cheap date, you get what you pay for. The North Star State holds the top spots in education, infrastructure, and technology & innovation.

Highest Quality of Life (even in the winter)

Minnesota ranks number two for the best states to live. A recent paper put Minnesota at the number one spot for health care. Minnesota has endless leisure activities, but leisure alone isn’t enough. Sometimes it is all about the people we deal with daily. Minnesota has been voted the friendliest state! When you move your office or warehouse to Minnesota, you will feel welcomed. When your residential address has a Minnesota zip code rest assured, your new neighbors will go the extra mile to see if you need anything. This isn’t a superficial “California nice,” Minnesota is as authentic as it gets. We know we are looking at Minnesota from a business perspective; however, there’s a lot to be said about happiness and its correlation to productivity. The bottom line is if you are happy, you are more likely to reach your full potential.

Minnesota is reserved for the best of the best. Are you up to the challenge? Well, leave you moving up to the best of the best. Cherry Moving Company is the premier moving and logistics company catering to a discerning clientele. From coast to coast long distance moves to short term storage solutions, Cherry Moving movers pride themselves on discretion, security, and luxury.

Residential home prices are on the rise. If you want to take advantage of all Kansas has to offer you and your business, now is the time to move. Trust none other than Cherry Moving to get you there with discretion, security, and peace of mind. Cherry Moving is the top choice for a discerning clientele for everything from coast to coast moves to short term storage solutions. At Cherry Moving, your business is our business.

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Blog Missouri

Show Me Missouri

Missouri

MISSOURI: THE SHOW-ME STATE OF MIND

Missouri is the state that used to be best described as “always the bridesmaid, never the bride.” Well, all of that is changing rapidly. The “Show Me State” is growing across just about every metric. Already home to some of the largest companies in the world like Anheuser-Busch, more and more companies are seeing Missouri’s potential to generate substantial wealth. Missouri took the world stage with the Bayer-Monsanto merger. This merger at $66 billion was the largest all-cash transaction in history. Nothing says ‘show me” like cold hard cash. Here at Cherry Moving, we have been helping entire corporations pick up and reestablish in Missouri too many times to count. Maybe it’s time to grab those shipping boxes and see what all the fuss is about.

If You Can Believe it,  You Can Conceive it

Missouri does not bog down the corporate structure with an unnecessary intrusion. When you have Budweiser and Bayer and their bullpen of lobbyists, rest assured your business environment will be favorable. Missouri has been leading the way in aerospace, publishing, and beer distilling for years. Major corporations have already plowed the fields of success for many new industries to flourish. One of the fastest-growing verticals in Missouri is now the biotechnology sector. St. Louis is ranked number one for hospitals in the United States with several major research facilities and universities like Washington University, St. Louis University, and Bayer Research Laboratories, It is no mystery why the state is fast becoming a hotbed of innovation. Nowhere else can you find such a diverse spectrum of top-tier sectors in close proximity to one another. This unique ecosystem means Missouri can integrate your business into the current structure with ease and efficiency.

The Reasonable (Choice)

Current Missouri home values are around $153,800 after rising 7.5% over the previous year. Homes here are currently listed on the market for an average of $180,000 in terms of the overall cost of living, Forbes ranks Missouri at number three in the nation. While such a low cost of living may be alarming to some, Missouri’s income is steadily rising and is expected to gain more momentum in the next five years. Missouri is attracting first-time homebuyers at a record rate. For anyone considering moving an office or warehouse to the state, this should be music to your ears. With homeownership attainable at entry-level salaries, you ensure low turnover and loyal employees who are just as eager to grow with your company as you are.

Missouri has a lot to offer if you are creative enough. If you are the type that seeks out the diamond in the rough, Missouri is the place for you. Cherry Moving is here to help you make your move to the “Show Me State.” Cherry Moving is trusted by a discerning clientele who expect the very best from a moving and logistics company. For expertise in everything from coast-to-coast long-distance moves to short-term storage solutions, Cherry Moving is here for you.

