Kentucky.

[Sigarms]

Crawford is my end of the state - i'm in beaver, just north of pgh and rural

I knew where you were at, that's why I mentioned the 3 counties that I did in Pa, added I would never move back up there knowing the differences between NC and PA.

To each their own, learned a long time ago that home is where the heart is.

Next trip up there will to help my dad sell his house since he's living with me now.

Per guns, little confused, but not nothing new. Pa actually had more "nos" than SC did. I shoot with some guys just South of Charlotte in SC who come up here and I never heard them complain. I never complained about NC vs PA, although at first did complain that I had to take a class, after I took it though, very glad I did as I learned some things about the law.

 

[Buppies]

Thomas maybe we can be neighbors

 

[polo1665]

Crawford is my end of the state - i'm in beaver, just north of pgh and rural - avg house is 180k here (acre, 3 br 2 ba, give or take). Avg prop tax in state is 3500/yr, 1% local income tax and 3.4% or so state income tax. 6% sales tax most places, no tax on clothing and most food, most services.

Ohio has 8 or 8.5% sales tax and taxes everything AFAIK - so whatever you spend, which for most of us is 95% of our paychecks, you lost 2% to that sales tax vs PA. Not insignificant.
And retirement income - again, not taxed in PA. SC has up to 7% income tax...ouch. DOUBLE that of PA.

Pennsylvania Gun Laws: Get The Latest Info For 218

vs

South Carolina Gun Laws | GunsToCarry

Ohio sales tax varies by county. The State sales tax is 5.75%, my county tacks on another 1.5% to make it 7.25% total here. No taxes on groceries, so not everything is taxed. State income tax for me is a little over 4.5% (range is from 0 to 5% based on earnings) and we pay 1.25% local sales tax (also varies from city to city).

Property taxes in Ohio vary by township, and primarily go to school funding.

Not sure why you mentioned Ohio tax rates in this thread, but just wanted to make sure the info is accurate.

 

[Sigarms]

Ohio sales tax varies by county. The State sales tax is 5.75%, my county tacks on another 1.5% to make it 7.25% total here. No taxes on groceries, so not everything is taxed. State income tax for me is a little over 4.5% (range is from 0 to 5% based on earnings) and we pay 1.25% local sales tax (also varies from city to city).

Property taxes in Ohio vary by township, and primarily go to school funding.

Not sure why you mentioned Ohio tax rates in this thread, but just wanted to make sure the info is accurate.

EVERYTHING "varies by township" LOL (local where you're at).

My fathers house is in a "depressed" county in PA. He has a 1,200 sqaure foot house with 3 acres and pays about 3 times in taxes annually compared to my much larger house with 40 acres (and yes, most of those taxes are going to the schools).

My inlaws moved down from Vermont. They will tell you that per price and what they paid and pay in taxes, they're very much more happy in NC.

Take a 4k square foot house within Philly (or Pittsburgh) city limits with a acre of land, and compare that to the same creiteria in Charlotte or Raleigh NC, and I can almost guarantee you, it will be less in NC (would someone go to a website and prove me wrong please?).

However, again, it all comes down to where the heart is happy per where you live at. I don't believe there is one perfect place to live if you can't be happy there. I absolutely loved living in NY but would never ever move there again due to their gun laws and winters. However, for some, NY will always be home and they don't want to leave the state. I get it. To each their own.

My wife, myself and my mother in law were very surprised that my FIL actually loves NC. We were all actually worried about him when they moved down from Vermont. NC isn't that much different from Vermont except for the weather, taxes and politics, but it seems NC agrees with him (FIL).

 

[RSKY]

Look at Murray KY. In the past it has been rated very high on the Rand-McNally "Best Places to Retire" list. It is a university town about two hours from Nashville with very good schools and the two large lakes and the Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area nearby.

One caution though, check local real estate prices before you buy. People have moved in from out of state and paid what they thought were bargain prices for homes only to find out they paid 25-30% over the local market.

My youngest and her family live there. Neighbors are super friendly but don't intrude.

RSKY

 

[polo1665]

EVERYTHING "varies by township" LOL (local where you're at).

My fathers house is in a "depressed" county in PA. He has a 1,200 sqaure foot house with 3 acres and pays about 3 times in taxes annually compared to my much larger house with 40 acres (and yes, most of those taxes are going to the schools).

