Where to buy a house in the US?

[alarmguy]

Many of those articles about low-tax states tout Virginia's "low" property tax rates (they aren't really that low in any part of the state with employment more substantial than "Wal-Mart Greeter") but somehow overlook the personal property tax (aka the "car tax") which is pretty high.

What a pleasant surprise as much as I love South Carolina and it is a low tax state. Only lived now in North Carolina for less than two weeks I have found out the sales tax is 2.25% less than 4 miles over the border in South Carolina my personal vehicle rate here in North Carolina is tremendously lower than what it was in South Carolina, but with that said, I believe that’s mostly dependent on County and I happen to live in the highest taxed county in South Carolina before we moved which was still boatloads and boatloads and boatloads cheaper than Long Island, New York
One nice benefit in South Carolina is the maximum sales tax on any vehicle is $500 no matter what price you pay including boats.

 

[billt460]

Wrong Portland.


Portland Oregon is a dread zone. I would not recommend going there to anyone. Neighborhood Scout rates cities on crime with a scale of 1 to 100. 100 is the safest.

Portland Oregon rating is 1.

https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/or/portland/crime

Portland is probably your best example today of progressive politics run amok, that has all but completely destroyed what once was a beautiful city. Home prices are still high, much like L.A. and Seattle.

But people are leaving much faster than they're moving in. So something has to give. Between the mass exodus, along with companies departing for more tax friendly pastures, the future isn't exactly bright for these up and coming stink holes.

 

[billt460]

Boise is Idaho's Portland Oregon. Portland Oregon was a nice city until the Californians swarmed there and turned it into another California like city.

They did much the same to Denver, Colorado. They have done to that state, what the alligator and Burmese Python have done to Florida.... Basically overrun it.

 

[c502cid]

The problem is most Californians will turn where ever they move to in to another California by voting for the same type politicians and government programs and raising taxes. Sad to say but I have witnessed it for the past 40 years .

Truth, waving at you from Colorado aka Calizuela.

 

[andrew_j]

Where she wants to be and happy.

 

[Dave Hess]

What a pleasant surprise as much as I love South Carolina and it is a low tax state. Only lived now in North Carolina for less than two weeks I have found out the sales tax is 2.25% less than 4 miles over the border in South Carolina my personal vehicle rate here in North Carolina is tremendously lower than what it was in South Carolina, but with that said, I believe that’s mostly dependent on County and I happen to live in the highest taxed county in South Carolina before we moved which was still boatloads and boatloads and boatloads cheaper than Long Island, New York
One nice benefit in South Carolina is the maximum sales tax on any vehicle is $500 no matter what price you pay including boats.

Im thinking about SC. I might look around there.

 

[Dave Hess]

My mother and I want to buy a house together.

Budget is a concern. So our current location SF Bay Area is obviously out. We could have done Vallejo but I lived and worked in that city for a year and I never want to go back. I don’t even like driving through it.

I’m more conservative so I’d like to move to North Carolina because I have a long time friend there who has a good quality of life there. And I would love to get away from the way CA is going with the way crime is handled (as in, it’s not). But my mother is the opposite… and she’s putting down the down payment so ultimately it’s her choice.

I’m recently single and don’t have many friends so I’m not stuck here. Currently I work retail and could easily transfer to any of the 6000 US locations. My next job is probably going to be a work from home web development job so location for that doesn’t really matter.

My mother wants to stay as close to here to be near the rest of our family. But her partner has family in Portland and my aunt has family there too so she thought maybe there. But my research shows it’s the Vallejo of Oregon and things don’t seem much different up there?

Any suggestions? I know it’s a broad question with no right (or wrong) answer but I’m just curious where people here found a good quality of life place to buy a home. Because we’re both sick of renting.

I’ve heard good things about Chattanooga, TN.

You have to visit the cities you have in mind to look around.

 

[Al]

Im thinking about SC. I might look around there.

I like western North Carolina much better than SC. Weather less oppressive

 

[c502cid]

Everywhere you go has pros and cons. You have to visit there, and hopefully more than once and more than a few days, and ask yourself can I live with this? Like many people understandably can't/won't do cold/snow, I can't do humidity, and no matter how much I love Tennessee and North Carolina, I can't live there.