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Blog Montana

Love Montana

Montana

Love Montana as much as the: Kauffman Foundation Does!

Cherry Moving has seen an uptick in destinations like Bozeman and Helena from your typical corporate homesteads like Austin and San Jose. Naturally, we did a bit of investigating, and to say we were shocked is an understatement. Montana is nothing short of a boomtown that has slipped under the radar until now. Get your moving company on the phone and dust off those shipping boxes because when you hear this, you’re headed to Montana!

 

Traffic as Light as,  Your Taxes

Want something even more exciting than the frontier of the Big Sky State? Let’s start with the fact there is absolutely no sales tax! Zip, zero, nada. When it comes to income tax, Montana is astonishingly progressive. Montana has an income tax rate range between 1% and 6.9%. The absence of the one size fits all approach ensures your company is in the best possible position to succeed. While the residential property is certainly on the rise (and for a good reason), the property tax of 0.87% is well below the national average. Montana’s tax system has been called “The Fairest of Them All” by the Washington Post. Despite all of this groundbreaking information, one must not forget the proverbial ‘cherry on top.” Montana has one of the shortest average commute times in the nation at 18 minutes. Remember, Montana has a lot of lands and many miles of road to sandbag the statistics, so if you are setting up your office or warehouse in Bozeman, you can essentially cut that in half.

 

The Deluge of Entrepreneurs

The Kauffman Foundation has given nothing but glowing reports for Montana in all metrics that matter most to innovators and entrepreneurs. With the fantastic tax system covered, what happens to businesses that uproot and make a long-distance move to Montana? Montana holds one of the top spots for startup survivability at nearly 80%. 80% odds in just about anything is a smart bet. See? Not all statistics are boring! Kauffman also rates Montana very high in terms of new employer business velocity. Montana is welcoming new and established entrepreneurs from coast to coast. Montana takes fifth place among the states where the number of inbound moves is more than twice higher than the number of outbound moves. With many soon-to-be-former tech powerhouses seemingly unphased by the mass exodus they are enduring, Montana is ensuring long-lasting relationships with its new corporate citizens.

Montana may have caught you by surprise, but don’t underestimate the quiet ones. Montana is on the rise, and you should be too. If you are ready to give your office a Montana zip code, only use the best to get you there. Cherry Moving Company has been the most trusted moving company from coast to coast by a discerning clientele. Cherry Moving is the pinnacle of discretion, luxury, and security.

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South Dakota

South Dakota: Let’s Talk Business

South Dakota: Good times in the Badlands

Let’s start with this; South Dakota has the lowest business costs in the United States. Still not enough to pique your interest? How about the fact that South Dakota holds one-fifth of all bank assets in the United States totaling $3.3 trillion? Didn’t see that one coming, huh? South Dakota is so much more than Mt. Rushmore and Bike Week. South Dakota is the haven you are looking for to relocate your business or just your residential address because South Dakota reigns supreme when it comes to corporate friendliness and overall quality of life. As a moving company that has moved more than our fair share of offices and warehouses to the state, we have learned a thing or two about South Dakota along the way. Get those shipping boxes out and call your movers, South Dakota has more opportunity than anywhere else in the United States.

Let’s Talk  Business

Let’s get started with what matters most. CNN Money named South Dakota as the number one state to start a business. The article states, “South Dakota doesn’t tax personal income, capital gains, corporate income or corporate capital gains. There’s little crime, and energy costs are relatively low.” Business Insider gave South Dakota the number two spot for the best business tax climate due to the absence of personal and corporate income tax and capital gains. Even after all of these fantastic benefits, quality of life still matters. Fortunately, South Dakota ranks in at the number two spot for overall well-being and happiness and number two for quality of life. When it comes to the metrics that matter for your business and your personal well-being, no other state comes close. South Dakota wants you to move there, and it does everything it can to ensure your success. No other state invests in you as a person first and a corporate entity second, the way South Dakota does.

