[dijkstra]

I agree with some of the others. Guntersville/Arab area sounds like a good fit for you.

[Granny Sue]

Ok...Guntersville/Arab are on the list.....and I did see that Festival....sadly our travel timing won't allow it this time around.
I did see Depot Days up in Stevenson tho.

I, too, look forward to the actual seasons changing and the lower cost of living is a hugh bonus.
My pension won't be taxed as it's a government one and from what I read the savings in other areas will make up for the income tax.

We pay 7.5% sales tax here in Orlando...well up in Seminole County anyway which is 5 minutes from my house so the 8% won't be too much of a shock.

If someone could help me me car registration tho...this really confuses me.

For example....we now own the following.

1991 Ford F-150
2002 Ford Escape
2008 Harley Davidson Road King.

I realize by the time we get there these will be different vehicles but it will give me an idea.
I saw on the state's website the price for these are $23.00...but with a caveat of additional fees may apply.

Could you give me an idea of what it would cost to register these each year?

Thanks for all your help so far! It's been great!

[CoreLysium]

Originally Posted by Keeper

Yeah.. come for the Polk Salat Festival in Arab, May 19th. Now that is a fun time.. LOL

Oddly enough, it might be good if the carnies haven't moved in. The cornbread festival in [that city where 72 meets I-24) has been invaded to the point that there's little if anything to do with cornbread anymore.

[Keeper]

No carnies just regular folks. The highlight is the BBQ cookoff and of course eating polk salat at the local dinner. They use to have a lady who made all different type of polk salat, like cornbread, cake and fried poke salat. different is about all I can say about that.

Registration is nothing like FL now a days. I think I paid around $80 last year for my 2003 Rav4. There is no impact fee.

The one thing I was surprised is my auto ins didn't go down that much considering I lived in Tampa with all the accidents and burglaries where here there are few accidents and the only car burglaries are usually when ppl leave their cars unlocked with their purse or drugs inside.

[harry chickpea]

We looked seriously at Mentone and Ft. Payne. If you make the trip up to Chattanooga from Ft. Payne, you might sense why it just didn't seem to work. Arab might be a possibility. I'm not as enthralled with it as Keeper.

Buying land, waiting and then building in a few years doesn't make much sense to me. You are going to have culture shock, and it takes six months to a year for the impact of that to begin to register. More than five acres is too much for many if not most people. Fifteen of mixed acreage is as much as I can handle. If it is not wooded, you have to consider bushhogging, ticks, stray dogs, chiggers, and a bunch of other stuff. A couple acres near or in a small town might be more of a fit. It only takes half an acre for a BIG garden. If you want goats or chickens or other livestock, there is daily feeding. Wanna be tied to your property 24/7/365? There is a difference between dreams and reality.

[natas]

ok...

[mil88lim]

Although a bit outside your desired region, I have to put in a plug for my favorite area of AL, Blount County. In terms of beautiful properties (getting off the main roads, lots of secluded properties) and winding country roads, it's my favorite. Small towns like Hayden, Cleveland, Oneonta (has a Walmart), and Blountsville are fantastic. And it's not too far from B'ham.

[Granny Sue]

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

We looked seriously at Mentone and Ft. Payne. If you make the trip up to Chattanooga from Ft. Payne, you might sense why it just didn't seem to work. Arab might be a possibility. I'm not as enthralled with it as Keeper.

Buying land, waiting and then building in a few years doesn't make much sense to me. You are going to have culture shock, and it takes six months to a year for the impact of that to begin to register. More than five acres is too much for many if not most people. Fifteen of mixed acreage is as much as I can handle. If it is not wooded, you have to consider bushhogging, ticks, stray dogs, chiggers, and a bunch of other stuff. A couple acres near or in a small town might be more of a fit. It only takes half an acre for a BIG garden. If you want goats or chickens or other livestock, there is daily feeding. Wanna be tied to your property 24/7/365? There is a difference between dreams and reality.

I understand where you're coming from but after living in the city for all these years, we are looking forward to going back to our small town roots and embracing the slower pace and culture. I've already stated that we don't want to be too far out of town for medical reasons.
The reasoning for buying the land now is that it is paid off completely before we retire. We'd move now but my pension is tied up with the Florida Retirement system so it's best to wait out until 30 years. That's 10 years from now. We also both have parents that are up there in years and as we are the caretakers in waiting, we really can't leave them.
We are aiming to have everything paid for and built by the time those years are up.
As for being tied to it 24/7/365, nothing could be futher from the truth, we plan on taking the space we need for our house and letting nature take it's course. Years of landscaping, mowing and lawn upkeep will be far behind us.
We figured if we're out on own acreage, we won't be offending those that love a sculptured yard.
We are so looking forward to our trip this summer so we can really get our plans in motion.

[Wartrace]

I live about 50 miles north of N.E. Alabama and all I can add is you have great taste The area is beautiful.

[Threestep]

Originally Posted by Granny Sue

Ok...Guntersville/Arab are on the list.....and I did see that Festival....sadly our travel timing won't allow it this time around.
I did see Depot Days up in Stevenson tho.

I, too, look forward to the actual seasons changing and the lower cost of living is a hugh bonus.
My pension won't be taxed as it's a government one and from what I read the savings in other areas will make up for the income tax.

We pay 7.5% sales tax here in Orlando...well up in Seminole County anyway which is 5 minutes from my house so the 8% won't be too much of a shock.

If someone could help me me car registration tho...this really confuses me.

For example....we now own the following.

1991 Ford F-150
2002 Ford Escape
2008 Harley Davidson Road King.

I realize by the time we get there these will be different vehicles but it will give me an idea.
I saw on the state's website the price for these are $23.00...but with a caveat of additional fees may apply.

Could you give me an idea of what it would cost to register these each year?

Thanks for all your help so far! It's been great!

Call any DMV office in a smaller town such as Columbiana. Tag, title, tax - $23 is the tag fee if memory does not fail me.