I see Snowbirds at river and wonder how in the hell did the get that big ass motorhome here, they can barely walk. Next thing I wonder is what are they doing if they are ill, lots of places have zero cell service. I'm not one to be out in the boonies on 50 acres, I can't take the 115 temps unless there is beer or boating or both, hard to do at 60-70 7 days a week. Hate the cold and snow unless I'm looking at it through a window. Not really big on bugs and snakes.
Are you in your happy place?
- Thread starter shintoooo
- Start date
Motor Boater
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We live in Scottsdale and love it for all the things mentioned, great food, nightlife, waste management open, Barrett Jackson, sports, concerts etc. I will be honest though, it’s ridiculous hot in the summer. We have a house in Munds Park, a little golf community 20 minutes south of flagstaff. It’s heaven in the summer, small 1200 sq ft cabin. That’s my happy place. I only drive my golf cart or my moped!
DWC
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Currently in Chino/Havasu. We’ll keep the Havasu pad and make it the main residence in another 5 ish-years. The Chino house is up in the air. My vote is to sell and buy a condo near the beach. Really anything with cooler weather. No use for a place that’s hot and hotter. The wild card is which kid has the first grandchild. All bets may be off, or i may be thrown aside. 
C-Ya
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Ok……
More about Florida in general…….
A lot, and I mean A LOT, of couples retire to Florida. That actually is a huge plus to anybody thinking of moving here that is over the age of 50. There are tons of stuff geared towards the older folks. Also, because just about everyone is from somewhere else, it’s easy to make new friends.
Stuff I like……
Live music. There are so many places near me for this, that I cannot list them all. You guys would be amazed how many retirees that are also musicians. It’s off the charts. There are 6 places with live music less than 1 mile from my home. All of them play music I grew up with. Heck, we even have a place that is known as a meat market for seniors. My wife and I go every weekend! Lol
Another thing I like about where I live……. It’s a golf cart town. Golf carts everywhere! We take ours everywhere we go locally. Dinner, clubs, bank, Lowes, fast food, etc. But taking the cart beach cruising is by far our favorite cruise. I cannot begin to tell you how fun it is to cruise Fort Lauderdale Beach in a fully tricked out golf cart. It’s better than owning a Ferrari. It reminds me of cruising Hermosa Beach in the early 80’s.
There is no shortage of restaurants either.
Going on a cruise? Here, we can get last minute rates because we don’t need to book airline tickets when leaving from FLL or MIA.
Boating? No offense to those that love the keys, but that place does not even come close to the fun boating in the Bahamas. If you guys love Parker, I promise you, you will absolutely fall in love with The Abacos. It has everything…… sand, beaches, beach bars, golf carts, and nightlife, what else do you need? Lol (also very relaxed or non existent drinking laws)
Every major music tour comes to South Florida.
Its not all peaches and cream……. After dinner I’ll post some negatives! Lol
Blue Oval
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We live in Boyne City Mi., for 4 months of the year it is paradise. Boat every night of the week. Winters get long, but we are getting close to retirement. I would not live anywhere else but here during the summer.
coz
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I was right across the 91 from you in YL and we left in 06, ended up in Gilbert. I have no regrets, I love it here. I can be on saguaro in 25 minutes from the house and the river house is 2 1/2 hours away. Wasn't like that in SoCal.
Flatsix66
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1. Where do you live now and why?
We live in a small rural community in southern California called Rancho Capistrano. It's a gated community that was once a Spanish land grant inside the Cleveland National Forest off of Ortega Highway (74), about 30min from San Juan Capistrano and 20 minutes from Lake Elsinore. All the properties are ~2.5 acres and most people have horses. We both grew up in South OC and over the years moved away from the coast to more affordable and bigger places as we got older. My wife likes and has horses that she had kept in a stable and I was always looking for a bigger garage to work on my cars. Moving to Rancho Capistrano allowed us to keep the horses on our property and I have a huge four car garage/workshop area. For the last 20 years we have mostly loved it.
Pros:
Very safe and secure, criminals are too lazy to get out of town I guess. Close enough to OC to commute for high wage jobs, my commute to the Irvine Spectrum area is 42 miles each way but mostly no traffic. Our 3 bedroom 4 bath custom home + 4 horse barn + 4 car garage on 2.5 acres was about the same price as a Mission Viejo 3bd 2ba track home. Trash, Water, Postal, Fibre Internet, FedEx, Cell service are all just like OC. Amazing beauty in the forest, clean air, lots of riding trails...
Cons: The commute is getting old. The most amazing jackassery happens daily on the Ortega Highway commute. Need a change of scenery after 20+ years. Getting tired of California politics, taxes, and all the other things we hash on here all the time.
2. Where are we moving to and why?
Prescott, Az. I'm 58 and planning to retire in 2 or 3 years. We bought 36 acres in Williamson Valley and would like to build new in this area. Over the years while visiting Havasu we would venture out to check out other rural areas and really fell in love with north/central AZ. Prescott seemed like the perfect mix of small enough to feel like a small town and big enough to have all the shit you need (Costco). Also like that you could either fly out on a commercial flight directly from PRC or Phoenix and get connected anywhere you want to go.
Pros:
Six hours away from relatives. Nice weather. Lake Powell, Pleasant, Havasu all within 3 hours or less. Scottsdale is about 1.5 hours away when you need fine dining/shops. People/Politcs seems mostly aligned with our points of view. Can ride my MC or SxS from my house in Prescott to my house in Havasu without touching (much) paved roads. No more CA DMV smog laws.
Cons:
Six hours away from relatives. Cutting the cord from being within reach of the beach. Socal is the center of the universe for pretty much everything to do with my hobbies.
We live in a small rural community in southern California called Rancho Capistrano. It's a gated community that was once a Spanish land grant inside the Cleveland National Forest off of Ortega Highway (74), about 30min from San Juan Capistrano and 20 minutes from Lake Elsinore. All the properties are ~2.5 acres and most people have horses. We both grew up in South OC and over the years moved away from the coast to more affordable and bigger places as we got older. My wife likes and has horses that she had kept in a stable and I was always looking for a bigger garage to work on my cars. Moving to Rancho Capistrano allowed us to keep the horses on our property and I have a huge four car garage/workshop area. For the last 20 years we have mostly loved it.
Pros:
Very safe and secure, criminals are too lazy to get out of town I guess. Close enough to OC to commute for high wage jobs, my commute to the Irvine Spectrum area is 42 miles each way but mostly no traffic. Our 3 bedroom 4 bath custom home + 4 horse barn + 4 car garage on 2.5 acres was about the same price as a Mission Viejo 3bd 2ba track home. Trash, Water, Postal, Fibre Internet, FedEx, Cell service are all just like OC. Amazing beauty in the forest, clean air, lots of riding trails...
Cons: The commute is getting old. The most amazing jackassery happens daily on the Ortega Highway commute. Need a change of scenery after 20+ years. Getting tired of California politics, taxes, and all the other things we hash on here all the time.
2. Where are we moving to and why?
Prescott, Az. I'm 58 and planning to retire in 2 or 3 years. We bought 36 acres in Williamson Valley and would like to build new in this area. Over the years while visiting Havasu we would venture out to check out other rural areas and really fell in love with north/central AZ. Prescott seemed like the perfect mix of small enough to feel like a small town and big enough to have all the shit you need (Costco). Also like that you could either fly out on a commercial flight directly from PRC or Phoenix and get connected anywhere you want to go.
Pros:
Six hours away from relatives. Nice weather. Lake Powell, Pleasant, Havasu all within 3 hours or less. Scottsdale is about 1.5 hours away when you need fine dining/shops. People/Politcs seems mostly aligned with our points of view. Can ride my MC or SxS from my house in Prescott to my house in Havasu without touching (much) paved roads. No more CA DMV smog laws.