The Biggest Heart in Business

Nothing brings more joy than to witness the philanthropic efforts of the world’s elite. What matters most to people is that these efforts are made not for clout but a genuine sense of compassion. South Dakota is home to the most altruistic billionaire on earth, T. Denny Sanford. Sanford has given nearly $1 billion to Sanford Health, a group of 43 non-profit hospitals, and over $55 million to Children’s Home Society, intending to expand services for domestic violence victims and support the organization’s staff. The owner of First Premier Bank has taken great efforts to not put the spotlight on himself rather the charities he supports. Sanford embodies the South Dakota spirit, his manner of living is typical even though his bank account is slightly bigger than most.

South Dakota lands in the top 3 for everything that matters most, but it will be number one in our hearts. If you are ready to change your life for the better both personally and financially, Cherry Moving are here to get you there. Trusted by a discerning clientele from coast to coast, Cherry Moving is your choice for long distance moves and short term storage solutions.

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Washington

Washington: Home to Heavyweights

Washington State: The Mint of Venture Capital

Washington is home to heavyweights like Microsoft, Amazon.com, Nordstrom, Starbucks, Boeing, and Costco. According to Forbes, venture capitalists see Washington as the holy grail and regularly contribute upwards of $2 billion per year in venture capital alone. If your company is ready to join the big leagues, dust off the shipping boxes and call your moving company because Washington State is a veritable NFL draft of innovation. Here at Cherry Moving Company, we have helped more than our fair share of intrepid entrepreneurs seek their fortune in the shadow of the Cascades.

The Startup of Startups

With a GSP closing fast on $1 trillion per year, Washington knows who butters its bread. Startups are such an integral part of economic growth that the State itself has gotten in on the action. Nobody wants your venture to succeed more than the State of Washington. Startup Washington is a program run by the state Department of Commerce that helps connect entrepreneurs to useful resources, data, funding sources, VCs, accelerators, workspaces, and a slew of other resources. No state values its innovators more. When it comes to startups, the ‘Evergreen State” puts its money where its mouth is.

Never Underwater with Overhead

Energy costs can run as low as 2.88¢ per kWh for residential homes and average 4.13¢ per kWh for larger industrial enterprises such as office buildings or a warehouse. If you are looking at your utility bill in California right now, this may seem like a fantasy. With the lowest energy costs in the United States, this fact alone has been the reason why many companies have made the long distance transition to Washington state. Combine the much lower operating costs with being placed in the Graceland of innovators, and you have just propelled your business to the front of the pack. Very few places exist where a singular geographical change can transform a business seemingly overnight.

Are you ready to make your move? Cherry Moving Company is here for you. For everything from warehouse relocation to short term storage solutions, Cherry Moving is the choice logistics company for a discerning clientele. Cherry Moving makes your business their business.

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Florida

FLORIDA: The Sun COAST

FLORIDA’S: FIRST COAST

It’s the first place Europeans discovered and settled on America’s eastern seaboard. The region is dominated by the city of Jacksonville and comprises the counties of Duval, Baker, Clay, Nassau, and St. Johns, which largely corresponds to the greater Jacksonville metropolitan area. It also includes the historic city of St. Augustine, the oldest continuously inhabited European-established city in the continental U.S.

The First Coast is nestled in the Northeast corner of the state, hard against the Georgia state line. Enterprise Florida, one of the state’s preeminent economic development agencies, identifies that Northeast Florida corner as one of eight of the state’s economic regions.

And the state’s economy is in a heckuva great state too! Enterprise Florida says the Sunshine State boasts the 4th largest economy in the country, and the 18th largest in the world. Its 20+ million residents (3rd in the U.S.) reap $840 billion in annual income (#1 in Southeast), all the while hosting nearly 100 million tourists every year and overseeing an $830 billion state GDP. In case you’re counting, that’s fourth largest in the U.S. and more than the countries of Switzerland, Argentina and Saudi Arabia. Add 0% personal income tax and an unparalleled business-friendly climate and it’s clear the state will steadily continue apace.