 

[Dave Hess]

Everywhere you go has pros and cons. You have to visit there, and hopefully more than once and more than a few days, and ask yourself can I live with this? Like many people understandably can't/won't do cold/snow, I can't do humidity, and no matter how much I love Tennessee and North Carolina, I can't live there.

If there is a city OP is interested in, maybe a BITOG member might take a few hours and show OP around if they visit.

Tell OP the areas to stay out of and recommend places in the OP’s price range.

When I lived in Palm Beach I offered to show a member around the area…..

 

[brianl703]

Like many people understandably can't/won't do cold/snow, I can't do humidity, and no matter how much I love Tennessee and North Carolina, I can't live there.

Washington, DC (and it's suburbs) has both. Cold (and sometimes snow..sometimes lots of it), and high heat and humidity. Someone once claimed that they decided to put the US Government in the location with the worst weather (keep in mind it had to be somewhere in the 13 colonies), in hopes that the politicians wouldn't stay there all year. So they chose the area that became Our Nation's Capitol.

 

[Wylie6G72]

Never been there but Wyoming looks great

It has its merits, but 17 years of 8-month winters and countless times of shoveling out of chest-high snowfall, the hot south started to look very good. I'm glad I was raised there, but I wouldn't want to live there again. Rapid City, South Dakota, pretty much the same climate but has a lot more to offer. I would consider it as a retirement destination.

 

[GON]

Going to take some assumptions here. Income/ housing costs have restraints. Being from California, cold weather rules out many areas (which is a shame- as many great places have cold weather).

If cost is in fact a major factor- here are three places that might be fun to take a closer look at:
Evansville, IN
El Paso, TX
Hot Springs, AR

 

[BISCUT]

My parents retired to Fort Myers (note spelling) inland a bit in 1983 at a upscale Country Club within a short drive to the big RSW airport. Was good for about 15 years, then then area got way over built. Flat, hot, commercial and bunched up. Being under scorching sun then in AC all the time. When ever I visited it took me about 5 days to acclimate.
On the plus side there is No State Income tax. But instead a heady sales tax - including sutomobiles - of 6%. There are lots of shops and good restaurants. I don't like Naples.

You already know New Hampshire has no state income or sales tax - ZERO %. - just a diners/meals tax and a somewhat elevated property tax depending on town. They are even currently phasing out the dividend tax.

I will say Winters up here in NH are becoming less tolerable as I quickly approach 70 years of age.
But tax is a reality in retirement. You can easily pay the Feds 3.5 to 5 grand $$$ yearly if you supplement your modest SS income with 401K withdrawals to live comfortably.

If you find someplace nice, let us know!

Spelling noted.

Both appear to be the solution!! Codo in Fort Myers & a house in Lincoln NH!

 

[Snagglefoot]

Apparently my mother doesn’t want anything too cold. I don’t care personally.

Well, that rules out Fort St. John.

 

[Trav]

Stay clear of the North East, NH is getting now saturated with Massholes, VT is loaded with real dingbats, fruit cakes and comrades, MA is the CA of the east coast and full of real loony tunes.

 

[Snagglefoot]

I’m going to go with your Mom’s suggestion to be some what close to relatives. You really need to take a look at Bend, Oregon. Seriously.

 

[heavy260]

If you like your chains resting lightly just stay on the west coast. If not I’d move to the central part of the US. New England would be out for me as they really like to try and control you like the west coast. FL is heavily populated and getting worse with a ridiculous real estate market although it’s not as bad away from the water. Hot and Humid 9-10 months out of the year also.

Someone turned their nose up at IN. Southern IN is terrible, it’s probably full if you ask a resident from there . Here in WI the weather tends to keep most of the riff raff out on the west side of the state the same can’t be said for the east side as Chicago and Milwaukee have their best and brightest moving north. Can’t wait for Lurch to leave office, luckily or legislature is heavily R and a lot of lunacy never becomes a bill. Madison is lunatic central.

 

[svenson]

what the he@@..so big country and there isn't one place ideal for you..get your packs ready for Europe, Mediterranean..best climate in the world!

 

[Jim K]

Northern Indiana . I will sell you mine for $5,000,000 .