Where to live

Skittles2u · #1 02/26/13, 01:42 PM

I know there are many variables and lots of things to consider about what makes some place good to live, but if you could live in your dream location where would it be?

Do you have somewhere that you think the cost of living (roof over your head) is a good value? I don't want to live in a big city or a hot desert area.

I would like to be able to garden, maybe have chickens for eggs... and dont mind some snow in winter (since hopefully if retired, I would be stocked up and not need groceries.

My budget would be no more than $2,000 a month (my car would be paid for, and hopefully my bills would be paid off)... thoughts of where you'd like to live with the above criteria?

Waterwheel Farm · #2 02/26/13, 01:53 PM

My personal favorite place is South Dakota, but I grew up there.

Based on the criteria you gave I would look at Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, or maybe some parts of Kentucky. I'm thinking that although the west is beautiful, water issues, both lack of and restrictions, would preclude me from looking there. Texas would be a super desireable place for me mainly because I like the landscape and way they think there, but again, water. I think that will be more and more of an issue in the near future.

Mulegirl · #3 02/26/13, 09:15 PM

You've left open a pretty wide range . . . do you like humidity, or drier weather? Rain or snow? Deciduous trees or evergreens? Longer summers or longer winters? There are lots and lots of places that will fit your criteria as given so far (heck, you could do it here in my area of Virginia and be within reach of some good-sized cities--same with the area of New York where I lived for 10 years), but adding a few more preferences and variables would help to narrow it down.

dkhern · #4 02/27/13, 05:34 AM

based on land prices taxes lack of restrictions ar, mo, ok

rockhound · #5 02/27/13, 05:44 AM

Taxes are not just property taxes, some states have personal property taxes. After you buy a car/boat/truck/ whatever you have to pay tax annually or lose it.

fantasymaker · #6 02/27/13, 07:58 AM

Id suggest a small town.
Beyond that there are towns in downstate IL where you can buy a barely livable house on a quarter or half block for $6000 It will hae deep black soil a convenience store ,post office and cafe in town and most other things within 20 or 30 miles.
With the way Dollar General is expanding perhaps even a department store!

Laura Zone 5 · #7 02/27/13, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skittles2u

I know there are many variables and lots of things to consider about what makes some place good to live, but if you could live in your dream location where would it be?

It would be in the mountains of eastern TN, western NC, or around the Blue Ridge Parkway.
I would have a small place, lots of land, good size creek running through it, long secluded driveway.

Quote:

Do you have somewhere that you think the cost of living (roof over your head) is a good value? I don't want to live in a big city or a hot desert area.

I have not done any research. It's just 'a dream' right now.

Quote:

I would like to be able to garden, maybe have chickens for eggs... and dont mind some snow in winter (since hopefully if retired, I would be stocked up and not need groceries.

My budget would be no more than $2,000 a month (my car would be paid for, and hopefully my bills would be paid off)... thoughts of where you'd like to live with the above criteria?

Indiana (most parts) fits this bill.
Southern IN gets less snow than northern (most of the time).
COL is pretty reasonable.

Vosey · #8 02/27/13, 08:16 AM

What about the "State of Jefferson"? That's Northern California and Southern Oregon. You appear to be in Southern California. Most of it is very rural, lots of BLM and NF land to abut to. Land is expensive in the Rogue Valley (Jackson County), mostly due to Californians moving in, but is affordable many other places. The coast, if you don't mind rain, is very temperate, great growing climate and not very populated due to it being difficult to get to.

bergere · #9 02/27/13, 08:17 AM

If I could... I would go back to Northwest Oregon in a heart beat.
Its a lot cheaper to feed yourself, your animals, electric is a lot cheaper.... everything is much cheaper than were I live now, VA.

And Oregon doesn't have the.... pay to park your car on your land, tax(personal property tax). Stupid tax... They have so many taxes and fees here, its scary.

The weather is pretty mild in the part of Oregon I used to live, is lush and green. Loved the people.
Miss it!

andiplus8 · #10 02/27/13, 08:30 AM

Oklahoma has super cheap property and property taxes, water is pretty abundant on the eastern side, and the gardening season is wonderfully long. Not like where I am now which is Northern Minnesota. Do NOT come here to homestead. lol Prices and taxes are high and the growing season lasts about 10 minutes! Oklahoma is where I came from so I know of what I speak. We were right on the OK/AR line so Western AR is pretty much the same. Their taxes and land are pretty cheap too. Another state I researched was MO. It's got lots of places in the southern part of the state that are good and cheap. Water is abundant. Good fertile land. Good growing season. So my first choice would be OK, then AR, then MO. Only that order because of the gardening zones. Southern MO is zone 6 and Eastern OK and Western AR are zone 7. You can get a few more veggies in before the season is over. Anyway, my .02.

fishhead · #11 02/27/13, 08:49 AM

I agree that water is going to become an issue over much of the US. Even if the drought breaks we are expected to go from 300 million to 500 million and that is going to exhaust the water supply over large areas of the US.