Here Cherry Moving provides a snapshot of just what makes The First Coast such an attractive place for families as well as businesses. And why more and more of both have decided The First Coast is just the place for them to live their best possible lives.

The Thrill of  Jacksonville

Jacksonville is the most populous city in Florida, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. The city sits on the banks of the St. John’s River, which meanders 340 miles and houses a series of watersheds that serve as home to some 3.5 million people. The St. John’s and the Nile are the only two rivers in the world which flow north. And while it’s unclear whether or not the Nile is the longest river in the world (Brazil insists it’s the Amazon), the St John’s is unquestionably the longest river in Florida.

It’s also unquestionably essential. In fact, much of Jacksonville’s economy depends heavily upon the St. John’s. Every year, 18,000,000 short tons (16,000,000 t) of goods are shipped in and out of the city. Its major exports include paper, phosphate, fertilizers and citrus; while major imports include oil, coffee, limestone, cars and lumber. All in all, the Port of Jacksonville produces a reported $1.38 billion in the local economy and supports over 10,000 jobs.

That river engine has helped propel the city to a best-in-state growth rate. In fact, Real Worth Network has found Jacksonville has grown a full 14% over the last decade. Its population is increasing a healthy 2% a year, and its workforce is expanding at twice the national average. Real Wealth attributes Jacksonville’s steady rise to a world-class health care system that includes 20 hospitals, as well as an ever-growing bioscience community. They also cite that fact that the city is home to operations of 13 of Forbes’ Global 500.

According to the Jax Daily Record, Jacksonville’s largest employers include Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, Mayo Clinic, Florida Blue, Citibank and CSX. Throw in the two naval bases (which employ a combined 35,000) and the city and school administration systems (another 25,000) and you’ve a certifiably robust market.

Folks seeking further proof of Jacksonville’s rise, as well as its promise, should turn to Forbes, who’ve ranked the city #8 in Fastest Growing Economy, #7 for Future Job Growth, #5 of America’s Fastest Growing and the #1 Hottest Real Estate Market in America.

Cherry  Moving has had a great feeling about Jacksonville for the last five years or so. That’s when we began receiving more and more calls from Americans looking to relocate to the city. That influx has risen every year since. And we’re incredibly honored to be able to help both families and businesses make the move!

Jacksonville’s Beaches

The Jacksonville Beaches, known locally as “The Beaches”, are a group of towns and communities on the northern half of the barrier island nicknamed San Pablo Island. The Beaches’ main communities are Mayport, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, and Ponte Vedra Beach, which make up approximately 90,000 of the Jacksonville Metro Area’s 1.5 million residents.

This stretch of Atlantic Ocean coastline is separated from the city of Jacksonville by the Intracoastal Waterway, and while it’s served as a resort for well over a century, many of the city’s well-heeled also choose to call the picturesque oceanfront home.

As you might suspect, home prices are up and inventory is down, especially in Jacksonville Beach itself. In fact, Movoto found median home sale prices in the town had risen to $629,000, while resale inventories had decreased a full 53%.  Zillow had similar findings in neighboring Neptune Beach, where median home values are up 7% (to $467,964), which is nearly twice higher than the Jacksonville Metro area average.

Of The Beaches’ top hotels and resorts, US News cites Atlantic Beach’s One Ocean Resort and Spa, as well as Ponte Vedra Beach’s Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort and Spa. The publication also make much mention of nearby Amelia Island, whose Fernandina Beach boasts The Ritz-Carlton, the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort and The Villas of Amelia Island Plantation.

Whether or not one actually resides in one of The Beaches’ charming communities, San Pablo Island adds an attractive dimension to an already alluring oceanfront. And while we at Cherry Moving are ready, willing and eager to help you and your family move to The First Coast, we’ll leave it up to you to decide just which beautiful community is best!

