Look for sure before doing anything. Land "around McCall" varies so much you would not believe. 10 miles in either direction can put you in some pretty low income areas, without any of the attraction of McCall itself. You can get 2-3 times the land/house by going to New Meadows or Cascade, but those places are very different from McCall.
Employment is the major issue. I have had friends come and go because they didn't make enough money lo live decently and still have the cash left over to enjoy the area. Those were two income couples also.
You have to have a hook to make it here. Two income or more families for sure, come from money, or have skills that are needed (doctor, etc.). My one buddy that came here for a year with his girlfriend had one truck between them, two older Skidoos, a small house they rented, and finally left because they were getting tired of riding old sleds and being broke. He worked at a dealership and she worked for a large hotel. My other bud left after a couple years for similar reasons, he was in real estate and she worked for an exclusive hotel, they moved to Utah and he makes twice what he was making here by selling rvs.
I do ok because I have an online business, it doesn't matter where I live. My wife has a salon in town, it really doesn't make any money after 4 years, but she has an online business also.
We went to dinner the other night, Mexican, my wife and I shared a large dinner, my kids each had a kids meal, I had 3 Coors Lights, the bill was $58.
Lunch for 4 of us is regularly $30-$40.
The food prices are probably not too shocking for you if you are from Cali.
I bought a ream of printer paper locally a few years ago when I had to have it: $9. $2.99 at Walmart in Boise.
We have been here 4 years and are looking at options for leaving. Small town BS, dealing with the constant arsehole tourists, especially in the summer, cost of living are big drawbacks. Half the people here (or that have houses here) have so much money that they do not know what to do with it, 40% of the people work for those people and don't have a pot to piss in, 10% are middle class folks like us. And it is getting worse, they are continuing to build low income "worker" housing. In four years, this place has changed so much we cannot believe it.
I moved here to ride sleds without having to drive. I regularly go for 1-2 hour rips because riding is ten minutes away. But we are paying the price for that luxury, it is getting old. We were looking at Alpine/Driggs/Victor areas also.
Rant over.