Cons:
Six hours away from relatives. Cutting the cord from being within reach of the beach. Socal is the center of the universe for pretty much everything to do with my hobbies.
2Driver
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Lived full time in Maryland, San Diego, Havasu and a vaca-house in Parker
The last 28 years we have lived in Carefree AZ which is about 30 minutes north of North Scottsdale….IT SUCKS.
If you like the intense heat it’s not here, we are at 2600’ and far outside the heat dome of Scottsdale so it’s a miserable 10-12 degrees cooler than downtown Scottsdale. If you like the winters of Prescott forget it, Carefree is 10-15 degrees warmer in the winter than Prescott . We only have 2 boating lakes within 30 minutes, otherwise you have to drive 2.5 hours to Parker. The route to Parker is on backroads with no traffic, which is dangerous in case you breakdown. The road to Parker is so flat and straight you could fall asleep at 80 mph and still make it to Parker.
There is absolutely nothing to do the north of Carefree for entertainment unless you like off-roading, hiking, Mt biking and hunting as the town backs up to a 2 million acre National forest. To make it even worse that forest backs up to another million acre national forest, it’s ridiculous.
It’s so quiet here it’s deafening. A jet going over at 20,000 feet sounds like it’s in your living room. Because homes are on 1-10 acres there is an overrun of desert wildlife. Deer, javelina and coyotes shit on your driveway and the quail population is out of control. On the bright side, the coyotes keep cat ladies from moving here, so we have that going for us.
Considering moving here, you better like cooking at home because Carefree and joining town Cave Creek only have 20 restaurants…if that, but we do have 6 neighboring grocery stores to make up for that. Everything else is a huge drive away. It’s over 15 minutes to Lowes or Home Depot, 30 minutes to high end North Scottsdale shopping/ dining. If you need a major airport forget it, Phx Sky Harbor International is your only choice and it’s 45 minutes away. Getting up to the mountains takes at least 90-120 minutes.
If you are the kind of person that likes contributing to the tax base you’ll be miserable here as property taxes are way too low. A 1.5 million dollar home on 5 acres is about $2,700 a year in taxes. Electricity rates are just as horribly low as prop taxes. Prescott would be a better choice if you like to pay property taxes, its about double there.
It’s also very hard to fight crime here as there is very very little of it, like Democrats we just don’t have much.
I don’t want to come off too negative about the place, but we have been looking to move somewhere else for the last 20 years, but just haven’t found anything yet.
The last 28 years we have lived in Carefree AZ which is about 30 minutes north of North Scottsdale….IT SUCKS.
If you like the intense heat it’s not here, we are at 2600’ and far outside the heat dome of Scottsdale so it’s a miserable 10-12 degrees cooler than downtown Scottsdale. If you like the winters of Prescott forget it, Carefree is 10-15 degrees warmer in the winter than Prescott . We only have 2 boating lakes within 30 minutes, otherwise you have to drive 2.5 hours to Parker. The route to Parker is on backroads with no traffic, which is dangerous in case you breakdown. The road to Parker is so flat and straight you could fall asleep at 80 mph and still make it to Parker.
There is absolutely nothing to do the north of Carefree for entertainment unless you like off-roading, hiking, Mt biking and hunting as the town backs up to a 2 million acre National forest. To make it even worse that forest backs up to another million acre national forest, it’s ridiculous.
It’s so quiet here it’s deafening. A jet going over at 20,000 feet sounds like it’s in your living room. Because homes are on 1-10 acres there is an overrun of desert wildlife. Deer, javelina and coyotes shit on your driveway and the quail population is out of control. On the bright side, the coyotes keep cat ladies from moving here, so we have that going for us.
Considering moving here, you better like cooking at home because Carefree and joining town Cave Creek only have 20 restaurants…if that, but we do have 6 neighboring grocery stores to make up for that. Everything else is a huge drive away. It’s over 15 minutes to Lowes or Home Depot, 30 minutes to high end North Scottsdale shopping/ dining. If you need a major airport forget it, Phx Sky Harbor International is your only choice and it’s 45 minutes away. Getting up to the mountains takes at least 90-120 minutes.
If you are the kind of person that likes contributing to the tax base you’ll be miserable here as property taxes are way too low. A 1.5 million dollar home on 5 acres is about $2,700 a year in taxes. Electricity rates are just as horribly low as prop taxes. Prescott would be a better choice if you like to pay property taxes, its about double there.
It’s also very hard to fight crime here as there is very very little of it, like Democrats we just don’t have much.
I don’t want to come off too negative about the place, but we have been looking to move somewhere else for the last 20 years, but just haven’t found anything yet.
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mbrown2
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1. Where do you live now and why?
Live in Huntington beach about 1/2 mile from the sand…Wife and I grew up in San Gabriel valley and moved to Chino, 1st condo, and then work took me to Simi Valley for 9yrs and then work took me to AZ …we had it good there…able to sell near peak in 2007 and get the custom home/gated community and the whole thing…1.5hrs closer the river ect…. BUT IT is HOT there…yes the river is hot but living and working everyday in the Phx area I got homesick and so we moved back; where, to the Beach. We have been here for 11 yrs…
2. Pros and Cons of your current place
Pros:
Cons:
3. Where do you want to move to and why?
4. Pros and Cons of the place you're moving to?
Live in Huntington beach about 1/2 mile from the sand…Wife and I grew up in San Gabriel valley and moved to Chino, 1st condo, and then work took me to Simi Valley for 9yrs and then work took me to AZ …we had it good there…able to sell near peak in 2007 and get the custom home/gated community and the whole thing…1.5hrs closer the river ect…. BUT IT is HOT there…yes the river is hot but living and working everyday in the Phx area I got homesick and so we moved back; where, to the Beach. We have been here for 11 yrs…
2. Pros and Cons of your current place
Pros:
- I love where we live…walk/bike to most places to eat/drink/exercise, when I don't go to the gym in AM, I am able to walk to the pier and get my head right…ocean air has a way of doing that
- I am 5 to 10 min to a launch ramp to drop in paddle boards or the RIB boat to take in the harbors in HB or NP
- My company and many that do what I do are based here in South OC (tech) …its easy to go from one high level job to the next…landing high level, high paying management tech jobs saying you are remote in South Utah or will commute weekly via flight are not really feasible...remote is becoming a thing but many companies are pulling back the reigns
- 4.5 hours to our place in Parker, 6 hrs to our place in Mammoth….we are kind of dead center in the middle of our other happy places and I love it to come back home to the beach where it is 70 ish…after being in the Mammoth cold or Parker heat…
Cons:
- Cost of living - it is not cheap to live where we do but we bought in a down cycle and will be close to paid at retirement… Also looking to add ADU to primary residence to get extra income.. Mammoth as an STR will help pay for itself…Parker has been paid for 10 yrs.. So we know CA is expensive and we are preparing to deal with that on a fixed income when we get to retirement.
- Politics - I use to joke when I would hear my Texan team members saying don't California my Texas…but throw a dart at any Western state and Cali immigration is changing it…AZ, MT, Utah, ID, NV, TX, CO, TN…all are getting loads of Cali folks and are changing because of it…I saw it happening in AZ when I was there during the AB187 debacle…so my logic is as most states are turning Blue or changing, I am already dealing with that in Cali….I would rather deal with it in a place where I love vs a place I don't love. Also, I already had the chance to escape Cali and came back so my wife does not let me bitch about Cali politics.