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Blog Colorado

Aspen & Vail Colorado: Natural Beauties

Vail Colorado

Aspen & Vail Colorado: Natural Beauties

 

Attempting to determine the better between Vail and Aspen is largely a fruitless exercise. Both towns boast world-class skiing, five-star resorts, palatial estates, and the kind of ultra-luxury living that’s beyond enviable. The two of course also revel in the high standards of life enjoyed by the rest of Colorado, albeit well on the upper end of the spectrum. No, determining which of these renowned towns is the better of the two is purely a matter of personal choice. And once that choice is made, it’s highly unlikely it can be changed, for any reason.

That’s what we at Cherry Moving have found anyway. Over the past few years, we’ve had more and more clients seeking to relocate to Colorado’s Ski Country, and a good nine out of ten of those clients had their minds made up long before they’d even called. Why? Well, it seems our Colorado-seeking clients all have extensive personal histories with their chosen destinations. In fact, many of our clients had been vacationing in the region since they were children. Others started ski holiday traditions straight out of college or when their own children were young. And now have decided to stake a personal claim to the place they’ve come to love. However long the ties, these clients are already bound to their dream towns. And they’ve enlisted Cherry Moving to help them effortlessly live out those dreams.

That said, a diligent briefing is always helpful, whether or not one’s mind is made up. And we at Cherry Moving aim to be helpful in every way possible. So without further ado, here’s a good look at Vail and Aspen, two of America’s dreamiest dream towns.

 

Vail,  Colorado

 

Vail has its own mountain, as well as its own same-named resort. In fact, the mountain is the largest ski mountain in Colorado and the resort predates the town by a full four years. That was in 1962. Since then Vail’s developed into one of the world’s perennial ski spots, not to mention one of the most exclusive places to live on the planet.

Vail’s not all powder and mansion though. During the early 1980s, the area blossomed into a year-round resort. Golf courses were laid out mountain-biking trails were added, and gondolas and chairlifts began transporting sightseers instead of skiers. In quick succession, hot-air balloon rallies, tennis tournaments, and concerts featuring everything from chamber music to rock became part of the Vail summer scene.

In the 1990s, a managed growth pact between the Town of Vail, Vail Resorts, and U.S. Forest Service preceded the opening of Blue Ski Basin, which added 645 acres of additional skiable terrain on Vail Mountain. The agreement served as the catalyst for the construction of roundabouts to improve the town’s carrying capacity as well as open space protections to improve the quality of life and quality of experience for residents and guests.

 

Vail’s Billion Dollar Renewal

 

Another milestone occurred in 2005 with the start of Vail’s Billion Dollar Renewal. More than half the town’s commercial areas received a facelift following an infusion of private and public sector investments that begat new and renovated hotel units, additional commercial space, and improved public spaces.

Vail being home to the Burton US Open Snowboard Championships will ensure the town maintains its place in the winter sports pantheon, while a $100 million expansion of Vail Valley Medical Center will ensure the community continues to receive exceptional medical care. Vail is also reportedly pursuing a series of sustainability initiatives that will significantly reduce its carbon footprint.

 

Resort Town Exclusivity

 

While the Kardashians did spend a season skiing, snowboarding, and traipsing around Vail Village and Lionshead, then-President Gerald Ford famously used The Lodge at Vail as his “Western White House” back in the mid-’70s, those were the exceptions rather than the norm. And these days esteemed part-time residents such as BlackRock CEO Laurence D. Fink, philanthropist Oscar Tang, and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg adamantly prefer the quieter side of the resort town’s exclusivity.

And what exclusivity do they enjoy! Sperling’s Best Places reports Vail’s current median home price is $917,700, while LIV Sotheby’s says Eagle County (which includes Vail Valley) sold an astonishing $1,768,165,313 worth of homes in 2019. The most impressive rise was in the Edwards in the Lake Creek community, which saw a 450% uptick, and Vail Golf Course and Spraddle Creek, each of which saw home sales climb by 120%. According to the Year-End Micro Marketing Report, Bachelor Gulch saw the most drastic rise in average single-family home prices, jumping from $4 million in 2018 to $7,748,750, a whopping 91.2% increase. You can’t argue with increases like these, so we won’t. We will say that the remarkable rises clearly illustrate Vail remains a most enviable place.

