Please help us decide where to live

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
LynnC
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by LynnC »

SDF wrote:
LynnC wrote:Okay, SDF, here is my 2 cents. I lived in HB for several years and it ain't all that!
I think you've confused me with someone else. I have no interest whatsoever in Huntington Beach.
Whoops! Sorry about that! I meant to say, OP.

LynnC
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SDF
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by SDF »

LynnC wrote:
SDF wrote:
LynnC wrote:Okay, SDF, here is my 2 cents. I lived in HB for several years and it ain't all that!
I think you've confused me with someone else. I have no interest whatsoever in Huntington Beach.
Whoops! Sorry about that! I meant to say, OP.

LynnC
But I am the OP! :D

I think maybe you're confusing me (the OP of this thread) with the OP of this other thread about wanting to retire to California:
http://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtop ... 1&t=141603
Last edited by SDF on Fri Jun 27, 2014 4:19 pm, edited 3 times in total.
harikaried
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by harikaried »

SDF wrote:
harikaried wrote:
SDF wrote:We recently purchased a 3bd/2ba 2000sqft house just southwest of downtown near the river for a little over $250k.
We spent several days looking at home in Reno less than a month ago, and we had a very hard time finding anything nice for that price/size in that part of the city.
What would you find more appealing in a house? Do schools matter? Walkability/bikability to groceries/shops? Parks neraby? Age of house?
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SDF
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by SDF »

My wife just came across this article about hard choices, which is certainly worth reading and thinking about for anyone who is having a tough time making a decision.

The article
http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2014/06 ... d-choices/

The TED talk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GQZuzIdeQQ

The article is short, and there's a TED talk as well, but I'll provide excerpts below which give the gist of her argument (which, by the way, reminds of Sartre's arguments in Existentialism is a Humanism). Interestingly, her advice about how to make decisions in tough cases runs counter to the "flip a coin" or "just pick any from a list of viable options" advice.
In any easy choice, one alternative is better than the other. In a hard choice, one alternative is better in some ways, the other alternative is better in other ways, and neither is better than the other overall. You agonize over whether to stay in your current job in the city or uproot your life for more challenging work in the country because staying is better in some ways, moving is better in others, and neither is better than the other overall.
...
Now, if there’s no best option, if the scales don’t tip in favor of one alternative over another, then surely the alternatives must be equally good, so maybe the right thing to say in hard choices is that they’re between equally good options. That can’t be right. If alternatives are equally good, you should just flip a coin between them, and it seems a mistake to think, here’s how you should decide between careers, places to live, people to marry: Flip a coin.
...
When we choose between options that are on a par, we can do something really rather remarkable. We can put our very selves behind an option. … This response in hard choices is a rational response, but it’s not dictated by reasons given to us. Rather, it’s supported by reasons created by us. When we create reasons for ourselves to become this kind of person rather than that, we wholeheartedly become the people that we are. You might say that we become the authors of our own lives.
...
Instead of looking for reasons out there, we should be looking for reasons in here: Who am I to be?
...
Drifters allow the world to write the story of their lives. They let mechanisms of reward and punishment — pats on the head, fear, the easiness of an option — to determine what they do. So the lesson of hard choices reflect on what you can put your agency behind, on what you can be for, and through hard choices, become that person.
...
Far from being sources of agony and dread, hard choices are precious opportunities for us to celebrate what is special about the human condition, that the reasons that govern our choices as correct or incorrect sometimes run out, and it is here, in the space of hard choices, that we have the power to create reasons for ourselves to become the distinctive people that we are. And that’s why hard choices are not a curse but a godsend.
After thinking a bit, it seems to me that I'm not really facing a hard choice. I mean, it's grandiose to think to that I'm making a major existential choice about what kind of person I want to be when in fact I'm just trying to decide between Asheville and Reno for the best weather, trail running, and most house for the money.

