I may move, but where to?

[Bisley Joe]

23 minutes ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

BTW, we have mule deer, whitetail and black tail deer, cuiy (SP?) deer, some elk, pronghorns nearby, javalina and coyote in your yard in some places, foxes,  every kind of western raptors from bald eagles to peregrine falcons, to a dozen types of owls, some poisonous snakes (I've been here over ten years and have yet to see one), black bears, tortoises, tarantulas (I hate spiders but these are harmless and eat other yard critters), crows, ravens, grackles, and many other birds, some game fish not too far away, a few skunks, lizards galore, horned toads, butterflies, etcdangcetera.

 

We are overrun by "furriners" from less desirable state, seasonal tourists, and some others.

 

Got several strong shooting groups, lots of places to buy, sell, or trade guns and related things,  a few pro writers in the area, almost any kind of store you could wand....we really need some competition in the grocery profession, farmers' markets all over, lots of libraries,  and a catalog of entertainment things around.

 

Think about it.

Forty Rod, if I stay in Arizona, the places I would look at would be around Prescott, Flagstaff/Happy Jack, or similar.
Depending on how things turn out, I will do my best to visit. Right now I am in a perpetual state of stress and chaos with all the BS.

I do thank you for your reaching out and would like very much to visit.

 

One of my issues, that I have realized only recently, is that for the past ten years I have been isolated. I tried to make things work and sacrificed, and only lost ground. I have been wanting to get back into CAS and also Historical Trekking, but lost in a toxic nightmare. I am thinking even of doing some videos, and even writing a short book, on this.

Although women are also a victim of this stuff, I focus on the issues men face. We are marginalized and expected to just take it, and we suffer in silence. Too many men take their own lives in the midst of silent despair.

 

I am in a fight right now to just be able to build my life back up, for whatever time I have left. That's the only reason I am not taking you up on that visit tomorrow!

But I hope to soon.

 

Thank you.

 

[Eyesa Horg]

Ellie and I had the thought of moving about 20 years ago. We closed our eyes and put our finger on a USA map. Came up with Chug Water, Wyoming! Loved the name!! We were going to make it a motorcycle adventure and travel the country to see where we wanted to re-home. Then started watching nationwide weather. We don't like snakes and other creepy things like scorpions etc. All told, seemed New England had the best overall weather and the four seasons pretty much. 

We are now in Vermont about halfway up near the New Hampshire border. We like it here a lot, but the education taxes are proving ridiculous at over a thousand a month!! The weather has been OKAY, but the last few years, flooding has been an issue in Vermont. Our house is fine, but we've lost the driveway a couple times as it crosses a swamp for a few hundred feet.

Wishing you fun and Good Luck on your adventure looking for new digs. Be sure to check taxes, coming from Connecticut we never expected to get hit so hard in such a little rural town with no services so to speak.

[Bisley Joe]

1 minute ago, Eyesa Horg said:

Ellie and I had the thought of moving about 20 years ago. We closed our eyes and put our finger on a USA map. Came up with Chug Water, Wyoming! Loved the name!! We were going to make it a motorcycle adventure and travel the country to see where we wanted to re-home. Then started watching nationwide weather. We don't like snakes and other creepy things like scorpions etc. All told, seemed New England had the best overall weather and the four seasons pretty much. 

We are now in Vermont about halfway up near the New Hampshire border. We like it here a lot, but the education taxes are proving ridiculous at over a thousand a month!! The weather has been OKAY, but the last few years, flooding has been an issue in Vermont. Our house is fine, but we've lost the driveway a couple times as it crosses a swamp for a few hundred feet.

Wishing you fun and Good Luck on your adventure looking for new digs. Be sure to check taxes, coming from Connecticut we never expected to get hit so hard in such a little rural town with no services so to speak.

Good points! Thanks!
Taxes are a scourge on mankind.

[Eyesa Horg]

After we built our log home and moved in in 2010 our taxes were just shy of 9K, now just over 14K. Our property here is appraised right about the same as Connecticut. Connecticut is still at 4K in taxes!! We've been going up 2-3K a year for the last few years. Municipal taxes of stayed pretty much stable. It sucks now that we're on a fixed income! 😕 

[Pat Riot]

@Bisley Joe I have been there, done that, in my own sense. You have made the first step. I wish you great luck on your journey. 

