Which state?

stranger · #21 06/04/08, 05:06 PM

upstate NY, or any state in New England except Ct or Mass.
reason, it gets a little chilly and we do get a little snow, but we don't have earth quakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, alligators.scorpions, poisen snakes-yeah maybe a couple rattlers and copperheads here and there, but very seldem a brush fire and out in the country people just leave you alone.

Wags · #22 06/04/08, 10:55 PM

$50,000 certainly wouldn't get you anything much bigger than a city lot in most of Oregon.

radiofish · #23 06/05/08, 12:04 AM

50K might get you a burial plot, out here in California!!!!!

Then again 50K would find you a piece of property in Michigan, if you did not have to work - due to the economy there. That might even get you several houses, or even your own city block in deepest, darkest, Detroit...

MoonShine · #24 06/05/08, 12:28 AM

I think I would stay in Kentucky or maybe buy a place in West Virginia. I like living in Appalachia. I like the land, the way of life, and I love the people. It's not that I'm "tied" to this place, it's just home is all. There are a lot of nice places in the USA, I'm sure...I've just never been to them. I'm not well travelled.

Forgot to say, $50,000 could buy you quite a bit here, depending on the area you want to live in. I don't follow real estate but I know a farm was for sale around here recently. A nice trailor, 3 big barns, on 30 acres up at the head of a hollow...it was $50,000. I guess that's a pretty good price.

donsgal · #25 06/05/08, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickyBlade

Say you had $50,000 and nothing tying you to any particular place. What state would you choose to buy land and settle down in and why? Are there any areas in the US you would completely try to avoid?

Everyone will have different preferences for different reasons. Personally, I'd love to move to Florida or S. Texas, but $50,000 won't get you far these days - not if you are looking to buy a little piece of land and make it a homestead. So if I were just going to live the free-and-easy single life; renting an apartment, bumming around until the money was gone, yeah - I'd pick Florida or S. Texas in a heart beat.

Now if you are talking practical - well, I'd stay right where I am in Missouri. It's beautiful here (although a little wet lately), and things grow well. I might move a little south to Arkansas where the rules aren't as tight about what you do on your property (especially the more "out in the boonies" you go). It's zone 7 down there too, whereas I am in Zone 6 now, so the growing season is a tad longer and you can have a wider variety of plants in your garden.

Most of you know how I feel about Colorado, so I would say that there is no power on earth that could ever pursuade me to live there (well, not in the mountain regions anyway - it's not too bad out east). I just really don't care for mountains at all.

donsgal

Scrounger · #26 06/05/08, 01:41 AM

I second the "NEVER" on Colorado......

NickyBlade · #27 06/05/08, 02:11 AM

Yes, when dh retires from the army we're going to homestead. We all ready live as cheap as possible and we save quite a bit each month. We'll be able to pay cash for everything and continue to save money out of our retirement check. $50,000 is my low estimate. I know we will have "at least" that when it's time to retire. I'd love to have double that... but I need to be realistic too, things come up, cars break down, even the price of gas will cut into what anyone can afford to save.

We'll probably get to try out Colorado after we're done here in Hawaii... DH really wants to see what Ft Carson is like. Everyone says it's the best post to be stationed at. What is it you hate about the mountains? Or is it one of those "nice to visit, wouldn't want to live there" type places?

MedicalUser · #28 06/05/08, 02:18 AM

Thats an easy one, the beautiful hills of SE Ohio, no place better on earth.

PeACe

michiganfarmer · #29 06/05/08, 05:51 AM

Michigan is terrible. Way to many people here already.

Rocky Fields · #30 06/05/08, 06:47 AM

Hey.

Check the soil when you are zeroing in on what to buy. A lot of land for sale has really poor soil.

RF

MiniMama · #31 06/05/08, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickyBlade

Say you had $50,000 and nothing tying you to any particular place. What state would you choose to buy land and settle down in and why? Are there any areas in the US you would completely try to avoid?

Well, I'd probably need more than $50K, that's for certain!

However, if I had the amount I actually needed, then I wouldn't mind going back to Wyoming, (where I was raised), or maybe to New Mexico, which is a fascinating state. And, even though the humidity is pretty bad, (though no worse than we have here in NW Florida), I would consider Missouri or even Arkansas, so long as it was in the Ozarks, (in other words, southern Missouri, or northern Arkansas).

In fact, from a practical point, (i.e. the money), I could probably get a fairly good deal on some land, with a decent little house, in the Ozarks. I've checked on a number of real estate websites, and there seem to be some reasonable buys in that area.