- Homelessness - Most beach cities in CA are seeing increased homelessness….most large cities in general are seeing increase…I would rather live where I want and deal with it…as I am not ready to live in a completely rural setting……
3. Where do you want to move to and why?
- I don't want to move…I want to figure out how to minimize my outlay in retirement and continue to as I do. To payoff or offset mortgages/expenses by rental or paying mortgages off. I have thought about picking up a primary residence property in a no state income tax state…but we will see. We have no kids and our families are here.
4. Pros and Cons of the place you're moving to?
- I don't plan on moving….and as much as I search similar to your searches I end up seeing cool aspects to places but not completely idea. Walt's lake house in Alabama. I think….looks awesome…but I think bugs/humidity so I need to bug out in summer no pun intended … When I look at Cya's along the intercoastal… great non summer year around boating…just there last week..awesome. Hot and humid in the Summer …would need to go elsewhere…high cost of living (what I have now)…Don't get me wrong if my wife was down, we would have a place there.. S Utah…in looking at the weather …they have a lot of 100 degrees day in the summer… I like 70-80 degrees days.. Idaho, too cold in the winter so I need a bug out to warmer weather… Prescott or Prescott Valley or something near there…. I like a lot but still has State Income tax… so I keep looking
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Solid report!1. Where do you live now and why?
Live in Huntington beach about 1/2 mile from the sand…Wife and I grew up in San Gabriel valley and moved to Chino, 1st condo, and then work took me to Simi Valley for 9yrs and then work took me to AZ …we had it good there…able to sell near peak in 2007 and get the custom home/gated community and the whole thing…1.5hrs closer the river ect…. BUT IT is HOT there…yes the river is hot but living and working everyday in the Phx area I got homesick and so we moved back; where, to the Beach. We have been here for 11 yrs…
2. Pros and Cons of your current place
Pros:
- I love where we live…walk/bike to most places to eat/drink/exercise, when I don't go to the gym in AM, I am able to walk to the pier and get my head right…ocean air has a way of doing that
- I am 5 to 10 min to a launch ramp to drop in paddle boards or the RIB boat to take in the harbors in HB or NP
- My company and many that do what I do are based here in South OC (tech) …its easy to go from one high level job to the next…landing high level, high paying management tech jobs saying you are remote in South Utah or will commute weekly via flight are not really feasible...remote is becoming a thing but many companies are pulling back the reigns
- 4.5 hours to our place in Parker, 6 hrs to our place in Mammoth….we are kind of dead center in the middle of our other happy places and I love it to come back home to the beach where it is 70 ish…after being in the Mammoth cold or Parker heat…
Cons:
- Cost of living - it is not cheap to live where we do but we bought in a down cycle and will be close to paid at retirement… Also looking to add ADU to primary residence to get extra income.. Mammoth as an STR will help pay for itself…Parker has been paid for 10 yrs.. So we know CA is expensive and we are preparing to deal with that on a fixed income when we get to retirement.
- Politics - I use to joke when I would hear my Texan team members saying don't California my Texas…but throw a dart at any Western state and Cali immigration is changing it…AZ, MT, Utah, ID, NV, TX, CO, TN…all are getting loads of Cali folks and are changing because of it…I saw it happening in AZ when I was there during the AB187 debacle…so my logic is as most states are turning Blue or changing, I am already dealing with that in Cali….I would rather deal with in a place where I love where I live in a state I don't love. Also, I already had the chance to escape Cali and came back so my wife don't me bitch about Cali politics.
- Homelessness - Most beach cities in CA are seeing increased homelessness….most large cities in general are seeing increase…I would rather live where I want and deal with it…as I am not ready to live in a completely rural setting……
3. Where do you want to move to and why?
- I don't want to move…I want to figure out how to minimize my outlay in retirement and continue to as I do. To payoff or offset mortgages/expenses by rental or paying mortgages off. I have thought about picking up a primary residence property in a no state income tax state…but we will see. We have no kids and our families are here.
4. Pros and Cons of the place you're moving to?
- I don't plan on moving….and as much as I search similar to your searches I end up seeing cool aspects to places but not completely idea. Walt's lake house in Alabama. I think….looks awesome…but I think bugs/humidity so I need to bug out in summer no pun intended
jetboatperformance
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I really love people but when I go home I want solitude , When I met my wife She part of Her "dowry" was a 65 Dodge 250 bucks and her love of horses , we dont have livestock any more but I will never regret buying "horse property" This was a great place for the Kids and grandkids to grow up , my best days are sitting on my back porch 
Were 3 miles from work , 1/2 mile from In and Out and 3 minutes to down town , closest "next door neighbor" is around 800 feet . I bought his in 85' traveled the state daily for years always good to be home in Atascadero , no regrets
Were 3 miles from work , 1/2 mile from In and Out and 3 minutes to down town , closest "next door neighbor" is around 800 feet . I bought his in 85' traveled the state daily for years always good to be home in Atascadero , no regrets
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rivermobster
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I was in my happy place this afternoon...
Ice House Canyon trail, in terrible awful SoCal!
Couple of days ago I was pretty happy in Central Cali, hanging out at a friends house.
And then last week I was pretty happy on my bro in laws boat in Oxnard.
I was happy at Kid Rock at Glen Helen...
And before that, I was pretty happy up in the Sierra's...
Just saying!
Ice House Canyon trail, in terrible awful SoCal!
Couple of days ago I was pretty happy in Central Cali, hanging out at a friends house.
And then last week I was pretty happy on my bro in laws boat in Oxnard.
I was happy at Kid Rock at Glen Helen...
And before that, I was pretty happy up in the Sierra's...
Just saying!
DWC
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Then again, maybe not.Currently in Chino/Havasu. We’ll keep the Havasu pad and make it the main residence in another 5 ish-years. The Chino house is up in the air. My vote is to sell and buy a condo near the beach. Really anything with cooler weather. No use for a place that’s hot and hotter. The wild card is which kid has the first grandchild. All bets may be off, or i may be thrown aside.
Wife just sent the link to this in Sedona.
cofooter
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I bet they wouldn't Nuke Grand Caymans! Get on it.......
C-Ya
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Here’s something that I do which kind of goes along with this thread.
I am always searching on Airbnb the monthly rates of places around the world. It’s not uncommon to see places renting for less on a monthly basis, than it would cost for 4 or 5 nights at a luxury hotel.
I do these searches because my wife and I are planning to travel the world in retirement. We have been blown away by how inexpensive it is in some places.
Not long ago I toyed with the idea of using my floating boatlift as a shipping cradle, to ship my boat to St Maarten for a season. My wife could do her job through the internet, while I captain boats. She rebuffed the idea until I showed her this waterfront home on Simpson Bay……. I might have a chance! Lol
Sorry for derail…. Lol
I am always searching on Airbnb the monthly rates of places around the world. It’s not uncommon to see places renting for less on a monthly basis, than it would cost for 4 or 5 nights at a luxury hotel.
I do these searches because my wife and I are planning to travel the world in retirement. We have been blown away by how inexpensive it is in some places.