But the article definitely made me stop and reconsider what I'm doing with my life in general and why this move seems like such a big deal to me. In fact, it helped me realize that it's NOT a big deal. It probably doesn't really matter where we move. What matters is what we will do when we get there. But we already know that, and in fact can't wait to get started.
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SDF
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by SDF »

harikaried wrote:What would you find more appealing in a house? Do schools matter? Walkability/bikability to groceries/shops? Parks neraby? Age of house?
Schools don't matter except indirectly. (Anchoring home value, perhaps drawing better neighbors, etc.) Walkability is high. But so is having some space. Parks would be great, but even better would be a track. Age of house is irrelevant, as long as it's in good condition.

Does any of that help somehow?
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SDF
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by SDF »

dore wrote:I'll chip in with a few comments about Boise.
Thanks for the feedback. It's helpful.
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SDF
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by SDF »

Vize wrote:Unless the small town criteria is important, I'd lean towards SLC over Boise and the Ft Collins area over Reno.
Thanks.
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SDF
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by SDF »

MoonOrb wrote:There was a time in my life when I embarked on a similar project, only to decide to move overseas rather than elsewhere in the US, but at the time, one of things I focused on was identifying university towns. I've since visited a lot of the areas. Places I considered and at some point visited...
Thanks for taking to time to provide such a detailed, extensive post. Lots of good information and ideas in there. Much to digest and consider.
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SDF
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by SDF »

DFrank wrote:Don't know if you go in for these sorts of things, but when we were searching for a retirement location we found that the web site Find Your Spot (http://www.findyourspot.com) was helpful to identify some locations we wouldn't have thought about otherwise.
Pretty sure my wife already gave that site a try, but I'll double-check. Thanks for all of your other suggestions as well.
harikaried
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by harikaried »

SDF wrote:Schools don't matter except indirectly. (Anchoring home value, perhaps drawing better neighbors, etc.) Walkability is high. But so is having some space. Parks would be great, but even better would be a track. Age of house is irrelevant, as long as it's in good condition.
There's houses near Idlewild Park and Reno High with a track with a walk to downtown along the river. Perhaps another way to ask is what did you look at before and what didn't you like?

http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/Re ... ice/0_mmm/
beardsworth
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by beardsworth »

SDF, back in your original post, you gave a substantial list of places you've previously lived.

Charlottesville, Virginia, was on that list--but it's not among the places you're actively considering now for your next move.

Charlottesville is on our own list of places for consideration: major university, medical center, historical sites, national park lands a short drive to the west, good rail connections to Washington and the Northeast, not too far from the ocean, four seasons but not really severe winters.

We've visited several times and found the place appealing. Would you mind sharing some thoughts about why you eliminated Charlottesville from your own list? Having lived there previously, are there things you found "objectionable" about it, i.e., major drawbacks not apparent to those who just visit?

Thanks.
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retiredjg
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by retiredjg »

DFrank wrote:Don't know if you go in for these sorts of things, but when we were searching for a retirement location we found that the web site Find Your Spot (http://www.findyourspot.com) was helpful to identify some locations we wouldn't have thought about otherwise.
For those who might have an interest, I did this earlier today and it was kind of fun, but when I got to the end, they want your name, address, etc. before they tell you your "spots". At that point, I just quit. Never did find out what my spot is. :happy

For those who are trying to reduce junk mail, etc. you might want to avoid this. Or not. :happy
WL2034
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by WL2034 »

People have mentioned states without income tax. One option to consider would be living in a state with no income tax on the border of a state with no sales tax. I have not researched this topic, but living in Washington near the Oregon border would be one option. Not really sure how much this type of situation would actually be worth financially, but something to consider.
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SDF
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by SDF »

beardsworth wrote:Would you mind sharing some thoughts about why you eliminated Charlottesville from your own list? Having lived there previously, are there things you found "objectionable" about it, i.e., major drawbacks not apparent to those who just visit?
We haven't been to Charlottesville in about 20 years. It's where we went to graduate school. It doesn't seem to be in our price range now, and I'd prefer to be closer to the mountains. In short, I don't see any reason to choose Charlottesville over Asheville. Certainly if you want a stronger university and stronger university presence, then C-ville trumps AVL.

