[RVlegaleagle]

Born, raised and lived on "eastern" long Island by Hamptons have had enough!

Looking to move to the upper part of Vermont (north of Burlington) east or west with forest-wooded type property ...what would suggest and areas (counties) to explore and/or avoid...property taxes to be in the $3000 to $4000 range, 5 plus acres...3-4 bedroom ranch...somewhat close (20-30 minutes) to decent hospital, doctors, food and hardware stores...in late 50's not so concerned with jobs already will have one in Andover. Thanks in Advance

Daniel

[Riley.]

If you already have a decent paying job, that's a big hurdle to overcome. I live in this neck of the woods, about 20 miles east of St Albans, which is about 30 mi north of Burlington. There are so many different towns with different characters that I would suggest coming up for a drive around if you haven't already. Lamoille (covers Stowe area) and Franklin Counties (St Albans and a swath north and east) are the primary counties. You'd probably have to do some looking around for a home that suits your needs (depending on what you want to spend) and I think the prop tax range you state should be doable, but maybe more in the 4K range (I'm sure you are aware we are very tax heavy here, mainly for the education tax).
Good luck! let us know how you make out

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by RVlegaleagle

Born, raised and lived on "eastern" long Island by Hamptons have had enough!

Looking to move to the upper part of Vermont (north of Burlington) east or west with forest-wooded type property ...what would suggest and areas (counties) to explore and/or avoid...property taxes to be in the $3000 to $4000 range, 5 plus acres...3-4 bedroom ranch...somewhat close (20-30 minutes) to decent hospital, doctors, food and hardware stores...in late 50's not so concerned with jobs already will have one in Andover. Thanks in Advance

Daniel

If you're making enough money where you're not shielded from the Act 68 state school tax, you're dreaming with a $3,000 property tax bill on a 4 bedroom ranch on 5 acres 20 to 30 minutes from Burlington where you have a real hospital. Just the homestead state school property tax is up over $15 per thousand valuation most places depending on how close the town is to 100% assessment. The mill rates in low service places like Georgia, St Albans Town, and Swanton Town are about $16.50 to $17.50 per thousand valuation. Most other towns in that area are up closer to $20 per thousand.


Which Andover? 5 of the 6 New England states have one.


Vermont with a high paying job isn't a place where you move to avoid paying taxes. The state school property tax is means tested. The state income tax is steeply graduated. You kind of have to take the mindset that you pay your taxes now and enjoy the means testing in a decade when you're retired and much lower income.

[Riley.]

Originally Posted by Riley.

If you already have a decent paying job, that's a big hurdle to overcome. I live in this neck of the woods, about 20 miles east of St Albans, which is about 30 mi north of Burlington. There are so many different towns with different characters that I would suggest coming up for a drive around if you haven't already. Lamoille (covers Stowe area) and Franklin Counties (St Albans and a swath north and east) are the primary counties. You'd probably have to do some looking around for a home that suits your needs (depending on what you want to spend) and I think the prop tax range you state should be doable, but maybe more in the 4K range (I'm sure you are aware we are very tax heavy here, mainly for the education tax).
Good luck! let us know how you make out

I forgot to mention that, at least in my area, Northwest Medical Center is a fairly good sized regional hospital and I have always had good car there. UVM, of course, is in Burlington, and you'd probably have to go there for any 'major' concerns. I am not familiar with hospitals or health care in other parts of the state.

[Riley.]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

If you're making enough money where you're not shielded from the Act 68 state school tax, you're dreaming with a $3,000 property tax bill on a 4 bedroom ranch on 5 acres 20 to 30 minutes from Burlington where you have a real hospital. Just the homestead state school property tax is up over $15 per thousand valuation most places depending on how close the town is to 100% assessment. The mill rates in low service places like Georgia, St Albans Town, and Swanton Town are about $16.50 to $17.50 per thousand valuation. Most other towns in that area are up closer to $20 per thousand.


Which Andover? 5 of the 6 New England states have one.


Vermont with a high paying job isn't a place where you move to avoid paying taxes. The state school property tax is means tested. The state income tax is steeply graduated. You kind of have to take the mindset that you pay your taxes now and enjoy the means testing in a decade when you're retired and much lower income.

And 'much lower income' means just that. LOW. Even when I retire, I (well, my husband and I) will make too much money to qualify for any subsidy or 'adjustment'. Add to that that my social security will be taxed, too. It's definitely a part of moving here that you must consider. I have wanted to move away for a very long time, simply because the political and fiscal leanings here don't suit me (husband can deal with it), but when I look at what is going on in the rest of this insane country, I often think I should just stay put.

