Another "best places to retire list"

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big_Hitter no, just Austin

.....and suburbs.

[daylatedollarshort]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 I'll bet there are not too many long timers living off Prop 13 left.

Our neighborhood actually has many original owners. Prop 13 has a lock in effect. It is not something to live off of - there's no income unless homeowners rent out their house. It just keeps property taxes from skyrocketing when there is a boom in housing prices.

[unclemick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R Wow, this is a tough list to max out on. New Orleans is #91. So, according to this study, there are 90 MSA's that are better to have retired in, than here. Even Springfield, Missouri is only #78. Honestly, I think the best place to retire ultimately depends on the individual. Out of the 200 in the list, Rockford, IL is listed as #200. I have never been there but it must be worse than it sounds.

Having lived in those 'gosh darn awful' greater metro areas of Portland, Seattle, Denver and New Orleans aka the suburbs I like where I'm at:

Kansas City.

heh heh heh - of course I usually find a way to like where I'm at beings thats where we live.

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daylatedollarshort Our neighborhood actually has many original owners. Prop 13 has a lock in effect. It is not something to live off of - there's no income unless homeowners rent out their house. It just keeps property taxes form skyrocketing when there is a boom in housing prices.

When we left there in 1990 and sold two homes, the new buyers had to pay property taxes based on 1.25% of their purchase price of the house. Has that changed?

[daylatedollarshort]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 When we left there in 1990 and sold two homes, the new buyers had to pay property taxes based on 1.25% of their purchase price of the house. Has that changed?

The exact rate depends on the locality, but I think 1.25% is pretty common for new purchases. I've read the average effective tax rate statewide is .81%.

[Al in Ohio]

It's not really about overall rank based on a variety of important variables . This guy just ranked places by how hot and humid they are!


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[mh]

Deleted

[ShokWaveRider]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmcgonig Amazing SF Bay Area ranks lower in housing and taxes than the Woodlands. Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

From what I remember, RE Taxes in Houston are just plain silly.

[Big_Hitter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al in Ohio It's not really about overall rank based on a variety of important variables . This guy just ranked places by how hot and humid they are! Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

number 6 is not humid, at all

[alaska55]

He lost me when he placed Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA higher than Portland Or, maybe he hadn't been to Riverside since the 70's.

[EastWest Gal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 I'll bet there are not too many long timers living off Prop 13 left.

You'd be surprised. Umm, let's see. Chevron in Richmond, and all the other refineries and big land businesses that never were sold. Any property business that didn't change hands is making a killing in California. My family orchard. Because it is all inherited, we pay <0.5% in property taxes. Prop 13 killed the local schools, but was a windfall for the big huge businesses all across the state as well as us landowners who followed inheritance laws. We have a dear friend who inherited his parents' house in Silicon Valley. It's now worth over $1M but he is only subject to property tax based on minimal increases since 1978 allowed by Prop 13.


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[bmcgonig]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EastWest Gal You'd be surprised. Umm, let's see. Chevron in Richmond, and all the other refineries and big land businesses that never were sold. Any property business that didn't change hands is making a killing in California. My family orchard. Because it is all inherited, we pay <0.5% in property taxes. Prop 13 killed the local schools, but was a windfall for the big huge businesses all across the state as well as us landowners who followed inheritance laws. We have a dear friend who inherited his parents' house in Silicon Valley. It's now worth over $1M but he is only subject to property tax based on minimal increases since 1978 allowed by Prop 13. Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

My prop taxes in Bay Area are less than half they would be if a new owner took over. Also, if I stay within the same county, or move to a select handful of other counties, I can keep the low prop taxes. That's a one time deal for someone over 55. I can understand the need for prop 13 for regular homeowners but never understood it for businesses, or at least large businesses.


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[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShokWaveRider From what I remember, RE Taxes in Houston are just plain silly.

We live in The Woodlands, probably the fastest growing community in the greater Houston area. We pay about 1.75% of assessed value for our personal property tax. We are not taxed on vehicle registrations, and we have no state or city income tax.

One of our homes in Thousand Oaks, Ca was the same size (~2,000 sq ft) as the one we are in now. In TO we paid about $3,000 per year in property tax and about $800/year for the vehicle tax (here in TX the vehicle registration is $60 for a Ferrari). In CA I paid 11% in state tax and ~4% in City of LA tax.

Having lived in both locations for many years in both, I'll go with Texas. But please don't move here as we have enough new residents from CA already. Hey, we even have some Canadians too.

And please do tell me how many Texans you know that have recently moved to California?

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by unclemick Having lived in those 'gosh darn awful' greater metro areas of Portland, Seattle, Denver and New Orleans aka the suburbs I like where I'm at: Kansas City. heh heh heh - of course I usually find a way to like where I'm at beings thats where we live.

Wow, I checked and KC is #112. So it's even more "gosh darn awful" than the other places you lived in. Seems like you and your sweetie are having a wonderful retirement up there, though, so who cares. Same for us with New Orleans.

[Big_Hitter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 And please do tell me how many Texans you know that have recently moved to California?

or Idaho

not many that's for sure

how are those canadians liking the summer?

[BeachOrCity]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Music Lover My #1 requirement for best place to live is proximity to family and friends, and all the "best places to retire" lists never factor that in. For me, nice weather and cheaper housing both come a distant second to family and the extensive network of friends that I have developed over the years.

Thank you for saying exactly what I think everytime i see these lists.

I always wonder when some people talk about relocating for retirement why they dont seem to make this aspect a priority.

During my earlier career in business when i would take long term assignments in fabulous locations (think beach front Caribbean all expenses paid for a whole winter one time), I would quickly realize that while i could travel to fabulous weather or locale, it was my family and friends that mattered not the weather or a spectacular city.

My personal thoughts on where i may spend my time is to keep my home base near family and friends and explore extended trips to nice weather or fabulous cities as it suits us.

[Big_Hitter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeachOrCity I always wonder when some people talk about relocating for retirement why they dont seem to make this aspect a priority.

DW has no family and I got tired of living in a hot, humid and violent city.

Making new friends is easy. Just join a country club. If I want to visit family it's a 4 hour flight max. No biggie. I'd rather permanently live somewhere nice than constantly sweat and carry a 9mm everywhere I go.

That help?

[Bestwifeever]

I'd shoot myself if I had to live close to my siblings and I'm doubtful DH would remain married to me if I suggested it.

[ShokWaveRider]

When we choose/chose a place to live, we purposely go as far away from family as we can. When we visit, we cannot wait to get home to some sanity.

[MRG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShokWaveRider When we choose/chose a place to live, we purposely go as far away from family as we can. When we visit, we cannot wait to get home to some sanity.

We did that as soon as we got married. Why stay around insanity? Our goal was to get as far away from crazy as possible.