**Cabin Fever** · #32 06/05/08, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mnn2501

Cabin Fever -- I see you're between Cross Lake and Emily, nice area, my brother is between Emily and Outing.

PM me with his name, I might know him.

Ask him if he ever goes to "Grannys" or "The Log Cabin" or "The Bungalow" or "The Village" for bingo or the meat raffle.

BaronsMom · #33 06/05/08, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Vet

That is a loaded question if I ever heard one. For me I would not chose the North for I hate white mud...

What in the world is white mud up North? Snow? just our natural color of soil?

Only thing I can think of is the opposite of the red mud I see when I travel south - looks like it would stain everything.

**Cabin Fever** · #34 06/05/08, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piney Woods

Personally I would move to the Ozarks (missouri, arkansas, oklahoma). Water, trees, four seasons.

Four seasons!!?!?!?! You're kidding....right?

jlxian · #35 06/05/08, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickyBlade

Thanks for the responses so far...

I was just curious about areas other people really liked... and why. When dh retires, we'll probably end up back in upstate NY, or north west PA, back with our family and friends. But then part of me really doesn't want to move back there with all the laws and taxes and more laws and building codes and... I asked what states you would avoid basically because I think my top three "would not want to live there" are Hawaii, California, and NY.

What we want... 10+ wooded acres, 14x24 cabin with loft that we will build ourselves, decent sized garden, chickens, and if everything else is going really well maybe a milking cow. We also like to hunt. We pay cash for everything and fifty grand is (hopefully) a low figure for the funds we'll have available. I'm just saving and saving for now so we can afford our dreams later, whatever they may be... or should I say "where ever!"

Pretty sure you can do that in the Ozarks (MO, OK, AR), Nicky.

Personally, I'm partial to Missouri -- have lived here most of my life but did live in TN, NY, and MI as a child. Aside from ticks, chiggers, and humidity, Missouri is an okay place. Every place has its own drawbacks and positives. You just learn to live with the drawbacks and enjoy the positives.

virtualco · #36 06/05/08, 08:27 AM

Because of the extended growing season(s) (I love to garden, zone 10a), warm weather (freezing to death will not happen), and distance to the Port of Miami (what can I say, I like to take cruises), I would pick the SW side of Florida. Still a bunch of rural land to be had.

Property is starting to become very reasonable but still has some room to fall.

Come, share our hurricanes with us...

BaronsMom · #37 06/05/08, 08:29 AM

My vote is north central Nebraska near Valentine, or Western Nebraska with much lower humidity than what us eastern folks deal with.

It is a beautiful area...don't want to share with lots of other humans though

MiniMama · #38 06/05/08, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaronsMom

Only thing I can think of is the opposite of the red mud I see when I travel south - looks like it would stain everything.

Trust me, it does!

Red clay, (whether wet or dry), is very difficult to get out of clothing! You always know if someone lives on a dirt road around here, because their vehicles are a dusty-brick red.

**Cabin Fever** · #39 06/05/08, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaronsMom

My vote is north central Nebraska near Valentine, or Western Nebraska with much lower humidity than what us eastern folks deal with.

It is a beautiful area...don't want to share with lots of other humans though

Ya know, that is a VERY nice area. I've been through there on my way to Cheyenne Frontier Days. Spent an entire day at Fort....Fort....gosh, I can't think of it's name. Whatever its name is, its now a State Park. Its where some famous Indian Chief was accidently killed, it was a calvary remount station, and a WII POW camp for German soldiers. The fort also has a registered buffalo herd.

BaronsMom · #40 06/05/08, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cabin Fever

Ya know, that is a VERY nice area. I've been through there on my way to Cheyenne Frontier Days. Spent an entire day at Fort....Fort....gosh, I can't think of it's name. Whatever its name is, its now a State Park. Its where some famous Indian Chief was accidently killed, it was a calvary remount station, and a WII POW camp for German soldiers. The fort also has a registered buffalo herd.

Are you thinking of Fort Robinson State Park? It is by Crawford Nebraska - NW Nebraska.

http://www.stateparks.com/fort_robinson.html

22,000 acres of Pine Ridge country

Crazy Horse was killed there. There is an old POW camp. Lots of old calvary barracks you rent as a cabin now, clean camping areas, pool, lots of history. Stage coach rides, jeep rides, trail rides, fish for trout - yes we ate buffalo...

Absolutely gorgeous - best family vacation we ever had! After we stayed at Fort Robinson we made the relatively quick trip into SD to visit Hot Springs, tour Wind Cave and of course, see Mount Rushmore.