FWIW Our home is on 10 acres, the town values it at approx. 200K (with work, we think it'd be worth more) and our taxes this year, although we haven't gotten the bill yet, will likely be around $4500. This is up from 3700'ish about 5 years ago. They go up every year, you can count on that. We have no real services here, except for road maintenance and snow removal and every year it's a 'fight' at town meeting to hold the school budget in check (that always loses because everyone in town works for the school, knows someone who works for the school, or has a kid or 2 in the school). It's a lose/lose. That's the kind of thing a newbie would have to adjust to.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by Riley.

I forgot to mention that, at least in my area, Northwest Medical Center is a fairly good sized regional hospital and I have always had good car there. UVM, of course, is in Burlington, and you'd probably have to go there for any 'major' concerns. I am not familiar with hospitals or health care in other parts of the state.

Dartmouth-Hitchcock is the other top medical facility. West Lebanon in tax-free New Hampshire has all the big box stores so 30 minutes from there is also a candidate. With I-91, 30 minutes gets you to some pretty rural places.

[farrelli]

We're pretty similar. I'm also thinking of moving to the northern part of VT and started my own thread (Thinking of moving to St. Albans but having a hard time understanding VT). If you find all that you're looking for, please do let me know. I've been looking for awhile and have taken a few house hunting trips and am having a hard time of it.

As mentioned, the home tax is insane, but if you make (I think) less than $90K, it's reduced on a sliding scale. I'm looking in the $350-400K area, also on at least 5 acres, and most of the on paper rates are $7-8K a year. Like you, I'm not so concerned with income as I just turned 50 and am about to retire. I'm also looking for a wooded lot. And I'm also looking to be at most 20-30 minutes away from civilization. With all that in mind, I think the St. Albans area is for me. However, finding all of that is proving difficult.

VT seems to be very scattershot and gives me the feeling of isolation. There don't seem to be too many areas with the kind of density that I want but which also offer nicer homes just outside of them with average. It seems like something from my wish list has got to give, and distance seems to be the one that most Vermonters deal with. I almost bought a home in Enosburg Falls, which is an AWESOME home, but it's just so far from everything. That not only would make it isolating, like the lest two owners have found out, if you want to sell it, it's either going to be on the market for eternity or you'll have to sell for quite a bit less. I wasn't happy with either of those. There's another house in Fairfield that I like, but it's overpriced. I like the look of it, but the kitchen needs replacing and so does the roof. It's been on the market for almost a year (though it got taken off during the winter). The guy has come down in price but the needed changes will be costly, and maybe more than anything, a huge pain in the butt for several months which definitely has a value to it. The seller doesn't seem to want to take that into consideration.

Anyway, if you find your combo or wants in any other location, please let me know. I'm not married to St. A, or even Franklin County, but it's the one that seems to make the most sense. And actually, I'm starting to reconsider Marquette, MI (which I have another thread on) because it's at least as scenic as VT, has what I find to be much friendlier people (though I'm having a hard time putting my finger on the people in VT), is somewhat cheaper (especially when it comes to taxes), and just makes more sense to me in terms of social life. It often gets high marks in publications as a place to retire, and I think that VT would too, but it's just so scattershot in layout and so expensive in taxes.

[Riley.]

Vermont is "unique," there's no denying that. Based on what you've said here and on the other thread, it may turn out not to be the best place for you, unfortunately, although I would certainly not want to discourage you and think you should keep looking around this area before throwing in the towel. It can feel very isolated, not every 'outsider' is readily accepted (as we found out), and the various cost issues, you are aware, must be considered, I think, especially if you are retiring (but that is an individual calculation).

We personally think the housing market here is a bit cray-cray, compared, for instance, to the southern US, but if you are looking in VT, the south probably wouldn't do for you. And with the caveat that we are no real estate experts. That said, as I've mentioned, I'd like to move, for 2 reasons: costs and the extended winter, but we are just at the beginning of having a serious conversation about this.

Don't know much about Michigan but have friends who have passed by twice in the last couple weeks (wedding in MN) and they say it's very scenic, upper peninsula, I believe, Painted Rocks area....They sold a house near us, will move to a condo they own but have rented out in Burlington for 2 yrs and then likely get outta Dodge. Vermont is not known as a premier retirement destination . I wish you luck. Sincerely.