Since I haven't been there in many years, I can't really speak to what it's like today. But one thing that a visitor may not have picked up on that a resident would have, back in the day at least, is that C-ville is full of people who think it's the center of the universe. I don't just mean that they really like Charlottesville, or think it's a great place to live, they think it's some sort of cultural and/or intellectual and/or celebrity center. (The "and/or"s are required because it'd be different depending on who you were talking to.) Sure, when I was there, Richard Rorty was still a university professor, Rita Dove was the nation's Poet Laureate, and one might see Sam Shepard in a bar. Big deal, right? But some spouted such facts as if it really put C-ville on par with NYC and/or Stanford and/or Hollywood. It's a nitpick, but I really did get tired of hearing again and again and again about how Muhammad Ali ate at Crozet Pizza, or how John Kluge was the world's richest man (true at the time, I think), as if that somehow elevated the importance of the town. I've never really encountered that phenomenon anywhere else. I mean, people in Portland, Austin, and Santa Monica don't brag about who lives there. And it's not just a small-town thing. Even the people in Iowa City who understood that heavyweight writers came through the university's MFA program (both as students and professors) didn't go on and on about it. Weird. And then of course there's the whole Thomas Jefferson worship and the Old South, plaid-shorts, bow-ties, and loafers-with-no-socks aesthetic and sensibility, if you know what I mean. But these were really just petty annoyances, and are probably all in the past anyway. 20 years is a long time!
stan1
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by stan1 »

SDF, I think you should rent in some of the places you've named and plan to move every 2-3 years when you are ready for a change. Reading between the lines maybe the reason for this indecision is that you really don't want to settle down in one place. I think a lot of people would be envious of your situation: not tied down and able to try many different places. You'll know when its time to settle in one (if ever).
Warning: I am about 80% satisficer (accepting of good enough) and 20% maximizer
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SDF
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by SDF »

harikaried wrote:There's houses near Idlewild Park and Reno High with a track with a walk to downtown along the river. Perhaps another way to ask is what did you look at before and what didn't you like?

http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/Re ... ice/0_mmm/
Thanks for plugging that into Zillow! We actually looked at some of those houses a couple of weeks ago (in person). Most of the houses in our price range (a flexible $250k) looked tired and dated and would require a good bit of additional work and money.

We saw a nice, restored Craftsman bungalow on Martin Street , but it was about $240k with one bathroom, no garage, and too close to Virgina Ave.
http://www.trulia.com/property/30370886 ... o-NV-89509

This house looked very nice on the inside, but the houses were pretty close together on that block and it's more than we want to spend. I do see, however, that the price has been steadily coming down.
http://www.trulia.com/property/31364312 ... o-NV-89509

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe we could find a suitable house in Reno. I'd sure like to think so!
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LadyGeek
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by LadyGeek »

The wiki has a good reference for state taxes: State income taxes

Download the publication at the top of the page: Individual Income Tax Provisions in the States.pdf
will34 wrote:People have mentioned states without income tax. One option to consider would be living in a state with no income tax on the border of a state with no sales tax. I have not researched this topic, but living in Washington near the Oregon border would be one option. Not really sure how much this type of situation would actually be worth financially, but something to consider.
You need to check the regulations on what's called a use tax. If you didn't buy it in the state, you are using it - and is therefore subject to tax.

For example, PA has a state income tax and sales tax. It's adjacent to DE, which has no sales tax. If you purchase an item in DE and bring it into PA, you must pay the equivalent PA sales tax (use tax). See: Use Tax for Individuals
Wiki To some, the glass is half full. To others, the glass is half empty. To an engineer, it's twice the size it needs to be.
beardsworth
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by beardsworth »

The PDF document linked by Lady Geek above, a study produced by the Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau, is now a year-and-a-half old and--if the section on my own state is indicative--is starting to become inaccurate in some of its details as various state legislatures make ongoing changes in rules, what is or isn't exempt from taxation, what can or can't be deducted from income, and general tax brackets/rates. It's still a good overview, but anyone considering relocation to a state should certainly check the Internet site of the state's own department of revenue for the latest information.