Not long ago I toyed with the idea of using my floating boatlift as a shipping cradle, to ship my boat to St Maarten for a season. My wife could do her job through the internet, while I captain boats. She rebuffed the idea until I showed her this waterfront home on Simpson Bay……. I might have a chance! Lol
Sorry for derail…. Lol
v6toy4x
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Sounds really exciting! The last chapter is the best.The wife (59) and I (64) recently moved into her birth home in Lakewood that was inherited from her parents. We have planned on this being our final destination as the kids/grand-kids are less than 5 miles from us and we see them everyday. We are in the process of adding a master suite and family room to make this little 1100sqft home a bit more livable. Recently my employer (third generation owned) informed me that they are going to open a second manufacturing plant back east and their number one location is Knoxville, TN...just 70 miles from my home town. This will be about a 3 year project and there have been talks of me overseeing the project from start to production with a very nice exit bonus. Now giving it thought it maybe the perfect exit from CA but there would be one thing in the wife's way being our daughter/grand-kids. When I mentioned it to my SIL he looked me strait in the eye and asked when are we ALL moving. He can live anywhere in the lower 48 with his current employer and my daughter is a school teacher so there's that. Wife would most likely be on board if everyone moves but it is just in the fantasy phase for now.
Let's see what transpires over the next year or so and if things pan out.
It truly is gods country back there.
Orange Juice
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The grass is greener “alway” on the other side of the fence.
It didn’t matter where I lived, Until I paid off house, I was always looking for someplace on Zillow.
It didn’t matter where I lived, Until I paid off house, I was always looking for someplace on Zillow.
rivermobster
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Joker
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I hate where we are today. I’ve hated it for years and will continue to do so until we get out. It really sucks living somewhere you hate for the amount of years we’ve endured it.
The plan to move to bullhead is still intact. Thought about moving around the Phoenix area but i have no desire to be around a lot of people and to hear your neighbors day in and out.
I can honestly say the place we are in is worth a fortune but it has not brought me happiness so it makes me question what happiness really is.
The plan to move to bullhead is still intact. Thought about moving around the Phoenix area but i have no desire to be around a lot of people and to hear your neighbors day in and out.
I can honestly say the place we are in is worth a fortune but it has not brought me happiness so it makes me question what happiness really is.
shintoooo
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There are a lot of states with no personal state income tax. Tennessee, Florida, Texas and Washington to name a few as well as Nevada and a few more.
Desert Whaler
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Monkey Man for the Win.
hallett21
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This should do it
www.zillow.com
Nhn, Avon, MT 59713 | Zillow
Nhn, Avon MT. The Rent Zestimate for this property is $1,124/mo, which has increased by $1,124/mo in the last 30 days.
www.zillow.com
Ducksquasher
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Where is that in Central Ca?
CarolynandBob
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As you said you might need 2 or more places.
We love Sarasota for all the modern conveniences of any big city. Great restaurants, night life and the water. We also have a ton to do here and are very busy.
Tennessee we are in a very rural area and like the slower pace, plus we are on the lake vs Florida and it gives us an out if an Hurricane comes.
Not sure if you are into RV'ing, but we traveled the country for 3 years and was able to check out areas for as long as you want, to get a feel if it is for you or not.
We love Sarasota for all the modern conveniences of any big city. Great restaurants, night life and the water. We also have a ton to do here and are very busy.
Tennessee we are in a very rural area and like the slower pace, plus we are on the lake vs Florida and it gives us an out if an Hurricane comes.
Not sure if you are into RV'ing, but we traveled the country for 3 years and was able to check out areas for as long as you want, to get a feel if it is for you or not.
Dunerking
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Cool thread with a lot of great insite!
Our current setup is 3 acres in Agua Dulce,Ca. Really love this place as we have space small town vibe but just a 10 mile drive and we’re in Santa Clarita.
Pros: small town feel,space for whatever we want to do…3200sqft shop,dirt bike track for kids,pool and still space leftover. Quiet and great like minded neighbors.
Cons: typical Cali narrative..no reason to keep beating the dead horse.
End goal:somewhere with 2.5 seasons of weather and that won’t take my pensions..thinking Florida. But like it’s been sad before possibly multiple homes..maybe something in Needles or Havasu
Our current setup is 3 acres in Agua Dulce,Ca. Really love this place as we have space small town vibe but just a 10 mile drive and we’re in Santa Clarita.
Pros: small town feel,space for whatever we want to do…3200sqft shop,dirt bike track for kids,pool and still space leftover. Quiet and great like minded neighbors.
Cons: typical Cali narrative..no reason to keep beating the dead horse.
End goal:somewhere with 2.5 seasons of weather and that won’t take my pensions..thinking Florida. But like it’s been sad before possibly multiple homes..maybe something in Needles or Havasu
941Punk
some beach, somewhere.
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We found out forever home and then bought what we call a legacy home for the family in Italy.
1. Where do you live now and why?
Venice Florida
2. Pros and Cons of your current place
The pros are: Access to 1200 feet of private gulf beach (only reachable by boat) with 2 miles of unmolested beach in both direction, year round boating, winter that lasts a week or so, and of course Ron DeSantis!!
The cons are: As of last week, Hurricanes.
But normally it's snowbird and vacationers. They attack the grocery stores and bring more traffic. Summers are wet, but I like it. Some don't.
3. Where do you want to move to and why?
More like why I wanted to move? Arizona will always give me good memories. Boating on Pleasant, desert riding, and enjoying the natural beauty of the whole state. But I had to get back to the beach and California wasn't the answer. We had the chance to live less then a mile from the gulf with a boat ramp in my neighborhood for 200k and we jumped!
Florida
4. Pros and Cons of the place you're moving to?
We are talking about retiring to Italy where we have already purchased a home in a little village in Molise.
Pro, already paid for, my taxes are $400 a year, the cost of food is a third of the USA, produce so fresh there is still dirt on it when it arrives on the truck twice a week, you can look at the window into the valley and see where the meat comes from, and we can go fishing in the Adriatic Sea. Being fans of art, history, and food. I mean, come on!, It's Italy. VERY peaceful and old world.
Con, so far getting someone to come and do work on our house is almost next to impossible at the moment. Italy has a "super bonus" thing going on and tradesmen are boooooked. Depopulation is a thing in little villages, but I think there is going to be more international investment in vacation properties vs families living full time. Molise is very affordable, after all the fees and taxes we're 27k out the door. Also no big box stores. This is a Pro and a Con, it's annoying you can just run to Home Depot and get what you need. It's a 35 minute drive to the big city of Campobasso (population 50k). But hey, Amazon does deliver!
Italy
1. Where do you live now and why?
Venice Florida
2. Pros and Cons of your current place
The pros are: Access to 1200 feet of private gulf beach (only reachable by boat) with 2 miles of unmolested beach in both direction, year round boating, winter that lasts a week or so, and of course Ron DeSantis!!
The cons are: As of last week, Hurricanes.
But normally it's snowbird and vacationers. They attack the grocery stores and bring more traffic. Summers are wet, but I like it. Some don't.3. Where do you want to move to and why?
More like why I wanted to move? Arizona will always give me good memories. Boating on Pleasant, desert riding, and enjoying the natural beauty of the whole state. But I had to get back to the beach and California wasn't the answer. We had the chance to live less then a mile from the gulf with a boat ramp in my neighborhood for 200k and we jumped!
Florida
4. Pros and Cons of the place you're moving to?
We are talking about retiring to Italy where we have already purchased a home in a little village in Molise.
Pro, already paid for, my taxes are $400 a year, the cost of food is a third of the USA, produce so fresh there is still dirt on it when it arrives on the truck twice a week, you can look at the window into the valley and see where the meat comes from, and we can go fishing in the Adriatic Sea. Being fans of art, history, and food. I mean, come on!, It's Italy. VERY peaceful and old world.
Con, so far getting someone to come and do work on our house is almost next to impossible at the moment. Italy has a "super bonus" thing going on and tradesmen are boooooked. Depopulation is a thing in little villages, but I think there is going to be more international investment in vacation properties vs families living full time. Molise is very affordable, after all the fees and taxes we're 27k out the door. Also no big box stores. This is a Pro and a Con, it's annoying you can just run to Home Depot and get what you need. It's a 35 minute drive to the big city of Campobasso (population 50k). But hey, Amazon does deliver!