My inlaws moved down from Vermont. They will tell you that per price and what they paid and pay in taxes, they're very much more happy in NC.

Take a 4k square foot house within Philly (or Pittsburgh) city limits with a acre of land, and compare that to the same creiteria in Charlotte or Raleigh NC, and I can almost guarantee you, it will be less in NC (would someone go to a website and prove me wrong please?).

However, again, it all comes down to where the heart is happy per where you live at. I don't believe there is one perfect place to live if you can't be happy there. I absolutely loved living in NY but would never ever move there again due to their gun laws and winters. However, for some, NY will always be home and they don't want to leave the state. I get it. To each their own.

My wife, myself and my mother in law were very surprised that my FIL actually loves NC. We were all actually worried about him when they moved down from Vermont. NC isn't that much different from Vermont except for the weather, taxes and politics, but it seems NC agrees with him (FIL).

I had always heard that property taxes were lower in NC. I've vacationed there often and it seems like it would be a great place to live.

I pay what I would consider extremely high property taxes for our house and land in Ohio, considering we are living in BF Egypt.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

When we first moved out here to NM from Bucks County in SE PA, I was shocked at the property taxes. We were at the settlement table, closing on our house, and they reported the property tax was $308. I said: "that's not bad per month"....there was a brief moment of silence....they said: "no, that's for the year". I nearly fell over. I had been escrowing almost $400 per month on the house in PA. That was in 1992.

My taxes have increased over the years....Now they are $1082 per year, for a 5 BR, 3 bath, 3600 sq ft house with outbuildings on 5 acres. State sales tax 7%. Really Cheap state income tax.

 

[Sigarms]

I had always heard that property taxes were lower in NC. I've vacationed there often and it seems like it would be a great place to live.

NC is a great state to live IMO. Great beaches on the east Coast and Mountains towards Tennessee. Heck, NC highest elevation is at 6,600 ft, where Pennsylvania's is only 3,200 and New York's is 5,300. Great varitey IMO per geography in NC as well as weather (hotter in the east with more snow and cooler temps the further west you go).

The biggest difference between North Carolina and Pennsylvania? Everyone in NC knows pretty much their state between the east side and west side, because (and I can only guess) is people on the coast go to the mountains to "get away", and people in the western part of the state go to the shore to get away as well. People in NC seem to drive to all parts of the state. Ask any local North Carolinian where a decent size town is in NC, and they can tell you where it's located at within the state. In Pennyslvania? FORGET it LOL People in Philly pretty much only know where Pittsbugh is at, and people in Pittsburgh only know where Philly or where Harrisburg is at (if you're lucky). People on the West side of the state in Pa go to Ohio or lake Erie for vacation, and people on the east side of the state go to the stinkin Jersery shore for vacation and no one ever goes "across state" to know where anything is at LOL

Heck, when I lived ouside of Meadville Pennsylvania, most of the people above Harrisburg had no clue where Erie was at other than they knew it was on a lake. Also never knew how many people from Pittsburg went to Conneaut lake for vacation of all places.

 

[Alan W.]

Look at Murray KY. In the past it has been rated very high on the Rand-McNally "Best Places to Retire" list. It is a university town about two hours from Nashville with very good schools and the two large lakes and the Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area nearby.

One caution though, check local real estate prices before you buy. People have moved in from out of state and paid what they thought were bargain prices for homes only to find out they paid 25-30% over the local market.

My youngest and her family live there. Neighbors are super friendly but don't intrude.

RSKY

You are right on checking local prices. I know of two tracts that sold way high because the people bought based on property value where they lived. Had they did their homework it would have been a lot cheaper. Both tracts were bought over the internet. Lady who bought the first one was from PA and planned on running an organic farm. Rocky thin topsoil killed her dreams. Second tract has been bought by a couple, from NJ, to retire on. Getting electric and water to the property will be very expensive. No cable, no antenna tv, no internet. After the seller sold it he called me and asked about if they could build on the road frontage part. I had to tell him it was a floodplain.
I grew up in this valley and know what ya can and cant expect. But it can be a culture shock when your use to different amenities and soil types not to mention the local characters and yes that includes me.
Wherever ya want to resettle do your homework talk to the locals, call the utilities and ask about service. There is much more than just lookin at the property.
Best of luck whereever ya decide on.