[Bisley Joe]

27 minutes ago, Eyesa Horg said:

After we built our log home and moved in in 2010 our taxes were just shy of 9K, now just over 14K. Our property here is appraised right about the same as Connecticut. Connecticut is still at 4K in taxes!! We've been going up 2-3K a year for the last few years. Municipal taxes of stayed pretty much stable. It sucks now that we're on a fixed income! 😕 

It's inexcusable and disgusting. Fleecing people like that.

If we were united, this would not be happening.

12 minutes ago, Pat Riot said:

@Bisley Joe I have been there, done that, in my own sense. You have made the first step. I wish you great luck on your journey. 

Thank you.

[Grass Range]

you say you want snow. Right I have 3 feet in my driveway and put on my snow shoes to go check the mail. He had not been there either.

[Bisley Joe]

4 minutes ago, Grass Range said:

you say you want snow. Right I have 3 feet in my driveway and put on my snow shoes to go check the mail. He had not been there either.

That actually sounds awesome. As long as I can work from home, I'd be happy in that right now!!!

 

[DeaconKC]

PS: Property taxes are very low here.

[Bisley Joe]

5 hours ago, DeaconKC said:

PS: Property taxes are very low here.

 

Arkansas is amazingly beautiful. Lots of mountains and water it seems.

[DeaconKC]

Yeah, during the Summer, we have folks come from all over the world for the trout fishing.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

11 hours ago, Bisley Joe said:

Forty Rod, if I stay in Arizona, the places I would look at would be around Prescott, Flagstaff/Happy Jack, or similar.
Depending on how things turn out, I will do my best to visit. Right now I am in a perpetual state of stress and chaos with all the BS.

I do thank you for your reaching out and would like very much to visit.

 

One of my issues, that I have realized only recently, is that for the past ten years I have been isolated. I tried to make things work and sacrificed, and only lost ground. I have been wanting to get back into CAS and also Historical Trekking, but lost in a toxic nightmare. I am thinking even of doing some videos, and even writing a short book, on this.

Although women are also a victim of this stuff, I focus on the issues men face. We are marginalized and expected to just take it, and we suffer in silence. Too many men take their own lives in the midst of silent despair.

 

I am in a fight right now to just be able to build my life back up, for whatever time I have left. That's the only reason I am not taking you up on that visit tomorrow!

But I hope to soon.

 

Thank you.

 

The offer is always open.

[Lawdog Dago Dom]

When it became obvious that we would leave Illinois, some of the best advice I got was from @Utah Bob #35998. He simply advised to take our time and not be in a hurry. I don't know if you have the luxury of time, but you can also make a good decision quickly if need be. @Pat Riotsaid to spend some time visiting the area checking out local amenities. Very good idea.

 

Thinking that this move will be where you will retire, find out how the state taxes retirement accounts. Pensions, IRAs, etc. 

 

How far away is police, fire, EMS? We looked at a beautiful place that backed up to a national forest. Closest Fire/Ambulance station was 20-30 miles away and staffed by volunteers. Under ideal circumstances, that's a response time of almost 30 minutes. That was a bit much for folks our age.

 

Missouri does have low taxes, and legislation is being introduced to cut them lower. I fell in love with the license plate fees. Illinois plates are renewed every year. Including trailer plates. Missouri has a PERMANENT trailer plate that costs $58.50. With all the lakes in the Ozarks, some politician figured out that instead of gouging people with boat trailers, let's have a one-and-done fee. Maybe the money saved in plate fees would be spent on area restaurants, shops, etc? Seems to be working out well. This state seems more willing to let folks keep more of their money, instead of looking for additional fees.

[watab kid]

every time i think we ight get to move another anchor is presented , my wife is now taking care of my brother in law that has a TBI and whose 30 year old daughter who was his caretaker died , i dont see me getting to move in my lifetime , im in my mid 70s and there are just too many things now - grandkids that are still young , a MIL that is old but doing well [wife is the caretaker] , now BIL in his 50s that wife is now the caretaker , im giving up on moving at this point ,,,,unless i go alone then i gotta support another household , not in the cards or the bank account 

[Bisley Joe]

12 hours ago, Lawdog Dago Dom said:

When it became obvious that we would leave Illinois, some of the best advice I got was from @Utah Bob #35998. He simply advised to take our time and not be in a hurry. I don't know if you have the luxury of time, but you can also make a good decision quickly if need be. @Pat Riotsaid to spend some time visiting the area checking out local amenities. Very good idea.