Italy
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DaveC
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I really love where we live Foster City as I was born and raised here. We bought here a long time ago. We even bought another place in Napa.
Plus…Weather is great, view is great, business is good, neighborhood is quiet, clean and safe, schools are top notch, jobs are plentiful and high paying. Big tech is here so plenty of job opportunities.
While some surrounding communities are tard hellholes with the associated crime, bums and drug usage, our little city is not like them so we are spared that suffering here, which is prevalent there.
Cons…we are literally surrounded by tards, immigrants/transplants and engineers. Each have their downsides but having been here a long time I have adapted to them. Most are so different from us that I can’t really relate to them and I am really open minded so I try.
Cost of living is high for everything, gas, food, housing, services. Housing is scarce.
Houses are small, old and extremely expensive (single family are multi million dollar with big ones in excess of $3 million for average houses, nothing special) Big tract homes and customs are none existent. Old house built in the 1920’s are plentiful
One cannot express any conservative views if working big tech. Actually one gets bombarded with political nonsense at work and the companies openly flaunt left wing activism. My wife works there and has to ignore them. Some even badger others. Truly a hostile work environment.
While this place is great it’s some of the people here that I don’t like much (tards). We are about 65%+ tard now. I have tried to avoid people that express their tard opinion too much and hang with those that keep it to themselves.
I am not gonna leave for a couple of reasons. First my personality is one that says fuck them if they don’t like what I have to say, then they should leave, not me. Second I was here first so they can fuck off. Third I am not going to quit and let them win, so I stay to keep fighting. Finally all the tards from Cali are leaving Cali and turning surrounding states blue so might as well stay.
It sounds like I don’t like tards but in actuality I am pretty open minded and don’t really care what they do…. These so called adults just act like children sometimes. Lol
Plus…Weather is great, view is great, business is good, neighborhood is quiet, clean and safe, schools are top notch, jobs are plentiful and high paying. Big tech is here so plenty of job opportunities.
While some surrounding communities are tard hellholes with the associated crime, bums and drug usage, our little city is not like them so we are spared that suffering here, which is prevalent there.
Cons…we are literally surrounded by tards, immigrants/transplants and engineers. Each have their downsides but having been here a long time I have adapted to them. Most are so different from us that I can’t really relate to them and I am really open minded so I try.
Cost of living is high for everything, gas, food, housing, services. Housing is scarce.
Houses are small, old and extremely expensive (single family are multi million dollar with big ones in excess of $3 million for average houses, nothing special) Big tract homes and customs are none existent. Old house built in the 1920’s are plentiful
One cannot express any conservative views if working big tech. Actually one gets bombarded with political nonsense at work and the companies openly flaunt left wing activism. My wife works there and has to ignore them. Some even badger others. Truly a hostile work environment.
While this place is great it’s some of the people here that I don’t like much (tards). We are about 65%+ tard now. I have tried to avoid people that express their tard opinion too much and hang with those that keep it to themselves.
I am not gonna leave for a couple of reasons. First my personality is one that says fuck them if they don’t like what I have to say, then they should leave, not me. Second I was here first so they can fuck off. Third I am not going to quit and let them win, so I stay to keep fighting. Finally all the tards from Cali are leaving Cali and turning surrounding states blue so might as well stay.
It sounds like I don’t like tards but in actuality I am pretty open minded and don’t really care what they do…. These so called adults just act like children sometimes. Lol
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rivermobster
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Do you know where Avila Beach is?
It's a private/gated community out that way. Every house sits on a few acres and they all have views like that. You can't see any of the neighbors houses no matter which way you look.
His view out the kitchen faces to the south west. I got to watch the fog roll over the hills in the distance, having coffee every morning.
It's a slice of heaven for sure.
The central coast is Expensive! But there are areas similar to this all up and down the 840 miles of California coast line. According to Google, there are 420 public beaches on the coast.
Lots places to play and explore.
evantwheeler
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This is nuts. Why is it so cheap there? Views look amazing.
rivermobster
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Nice. This was updated in September...
Income Tax by State: Which Has the Highest and Lowest Taxes?
Get a detailed overview of how income tax varies by state. Learn which states have the highest and lowest taxes and how this impacts your finances.
turbotax-intuit-com.cdn.ampproject.org
941Punk
some beach, somewhere.
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No tourist for starters. Molise is the second smallest region in Italy and Italians like to joke that "It doesn't exist". As you can tell, it's pretty rural area dotted with hilltop villages, so not a lot of jobs. Mostly agriculture. But, for us techies or people that can work from home, it's perfect. I tether my mobile phone to a 5G provider and only pay $15 dollars a month for 150GB of data and unlimited everything else! Starlink is also available.
It truly is old world Italy. Under The Tuscan Sun blew Tuscany region up, then Umbria, then Marche, now Abruzzo is getting more and more buyers, and Molise is right next door.
Take a look. I set this link up to show Molise, but you can include all of Abruzzo as well.
Property for sale in Italy
Property for sale in Italy. Listing properties page 1.
Ziggy
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At one point I Thought I might be, not anymore. As life/wife smacks me in the face it makes me rethink those earlier decisions. 
monkeyswrench
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I went through that area a couple years back, seeing family in Napa. It really is a beautiful area, like a snapshot of the 1940's to me. I had never been that way before, and basically figured the Bay sprawled out like LA does...for miles over the horizon. Not the case at all.
C-Ya
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Those prices in Italy are unbelievable. Thanks for posting the link.No tourist for starters. Molise is the second smallest region in Italy and Italians like to joke that "It doesn't exist". As you can tell, it's pretty rural area dotted with hilltop villages, so not a lot of jobs. Mostly agriculture. But, for us techies or people that can work from home, it's perfect. I tether my mobile phone to a 5G provider and only pay $15 dollars a month for 150GB of data and unlimited everything else! Starlink is also available.
It truly is old world Italy. Under The Tuscan Sun blew Tuscany region up, then Umbria, then Marche, now Abruzzo is getting more and more buyers, and Molise is right next door.
Take a look. I set this link up to show Molise, but you can include all of Abruzzo as well.
Property for sale in Italy
Property for sale in Italy. Listing properties page 1.www.abruzzoruralproperty.com
mbrown2
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One other thing to consider is ....when I see most people moving somewhere it is to move into something larger, nicer, more modern....but more often then not BIGGER... but after the kids are gone most find they don't need the space.... When we did that in my late 20's and then late 30's...I always found it would be a bigger house with more dusty pretty unused rooms......Our current house 2300 square ft and we live in 4 rooms.. Bedroom, Family Rm, Kitchen, Wife in 3rd bedroom office...so literally we never use formal living, or dining room that has been turned into a sitting room or the 2nd bedroom for guests... we could likely live in 1500-1700 ft and be happy...less to manage and clean... But its hard to find a new 1700 sqft home in your happy place that is not on a stamp sized lot or some other drawbacks...
River Runnin
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I'll go back and read! -- But If'n I told my story! Y'all would be compelled to start a GoFund me Page! ...... 
COCA COLA COWBOY
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I'm in the same position as you. However, because prices are declining we are waiting until at least summer 2023. I feel like our lives are on hold waiting though. I'm so over the liberal politics, crime, Franchise Tax Board, cost of living, etc.
At the moment, we are strong with Keller, Texas, but that can change as I am taking the wife there Thanksgiving break to hone in on her acceptance of the area.
At the moment, we are strong with Keller, Texas, but that can change as I am taking the wife there Thanksgiving break to hone in on her acceptance of the area.