 

[Oldoak]

------------------------In Pennyslvania? FORGET it LOL People in Philly pretty much only know where Pittsbugh is at, and people in Pittsburgh only know where Philly or where Harrisburg is at (if you're lucky). People on the West side of the state in Pa go to Ohio or lake Erie for vacation, and people on the east side of the state go to the stinkin Jersery shore for vacation and no one ever goes "across state" to know where anything is at LOL------------------------------------

Not true. We spend six to eight weeks every year in South Dakota. Any state west of the Mississippi River to Wyoming is vacation land to us.

 

[Sigarms]

Not true. We spend six to eight weeks every year in South Dakota. Any state west of the Mississippi River to Wyoming is vacation land to us.

If you are located in the Eastern part of Pennsylvania, where to do you go for vacation at all in the Western part of Pennsylvania? Tell me you at least stop to eat at the steak and lube place in Sharon if you DON'T stay in western PA LOL In Western Pa's defense, I told my parents that if I were to stay in Pa, it would be the very western part of the state.

Some years ago, eating in at a BBQ joint here outside my hometown, heard some teens behind me talking about how they hated this area and how they wanted to move out and get away from this place. I turned around and let them know that I was a relocated yankee and came from a place up North that I felt the EXACT same way about the place I came from and I'm living where they're at now.

Ironically enough, 20 years later, with an education and working hard and "moving around", I decided my home is exactly where these teens think the dump is where they want to get out. I can't imagine someone having those "home feelings" moving to the coal region of Eastern Pa where my parents are from.

Again, I've come to the conclusion that home is where the heart is.

And in defense of Pa, there are people I know who live in NC that have NEVER left the state of NC in their life (my wife swares she can say the same thing about the people who live in the same county we live in, but she does volunteer work with the court system, so she meets more interesting people than I do). I do remember someone mentioning about "Washington" and the comment from someone else was "where is that at?" (let alone asking if it's DC or the state).

Point is, no matter where you live, people are people and you have all types that live EVERYWHERE. Could pick a nice location and by luck of the draw get nutso neighbor who doesn't care if he goes to jail or not.

I picked up my Kubota from John Thomas in Kentucky. I drove up to meet him at his place for a test drive. The drive to John's I remember was much nicer through Tenn than when I had to go to Louisville from West Virginia previously for work. Looking at the map, if I were a betting man, someone from New Hampshire (or Vermont or Maine) would like the Bowling Green area over numerous other places in Kentucky, particularly closer to Ohio (no offense to Ohio).

Remind me again, why does any live in Ohio?:laughing: (just kidding!) Again, home is where the heart is.

I just remember paddling in Idaho looking at the mountains remembering, this is where I belong. Still haven't moved there with the family yet. My bad.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Friend of mine is moving to bowling green soon.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Sigarms, I lived in Schuylkill County near Tamaqua for 10 years. I liked it there perhaps because the Blue Mountain makes for a great fence; I grew up in Monroe, lived in Allentown awhile, etc, etc. The property taxes were "killer" when we decided to sell. Where as we bought in at 229k they were about 2400/yr. I put it in clean and green and got them down to 1700/yr. We were at 3500/yr when we sold at 645k. The potential tax bill was 14,500/yr! The buyer appealed it down to a mere 7,500/yr! Still have family in Philly, Scranton, Monroe County.

PS, for anyone thinking that we made a lot of money in only ten years, we had a lot invested plus ten years of sweat equity.

 

[Oldoak]

------------I just remember paddling in Idaho looking at the mountains remembering, this is where I belong. Still haven't moved there with the family yet. My bad.----------------------------

Coincidence, many years ago my wife and I said the very same thing about Montana. Still vacation there but never did move out there.

Spent a lot of time in Idaho too. One year we did river rafting for 8 days on the River of No Return. Also when I was still working, spent 2 weeks of my vacation in January two times working with game biologists capturing mountain lions (treeing the cats with hounds and using a tranquilizer gun to sedate them) then outfitting them with radio tracking collars. One of the most exciting and memorable times in my life.

Some time ago we also looked at purchasing some property (acreage) in Kentucky but didn't. Our mistake. Should have, would have, could have. Looking back, I blew a big opportunity. :confused3:

 

[Thomas]

Again thank you for imput... means a lot.

