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If you've lived in the south (or another area with a comparably low cost of living) and moved back to upstate NY, how did you find the transition?
We are a family of six and are (just) making it on one income. From time to time, we've thought of moving back to the Albany area (mostly to be closer to family), but don't want to get ourselves into a position where we're forced to become dual-income. The price of housing here is comparable to the Albany area, but our taxes, insurance, etc. are much lower. Anybody else been in a similar situation and made the jump? How'd you make out?
If you've lived in the south (or another area with a comparably low cost of living) and moved back to upstate NY, how did you find the transition?
We are a family of six and are (just) making it on one income. From time to time, we've thought of moving back to the Albany area (mostly to be closer to family), but don't want to get ourselves into a position where we're forced to become dual-income. The price of housing here is comparable to the Albany area, but our taxes, insurance, etc. are much lower. Anybody else been in a similar situation and made the jump? How'd you make out?
You'd probably have to go with dual-income if you're just getting by living in a place where the taxes, insurance, and things like that are lower...especially for a family of 6. Heck, I know families of four whose parents both work full-time and still struggle.
I'm moving to Florida for a year to save up more money to eventually move back north with.
We're in VA. We'd consider other parts of the state (or even neighboring states), but mostly our objective would be to move closer to our extended family in Albany.
It depends what field you are in, and where in the South you are coming from. Although taxes, etc. are higher here, in some fields incomes are significantly higher than in the South, and that more than makes up the difference.
We're in VA (not the "deep" south, by any means), and my husband is an electrical engineer (RPI grad). So far, we haven't found that EE salaries vary much from region to region, but maybe, now that he's got some more experience under his belt, we'll get lucky.
We're in VA (not the "deep" south, by any means), and my husband is an electrical engineer (RPI grad). So far, we haven't found that EE salaries vary much from region to region, but maybe, now that he's got some more experience under his belt, we'll get lucky.
Stumbled upon this thread, and though our situation wasn't quite the same; it is very similar in a general sense. We moved from Rochester to Raleigh, NC in 1994 and then moved back to Rochester in 2007. We came back mostly for the same reasons as you have listed (missed being close to family was the biggest). Overall, the COL in Raleigh was about the same if not higher than that in Rochester overall. Though property taxes here are higher, most everything else is the same or even cheaper. I know Albany is more expensive than Rochester but from what I understand most of Virginia is more expensive than NC as well, so it may even out for you as well.
I think there is way way way too much emphasis on property taxes being the main deciding factor in a region's "affordability".....yes, property taxes throughout NYS are ridiculously high; but they are not the only thing that factors into cost of living. Overall, most of Upstate NY is very affordable on a national scale, even with the property taxes.
You might be able to pull it on one income if you live in the village of colonie or the city of saratoga and then clip coupons. I'd recommend a small house with 2 kids per room to save on mortgage and taxes too.
You might be able to pull it on one income if you live in the village of colonie or the city of saratoga and then clip coupons. I'd recommend a small house with 2 kids per room to save on mortgage and taxes too.
What about some of the smaller cities like Cohoes, Watervliet or Rensselaer? Perhaps some of the nicer urban neighborhoods in Albany, Schenectady and Troy too. Maybe some of the other villages may work as well.
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