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I've heard a lot of good about upland SC like the Greenville or Clemson or spartanburg area.
NC has lots of nice areas too.
And to throw a curveball, my buddy was just telling me about NW AR. No joke northwest Arkansas has been consistently ranked a top place to live in the country. Look around the Fayetteville area I think.
I plan to leave NY myself someday but don't think I would enjoy living in FL so I'm considering a more mild halfway climate.
I've heard a lot of good about upland SC like the Greenville or Clemson or spartanburg area.
NC has lots of nice areas too.
And to throw a curveball, my buddy was just telling me about NW AR. No joke northwest Arkansas has been consistently ranked a top place to live in the country. Look around the Fayetteville area I think.
I plan to leave NY myself someday but don't think I would enjoy living in FL so I'm considering a more mild halfway climate.
No, NW Arkansas is a legit area with quite a bit of growth. Wal*Mart has its HQ's in the region in Bentonville and the University of Arkansas is in Fayetteville. Rogers and Springdale are other cities in the region.
If you want a place that people may scoff at, but is actually an under the radar place people retire to is Oxford MS. It is home to the University of Mississippi, but it is a small college town with quite a bit going on.
Hi there Karen.
I've been on a relocation quest for more than a year now.
We're in NW corner of NJ, in the beautiful farmlands of Sussex County.
Love our place, but the taxes are absurd and getting worse.
Spent many long weekends of last year going back and forth to Virginia: Staunton, Lexington, Roanoke areas. I really liked Staunton and Lexington. Nice downtowns, very friendly folks. But once you got out of the downtowns, to the country areas, it was a mishmash of different homes and folks. One house was a new colonial, next door was a run down double wide with dogs chained to the couch on the front lawn. I do not judge the way people choose to live, I would just be depressed seeing those sad pups everyday.
The further south I got, down by Roanoke, the more of this I found. I also found quite a few off putting cultural differences. Church is the rule, it is a preeminent topic of discussion. I don't care what folks do in their spiritual life, I just don't want to be questioned about my choices in that regard.
The other thing that caught me up short were the plethora of confederate flags on front lawns and on pick up trucks, Much more than I was comfortable with.
Again, to each his own, but by my 3rd trip down, I said, Not For Me.
So, been checking out places in NYS, Cambridge area, and nearby vicinities to be exact. I like the north/east of Albany areas, but the taxes are a bit off putting. So, added Berkshires of Mass to my search area , and surprisingly have been considering Southern/central VT as well. I am continually awed at the beauty of Vt as I drive the roads. I have had some wonderful run ins with Vermont folk as well.
Of course counties and areas in each state have different tax rates, etc, but overall I have found:
New York/Albany and above: Most expensive home taxes, home pricing a mishmash depending on county.
Western Mass: Least expensive home taxes, more expensive homes.
Vermont: In between on both counts.
As for the weather: Well, after a week in Virginia in July, realized weather below Mason/Dixon line not my cup of tea. I am an avid outdoor person, love my hikes and swimming the dogs and gardening. I find putting on a hoodie and vest refreshing, and staying in front of a heat source if the weather is colder than that, is relaxing. But I do not care to suffocate in heat, or hibernate in a.c all summer.
As I have family in NJ, 250 miles north is about all I am looking to go, a 3-4 hour morning's drive to see the kids is quite doable with a good book on tape or some music. We had a camp in Brant Lake for 10 years and that frequent 238 mile commute was never bothersome to me.
Its really all about what you can afford and the type of life you want to live when u get there.
I am a northeast gal. Took me awhile to find that out for sure.
Good luck wherever you go Miss Karen.
You seem to have a good grip on Florida's problems, so why move there? Everything that you said about Florida is true, except you left out the fire ants, the low I.Q. level of many people, and the fact that if you go for surgery of the leg, they may cut your arms along with it........
How about going to Florida only for the winter......that is what we do. We leave January, and come back end of March......perfect. We live in a cold climate, too, I suffer of the same ailments that you do. Sell the farm, find another house, and go there for the winter. The humidity is tremendous, and the heat right after April, is unbearable. One cannot breathe..... People are moving in in droves from other states......salaries are very low......food high, as well as insurance, and other things.......property taxes are not too bad.
We have done 48 out of the 50 states searching for one that we could live in.......every state has its pros and cons, and we have decided to stay home, near friends, and very little family. However, you are coming in from 103 acres, may not feel comfortable living in a small piece of land, and Florida homes do not have lots of land. Crime is rampant, and it is not conducive for Seniors to live in large pieces of land. Home invasions are pretty common there. Homes do not have basements, and I like a basement.....houses have small closets.........many are very modern and pretty, but that is not enough.....houses look big because they are open, but after you start comparing, not very much usable space. And every house has a pool, which is needed, but I love to garden, and after a while, I get tired of looking at the pool.....
So proceed with caution, and do not rush into anything...........good-luck to you and yours....
I moved down to FL from New York about 2 years ago. I don't hate it here and I'm more objective about NY's problems and weather now too. However, I miss the northeast and want to come back. Medical care is a problem--I had surgery on a broken arm and had to have it redone in Miami. I'm waiting for Indian Point to fully close in about 2020 and will probably leave. Being really objective about it, I think Florida does have advantages, especially if you have a network of family or friends. I've enjoyed the weather and walking my dog without putting on a coat. Swimming outdoors all year has been nice. Clothes and food shopping are good. But I guess I too am basically a northeast person.
No way! I'm NOT talking you out of moving to Florida!! Sebastian and Melbourne Beach are amazing...not a lot of crime, not super expensive...one hour from Orlando. Melbourne has an actual airport, that a few big airlines fly into. Did I mention there's treasure in the sand? Multiple shipwrecks along that stretch? Plus, sea turtles laying eggs, pelicans...I saw a bald eagle fly over my head at a marina in Sebastian...AND...it's warm, warm, warm, baby!
You seem to have a good grip on Florida's problems, so why move there? Everything that you said about Florida is true, except you left out the fire ants, the low I.Q. level of many people, and the fact that if you go for surgery of the leg, they may cut your arms along with it........
How about going to Florida only for the winter......that is what we do. We leave January, and come back end of March......perfect. We live in a cold climate, too, I suffer of the same ailments that you do. Sell the farm, find another house, and go there for the winter. The humidity is tremendous, and the heat right after April, is unbearable. One cannot breathe..... People are moving in in droves from other states......salaries are very low......food high, as well as insurance, and other things.......property taxes are not too bad.
We have done 48 out of the 50 states searching for one that we could live in.......every state has its pros and cons, and we have decided to stay home, near friends, and very little family. However, you are coming in from 103 acres, may not feel comfortable living in a small piece of land, and Florida homes do not have lots of land. Crime is rampant, and it is not conducive for Seniors to live in large pieces of land. Home invasions are pretty common there. Homes do not have basements, and I like a basement.....houses have small closets.........many are very modern and pretty, but that is not enough.....houses look big because they are open, but after you start comparing, not very much usable space. And every house has a pool, which is needed, but I love to garden, and after a while, I get tired of looking at the pool.....
So proceed with caution, and do not rush into anything...........good-luck to you and yours....
Congratulations, you have wrapped up every Florida stereotype into a single message. Where do you go in FL where crime and home invasions are so rampant?
Your opinion is why many Floridians smile at snowbirds to their face while taking their money while sneering at them when they leave.
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CountryKaren