Ladsm
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I think I know what area you are talking about. They have a few 2 wheeled bike races or poker runs over there. Nice big flat area off the hwy to camp.
monkeyswrench
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Moved from 4200sqft on a half acre. Lots of wasted space, rooms and furniture. Moved to 2000sqft on 10 acres. Use the whole house, about 1/3 the yard so far. I like the smaller house now, especially the utility bills!
X Hoser
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We are in the middle of this right now. Sold our house in redlands and hit the road in the 5th wheel. Everything in storage until we figure it out!Took a leap of faith so to speak.
Born and raised in California. NO PLACE compares to it for all it has to offer. The politics and the entitlement mentality ruined it for us. The water situation and power distribution are also alarming.
We went to Eastern Tennessee first. Son lives there with his family. Went during July and August to test ride the heat and humidity. For us, it wasn’t horrible. Especially living on a lake with direct water access makes it very doable. As Shintoo said, no state income taxes, not even on Ira’s if you are over 65. Property taxes are real low as are vehicle registration. Could not find anything we liked on that trip so off to Idaho where my daughter lives.
Our daughter is in Northern Idaho, so that’s where we will be also. Have been here since September 1st. Found a place between Coeur d’ aAlene and Sandpoint. 6.75 acres with a ranch style house being built on it. Southern tip of Pend Oreville Lake is about 20 minutes. Lake Coeur d’ Alene about the same. Should be completed in March at which time we will move into it. Then back to look in Tennessee for a place there also.
A few things that can get complicated when moving out of state;
1. Health care is not what we enjoyed in California. A lot of it has to do with being with Kaiser for so long and now navigating the insurance world where we can have a policy that covered us in both states. Kaiser is not available in TN or ID.
2. In our case, being in limbo for almost a year.
3. Seems food prices are a little higher and taxed in both TN and ID. Gas is usually about $1-1.50 a gallon cheaper in ID and $2 a gal cheaper in TN
4. Both are “Dry States” Alcohol is much more expensive!
5. It gets really cold in ID in the winter. It does get somewhat cold in TN
6. Flying into Eastern Tennessee is quite a bit more expensive. Can fly into Atlanta or Nashville cheaper but about a 3 hour drive.
Both Tennessee and Idaho are beautiful! I think Tennessee is prettier as it has a bigger variety of tress. It rains a lot there! Idaho is primarily pines and firs, at least in the area I’m in. Both are very Green. After being in both places we always comment on how Brown California is.
No speed limits on most Tennessee lakes. I think a lot of Idaho lakes have speed limits but they are sooooo big, I’m sure you could alway find an area to “leg it out”.
Just my .02c from what I’m living right now.
Born and raised in California. NO PLACE compares to it for all it has to offer. The politics and the entitlement mentality ruined it for us. The water situation and power distribution are also alarming.
We went to Eastern Tennessee first. Son lives there with his family. Went during July and August to test ride the heat and humidity. For us, it wasn’t horrible. Especially living on a lake with direct water access makes it very doable. As Shintoo said, no state income taxes, not even on Ira’s if you are over 65. Property taxes are real low as are vehicle registration. Could not find anything we liked on that trip so off to Idaho where my daughter lives.
Our daughter is in Northern Idaho, so that’s where we will be also. Have been here since September 1st. Found a place between Coeur d’ aAlene and Sandpoint. 6.75 acres with a ranch style house being built on it. Southern tip of Pend Oreville Lake is about 20 minutes. Lake Coeur d’ Alene about the same. Should be completed in March at which time we will move into it. Then back to look in Tennessee for a place there also.
A few things that can get complicated when moving out of state;
1. Health care is not what we enjoyed in California. A lot of it has to do with being with Kaiser for so long and now navigating the insurance world where we can have a policy that covered us in both states. Kaiser is not available in TN or ID.
2. In our case, being in limbo for almost a year.
3. Seems food prices are a little higher and taxed in both TN and ID. Gas is usually about $1-1.50 a gallon cheaper in ID and $2 a gal cheaper in TN
4. Both are “Dry States” Alcohol is much more expensive!
5. It gets really cold in ID in the winter. It does get somewhat cold in TN
6. Flying into Eastern Tennessee is quite a bit more expensive. Can fly into Atlanta or Nashville cheaper but about a 3 hour drive.
Both Tennessee and Idaho are beautiful! I think Tennessee is prettier as it has a bigger variety of tress. It rains a lot there! Idaho is primarily pines and firs, at least in the area I’m in. Both are very Green. After being in both places we always comment on how Brown California is.
No speed limits on most Tennessee lakes. I think a lot of Idaho lakes have speed limits but they are sooooo big, I’m sure you could alway find an area to “leg it out”.
Just my .02c from what I’m living right now.
monkeyswrench
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It had slipped my mind, but with your statement of insurance coverage it brings this up...health care.
I have friends that live in this area because of the VA hospital. It does some, but can get them into the bigger one in the Valley if needed.
Some things someone may need to look into are what specialists are around, as well as what you may need later due to hereditary medical history. I hear there are good cardiac Dr's up here, due to the retirement population. Kids Dr's were slim on...most any major stuff goes to Children's in Phoenix.
Depending on hobbies, distance to ER, or response time for ambulance. There are fewer fire stations in less densely populated areas.
There are a lot of great places to live here in the States. I loved spending time in Missouri. I'd love just about anything with my own dock anywhere. We'll see, I'm not dead yet, so still some time.
clarence
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Early retired a couple years ago to Austin, TX.
Nice weather, centrally located for travel, and allows me to do everything I want (bike, drive, boat, shoot).
Live downtown, so can walk to most everything (groceries, gym, library, record and book stores, restaurants, bars, music venues).
Think about getting a second place (Florida Keys), but in no hurry.
Sure if I ever marry I'll be convinced otherwise, but I'm in my happy place now.
Evenings and weekend will see a hundred kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards out:
Nice weather, centrally located for travel, and allows me to do everything I want (bike, drive, boat, shoot).
Live downtown, so can walk to most everything (groceries, gym, library, record and book stores, restaurants, bars, music venues).
Think about getting a second place (Florida Keys), but in no hurry.
Sure if I ever marry I'll be convinced otherwise, but I'm in my happy place now.
Evenings and weekend will see a hundred kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards out:
rivermobster
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If I could afford to pay cash for this place, I might be gone. It's a bit far from the beach (that's bad for me), but it is in the pines (good for me). Property is smaller than I want (bad). Kitchen is laid out with a great view (good). It's about 80% ideal for me. Prescott is a pretty decent town. I spent a couple weeks there not that long ago.
Someone buy it, so I can come visit you!
Someone buy it, so I can come visit you!
C-Ya
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Earlier in this thread I said I would post some negatives …..
Here is a negative about living in Florida.
We have hurricane season. When I first moved here I didn’t really give that the total thought it deserved. Now, every year I worry about it. Owning a boat really makes it a complete hassle and there is no shortage of businesses ready to capitalize your misfortune. Hurricane storage is expensive and there is no guarantee that the high n dry won’t collapse, as we have all seen many times.
Hurricane Ian is a perfect example of what happens to neighborhoods. Even though I feel like I live in a prefect hurricane proof building…….. what good is that if the infrastructure around me is devastated for years? No electricity, grocery stores, and all the other stuff you need to survive.
Sure…… Hurricane Ian was bad, but it only had 150mph winds. Hurricane Dorian had 200mph winds and came closer to my home than Ian. Just imagine if Dorian had hit my neighborhood?
To sum things up……. I feel the City of Pompano Beach is a name on a hurricane roulette wheel that spins every August thru November, that 1 day, will have our number on it. I hate knowing that every year that is a possibility. It certainly doesn’t give me peace of mind.