The following sites are also useful, though not necessarily up-to-date in every particular.

http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/retiremen ... /index.php

http://www.retirementliving.com/taxes-by-state
LAR
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by LAR »

Central Tx: Austin, Roundrock, Salado, Belton, Killeen, Lampassas
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BolderBoy
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by BolderBoy »

SDF wrote:My wife and I are trying to decide where to live in the United States. We have almost no constraints, which is proving to be more of a curse than a blessing.
I didn't see your ages. One thing I'd factor into your decision making is water - the drinking kind. And not move somewhere where they are running out of it.
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SDF
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by SDF »

LAR wrote:Central Tx: Austin, Roundrock, Salado, Belton, Killeen, Lampassas
Thanks, but way too hot. No mountains either. Homes are incredibly cheap though!
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SDF
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by SDF »

BolderBoy wrote:
SDF wrote:I didn't see your ages. One thing I'd factor into your decision making is water - the drinking kind. And not move somewhere where they are running out of it.
Late 40's. Yes, we like to drink water, so we'll keep that in mind. :-)
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SDF
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by SDF »

The most amazing thing (to me) about that map is that it's very hard to find counties where the obesity rate is less than 30% :shock:
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BolderBoy
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by BolderBoy »

Colorado13 wrote:CO (I would not necessarily rule out Longmont if I were you)...
Also good to remember that the north metro Denver area is growing rapidly, so there are the towns of Lafayette and Erie on the way up toward Longmont. Along the Front Range try to stay west of I-25, but the rule of thumb is the closer one moves towards the mountains, the higher the cost of housing.
LAR
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by LAR »

TAOS, NM
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BolderBoy
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by BolderBoy »

SDF wrote:
The most amazing thing (to me) about that map is that it's very hard to find counties where the obesity rate is less than 30% :shock:
Boulder is the thinnest city in the thinnest county in the thinnest state in the USA.
LAR
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by LAR »

Luray, VA
hicabob
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by hicabob »

beardsworth wrote:SDF, back in your original post, you gave a substantial list of places you've previously lived.

Charlottesville, Virginia, was on that list--but it's not among the places you're actively considering now for your next move.

Charlottesville is on our own list of places for consideration: major university, medical center, historical sites, national park lands a short drive to the west, good rail connections to Washington and the Northeast, not too far from the ocean, four seasons but not really severe winters.

We've visited several times and found the place appealing. Would you mind sharing some thoughts about why you eliminated Charlottesville from your own list? Having lived there previously, are there things you found "objectionable" about it, i.e., major drawbacks not apparent to those who just visit?

Thanks.
My parents live there so I know Charlottesville well from a visitors perspective.

Weather is decent, although can get quite hot and humid in the summer but most everyone has AC. Winters are not vicious although it can certainly snow.
Proximity to the Smokies is really nice if you like the outdoors.
University Virginia is definitely a big asset to the city.
Downtown is pretty good - they have a nice pedestrian only area so lots of people walking about
Properties vary from huge southern mansions on acreages (they look cheap to this Californian!) to trailer homes - something in all price ranges.
Local airport is not bad at all for a little one, Washington is 110 miles North - Richmond is a couple hours I think, Raleigh is not too far either.
I always thought it was a nicer than average place.
reisner
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by reisner »

If you are considering the Seattle area, the town of La Conner is a gem to the north.
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SDF
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by SDF »

BolderBoy wrote:Boulder is the thinnest city in the thinnest county in the thinnest state in the USA.
You might be right, if you work backwards. Find the thinnest state, then find the thinnest county in that state, then thinnest city in that county.

But there are lots of other counties in other states that are thinner, at least according to the map linked.