 

Aspen, Colorado

 

Aspen came about during the 1880s Colorado Silver Boom and got its name from the abundance of same-named trees that forest the town. The town truly came of age in the ‘50s, after industrialist Walter Paepcke of Chicago’s Container Corporation of America bought up a bundle of properties and opened both the Aspen Institute and the Aspen Skiing Company. The addition of Buttermilk, Aspen Highlands (both 1958), and Snowmass (1967) cemented Aspen’s place as a world-class ski resort.

As you might suspect, Aspen also fields more than its fair share of Olympic skiers, with a good two dozen former and current United States team members calling the townhome. Other notable Aspen residents include philanthropists Mercedes Bass and Carrie Morgridge, financier Thomas Bailey (founder Janus Capital Group), and Canadian-American billionaire Mortimer Zuckerman (whose Boston Properties is one of the largest real estate investment trusts in the U.S.).

And yes, Aspen is pretty much high-end about everything. Ralph Lauren, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Moncler, Van Cleef & Arpels, Valentino, Theory, and Ermenegildo Zegna all have well-appointed shops in the town’s tiny downtown, while St. Regis and W luxury hotel chains join fabled inns such as Hotel Jerome and The Little Nell in hosting discerning resort-goers.

But it’s in real estate that Aspen truly defines high-end. In fact, the town might just redefine the phrase. Sperling’s Best Places reports Aspen’s median home price currently sits at $1,635,500. And if Krug Properties’ forecast is any indication, that price won’t be sitting there for long! In fact, it’s likely already well beyond that figure. According to Chip Krug, who handles the Aspen Snowmass market for Sotheby’s (and who by the way is also an Olympic medalist), 2019 sales rose 37% over the year before, with single-family homes in his market up to $7.589 million, an increase of nearly a million dollars. While the Bideau Team at Coldwell Banker Mason Morse cites a $9,995,000 median, the rise is largely attributable to a shortage in inventory. Bideau also pointed out a high sale price of $54,500,000. All in all, Aspen is proving that there’s still such a thing as certainty, even in uncertain times.

Certainty happens to be one of Cherry Moving’s primary concerns. When a family or a company enlists us to help them relocate, they’re certain that every element of the move will be handled with utmost care and consideration. Whether it’s packing and crating, making use of our safe, secure temporary storage facility, or the shipping itself, Cherry Moving provides the kind of all-around moving service you can rely upon without question.

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Alabama

The Richness of: Alabama

Alabama

The Richness of: Alabama

The state of Alabama has certainly come a long way since its heyday as one of the world’s cotton capitals. Sure, that deep rich red soil still provides a robust agriculture sector, but all-in-all the state’s economy has diversified to fit — and fill — the needs of the 21st century. Indeed, Alabama has shown remarkable growth in the areas of management, automotive, finance, manufacturing, technology, aerospace and mineral extraction, as well as in education, retail and healthcare, especially in the ambulatory field. In fact, USA Today reports that after real estate, ambulatory health care services provides the state’s largest single sector total economic output. The industry, which includes primary care physicians, dentists and other outpatient medical services, generated $8.3 billion in Alabama in 2016. That’s nearly 5% of the state’s total GDP.

Alabama’s Economic Diversity

Of course a diversified economy benefits all sectors, and, as Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield told Made in Alabama, “There are dynamic developments taking shape that will elevate Alabama’s growth potential and create exciting opportunities for citizens throughout the state.” Secretary Canfield cited milestones such as Lockheed Martin making Northeast Alabama its flagship location for futuristic hypersonics technologies and Mazda Toyota Manufacturing’s new $1.6 billion Huntsville facility, as well as large scale expansion efforts from GE Aviation, Boeing and Airbus. But don’t think for a second the state’s cotton-growing regions are being forgotten — or neglected. And Secretary Canfield cited the recently passed rurally-concentrated “Alabama Incentives Modernization Act” as proof.

