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Should we move south???

Billtex2000

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2006
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These winters make me question living in NJ. It’s been miserable.
Not to mention the property taxes, car insurance, traffic, etc.! I'm retiring within the next 2-3 years and can't wait to get out. Just a matter of where we end up going. It's a scary prospect for me...I haven't bought/sold a house or moved a long distance in 25 years, but It will be almost impossible to retire here (without getting another 40hr/week job...NOT HAPPENING).
 

LeeFlan7

Jet Boat Junkie
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Ok...full disclosure here, i was born in England but spent the biggest chunk of my life in Australia...heat isn't an issue and I actually crave that, but most of all we are looking for a lifestyle change and are concerned about raising our 3 boys in the rat race. My father-in-law lives in Gilbert, AZ and he'd love his grandsons closer to him...my wife is a professional blogger so can work anywhere and I am GSM at an auto dealer so I can find work...but, hell, you all make me think my thoughts are right and south is where we will likely end up...its just that initial leap of faith.

#FlyEaglesfFly
 

Speedling

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Tennessee has no income tax. Property taxes on a 5,200 sq ft house runs about $4K a year. Sales tax bites you at 9.75%. Greater Nashville area has the #1 and #2 fastest growing counties in the USA for the last ~10 years with approximately 90 people moving here PER DAY. Job market is fantastic for workers, as unemployment is X<3%. Weather is pleasant most the year and there's just enough seasonality to make you appreciate the good weather. Typically snows here 1 or 2 weeks out of the year. Warmer weather starts in March and Winter doesn't start until November or December. We start boating in April and go until October. I've even cruised the lake in January or February before (water is too cold for swimming). Lots of beautiful lakes and rivers around the state.

Lots of my friends relocated from Michigan or Ohio (we're in automotive) and love it here - we call them "carpet baggers". The Californians love it here as well, but they all gripe about the 1 month-long winters. Moving from southern Cali to anywhere will be a downer, except they all appreciate the 'normal' political atmosphere and low taxes here.
We plan to have a cottage kentucky/Tennessee and keep our main home up here in indiana just under the great lake of Michigan! That way i can run away for a more mild winter and go fishing at least!
 

Britboater

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As a non US citizen, I've often wondered why more Northern State residents don't move to Florida. When asking my neighbours and US friends the most common answer is family, then the lack of good payed jobs. Which shows probably why Florida has soooo many snowbirds and retirees.
 

Scuba_ref

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I have been mulling over this question for the past year or two. Our youngest is half way through her junior year in high school and I want to be somewhere warmer. We have actually been looking at Hawaii, but I am also toying with the south. I just don't know where to start looking.
 

gmtech16450yz

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Don’t know anything about the south east states but move to central California or Southern California and the only time you will see snow is when you want to drive to it, scal residents can boat all year long but it gets too cold in the winter for most here in the sf Bay Area to go recreational boating. Wages and salaries are high, especially in the Silicon Valley area but ...

the cons are costs, costs and more costs. It’s not uncommon to have the highest average cost per gallon of gas in the continental u.s. (I think I paid$3.09 per gallon of 87 octane at shell yesterday). if anything is tax free I don’t know of it and currently pay almost 10% sales tax per transaction in the county I live in, federal and state income taxes, property tax of 1.5%, 1% luxury tax on the boat and I’m sure a few other taxes annually. The tax on gas just went up 12 cents per gallon, 20 cents for diesel. Thinking buying a home? See the screen shot below. Almost forgot about the traffic which for some can be measured in hours per direction not miles traveled. I would say that LA is worse than SF but only because there is more of it/spans a bigger area.

Still I don’t think I’d leave the state, maybe for the same reasons others won’t leave the states they live in now. I grew up here, my friends and family are here, I’m comfortable here. If I was to relocate it would not be to anywhere that I would have to shovel snow to get out of the house or driveway come to think of it Hurricane alley is out as well.

