Maybe it will become the next Idaho ?
Best retirement states for lower property and income taxes specifically + climate consideration
- Thread starter Brons2
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Maybe it will become the next Idaho ?
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- Dec 7, 2021
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It appears to be too simple to classify weather by state. Some states are huge and the climate varies wildly depending on location. Each circle represents a weather reporting station used for sourcing the data. There are many maps like this you may want to consult. Check out all that green along the lower Alaska coast.
One thing to not ignore is healthcare. Also, restaurant diversity. Having money is great in retirement but you need your health and things to do. They're not that affordable but Utah and Oregon are very nice. I've looked at Bend, OR and St. George, UT. Mesquite, NV is nice, also. I want a place with lots of retirees. Strength in numbers...
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- Jul 22, 2022
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Avoiding certain states because of salt on the roads? That's strange.
Wow, I thought $500/year on a $125K house was good...
Stellenbosch, South Africa. It's a college town in wine country, the cost of living is low and it has a really laid back and relaxed vibe. Right now it's my summer escape but I wouldn't mind living there year round at some point.
It’s a hidden tax, really. A bit like inflation, so maybe not so “hidden”, but it’s a cost all the same.
Try as you might, making a vehicle last more than 10 years, let alone 20, gets much harder. You spend more time and effort trying to protect it from the elements, but, truth is, that salt will slowly work its way into places you can’t reach. Even as you crank up the effort put in (washing, oil undercoating, avoiding winter driving), you still wind up driving on frost heaves and potholes, and deal with not seeing around snowbanks.
On top of that, there’s a reason why they put down salt. Your odds of sliding into the ditch, or having someone slide into you, because you are driving on an icey or snowy road, are dramatically higher in a salt state than in say Florida. So there’s a small risk every year of losing the vehicle due to weather related accident. [Now maybe the risk of having an accident at all is much higher in other states, dunno.]
If you have them, live where your grandkids are. Wear a coat if need be.
When you write off Florida as being too flat and uninteresting you must be thinking of Central/South Florida. You should check out Northwest Florida. Tallahassee has hills and lots of hardwood trees, and being a university town and a capital city it has lots of arts and entertainment for a small city. Uncrowded beaches to the south at St. George Island. The coast is a great spot for inshore fishing. Summers can still get hot however.
Prices have leveled off a bit. Away from the poophole known as Seattle. The powers that be completely ruined that carphole.
I would only consider wet side, farthest two counties north and south.
We settled on either Skagit or Whatcom county. Bellingham is a decent place but completely filled with nutbags. But the Whatcom county areas are decent. You can get an acre+ and decent home in that range if you shop and are patient. I wanted and needed a shop 2 years ago about this time, so it took us 3-4 months of looking and waiting.
You don't get tweakers out here.
You can plink if your property is OK size and you have a backstop.
The soil is great and sun is warm and no it's not constant rain. We can get cold but not forever. No salt.
The Canada border is 5-20 minutes away. We ate a delicious Indian buffet for lunch and no wait at the border on Wednesday. $25US total!
Jan-11-2023
An Indian Affair Langley Bc - 33.7900 Canadian Dollar
$25.27
Mt Baker is close, the Sound is close and a bunch of little towns - hills and valleys and flats
BUT don't move here, too many people coming here. Sucks.
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Not really. My state has gone from cinders to sand to a salt+sand mix to rock salt crystal and now a salt in water solution that gets applied a day or so before a storm is supposed to hit. You can’t avoid driving in it. I know firsthand the damage caused when the state switched over to the salt solution.
I just bought a used car during the Covid window when car prices and availability was crazy. My first criteria was the vehicle type I wanted and the second criteria was that the car HAD to come from a place: a) away from the coast and b) where the roads were not salted. I ended up buying a car from Arizona. When I took it to my guy for an inspection he put it on the lift and was so amazed he went and got me. This car was seven years old and the guy showed me the as-new condition of the underside. Said it was better then any car he had ever seen that had been driven for just one winter where I live. He offered to buy it if I didn’t.
It does make a huge difference. And if you are a car collector or like to keep cars for a while it (salt) has become an issue.
Bisbee is a nice place. I visit that town often.
I love SC and agree with some of your post but would like to clarify some things as I posted in other threads we almost purchased in Florida June 2022. When I say almost. I still have the contracts we never signed in my inbox.
1. Florida property taxes are way higher than SC. I happen to live in the second highest taxed county of SC and my property taxes (including all vehicles, 2 cars, boat, motorcycle are $4,000 a year 3000 sq ft home in a community with pool and nice size lots. PLUS one of the highest rated school districts.
The home we almost purchased in Florida, combined HOA/CDD fees and property taxes on a 2100 Sq ft home with postage stamp lot were $8000+
County taxes on vehicles are not uncommon in states. Like I stated my taxes posted above includes those taxes and we are the 2nd highest taxed country. My son who lives in Spartanburg is MUCH lower. More or less county taxes vary.
With that said, there is no sales tax on cars, trucks, motorycycles, boats or airplanes in South Carolina! (ok, so I exaggerated a little bit, there is a maximum tax of $500)
2. Gasoline is much cheaper in SC, Food is much cheaper in SC ect ect... all I am saying is one really has to study where they are moving.
Oh and there is no senior property tax breaks for Florida residents unless you are low income. IN SC everyone gets a break
BTW not part of the discussion but where I grew up and lived most of my adult life on Long Island NY my property taxes on our 3000 sq ft home would have been WELL over $20,000 a year.
Also I am NOT in anyway discrediting Florida! I LOVE NORTHEASTERN FLORIDA! Just didnt work out for us, if I was moving from NY it would have looked cheap but now spoiled in SC it looks expensive and not looking to increase our living expenses as we get close to full retirement.
I love northeastern Florida so much I could still change my mind, even though our house that we will be moving into is most likely within 2 months of being completed in the North Carolina Coastal area. We have been in contract since the end of August 2022.
I hate the fact I am going to have to start getting annual vehicle inspections again living in NC. Another bonus of SC, no vehicle inspections!
Do a search for Lake Murray South Carolina, a pristine 41 mile long lake with water up to 200 feet deep, so clean it supplies the state capital with its drinking water. It does get hot in the summer, hotter than Florida but mostly dry heat being Lake Murray is 100 miles away from the coast.
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You are quicker than me. I had to look up the state tax rates to find the answer. Then I slapped my forehead for not getting it sooner.
Yes. Too many grandkids here I would never see. Sitting on my Tennessee porch counting my property tax savings would be a hollow victory.
You do know that just because it's called "South America," doesn't mean it's part of the USA?
That's the whole point, yeah.You do know that just because it's called "South America," doesn't mean it's part of the USA?
The further I can get away from people that keep tires in their bath tub, the better.
Where in South America would you move to and how much money will you need to live there ?
I have some family in Panama.
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