 

Thinking that this move will be where you will retire, find out how the state taxes retirement accounts. Pensions, IRAs, etc. 

 

How far away is police, fire, EMS? We looked at a beautiful place that backed up to a national forest. Closest Fire/Ambulance station was 20-30 miles away and staffed by volunteers. Under ideal circumstances, that's a response time of almost 30 minutes. That was a bit much for folks our age.

 

Missouri does have low taxes, and legislation is being introduced to cut them lower. I fell in love with the license plate fees. Illinois plates are renewed every year. Including trailer plates. Missouri has a PERMANENT trailer plate that costs $58.50. With all the lakes in the Ozarks, some politician figured out that instead of gouging people with boat trailers, let's have a one-and-done fee. Maybe the money saved in plate fees would be spent on area restaurants, shops, etc? Seems to be working out well. This state seems more willing to let folks keep more of their money, instead of looking for additional fees.

Those are good points.

I am considering trading in my tine Casita trailer for a used Class C RV. This would allow me to travel a bit and get the feel of the land.

Likely what I will do unless I get a good job offer in a place I like, and even then may be good to start with an RV.

 

[Bisley Joe]

8 hours ago, watab kid said:

every time i think we ight get to move another anchor is presented , my wife is now taking care of my brother in law that has a TBI and whose 30 year old daughter who was his caretaker died , i dont see me getting to move in my lifetime , im in my mid 70s and there are just too many things now - grandkids that are still young , a MIL that is old but doing well [wife is the caretaker] , now BIL in his 50s that wife is now the caretaker , im giving up on moving at this point ,,,,unless i go alone then i gotta support another household , not in the cards or the bank account 

Maybe a small RV would let you travel and spend a little time in certain places. That could be an OK middleground.

[bgavin]

I put together a spread sheet of 346 locations in the lower 48.

Data includes, Climate, Sun, Rain, Temps, Health Indexes, Demographics, Crime, Cost of Living, Property and Income Taxes, Politics, Religion and Open Carry.

 

These categories are weighted so you can sort the sheet by Climate, Health, Taxes, etc.

Prescott AZ came up high on the list.

 

Pay attention to taxes and property taxes.
Your new home will no doubt cost more than your current paid-off home.
This means a higher property tax.

NV and a few other states have no income tax, but make up for it with higher property taxes.
 

 

[Bisley Joe]

16 minutes ago, bgavin said:

I put together a spread sheet of 346 locations in the lower 48.

Data includes, Climate, Sun, Rain, Temps, Health Indexes, Demographics, Crime, Cost of Living, Property and Income Taxes, Politics, Religion and Open Carry.

 

These categories are weighted so you can sort the sheet by Climate, Health, Taxes, etc.

Prescott AZ came up high on the list.

 

Pay attention to taxes and property taxes.
Your new home will no doubt cost more than your current paid-off home.
This means a higher property tax.

NV and a few other states have no income tax, but make up for it with higher property taxes.
 

 

Sounds like a useful thing indeed! Is that spreadsheet available somewhere?

[Rip Snorter]

Don't forget to check local crime stats.  I did that when my daughter was looking at her first house.

[Bisley Joe]

Just now, Rip Snorter said:

Don't forget to check local crime stats.  I did that when my daughter was looking at her first house.

Yeah true.

I was surprised that Arkansas shows as having a considerably higher rate of violent and property crime than most US states.

[Still hand Bill]

10 minutes ago, Bisley Joe said:

Yeah true.

I was surprised that Arkansas shows as having a considerably higher rate of violent and property crime than most US states.

Doesn’t surprise me.  It does seem to be a beautiful state, but from my travels, seems quite poor on average.  Some areas seem to have money, but right next to it is a trailer with cars on blocks.  Definitely the haves and have nots.  

[watab kid]

3 hours ago, Bisley Joe said:

Maybe a small RV would let you travel and spend a little time in certain places. That could be an OK middleground.

yes , i agree , we have a small motorhome , good for short trips and shoots and such , too tight for a couple months escape from snow and cold , not sure she could be gone that long anyway tho , 

[Bisley Joe]

10 minutes ago, watab kid said:

yes , i agree , we have a small motorhome , good for short trips and shoots and such , too tight for a couple months escape from snow and cold , not sure she could be gone that long anyway tho , 

Heck, maybe you can trade it in for a bigger used one and enjoy the prolonged escape.