View attachment 68068
$825k for a house in the Bay Area? Where's that, EPA? lol. You can't touch an empty 5000sqft lot in Palo Alto (not that there is one) for twice that. We just sold my mother in law's 2/1 on a 6000sqft lot for a little less than 3 times that. Oh and don't forget having to pay property taxes on your boat that's parked in your own driveway, that you also already pay property taxes on!

Julian, I didn't know you're from Chicago. I was born in River Grove, lived in Crystal Lake and all my family is from Chicago. My dad was transferred from O'hare to SFO in 1970, we've been in the SF Bay Area ever since. I loved the friendlier people in the MidWest, but don't miss the weather. As for me and my wife, we really like living where we are and (assuming our neighborhood stays the same) would be perfectly fine living the rest of our life here. And that's in the same little house we've lived in for 30 years already. Unfortunately we might get pushed out by the shear cost of living here eventually. We'll see.

And as far as snow or winter weather, I have a hard time with the mild winters we have here! F snow and cold! So for the OP, yeah, snow sucks! Move out of it!
 

adrianp89

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825k is not a realistic price? Is minimum wage six figures over there? Hell my dream home is only 400-500k lol.
 

haknslash

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895k would buy a mansion here :D! 350k will get you 20+ acres and a 3-4 bedroom nice home in the rural country where I live.
 
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Neutron

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I am all in for $218gs for 2.5 acres, whole end of a culdesac. 2000sf custom built home built in 2012 and its my and my wifes dream home. Gonna bury me next to the creek behind my house. Lol
 

Ronnie

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The average income for a family of four in the sf bay area is still under $100k. In many cities the police and teachers who work there cant afford to live there. Min. Wage in sf is $15/hr. In sf it is not uncommon to buy a $1M+ house just for the land, so the new owner tears the house down except for one wall and builds something new.

For context, i live closer to san jose, the house next to mine is like mine and on sale for over $750k. 1400 square feet, almost 50 years old, sitting on 1/8th to 1/4 acre. I wont be surprised if it sells fast, for cash and up to 20% over the asking price. Closer to Apple in cupertino the home values nearly doubled (from 1.2m +) over night when apple opened its new spaceship campus a few months ago. Lots of people cashing selling and moving out of state.
 

veedubtek

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I was boating today. I like Florida. IMG_20180126_140826.jpg
 

gmtech16450yz

Jetboaters Lieutenant
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Tiger J

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Long story short, I don't like the winters, never have and never will, neither does my wife, however we live in the area where she grew up...
For the last 12-18 months we have been playing with the idea of moving south (currently live in PA).
This is aimed towards any members who live anywhere in the south of the country....what are the best and worst parts of living in the lower half of the country?
North Louisiana

Best part= Only 2-3 months that are "cold", you can still get in the lake in November

Worst part= MOSQUITOS, and when it hot, it's HOTTTT (August is rough)
 

Cobra Jet Steering LLC

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I believe we have had a really cold January this year
 

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LeeFlan7

Jet Boat Junkie
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up in the Philly burbs we are not awful with property prices like SF Bay area, but its definitely not cheap...just a couple of weeks ago the ice was so bad on the Delaware River that it damaged some pretty heavy duty docks. when I see @Cobra Jet Steering LLC posting pictures of boating in January I wonder what the hell im doing!
 

LeeFlan7

Jet Boat Junkie
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Bucks County, PA
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As an update, we are very close to making the final decision...time to check the job market!
 

Cobra Jet Steering LLC

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like this?
 

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LeeFlan7

Jet Boat Junkie
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if i have to get there by boat or ski....all the better
 

Mainah

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As an update, we are very close to making the final decision...time to check the job market!
Tired if the snow and uce are we? I don’t miss it. Not sure I want any Eagles fans living anywhere near me though. JK Congrats to the Eagles what a great season for them. My guess is that the job market in your field is dictated by guys retiring or striking out on their own. Good luck and I doubt you will regret it.
 
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