With all that growth and promise taking place in Alabama it stands to reason that Cherry Moving would be receiving more and more requests for companies and their executives to relocate to the state. It also gave us a good reason to look into just what’s making the state such an attractive prospect. So without further ado, here’s Cherry Moving’s take on the great state of Alabama.

Greater Birmingham

Sperling’s Best Places sees the economy of Alabama’s largest city growing at about 30% over the next decade, which is right on par with the country as a whole. Unlike the rest of the country though, Birmingham’s growth will largely be attributable to healthcare. Healthcare is the city’s largest industry. Among the public juggernauts are UAB Health System, Cooper Green Mercy Health Services and Birmingham VA Medical Center, which employ well over 20,000 combined. That vast success has also led to vast expansion, including $57 million for Princeton Baptist Medical Center and a whopping $400 million for Children’s of Alabama’s new Southside campus.

New Tech Down South

Beyond healthcare, Birmingham’s economy is doing remarkably well in  new technology, especially life sciences research. The UAB Medical Center and the affiliated Southern Research Institute lead the field, and Made in Alabama reports the UAB is developing technologies in every medical therapeutic area. The Foundation, which markets and licenses UAB patents and supports the development of local life sciences startups using UAB-licensed technologies, receives significant support from the Birmingham Business Alliance, whose Blueprint Birmingham is dedicated to supporting research, development and technology transfer throughout the region. Among the local biomedical firms prospering from their Birmingham alliance are Agenta Biotechnologies, BioDtech, DiscoveryBioMed, Vista Engineering and Soluble Therapeutics.

Big In Birmingham

Banking is also big in Birmingham, with Metro Birmingham boasting six banks with at least 5% market share, compared for instance to three in Atlanta and Memphis, and Charlotte’s two. And Maynard Cooper & Gale’s Jenny McCain insists the city will remain a competitive market. “Unlike Charlotte,” she said, “Birmingham has a more diverse banking market with no one bank with over 50 percent of the deposit share. For that reason, banks may see this market as more attractive for expansion than some of the other Southeastern cities.” She also cites evidence of entry from startup banks like CommerceOne, as well as the city’s luring of Alabama banks like Robertson Banking Co. and First U.S. Bank.

As befitting the only place in the world where all the ingredients for making iron are present, American Cast Iron Pipe continues to play an important role in the city’s economy. It’s joined by the likes of Books-a-Million (the nation’s second largest bookstore chain), Encompass Health (the nation’s largest rehabilitative services company), and Vulcan Materials Company (the country’s largest aggregates producer).

Shelby County

So where are all the executives and other Birmingham city leaders living? Well, if Cherry Moving’s recent request report is any indication (and it undoubtedly is), Shelby County seems to be the preferred place. It’s not just our clients who are giving Shelby County such a high rating though. Housing and real estate sites such as Home Snacks continue to rank the Birmingham bedroom communities number one, for both its quality of life and its convenience.

Historic and charming Montevallo seems to lead the county for most prestigious real estate, though Hoover, Chelsea and Calera all boast exquisite mid seven figure homes of their own. And while the area feature an abundance of historic mansions, nearly 70% of its luxury housing stock has been built since 2000, so there’s no shortage of modernity, whichever town you choose.

If you’re looking to relocate to Greater Birmingham or any of Alabama’s other increasingly bustling cities, Cherry Moving would be honored to make the move for you. We provide top-to-bottom, executive-level moving services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including packing, shipping and storage.

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Arkansas

Arkansas: The Land of Opportunity

Arkansas: The Land of Opportunity

Believe it or not, Walmart doesn’t own Arkansas. Not entirely anyway. Sure, the world’s largest company generates enough revenue to buy the entire state. Founder Sam Walton may have even considered the prospect too. Instead though, Walmart used its great wealth to help Arkansas succeed in business in ways that benefited everyone. And in so doing gave the state the chance to live up to the nickname “The Land of Opportunity.”