[bgavin]

Send me your email in a PM and I will email to you.

It requires Microsoft Excel and does not work on a phone to the best of my knowledge.

 

[Bisley Joe]

13 minutes ago, bgavin said:

Send me your email in a PM and I will email to you.

It requires Microsoft Excel and does not work on a phone to the best of my knowledge.

 

Will do.

Thanks!

[Texas Joker]

8 hours ago, Bisley Joe said:

Those are good points.

I am considering trading in my tine Casita trailer for a used Class C RV. This would allow me to travel a bit and get the feel of the land.

Likely what I will do unless I get a good job offer in a place I like, and even then may be good to start with an RV.

 

I find a small travel trailer is better. I have had both a C and a bumper pull. The class c is your house AND your transpo. 

 

Make camp and decide to go someplace? Break camp.  Get back, make camp.  Forgot the ketchup....

[John Kloehr]

15 minutes ago, Texas Joker said:

I find a small travel trailer is better. I have had both a C and a bumper pull. The class c is your house AND your transpo. 

 

Make camp and decide to go someplace? Break camp.  Get back, make camp.  Forgot the ketchup....

Class C or Class A requires a Frog or Toad, which have their own challenges. Still an argument to be made compared to a big 5th wheel and driving a dually after setting up camp. I do prefer a small trailer and a reasonable tow vehicle once unhitched. Also not completely against something like Embassy Suites with a mini-kitchen for a multi-day stay.

 

On edit: I left out Dinghy in the list, but that is a real pain.

Edited January 17 by John Kloehr

[watab kid]

6 hours ago, Bisley Joe said:

Heck, maybe you can trade it in for a bigger used one and enjoy the prolonged escape.

possible , her time is the main factor here 

[Bisley Joe]

15 hours ago, Texas Joker said:

I find a small travel trailer is better. I have had both a C and a bumper pull. The class c is your house AND your transpo. 

 

Make camp and decide to go someplace? Break camp.  Get back, make camp.  Forgot the ketchup....

 

15 hours ago, John Kloehr said:

Class C or Class A requires a Frog or Toad, which have their own challenges. Still an argument to be made compared to a big 5th wheel and driving a dually after setting up camp. I do prefer a small trailer and a reasonable tow vehicle once unhitched. Also not completely against something like Embassy Suites with a mini-kitchen for a multi-day stay.

 

On edit: I left out Dinghy in the list, but that is a real pain.

I had the same thought, and bought a Casita Spirit Deluxe. It's very well made and everything, but just too small. That's largely because I want to do my art and crafts: leatherwork, etc., reloading... just not doable-for me anyway. But everything has its pros and cons.

EDIT

Another thing is this, as far as my opinion...

With a trailer, like my Casita... The trailer is 17 feet long. Usable space is about 12 feet. The Vehicle is about 15 feet long.

That comes out to 32 feet to contend with for maneuvering, parking, etc. while traveling, and out of that, only 12 feet is usable for living: not even half.

Honestly, I would rather have a smaller Class C, even 32 feet long, and tow a little Jeep CJ5 or even what I have considered: a Royal Enfield bike. Either just the bike on a bumper mount, or a bike with a sidecar on a small trailer.

Edited January 17 by Bisley Joe

[Bisley Joe]

New Hampshire is a good state. Seems pro-2A etc. But how in tarnation does anyone travel to other states and avoid having to drive through NY and other rabidly anti-gun states?

Seems like a very real danger to wind up in jail in one of those states.

 

Absolutley disgusting this is even an issue, but it is!

[Eyesa Horg]

Yup,you can't get out of upper NE legally. NY on the west. Mass. to the south.  But remember, if you're a felon, you can go where ever you want!

[Bisley Joe]

12 minutes ago, Eyesa Horg said:

Yup,you can't get out of upper NE legally. NY on the west. Mass. to the south.  But remember, if you're a felon, you can go where ever you want!

Yep.

Disgusting.

 

I hope this doesn't break the rules here, but it seems like in this country we, in general, have the guns, but lack the cojones.

 

It sucks because I would consider New Hampshire or Maine otherwise. And also Washington and Oregon. Lots of beautiful places all around-it's the parasites that make it an issue.

 

 

 

[Eyesa Horg]

IMHO, if New Hampshire, stick to upstate. The further from Mass the better. I'd be nice if in our lifetime we got our rights back. But that's not likely.  

[Grass Range]

Property taxes very high here