Curious about Climates in afordable areas. Not thinking of moving but.. (cheap, more expensive)

[sheena12]

I'm curious. Is there a place like this?

Low Cost of living

Long Autumns and Springs

moderate Summers and Winters but four seasons

centrist to liberal

friendly people

beautiful scenery

I am guessing that there is not.

Every where is hot four seasons but one horribly hot one. (North Carolina) and too Red.

Or freezing and expensive. Most of New England

Or mild and expensive. California

I'm thinking a place in FL in the winter is my only choice.

ME? A snow bird?

[Padgett2]

Pick your favorite THREE seasons, and stay indoors for the fourth.
It's easier to pay utility bills for the fouth season than it is to find The Perfect Place!

Good Luck on your search.... (Florida gets hot too)

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by sheena12

I'm curious. Is there a place like this?
Long Autumns and Springs
moderate Summers and Winters but four seasons
centrist to liberal
friendly people
beautiful scenery
I am guessing that there is not....

Not if the list includes that "Low Cost of living" thing.

btw: the single largest factor in cost of living is the real estate related category.
Groceries and dentist visits and oil changes for the car are all about the same everywhere.

I'm thinking a place in FL in the winter is my only choice.
ME? A snow bird?

That seasonal migration thing might be even more expensive.
(maintaining two homes, long term vacation rental? what about income?)

Making it work comes down to how you earn your living (if still working)
and how many hundreds of thousands you have tied up in property now...
that can be sold and reallocated into two or more places.

hth

[reed303]

Cheyenne, Wyo
Denver, Colo
Salt Lake City, Utah
Reno, Nev

and points in between

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by MrRational

Not if the list includes that "Low Cost of living" thing.

btw: the single largest factor in cost of living is the real estate related category.
Groceries and dentist visits and oil changes for the car are all about the same everywhere.


That seasonal migration thing might be even more expensive.
(maintaining two homes, long term vacation rental? what about income?)

Making it work comes down to how you earn your living (if still working)
and how many hundreds of thousands you have tied up in property now...
that can be sold and reallocated into two or more places.

hth

I am happy where I live now. I am not happy when the Summer temps spike to 95 every day.
Or when I am indoors for three months out of the year.

This Summer has been keeping me indoors this year. Which I hate.

My husbands profession is portable and I work from home.. Our current area has a low cost of living.
Love that because we moved here from a very high cost of living area and I love the freedom of paying a house payment that's well under 900 - including taxes!

But we left a more moderate climate (I never thought it was moderate then...) and this is a bit extreme.

Love the falls and springs though.

[observer]

Originally Posted by sheena12

I am happy where I live now. I am not happy when the Summer temps spike to 95 every day.
Or when I am indoors for three months out of the year.

This Summer has been keeping me indoors this year. Which I hate.

My husbands profession is portable and I work from home.. Our current area has a low cost of living.
Love that because we moved here from a very high cost of living area and I love the freedom of paying a house payment that's well under 900 - including taxes!

But we left a more moderate climate (I never thought it was moderate then...) and this is a bit extreme.

Love the falls and springs though.

What city do you live in?

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by observer

What city do you live in?

I live in North Eastern PA. Near Wilkes-Barre. Since a decent home can be had for 50-100, and a veritable mansion for 150 - 250, I would say the COL is low.

And not just Real Estate. Everything. Luxury items are half to a third less than where I left.

When I say "luxury" I mean hair styling at an up-scale salon, eating out at a good restaurant, health club or gym memberships - things of that nature.

Utilities are ALL less except for water, which I don't understand.

Groceries are a bit less expensive here.

I'm in my early 50s and my eldest just graduated from HS. He's going to school in Ohio. In two more years they will all be in college.

It's not unusual for people around here to have second or third homes. At 75 - 100 K each you can see why.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by sheena12

I live in North Eastern PA. Near Wilkes-Barre.
decent home can be had for 50-100, a veritable mansion for 150 - 250, I would say the COL is low.

As COL variables are mostly about the differences in real estate prices...
real estate prices are mostly about income available to buy with.
The 2:1 to 3:1 ratio range is about as objective as it gets with something as subjective as comfortable.

Originally Posted by CityData

WilkesBarre PA
Estimated median household income in 2009: $27,406 (it was $26,711 in 2000)
Estimated median house or condo value in 2009: $80,679 (it was $65,500 in 2000)

WB is definitely more comfortable than Philadelphia.

Originally Posted by CityData

Philadelphi, PA:
Estimated median household income in 2009: $37,045 (it was $30,746 in 2000)
Estimated median house or condo value in 2009: $150,000 (it was $61,000 in 2000)

[vk40]

Someone posted Cheyenne, WY, but I would avoid it. It's windy, and winters are very cold, summers are short. Houses are also not cheap- definitely not as expensive as some areas in the U.S., but up there for sure. Wyoming is not cheap to live in.

[cittic10]

I would say western NC or NE Tenn.
Generally speaking, every 1000 feet higher in elevation you go, the temps are 4.5 degrees cooler.

With the exception of Asheville the politics will not match what you want. If you want a liberal area, be prepared to shell out some dough to live there.

You might want to rethink the four seasons thing....
I lived in florida a long time and florida only has one season: hot.
Moving back to N.GA where there are 3.5 seasons, I find myself getting somewhat depressed when seasons change. Every 3 months, you get another reminder that the year is flying by and you're going to be yet another year older.
For that reason, I really think I would prefer fewer seasons. Of course, the only place to get that is westcoast, florida and the carribean and I have no desire to live anywhere but the westcoast and unfortunately I have a business tying me down to the southeast.