Montgomery County, MD (25%) and Fairfax County, VA (26%) are both lower than Boulder County (28%). Also, Santa Clara (26%) and San Mateo (24%) counties in CA.

Marin County, CA has the lowest I've found: 22%.

Sorry!
TheScarletPimpernel
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by TheScarletPimpernel »

I have lived in about 43 of the states and in every major city in them as well as smaller venues.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Colorado Springs, Co.

Based on what you wrote you would probably like Colorado Springs, Co very much. You should be able to find a rental not far from the Garden of the Gods (if you are not familiar please Google it), it is one of the most spectacular natural places in these United States). We were just there last month and I noticed the housing prices had collapsed since when I lived there circa 2006-2007.

There are many parks for jogging, hiking, biking, off trail etc. We fell in love with the natural beauty of the place and the climate.

Since part of your criteria is political ideology(it is foremost in my mind also when I consider location, so that is not a dig) I’ll make the following statements. It is a very, very liberal place so we simply were not comfortable ideologically. Do not be fooled by the red tilt the city has. These are of the liberal/Rockefeller/Bush arm of the Republic party. However you indicated you are liberals so I am sure you would enjoy the warm friendliness the populace evokes. They are very engaging. There is a tree hugging very touchy-feely tone to the city and it has a lot of very vocal supporters of pseudo/crackpot science. We were pleasantly surprised to see they did not legalize recreational marijuana but a few searches showed the decision had to do with tourism and the social service safety net and was seriously considered.

Colorado Springs is moderately diverse – my guess 65-70% White/ maybe 15-20% Hispanics and the balance Native Americans and Asians). There are far more Native Americans living there then showing on a census count.

One thing to consider is if altitude is an issue then this is simply not the place for you.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Charlotte, NC:

Another city to consider is Charlotte NC. It is very livable city,especially near the downtown. It is very liberal so it meets your political criteria. There is very diverse higher quality restaurants and a lot of entertainment options ranging from theater to the great outdoors. Charlotte is one of our favorite cities, I have spent years there, and if not for ideology I would have moved there in a heartbeat. The people are warm , friendly and with enough southern twang in their voice to be charming.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Pittsburg, PA

The downtown area is very livable. Great entertainment, nice restaurants, nice parks, beautiful bridges. nice museums. Once again it matches you ideology. The public transportation system is good. Lots of renovation options. It really is a marvelous city, with a quaint farmers market in the city square. Get a fish sandwich at the Original Oyster Houses.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

FairfieldBay, AR

This one is hard to describe. It is a Developer controlled political subdivisions on a lovely man made lake. It was originally populated under Bill Clinton's reign as Governor by recruiting blue collar union retirees from IL, MI, and IN. The point of mentioning it, is the culture is no what you might expect. There is little southern dialect in Fairfield Bay due to how it was populated there is more of a northern dialectal click. The culture is sort of a laid back bigger city midwestern thing. The people are beyond friendly, charming, and nice. It is nature lovers paradise. It is about an hour and a half North of Little Rock and Hot Springs (always a lot of fun)is a short drive too. One nice thing is that three major fun place (Nashville, Tn, Dallas Tx, New Orleans, LA are all within 7-10 hour drives making 3-4 day big city great food and theater weekend options very enticing. Politically it is a Blue Dog Democrat type of place. The only reason they vote Republican in Presidential elections is the abortion issue. Most other office goes to Democrats. So it should match you politically.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Good luck in your search.
Last edited by TheScarletPimpernel on Fri Jun 27, 2014 11:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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patriciamgr2
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by patriciamgr2 »

I wanted to offer a slightly different perspective on your decision. I believe finding a local business climate in which your unspecified, bricks & mortar service business will thrive should be your number one priority in sorting towns once they make your "short list". That may be more limiting than you imagine. In some communities, "outsiders" may be welcomed as residents who buy goods and services, but not as successful in establishing businesses. If that business being lucrative is key to your financial future, please consider moving it higher on your list of priorities.