 

[oosik]

Number 7 on my bucket list - see the blue grass fields of Kentucky. I'll be visiting my old classmate in western Tennessee( Munford )this summer. I'm sure me and the Taco Wagon can stretch it out to central Kentucky. I'll be returning thru the UP-Michigan. Visit a friend found here on TBN.

Just me & Olly in our new Ram Power Wagon.

 

[Sigarms]

Thomas

If you haven't used this site, I'd suggest you try it

Franklin, KY Real Estate - Franklin Homes for Sale - realtor.com(R)

I used this same site to find our own home (ironically enough which was only about 15 miles down the road in another county).

You can enter in as much search criteria as you want (at the top of the page) per house size and lot size with area. You can do a lot of recon without ever having to leave your home in NH.



It will also give you a good feel for the "market rate" in a particular area you're looking at per towns or counties.

 

[Streetcar]

Oosik
Lots of beautiful farms in Lexington/ Georgetown area. Have fun as you drive through Cincinnati

 

[oosik]

Streetcar - NOT gonna happen. You have NO IDEA how far out of my way I'll go to avoid the big cities. Hey - when riding my motorcycle I bypass Spokane - just like a dirty sock. Last time I Seattle. Thank God I was in my F-150 - its 4WD. I passed the offramp I needed two times - going the other way. Third time - into 4WD - across the grass median - success, right on down the correct offramp. I think all the blaring horns were just congratulating my final success. Whatever..........

 

[prof fate]

90% of daily life is the same everywhere - get up, work, watch the same tv shows, cut the grass, etc.

10% is what varies - the weather, mountain vs beach, urban vs rural.

You get paid more in a urban areas, but it costs more to live there. Sorta a zero sum game vs rural living. Rural is often more community, 'america', etc. Less anonymous, more connected (to community..less so to the internet LOL).

A mile of road, a police car, a judge, a teacher, costs about the same everywhere, how the taxes are collected to pay for it varies from area to area. I see it here - moved from a town with no shed rules but strict fence rules to a place with no fence rules and strict shed rules. One town owns the water dept the next one it's independent. etc.

I like seasons, I'd like less 'winter' but i'm not looking for more 90F humid summer weather though...

If you are located in the Eastern part of Pennsylvania, where to do you go for vacation at all in the Western part of Pennsylvania? Tell me you at least stop to eat at the steak and lube place in Sharon if you DON'T stay in western PA LOL In Western Pa's defense, I told my parents that if I were to stay in Pa, it would be the very western part of the state.

Some years ago, eating in at a BBQ joint here outside my hometown, heard some teens behind me talking about how they hated this area and how they wanted to move out and get away from this place. I turned around and let them know that I was a relocated yankee and came from a place up North that I felt the EXACT same way about the place I came from and I'm living where they're at now.

Ironically enough, 20 years later, with an education and working hard and "moving around", I decided my home is exactly where these teens think the dump is where they want to get out. I can't imagine someone having those "home feelings" moving to the coal region of Eastern Pa where my parents are from.

Again, I've come to the conclusion that home is where the heart is.

And in defense of Pa, there are people I know who live in NC that have NEVER left the state of NC in their life (my wife swares she can say the same thing about the people who live in the same county we live in, but she does volunteer work with the court system, so she meets more interesting people than I do). I do remember someone mentioning about "Washington" and the comment from someone else was "where is that at?" (let alone asking if it's DC or the state).

Point is, no matter where you live, people are people and you have all types that live EVERYWHERE. Could pick a nice location and by luck of the draw get nutso neighbor who doesn't care if he goes to jail or not.

I picked up my Kubota from John Thomas in Kentucky. I drove up to meet him at his place for a test drive. The drive to John's I remember was much nicer through Tenn than when I had to go to Louisville from West Virginia previously for work. Looking at the map, if I were a betting man, someone from New Hampshire (or Vermont or Maine) would like the Bowling Green area over numerous other places in Kentucky, particularly closer to Ohio (no offense to Ohio).

Remind me again, why does any live in Ohio?:laughing: (just kidding!) Again, home is where the heart is.

I just remember paddling in Idaho looking at the mountains remembering, this is where I belong. Still haven't moved there with the family yet. My bad.