State Pride

Of course Arkansas opportunities are by no means limited to Walmart and the companies that serve the corporate giant. In fact, Mental Floss notes the state prides itself for being the world capital of a variety of things, including quartz (Mount Ida), spinach (Alma), folk music (Mountain View), and archery bow production (Pine Bluff). More significantly perhaps is the level of steel production in Mississippi County, which Invest in USA pegs at the second largest in the nation. Its reach, however, extends around the whole world, with NUCOR, Big River Steel, Geradau, Welspun, and Lexicon among the global companies leading the state’s steel producing brigade.

“Arka”-nomics

Agriculture continues to play an integral role in Arkansas’ increasingly robust economy (though rice has supplanted cotton as the state’s largest crop). Nevertheless, aerospace and defense tops both crops and livestock in the state’s export market. Arkansas’ Economic Development Commission reports 180 companies serving the Aerospace/Defense sector of the state’s economy, including Lockheed Martin, Aerojet Rocketdyne, General Dynamics and Dassault Falcon Jet, which has established its largest facility in the world. Why have these companies chosen to do business in Arkansas? Well, largely because of Governor Asa Hutchinson and the state’s congressional delegation’s committed support. They’re also lured by the fact that Arkansas has the third lowest cost of doing business in America, as well as the third lowest cost of living. Furthermore, Arkansas just so happens to be one of 27 Right-to-Work states.

Best Places to Live in Arkansas

Everyone from The Crazy Tourist to Livability to Niche claims Bentonville is Arkansas’ Best Place to Live, despite (or more likely because of) its being homebase to Walmart. There’s virtually no crime to speak of, the cost of living is well below the national average, and (because of Walmart) the town boasts more companies per capita than anywhere else in the nation.

Luxury Market

Bentonville also boasts nearby Centonville and the charmingly-named Little Flock, both of which also made The Crazy Tourist’s Best Places to Live list. Niche also gave high marks for Centonville. In fact, the entire Northwest Arkansas real estate market seems to be outpacing national averages. It also appears to be attracting the kind of executive-level talent local companies require. In fact, the luxury market is so robust that Sotheby’s recently opened up a branch to serve the area, which includes the towns of Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers and Springdale. And this isn’t just any Sotheby’s outpost either. The branch, called Portfolio Luxury Real Estate Redefined, is headed by Kristin Boozman, the daughter of U.S. Senator John Boozman. The timing — and the pedigree — certainly bodes well for the region.

Talent Attraction

“As Northwest Arkansas continues to grow and attract talent from all over the world,” said Boozman, “our affiliation with Sotheby’s International Realty will enable us to promote our clients and acquire customers on a global scale.”

Indeed. Boozman won’t be the first (or the last) to be banking on Bentonville, or for that matter the aforementioned Rogers either. Rogers, home to the first Walmart, as well as the birthplace and headquarters of Daisy Outdoor Products (of bb gun fame), is ranked among the nation’s fastest growing cities. So is the Rogers-Springdale-Fayetteville Metropolitan Statistical Area itself, which also leads the state. Then again, with both Tyson Foods and J.B. Hunt Transport Services joining fellow Fortune 500 company Walmart in the region, it’s only natural to see such dominance in The Natural State.

Arkansas boasts three more Fortune 500 companies (Murphy USA, which owns and operates all the Walmart store gas stations; Dillard’s, a department store chain; and Windstream Holdings, a communications company), as well as two that made the Fortune 1000 (ArcBest, a logistics company and Murphy Oil, original parent of Murphy USA). Add those to the vast array of aerospace and defense industry companies there’s undoubtedly more moves in store for Arkansas. That’s what we at Cherry Moving see anyway. But don’t just take our word for it. Take theirs. Because two of those 180 thriving aerospace companies just recently recruited Cherry Moving to help them make their move into the Land of Opportunity!

If you or your company is looking to relocate to Arkansas or any one of the other contiguous 48 states, Cherry Moving would be honored to make the move for you. One call and we’ll put together an all-encompassing plan that will cover every imaginable detail — and then some!