Good Luck.
harikaried
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by harikaried »

SDF wrote:We saw a nice, restored Craftsman bungalow on Martin Street , but it was about $240k with one bathroom, no garage, and too close to Virgina Ave.
http://www.trulia.com/property/30370886 ... o-NV-89509

This house looked very nice on the inside, but the houses were pretty close together on that block and it's more than we want to spend. I do see, however, that the price has been steadily coming down.
http://www.trulia.com/property/31364312 ... o-NV-89509
I see on Trulia that the places with high walk scores are near Virginia/Wells although those neighborhoods tend to be closer packed together and older with the original 2bd/1ba layout. More west, things get more spread out with more updates, and there is an open house listing without an exact address but close to Idlewild Park where we just went to the weekly Friday Food Trucks / Reno Street Food:

3bd/2ba 1152sqft $225k listed last week
http://www.trulia.com/property/31596890 ... o-NV-89509
lululu
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by lululu »

LadyGeek wrote: You need to check the regulations on what's called a use tax. If you didn't buy it in the state, you are using it - and is therefore subject to tax.

For example, PA has a state income tax and sales tax. It's adjacent to DE, which has no sales tax. If you purchase an item in DE and bring it into PA, you must pay the equivalent PA sales tax (use tax). See: Use Tax for Individuals
Rhode Island just (apparently, I'm going by a short newspaper article) changed its use tax. It used to be that you had to total up the actual sales tax and report it on your state income tax form. Now apparently they have made an alternative to totalling it up, 0.0008*federal AGI, but purchases over $1000 apiece have to be reported separately (or something.)

However, property taxes and state income tax here are high.
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by lululu »

SDF wrote:
We saw a nice, restored Craftsman bungalow on Martin Street , but it was about $240k with one bathroom, no garage, and too close to Virgina Ave.
http://www.trulia.com/property/30370886 ... o-NV-89509

This house looked very nice on the inside, but the houses were pretty close together on that block and it's more than we want to spend. I do see, however, that the price has been steadily coming down.
http://www.trulia.com/property/31364312 ... o-NV-89509

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe we could find a suitable house in Reno. I'd sure like to think so!
That's a very attractive little house, from the pictures. The small yard and too close to a busy street would rule it out for me, but if there's one nice Craftsman bungalow in town, there are probably more.
DFrank
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by DFrank »

retiredjg wrote:
DFrank wrote:Don't know if you go in for these sorts of things, but when we were searching for a retirement location we found that the web site Find Your Spot (http://www.findyourspot.com) was helpful to identify some locations we wouldn't have thought about otherwise.
For those who might have an interest, I did this earlier today and it was kind of fun, but when I got to the end, they want your name, address, etc. before they tell you your "spots". At that point, I just quit. Never did find out what my spot is. :happy

For those who are trying to reduce junk mail, etc. you might want to avoid this. Or not. :happy

Or just put in dummy info. I think that's what I did. :wink:

Dave
Last edited by DFrank on Sat Jun 28, 2014 8:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
Dave
DFrank
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by DFrank »

SDF wrote:
BolderBoy wrote:
SDF wrote:I didn't see your ages. One thing I'd factor into your decision making is water - the drinking kind. And not move somewhere where they are running out of it.
Late 40's. Yes, we like to drink water, so we'll keep that in mind. :-)
Not sure if you took this comment seriously, but I would. IMO the southwest has too many people for the available water in the long run. Long periods of drought are a fact of life here in the southwest, and population growth over the past 30-40 years has pretty much outstripped our ability to weather these events. I think people will survive here for a long time to come, but it is likely that water will become expensive. I believe desalinization plants will need to be built, and significant lifestyle changes will be required by many.

There are places in the southwest that would have been at the top of our candidate retirement location list but for this issue (Flagstaff AZ & Colorado Springs CO are two examples).