Just something to think about.
Here is a negative about living in Florida.
We have hurricane season. When I first moved here I didn’t really give that the total thought it deserved. Now, every year I worry about it. Owning a boat really makes it a complete hassle and there is no shortage of businesses ready to capitalize your misfortune. Hurricane storage is expensive and there is no guarantee that the high n dry won’t collapse, as we have all seen many times.
Hurricane Ian is a perfect example of what happens to neighborhoods. Even though I feel like I live in a prefect hurricane proof building…….. what good is that if the infrastructure around me is devastated for years? No electricity, grocery stores, and all the other stuff you need to survive.
Sure…… Hurricane Ian was bad, but it only had 150mph winds. Hurricane Dorian had 200mph winds and came closer to my home than Ian. Just imagine if Dorian had hit my neighborhood?
To sum things up……. I feel the City of Pompano Beach is a name on a hurricane roulette wheel that spins every August thru November, that 1 day, will have our number on it. I hate knowing that every year that is a possibility. It certainly doesn’t give me peace of mind.
Just something to think about.
angiebaby
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Where is your property at? My parents live just off Spirit Lake Cutoff. We spend a lot of time there.
ahavasu
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We currently live in Riverside, CA. I landed here because this is where my mom settled.
I grew up in LA and at 10 we moved to Rialto to be closer to my grandparents. I haven't been able to escape the area ever since due to my career, kids, and embedded life.
Riverside seemed to be the diamond on top of the shit stack as far as the Inland Empire goes so we moved there and have been here for 20-plus years now. I retired from my career job in 2016 and currently run a small business from home that I can run anywhere. I have been wanting to move for some time and always have regretted not being closer to the beach. Although we could afford to live there, the commute to my job would have killed me and as such, we stayed in Riverside to be close to work.
The tie now is my youngest is 14 and has gone to school with a group of close friends for his entire life. Uprooting him in high school feels like a dick move so no moves until he graduates. When we sell we will be sitting on a nice kitty of cash from the career house and should be able to get some nice digs and have some money in the bank for travel.
I hate everything about CA that is always talked about here (RDP) but I also hate the cold/snow, extreme heat, the humidity of the south, hurricanes, tornados, and all the critters that some states provide. I think I have to move somewhere closer to the beach for at least a few years to get it out of my head. I love the beach but rarely get to go as it is 1.5 hours or more to commute the 45 miles or so to get there, and if you leave too late coming back, plan on 2 hours plus on the 91 (sucks). So probably will land close to the beach and try out that lifestyle for 3-5 years (forever if we love it and can afford it), and then simultaneously get back to my river roots and buy a small place in Parker or Havasu that we can stay a month or two at whenever we want.
I think both the beach and the river will be draws for my kids and my grandkids coming out and spending summers with us. From there well who knows? There are a lot of places I love, I just don't know if I can live there. I need an airport, shopping, and I hate to say it but a hospital is important the older we get. Being remote and away from emergency services the older I get seems like an impossible dream. We have had some health scares in the last 5 years and I am thankful we were close to help.
To sum it up, cons- the IE sucks overall for all the reasons noted regarding homelessness, crime, traffic, and the myriad of other quality-of-life issues we experience daily.
The pros- this doesn't suck and you can't beat the weather lol.
I grew up in LA and at 10 we moved to Rialto to be closer to my grandparents. I haven't been able to escape the area ever since due to my career, kids, and embedded life.
Riverside seemed to be the diamond on top of the shit stack as far as the Inland Empire goes so we moved there and have been here for 20-plus years now. I retired from my career job in 2016 and currently run a small business from home that I can run anywhere. I have been wanting to move for some time and always have regretted not being closer to the beach. Although we could afford to live there, the commute to my job would have killed me and as such, we stayed in Riverside to be close to work.
The tie now is my youngest is 14 and has gone to school with a group of close friends for his entire life. Uprooting him in high school feels like a dick move so no moves until he graduates. When we sell we will be sitting on a nice kitty of cash from the career house and should be able to get some nice digs and have some money in the bank for travel.
I hate everything about CA that is always talked about here (RDP) but I also hate the cold/snow, extreme heat, the humidity of the south, hurricanes, tornados, and all the critters that some states provide. I think I have to move somewhere closer to the beach for at least a few years to get it out of my head. I love the beach but rarely get to go as it is 1.5 hours or more to commute the 45 miles or so to get there, and if you leave too late coming back, plan on 2 hours plus on the 91 (sucks). So probably will land close to the beach and try out that lifestyle for 3-5 years (forever if we love it and can afford it), and then simultaneously get back to my river roots and buy a small place in Parker or Havasu that we can stay a month or two at whenever we want.
I think both the beach and the river will be draws for my kids and my grandkids coming out and spending summers with us. From there well who knows? There are a lot of places I love, I just don't know if I can live there. I need an airport, shopping, and I hate to say it but a hospital is important the older we get. Being remote and away from emergency services the older I get seems like an impossible dream. We have had some health scares in the last 5 years and I am thankful we were close to help.
To sum it up, cons- the IE sucks overall for all the reasons noted regarding homelessness, crime, traffic, and the myriad of other quality-of-life issues we experience daily.
The pros- this doesn't suck and you can't beat the weather lol.
Xtrmwakeboarder
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2018
- Messages
- 5,455
- Reaction score
- 9,086
1. Where do you live now and why?
Moved to Argyle, TX from Irvine, CA this summer.
-Company is supposed to sell in the near future and not paying state taxes on that income could be significant
-Wife’s company seems to be moving as many people as they can to the TX HQ. All C level execs are there, and it’s good for her career.
-My best friend is 3 hours north in OK, and her best friend is 20 mins away in Flower Mound.
-We wanted to try something new. We have no kids, and you never know what you're missing or taking for granted until you try something different.
-In a perfect world, there would be a lower cost of living, the stress of daily life would be less, and we'd get to travel more. "This hasn't been the case thus far."
2. Pros and Cons of your current place
Pros
-No state income tax
-2nd amendment is a thing here
-Much nicer house than I could get in Irvine
-I’ve got room to breathe on .4 acres
-People are legitimately nicer here, and it’s a real community
-I have seen zero homeless unless heading to the bigger cities like Dallas, Plano, and Frisco
-Electricity is cheap
-Gas is cheap
-Registration is cheap
-Politics are better as a whole, but there are a lot of Beto signs in the community. All of the transplants on my block from CA and WA have politics as one of the reasons for moving, so I don't necessarily think transplants are voting Dem.
-We have started seeing seasons. I love fall here
-DFW is only 30 mins away, and I can get anywhere in the world
-Hardly any traffic. We head to Dallas, Frisco, or Plano almost every weekend. 45 miles is 45 mins.
-I love the dedicated u-turn lanes on service roads next to the freeways.
Cons
-Prop taxes are insane
-Insurance is more than in CA for both the house and cars
-I think we get the nice area “tax” on services where I am. Painters are more, cleaners are more, our gym memberships/personal training is more, mowing the lawn is more, etc. Yes, we have more sq feet on the house and lawn, but even factoring that in, we are more expensive here per sq ft.
-I need a bug guy to deal with all of these damn bugs
-We are more rural, so getting anywhere worthwhile is a 15-20 min drive. I can deal with restaurants, but the lack of 24/hr vets, urgent care, and a real hospital worries me
-Summer was hot AF. I'm used to daily mid-day walks with the pups, and that is a no go in summer.
-Not looking forward to tornado season
-Not looking forward to iced roads
-Unless I dump a ton of money into my garage and deal with spiders and scorpions, I can't have a garage gym anymore
-Family/friends are a 2-3 day drive.
