One of the nicer homes I have seen at this price point- $640k USD Seminole, TX

[GON]

Update,

Home is under contract. Another of many current examples. Good homes/ desirable homes are still going under contract very quickly after listing.

I am returning to CONUS end of July and was hoping this home was still on the market. Want a nice home, it is a full-time job still being able to get a nice home under contract, before other buyers do.

 

[GON]

Wow. We moved to Arizona to escape Pa winters, both kids were going to be here, and I liked John McCain. Kinda lame.

@GON, are the political/governmental considerations more important than the physical location, geography, and climate?

@AZjeff,

My only comment is who would want to move to a state like Illinois with things like this a daily occurrence of taking money from working people and redistributing the money to others. I say others as I doubt a very small percentage of this proposed tax will actually make it to public transportation improvement/ expansion.

Illinois elected officials are now proposing a $1.50 tax on every kind of delivery (Amazon, UPS, DoorDash, your medicines, any package that is delivered to your door.

You just can’t make this stuff up!

Every Amazon and UPS package that gets delivered would cost you an extra $1.50.

The money would go to the city of Chicago for public transit, but the tax would be paid by the entire state of Illinois.

Elected officials plan to approve this tax on today Saturday, May 31st. (old article).

 

[GON]

So what state(s) meet your criteria listed above? I bet at least one of those states has a Starbucks and a TJ Maxx store.

A hasty list, Arkansas, Alaska, Wyoming, Texas, South Dakota.

Utah should be on the above list; Utah is very slowly but steadily following in Colorado's footsteps of becoming a mini me of California. I have three different friends relocate from Utah because of the slow but sure shift to become the "East California". Utah was utopia for us, shame what is happening to the once very desirable and exceptionally well-run state as people that fled California made Utah their domicile and are bringing what they fled in California to be what is very slowly becoming Utah.

 

[AZjeff]

A hasty list, Arkansas, Alaska, Wyoming, Texas, South Dakota.

I think this list answers my question above. Alaska and Texas being on the same list under consideration indicates that climate, geography, and physical location aren't major deciding factors on your domicile location.

 

[GON]

I think this list answers my question above. Alaska and Texas being on the same list under consideration indicates that climate, geography, and physical location aren't major deciding factors on your domicile location.

Maybe the question is it better to be in a less desirable location where ones freedoms afforded by the constitution are unquestionably available, or be in a paradise location yet have challenges to ones constitutional rights?

 

[Pew]

@AZjeff,

My only comment is who would want to move to a state like Illinois with things like this a daily occurrence of taking money from working people and redistributing the money to others. I say others as I doubt a very small percentage of this proposed tax will actually make it to public transportation improvement/ expansion.

Illinois elected officials are now proposing a $1.50 tax on every kind of delivery (Amazon, UPS, DoorDash, your medicines, any package that is delivered to your door.

You just can’t make this stuff up!

Every Amazon and UPS package that gets delivered would cost you an extra $1.50.

The money would go to the city of Chicago for public transit, but the tax would be paid by the entire state of Illinois.

Elected officials plan to approve this tax on today Saturday, May 31st. (old article).

It never left the house. It was a dumb proposal to alleviate the debt with the city's public transportation but got shot down pretty fast.

 

[GON]

It never left the house. It was a dumb proposal to alleviate the debt with the city's public transportation but got shot down pretty fast.

Don't worry, they will get their peaches and cream from every single working person in Illinois one way or another.

 

[AZjeff]

I am happy to be in such a place now, but no, I won't say exactly where that is, because the last thing I want is even more influx from people fleeing their poorly managed States.

You really think you listing where you live will cause 1 person to move there much less an infux?

My guess is Utah.

 

[JTK]

That is quite the home.

My insurance policy has the replacement cost of my home at ~$660K. If I had to re-build at anywhere near that cost, I wouldn't be able to afford the property taxes. Welcome to the PR of NY. I paid ~$200K for it 14yrs ago.

 

[PandaBear]

Just had my 20 year old roof replaced. The roofing guy said Black is the number one choice in shingle colors....he said by a wide margin. We went with a lighter beige/brown.