Dave
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SDF
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by SDF »

DFrank wrote:Not sure if you took this comment seriously, but I would.
Sorry, we do take it seriously. Do you know an easy way to determine whether water will be an issue for a particular location? Some summary website, for instance? Thanks.
sunnyday
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by sunnyday »

So are you any closer to your decision? :)


Here's a house in Brevard, NC within your price range - http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/271-J ... 7895_zpid/

I've never been to Reno -- maybe I'd love it... but I think I'd much prefer living in Brevard/Asheville. Especially if you can get more bang for you buck in terms of housing.

As others have said though, I would recommend renting first to figure out if that's where you'd want to wind up long term. You could come out ahead renting and it would be much less of a hassle - http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014 ... .html?_r=0
inbox788
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by inbox788 »

SDF wrote:
BolderBoy wrote:
SDF wrote:I didn't see your ages. One thing I'd factor into your decision making is water - the drinking kind. And not move somewhere where they are running out of it.
Late 40's. Yes, we like to drink water, so we'll keep that in mind. :-)
Along this line (droughts), another factor that might help eliminate some choices is extreme weather and disasters. You probably don't want to shovel snow in the winter, which eliminates many northern locales. You may not want 100+ temperatures in the summer which cuts out some southern/desert locations. What do you think of hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes?

You can cross reference your list with these:
http://www.cbsnews.com/media/top-10-saf ... disasters/
http://www.trulia.com/trends/2013/08/av ... l-hazards/
http://www.citylab.com/weather/2013/08/ ... ters/6561/

Denver and DC (Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD) stand out as warmer safe places to live.
livesoft
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by livesoft »

My neighbors live in Montreal in the summers and in Texas in the winters.
Wiki This signature message sponsored by sscritic: Learn to fish.
DFrank
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by DFrank »

SDF wrote:
DFrank wrote:Not sure if you took this comment seriously, but I would.
Sorry, we do take it seriously. Do you know an easy way to determine whether water will be an issue for a particular location? Some summary website, for instance? Thanks.
No need to apologize. :happy

Sorry, I don't know of any single good source of information on this subject. In my research I found that I needed to look for specific sources for each locale we considered. I often found that municipal, county or regional water districts have reports you can find on line that discuss longer term water supply issues. I also checked out the water rights laws and regulations in each area - how restrictive they are can be a clue to how close the water supply is to meeting (or not meeting) current demand. CO for instance has some strange water rights laws in areas where you would be on a private well. I also considered average annual rainfall. Some folks want to live in areas where it doesn't rain, but those will almost always be drought prone areas. Finally, consider the predominant tree species and frequency of wildfires. Where most trees are ponderosa pines, and where wildfires are frequent, you can bet drought is a common occurrence.

Dave
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BolderBoy
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by BolderBoy »

SDF wrote:
DFrank wrote:Not sure if you took this comment seriously, but I would.
Sorry, we do take it seriously. Do you know an easy way to determine whether water will be an issue for a particular location? Some summary website, for instance? Thanks.
I can give you generalities. NM, AZ, NV, CA are four states that are facing water disasters. I'm told that KS is as well, but it wasn't on your list. While you are looking for a place to live, look at where their water comes from. NM, AZ, NV and CA get almost all or much of their water from CO mountain snowmelt. KS, particularly western KS, does as well.
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BolderBoy
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by BolderBoy »

inbox788 wrote:
SDF wrote:
BolderBoy wrote:
SDF wrote:I didn't see your ages. One thing I'd factor into your decision making is water - the drinking kind. And not move somewhere where they are running out of it.
Late 40's. Yes, we like to drink water, so we'll keep that in mind. :-)
Along this line (droughts), another factor that might help eliminate some choices is extreme weather and disasters. You probably don't want to shovel snow in the winter, which eliminates many northern locales. You may not want 100+ temperatures in the summer which cuts out some southern/desert locations. What do you think of hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes?

