By Mike Colpitts
The hard hit economy is mending in some areas of the U.S., while other regions continue to suffer through the dregs of a housing market 
still in a downturn. But among all the places that are on the mend there are a handful of fairly solid cities where you might just want to move, get a job and buy a home in 2012.
They might even be considered communities to start over again for millions of Americans facing hard times. However, before pulling out those last dollars from your wallet to fill the gas tank up and hitting the road, we’d suggest doing your home work first to find out whether you’re employable in these fine cities.
Plenty of employers seeking new workers have online application procedures, where you can fill out an application to get a start on your new adventure.
The real estate crash has hardly been felt in Houston, Texas, where prices haven’t fallen nearly as much as the hardest hit markets in the nation. Houston has, however, had its troubles with business closings and job losses, despite being one of the strongest local economies in the country, placing it top on the list. Oil, big oil, Texas crude has driven the uptake and it’s far from stopping any time soon.
If you can’t stand the heat in Texas during the hottest part of the year, perhaps you’d rather go north. That could be to Des Moines, Iowa where jobs are waiting for some workers in health care and other sectors. Home prices are low in Des Moines compared to the majority of the U.S. placing it second on the list.
Skilled laborers like machinists and kitchen chefs are in demand in Phoenix, which places third and has seen home prices slide at some of the strongest rates in the nation. There’s no saying housing prices won’t drop further in the Valley of The Sun, but 2012 could be the best time to find a bargain priced deal on a foreclosure in years.
The drought and higher prices farmers are getting for crops rockets Kansas City, Kansas on to the list. Although Kansas City is only a community of 145,000 residents, jobs are waiting to be filled in some sectors, including retail and farming. Home prices are already on there way up but moving to a new area to get a job could be the best move for many out of work Americans in the New Year.
If digging out from snow isn’t your thing or you just want to stay on the warmer side of the country, the southeast has another place you might soon be calling home. Albuquerque has seen better days, with foreclosures expected to spike in 2012 but employers are saying they are hiring more workers for jobs in retail, health care and a variety of other industries, making the city a drawing card for those looking for a better place to call home.