Just my guess. Black works with many different wall colors so they have higher volume in production and it is a safer bet if the owners want to change house exterior wall color in the future.

Oh, also I believe black tends to be more UV resistant and fade less compare to other colors.

 

[PandaBear]

Yep. You need to look at the all the cost components, plus revenue potential, resale, etc.
And there is no free ride; we all pay one way or another.

This. I'm sure if most houses in this area is selling for that much it is the market price for a reason. We all need to look at what works for us and whether living in that location can generate the income to sustain that cost.

This is the main reason why I don't believe we can live in one house from marriage to death, it is almost impossible to find a house that's perfect and reasonably priced with everything in all stage of live for everyone.

 

[AZjeff]

Maybe the question is it better to be in a less desirable location where ones freedoms afforded by the constitution are unquestionably available, or be in a paradise location yet have challenges to ones constitutional rights?

That's a thought provoking question but I can say with all certainty that even if Alaska had no property tax or state income tax and issued you firearms when you become a resident there's no way I'm spending my retirement years there.

 

[StarCaller]

That's a thought provoking question but I can say with all certainty that even if Alaska had no property tax or state income tax and issued you firearms when you become a resident there's no way I'm spending my retirement years there.

My wife grew up in Fairbanks, AK /
There's not much to do at all /

 

[GON]

My wife grew up in Fairbanks, AK /
There's not much to do at all /

Most people who domicile in Alaska and over age 50 spend their summers in Alaska, and non-summers in the lower 48.

@AZjeff, without a doubt you see Alaska license plates all over the place when you do pilgrimages to the greater Phoenix in the winter.

Having lived south of Anchorage, the weather is not so different than Seattle. Yes, somewhat colder in the winter, but not as cold in the winter as compared to when we lived in Chicago, which has worst winters than Anchorage. Finally, Anchorage, and especially south of Anchorage is a rainforest.

The issue with Alaska for retirees is the cost of decent housing. All housing is very expensive in Alaska, and quality housing is even more expensive, if one can find a quality home for sale.

 

[AZjeff]

Most people who domicile in Alaska and over age 50 spend their summers in Alaska, and non-summers in the lower 48.

@AZjeff, without a doubt you see Alaska license plates all over the place when you do pilgrimages to the greater Phoenix in the winter.

Having lived south of Anchorage, the weather is not so different than Seattle. Yes, somewhat colder in the winter, but not as cold in the winter as compared to when we lived in Chicago, which has worst winters than Anchorage. Finally, Anchorage, and especially south of Anchorage is a rainforest.

The issue with Alaska for retirees is the cost of decent housing. All housing is very expensive in Alaska, and quality housing is even more expensive, if one can find a quality home for sale.

@GON, according to bestplaces.net:

Anchorage - avg summer high 64f, avg winter low 7f, 79" snowfall, 126 sunny days a year.
Seminole Tx- avg summer high 93f, winter low 28f, 7 " snowfall, 265 sunny days.

It's just very interesting that you'd equally consider buying your long term house in either Alaska or Texas.

 

[GON]

@GON, according to bestplaces.net:

Anchorage - avg summer high 64f, avg winter low 7f, 79" snowfall, 126 sunny days a year.
Seminole Tx- avg summer high 93f, winter low 28f, 7 " snowfall, 265 sunny days.

It's just very interesting that you'd equally consider buying your long term house in either Alaska or Texas.

@AZjeff , iirc your question was what states met the criteria for long term housing. It didn't equal if the state would have a match. Alaska is a interesting but separate discussion. I was invited to apply for a position in Sitka, AK, which might be closer to Vancouver, BC than Anchorage, AK.

Alaska doesn't rate very feasible for a home purchase because of lack of desirable housing. Had Sitka had desirable/ available housing in a reasonably affordable price range, we may have considered Sitka as a permanent home, and let's say Big Bend, TX as a snowbird location.

Although Alaska matches the criteria well, and I have been offered two positions in Alaska, I declined the positions because of a lack of reasonable housing solutions.