You can cross reference your list with these:
http://www.cbsnews.com/media/top-10-saf ... disasters/
http://www.trulia.com/trends/2013/08/av ... l-hazards/
http://www.citylab.com/weather/2013/08/ ... ters/6561/

Denver and DC (Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD) stand out as warmer safe places to live.
+1. In 1975 I went to the library in Richmond, VA and found a large, atlas-style book which covered all the states in the USA, and each page provided with blackened circles of varying sizes the incidence of natural disasters, evil weather, you-name-it over all portions of the country. From that I decided that Denver was the overall safest + had what I was looking for (that was when the population was 2+ million fewer, too :) So I set my goal on living in Colorado.

One interesting thing that I remember particularly is that central Virginia has a much higher risk for earthquake than does the Denver area, for example.
sunnyday
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by sunnyday »

BolderBoy wrote: +1. In 1975 I went to the library in Richmond, VA and found a large, atlas-style book which covered all the states in the USA, and each page provided with blackened circles of varying sizes the incidence of natural disasters, evil weather, you-name-it over all portions of the country. From that I decided that Denver was the overall safest + had what I was looking for (that was when the population was 2+ million fewer, too :) So I set my goal on living in Colorado.

One interesting thing that I remember particularly is that central Virginia has a much higher risk for earthquake than does the Denver area, for example.
In the US, about 400 people die each year from natural disasters and 40,000 from car accidents (a third of which are alcohol related). My guess is Colorado has more impaired drivers since January 1st. So if safety is a top priority, I'd be much more concerned driving on the road than worrying about earthquakes in Virginia.
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by joe8d »

BolderBoy wrote:
SDF wrote:My wife and I are trying to decide where to live in the United States. We have almost no constraints, which is proving to be more of a curse than a blessing.
I didn't see your ages. One thing I'd factor into your decision making is water - the drinking kind. And not move somewhere where they are running out of it.
YES. Water,Supply and potabiility should be your concern more so than state income tax.I'm lucky to be on the Great Lakes which holds 20% of the worlds fresh water supply.
All the Best, | Joe
lululu
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by lululu »

sunnyday wrote: In the US, about 400 people die each year from natural disasters and 40,000 from car accidents (a third of which are alcohol related). My guess is Colorado has more impaired drivers since January 1st. So if safety is a top priority, I'd be much more concerned driving on the road than worrying about earthquakes in Virginia.
Still, it's not nice to see your house collapse from an earthquake or slide down the hill in a mudslide. I do not enjoy wondering when my waterfront house will become uninhabitable due to rising sea levels, which I'll bet those disaster-location maps don't include unless they're recent. I would be concerned about that for some of DC.
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SDF
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by SDF »

Thanks everyone for the additional suggestions about places to live and issues to consider. We spent most of yesterday working on our decision. We made a "short" list of about 15 places and then began eliminating on the basis of weather (too much snow, humidity, or too little sunshine), then proximity to a full-fledged university, then crime (which eliminated both Asheville, NC and Medford, OR, sadly). We then spent time on Trulia and Zillow and eliminated places that clearly lacked homes in our price range (e.g., Ashland, OR).

We ended up with a very short list, all out west:

Bend, OR
Boise, ID
Reno, NV
Longmont, CO

That's where we find ourselves this morning. My gut is telling me that something's gone astray, because I'm not particularly excited by any of those prospects. But maybe it's just because it's hard to be excited about places I've never actually been. (3 of the 4.)

At this point, I think we're leaning towards Boise, though that sounds so strange to hear myself say!

Another option we're considering is moving near some of my family members in the Midwest. Although we don't want to settle there, it would be nice to spend a year there. That would delay our bricks and mortar business plan, but would probably be enough time for us to decide whether we intend to go back overseas. And it would give us some additional time to explore some of our candidate long-term locations.
Last edited by SDF on Sun Jun 29, 2014 9:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
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retiredjg
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Re: Please help us decide where to live

Post by retiredjg »

SDF wrote: My gut is telling me that something's gone astray....
I'd pay attention to that.

How on earth did Asheville get eliminated because of crime?
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