-The freeways here are insanely confusing. I f'ing hate them. GPS is useless in some spots
3. Where do you want to move to and why?
It depends how much money I have. In a perfect world, I'd have a house in Newport Beach/La Jolla and another in the outskirts of Park City, UT. There really isn't a perfect spot. Big picture would be to have a place close to family in the OC and a primary residence in a more tax-friendly state with different scenery. Preferably mountains. I'd love to pack it up like a few members here and travel around, but I doubt that would ever work for my wife.
Moved to Argyle, TX from Irvine, CA this summer.
-Company is supposed to sell in the near future and not paying state taxes on that income could be significant
-Wife’s company seems to be moving as many people as they can to the TX HQ. All C level execs are there, and it’s good for her career.
-My best friend is 3 hours north in OK, and her best friend is 20 mins away in Flower Mound.
-We wanted to try something new. We have no kids, and you never know what you're missing or taking for granted until you try something different.
-In a perfect world, there would be a lower cost of living, the stress of daily life would be less, and we'd get to travel more. "This hasn't been the case thus far."
2. Pros and Cons of your current place
Pros
-No state income tax
-2nd amendment is a thing here
-Much nicer house than I could get in Irvine
-I’ve got room to breathe on .4 acres
-People are legitimately nicer here, and it’s a real community
-I have seen zero homeless unless heading to the bigger cities like Dallas, Plano, and Frisco
-Electricity is cheap
-Gas is cheap
-Registration is cheap
-Politics are better as a whole, but there are a lot of Beto signs in the community. All of the transplants on my block from CA and WA have politics as one of the reasons for moving, so I don't necessarily think transplants are voting Dem.
-We have started seeing seasons. I love fall here
-DFW is only 30 mins away, and I can get anywhere in the world
-Hardly any traffic. We head to Dallas, Frisco, or Plano almost every weekend. 45 miles is 45 mins.
-I love the dedicated u-turn lanes on service roads next to the freeways.
Cons
-Prop taxes are insane
-Insurance is more than in CA for both the house and cars
-I think we get the nice area “tax” on services where I am. Painters are more, cleaners are more, our gym memberships/personal training is more, mowing the lawn is more, etc. Yes, we have more sq feet on the house and lawn, but even factoring that in, we are more expensive here per sq ft.
-I need a bug guy to deal with all of these damn bugs
-We are more rural, so getting anywhere worthwhile is a 15-20 min drive. I can deal with restaurants, but the lack of 24/hr vets, urgent care, and a real hospital worries me
-Summer was hot AF. I'm used to daily mid-day walks with the pups, and that is a no go in summer.
-Not looking forward to tornado season
-Not looking forward to iced roads
-Unless I dump a ton of money into my garage and deal with spiders and scorpions, I can't have a garage gym anymore
-Family/friends are a 2-3 day drive.
-The freeways here are insanely confusing. I f'ing hate them. GPS is useless in some spots
3. Where do you want to move to and why?
It depends how much money I have. In a perfect world, I'd have a house in Newport Beach/La Jolla and another in the outskirts of Park City, UT. There really isn't a perfect spot. Big picture would be to have a place close to family in the OC and a primary residence in a more tax-friendly state with different scenery. Preferably mountains. I'd love to pack it up like a few members here and travel around, but I doubt that would ever work for my wife.
cofooter
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2012
- Messages
- 6,026
- Reaction score
- 10,317
I love this thread because I'm currently trying to figure out my next happy place. Lots of good stories/info here.
So Cal was my happy place for 37 yrs. Born and raised in Tustin/HB. 23 years ago, however, when my two girls were young, I received a job offer to move to Colorado. Chinks in the armor were just beginning to surface in California and we though Colorado would be a better place to raise a family. We came out and checked it out and I accepted the offer and moved my family to Colorado. We ended up in Colorado Springs and absolutely loved it there.
Fast forward 23 years, kids grown, divorce 10 yrs ago, still like Colorado but don't love it like I used to. Its changed.
Me and the GF are now looking for our next happy place.
Colorado Pro's:
We love to ski so being 1.5hrs to several world class ski areas is a plus + GF has a place up there
We live in a small city that is surrounded by rural areas so it feels wide open
Lots to do in terms of recreation, and good resturaunts a short drive away in Boulder or Denver
Our two houses are almost paid for and equity is high due to the recent crazy appreciation
State economy is good
Colorado Cons:
Not a lot of water (lakes). Those we have are crowded. You have to travel quite a ways to find some good water recreation.
Lots of migration, both from within the US and Immigrants. I don't recognize the place anymore
Traffic is getting bad
Politics headed in the wrong direction, not much different than California
Lots more homeless/beggars each year.
I bought a vacation place in Parker 10 yrs ago. I thought that would be my retirement happy place, at least part time. Loved being down there on vacation and sharing with my family and grandkids. I spent a lot of time there during covid where I could work remote. Changed my mind about being my long term plan. You guys all know the pro's and con's, I will honestly tell you also the long term water situation spooked me a bit as well. Sold my Parker place in June, but not done with the river. My sister still has a place there I can use anytime, or may even do the snowbird thing.
Now looking for a new happy place so really appreciate these perspectives. Between the GF and I we have both spent a lot of time in N Arkansas, So Missouri and Western Tennessee and we can see our selves there on a lake at some point. We are going to do a roadtrip next spring to check it out more thoroughly.
Our plan is to retire in 4 or 5 yrs, sell each of our houses and downsize to a condo in Colorado ski country and a small house on a lake somewhere east of here.
So Cal was my happy place for 37 yrs. Born and raised in Tustin/HB. 23 years ago, however, when my two girls were young, I received a job offer to move to Colorado. Chinks in the armor were just beginning to surface in California and we though Colorado would be a better place to raise a family. We came out and checked it out and I accepted the offer and moved my family to Colorado. We ended up in Colorado Springs and absolutely loved it there.
Fast forward 23 years, kids grown, divorce 10 yrs ago, still like Colorado but don't love it like I used to. Its changed.
Me and the GF are now looking for our next happy place.
Colorado Pro's:
We love to ski so being 1.5hrs to several world class ski areas is a plus + GF has a place up there
We live in a small city that is surrounded by rural areas so it feels wide open
Lots to do in terms of recreation, and good resturaunts a short drive away in Boulder or Denver
Our two houses are almost paid for and equity is high due to the recent crazy appreciation
State economy is good
Colorado Cons:
Not a lot of water (lakes). Those we have are crowded. You have to travel quite a ways to find some good water recreation.
Lots of migration, both from within the US and Immigrants. I don't recognize the place anymore
Traffic is getting bad
Politics headed in the wrong direction, not much different than California
Lots more homeless/beggars each year.
I bought a vacation place in Parker 10 yrs ago. I thought that would be my retirement happy place, at least part time. Loved being down there on vacation and sharing with my family and grandkids. I spent a lot of time there during covid where I could work remote. Changed my mind about being my long term plan. You guys all know the pro's and con's, I will honestly tell you also the long term water situation spooked me a bit as well. Sold my Parker place in June, but not done with the river. My sister still has a place there I can use anytime, or may even do the snowbird thing.
Now looking for a new happy place so really appreciate these perspectives. Between the GF and I we have both spent a lot of time in N Arkansas, So Missouri and Western Tennessee and we can see our selves there on a lake at some point. We are going to do a roadtrip next spring to check it out more thoroughly.
Our plan is to retire in 4 or 5 yrs, sell each of our houses and downsize to a condo in Colorado ski country and a small house on a lake somewhere east of here.
