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Okay folks, the main reason i joined this site was to find help deciding where i should relocate to. I have severe seasonal depression from Oct-April. Every year i tell myself i'm leaving but then inertia sets in . . .
THIS YEAR I AM MOVING!
SOCIAL: I'm a single chica in 30s, no kids, work from home, estranged from most fam and disconnected from most friends since they all started having kids. 2 cats which i adore
POLITICS: I am so far left that i am falling off the edge on social issues. I am a bit more moderate on fiscal policy but still have liberal values in that area. I'm not a fan of taxes (who is?) but especially since much go to school systems and i don't have kids. I read, but don't utilize the library. And i'm fine to pay for my own trash/recycling. Religion is open.
IDEAL (in no particular order):
Mild Winters
Liberal Politics
Can buy a house for about 250k
Low Taxes (on property, and income, don't care as much about sales taxes)
SUN SUN SUN SUN SUN!!!
Would love to be near the ocean but not mandatory (i don't know if i'd fit in on southern east coast and Cali is prob out of my price range)
An active Arts scene (artist is my second job)
Cat friendly
Some ideas i've been thinking of for many years:
North Carolina coast (but don't know where would be a good fit- suggestions??)
Sedona AZ (but not sure about losing daylight since there is no daylight savings time.)
Santa Fe or Albuquerque NM (but Albq may be too cold)
Maybe somewhere in Cali i haven't considered?
Florida- but where??
Vegas- low taxes, low COL, sun but do i REALLY want to be near all those "vices?"
I've already ruled out USVI and Hawaii.
Any thoughts (or at least help in whittling down my mega list??)
MANY THANKS IN ADVANCE!!
(PS- Sorry if you see this post elsewhere, i'm thinking i should post it in some of the places i'm considering too.)
Have you thought about the area around Charleston, SC? Charleston tends to be more liberal, it is, of course, near the ocean, there's a vibrant arts community down there, especially when Spoleto and Piccolo Spoleto roll around. I can't speak for property costs or tax values down there, however.
Chapel Hill and Carrboro satisfy your liberal needs, but 2.5-3 hrs from the ocean and housing is not particularly low for the state. You could buy a house for $250k, just not the newest house. In nearby Durham, which is bigger, but also votes liberal you get more housing for your money.
Right now on the state level, though the political pendulum has swung back far, far to the right. Republicans, many of them tea party republicans, are in control of the state legislature.
It is not always sunny here. It rains quite a bit both summer and winter. If you _really_ crave the sun you might be better off in the SW or California. Have you thought about Utah? There are some beautiful sunny desert areas there (Moab, Salt Lake City) and I don't think the politics are as crazy as they are in AZ.
If you can put up with crazy state politics don't rule out Austin TX, an oasis of liberal artsy coolness.
For Florida, I don't know maybe Gainesville or St Petersburg/Tampa. Florida is weird. College towns are going to be more liberal for the most part all over the country.
Where are you now? That might help us compare weather and housing costs.
Some ideas i've been thinking of for many years:
[list][*]North Carolina coast (but don't know where would be a good fit- suggestions??)[*]Sedona AZ (but not sure about losing daylight since there is no daylight savings time.)[*]Santa Fe or Albuquerque NM (but Albq may be too cold)
I'd suggest Wilmington as the only coastal area that would meet your needs. But the political atmosphere here is very Republican and pro-military. A liberal might survive in Wilmington.
I think you are really better off in Sedona or Santa Fe, but your housing budget is too limited for the central parts of either. I'd look about 20 miles away to find affordable housing. There are also far more sunny days in the Southwest than in the coastal Carolinas: check some figures on weather sites.
I'd also suggest Marfa, Texas. It's a small town hundreds of miles from larger towns, but it has a reputation for attracting artists.
Last edited by goldenage1; 07-31-2014 at 08:12 AM..
Reason: Added Marfa, TX and sunshine figures.
Okay folks, the main reason i joined this site was to find help deciding where i should relocate to. I have severe seasonal depression from Oct-April. Every year i tell myself i'm leaving but then inertia sets in . . .
THIS YEAR I AM MOVING!
SOCIAL: I'm a single chica in 30s, no kids, work from home, estranged from most fam and disconnected from most friends since they all started having kids. 2 cats which i adore
POLITICS: I am so far left that i am falling off the edge on social issues. I am a bit more moderate on fiscal policy but still have liberal values in that area. I'm not a fan of taxes (who is?) but especially since much go to school systems and i don't have kids. I read, but don't utilize the library. And i'm fine to pay for my own trash/recycling. Religion is open.
IDEAL (in no particular order):
Mild Winters
Liberal Politics
Can buy a house for about 250k
Low Taxes (on property, and income, don't care as much about sales taxes)
SUN SUN SUN SUN SUN!!!
Would love to be near the ocean but not mandatory (i don't know if i'd fit in on southern east coast and Cali is prob out of my price range)
An active Arts scene (artist is my second job)
Cat friendly
Some ideas i've been thinking of for many years:
North Carolina coast (but don't know where would be a good fit- suggestions??)
Sedona AZ (but not sure about losing daylight since there is no daylight savings time.)
Santa Fe or Albuquerque NM (but Albq may be too cold)
Maybe somewhere in Cali i haven't considered?
Florida- but where??
Vegas- low taxes, low COL, sun but do i REALLY want to be near all those "vices?"
I've already ruled out USVI and Hawaii.
Any thoughts (or at least help in whittling down my mega list??)
MANY THANKS IN ADVANCE!!
(PS- Sorry if you see this post elsewhere, i'm thinking i should post it in some of the places i'm considering too.)
I don't think North Carolina would be a good fit for you. Right now we need people who ARE in favor of taxes for schools. We have some of the lowest paid teachers in the country. I don't care if you have kids or not, schooling is important for society.
Much of North Carolina is conservative but there is a liberal community as well. It's probably pretty close to 50/50. Although if you express any of your liberal ideas and you are not from around here, you will not be received well. You may even hear things like "Go back home" or "no more yankees". I'm really not kidding. Unless of course you move to the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area or to Charlotte where there are a lot of transplants.
Anyway, I am moderate and I grew up here but my mom is from New Jersey so I don't have an accent, so that's just my 2 cents.
Last edited by catlovr8; 07-31-2014 at 07:51 AM..
Reason: change wording
I had a private therapy practice in Charleston for 15 years. I never had any clients with seasonal affective disorder. The sun is strong year round there. The cost of living is higher in any coastal spot: the closer to the water, the more expensive. And insurance is higher.
Oriental NC--very small coastal mostly sailing and boating community with some arty funky elements to it, lots of weekenders from Raleigh thus pretty liberal. So liberal in fact that I am considering NOT retiring to the house we built there....despite the fact that we really love it otherwise.
Oriental, NC huh? Never heard of it but now eager to look it up.
Ps- coming from Massachusetts.
Liberal areas - Chapel Hill. Charlotte. Parts of Raleigh. Definitely Cary. Some parts of the Coast that are more touristy.
You could also look at Hilton Head, SC. Lots of cultures and transplants there.
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