I_don't_know · #12 02/27/13, 09:00 AM

Go to http://nationalatlas.gov/index.html there is a map of the states and you can home in on the area you are interested in. They list things like, cost of living, crime level, weather, and much much more.

chewie · #13 02/27/13, 09:20 AM

I would look for where the growing season is long. that taxes are low. that ppl leave me to my own. wide open space. plenty of rain.

altho SD is great in many ways, in others it falls pretty flat. hot summers, winters can be tough, the ground isn't that great for growing. I grew up in eastern iowa and stuff would grow anywhere--here I have to coddle it along. we do have those nice wide open places and our taxes aren't bad. but our groceries are.

the other day I was talking with my mom, she is paying less than a buck a pound for apples, where I'm happy to find them 'on sale' for just about $2/lb. but she pays much more in taxes, plates for the car, etc. maybe it balances out. I do know that having ppl as close as she does would now drive me nuts. and she has few places, other than the gravel roads, to ride horses. I have so many acres I couldn't ride them all, in a whole summer.

just like everything else, I think a person just has to pick a few things that top the list of must-haves, and be able to let the others go.

Skittles2u · #14 02/27/13, 09:35 AM

Thank you for the ideas so far. It will give me some places to review on the internet for information.

Bergere: Is it pretty standard when someone says "Northwest Oregon" i would get the same geographical area?

Fantasymaker.. you suggest a small town... do you mean just in Illinois? any other areas?

Andiplus8: I have heard several people who really like Missouri so I need to look for info...

Dkhern:... you mentioned states that I am becoming curious about, thank you for suggesting them.

Mulegirl: thank you for your questions... My question was based on wanting to know what others considered a priority or a benefit or a negative to areas.... My biggest concern is I'm not going to have much money to retire on... and I hate the heat... 105+ is just too hot, sure a day or 2 maybe but weeks on end.... and too hot between as early as july and as late as october i'm just very very tired of... I don't think I'd do well in high humidity... and I know every one says "dry heat" is better than humidity, but at 105+ you can only be soooo nekkkid and the expense of air conditioning at $350 a month to just get indoors to a tolerable 80 degrees is out of my price range when I retire.

Otherwise, I really wanted to hear where other folks liked and would consider.

Looking forward to hearing more responses.

ET1 SS · #15 02/27/13, 12:11 PM

During my career we traveled a lot, searching for the 'right' place.

We finally settled on Maine.

But then the OP has a lot more money in his monthly budget than I get in my pension.

There are a few places where land prices are as low as they are here. And some places can match the low taxes. Other places can match the lack of zoning restrictions.

But then you need to be aware of drought. A lot of the nation is drought-prone. Municipal water shortages. Water rights laws restrict farming. Wells go dry in those areas. Ugh!

If you have the money you can make it work anywhere, I guess.

I like really rural areas, rivers, forest, low cost-of-living, and few regulations.

fantasymaker · #16 02/27/13, 12:18 PM

I would suggest a small town anywhere.
And look at LOTS of them.
The farther from a big city the cheaper things will be.
For instance where I am a 100 miles from saint Louis Prices get higher as I move that way.
About 20 miles closer will double the prices.Then again 20 after that, once you are with 40 miles though it doesnt seem to make a difference.
In the other direction there are towns of about 100,000 people and it seems to have about the same effect.

fantasymaker · #17 02/27/13, 01:40 PM

Ya know somewhere with a beach and drinks with little umbrellas would be nice....

andiplus8 · #18 02/27/13, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wind in Her Hair

well, then - out of curiosity, why are you here in MN?

I ♥ Minnesota and I am from Texas.

Incomes here FAR exceed any I have ever dreamed of. AND I get to live in an area that is incredibly beautiful with pristine lakes and forests and rivers. I have the opportunity to see endangered wildlife that takes my breath away and four distinct seasons to enjoy and experience.

Whats not to love?

Why I am here was a bit beyond my control. The income where I am, which is Sturgeon Lake, is no more, and a bit less, than it was in Oklahoma. Although I was led to believe it would be more up here. The taxes are incredibly high as opposed to OK. There is much beauty to behold here if you can afford to stay and you don't mind being frozen for 6 months out of the year. I am, however, an avid gardener and my growing season on most veggies and such has been cut by more than half.
Why this discussion has taken a personal turn is beyond me. It seems someone was asking for opinions on where to live and why and I gave mine. And it doesn't have anything to do with why I'm here.
Now if you want advice on the best place to live if your kids love being in Hockey, then I'll tell you MN. Which is a definite perk for my little southern fried babies.

bergere · #19 02/27/13, 02:40 PM

I lived in the Hills above the Columbia River, in Columbia county and we did get more snow than say the Valley or low lying areas. I loved that farm.

This is what I think of as NW Oregon.
NW Oregon has the Ocean on one side, Columbia river to the North, Mountains to the East...

Where to live - Homesteading Questions

fantasymaker · #20 02/27/13, 04:10 PM

Why the Move Bergere ?