illinois taxes and people who are moving out of the state (Chicago: selling a house, luxury)

[jasperhobbs]

Originally Posted by lepoisson

It's always kids. My former coworkers tell the same story. "When so and so finishes school, we are out of here."

Another reason that is used is "as soon as I can retire, I'm out of here" Often this is the case with people living in cold climates and wanting to move somewhere a lot warmer year-round. So this is not just applicable to Illinois residents.

I have about 3-5 working years left and moving somewhere with milder winters has great appeal. Whether that will come to fruition remains to be seen. Unfortunately, my desired relocation spot has become quite popular and alas more expensive.

[Kmanshouse]

Originally Posted by jasperhobbs

Another reason that is used is "as soon as I can retire, I'm out of here" Often this is the case with people living in cold climates and wanting to move somewhere a lot warmer year-round. So this is not just applicable to Illinois residents.

I have about 3-5 working years left and moving somewhere with milder winters has great appeal. Whether that will come to fruition remains to be seen. Unfortunately, my desired relocation spot has become quite popular and alas more expensive.

This always happens. All the good retirement spots fill up, prices bloat, and then some new place is deemed a "desirable" retirement destination. Rinse and repeat until people are only moving 1 or 2 states away to get their retirement paradise.

Southern Missouri still gets cold and cloudy. But I guess it's cheaper and a little milder.

When that time comes I'm going to aim for at LEAST 500 miles south with no chance of needing a snow shovel or a parka.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Kmanshouse

This always happens. All the good retirement spots fill up, prices bloat, and then some new place is deemed a "desirable" retirement destination. Rinse and repeat until people are only moving 1 or 2 states away to get their retirement paradise.

Southern Missouri still gets cold and cloudy. But I guess it's cheaper and a little milder.

When that time comes I'm going to aim for at LEAST 500 miles south with no chance of needing a snow shovel or a parka.

Southern Missouri has a garbage climate, right in the middle of Tornado Alley too. Excessive precipitation, lots of ticks, etc.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by jasperhobbs

Another reason that is used is "as soon as I can retire, I'm out of here" Often this is the case with people living in cold climates and wanting to move somewhere a lot warmer year-round. So this is not just applicable to Illinois residents.

I have about 3-5 working years left and moving somewhere with milder winters has great appeal. Whether that will come to fruition remains to be seen. Unfortunately, my desired relocation spot has become quite popular and alas more expensive.

It seems like lots of people in Chicagoland also retire Up North if they have a cabin or cottage that's already in the family. I much prefer the Northwoods climate as I've seen enough heat and humidity to last me a lifetime. Southern US climate is one of the most overrated around.

[Kluch]

Originally Posted by lepoisson

It's always kids. My former coworkers tell the same story. "When so and so finishes school, we are out of here."

Kids/family OR retirement. My wife's family lives near Sycamore/Dekalb and my FIL wants to get out of Illinois as soon as he retires (which should happen in roughly two years). Now, will they actually move? My wife and I think probably not but if they did we would be all for it lol.

The issues are two fold. My wife's sister (and our niece) live in the same area so moving away from them would create stress on my wife's sister's family. On top of that my FIL/MIL have lived in that area so long their entire community is there and their house is full of STUFF that I know would be hard for my MIL to let go of during the move. All that said my FIL still says he plans to leave Illinois ASAP! That narrative has never changed lol.



I honestly think people who don't love Illinois/Chicago area for the amenities only stay for two reasons, family and/or a job. Most I encountered during my time in the suburbs stayed only because of family in the area.

[NYEddy]

Originally Posted by Kluch

I honestly think people who don't love Illinois/Chicago area for the amenities only stay for two reasons, family and/or a job. Most I encountered during my time in the suburbs stayed only because of family in the area.

I have to strongly disagree with you on this point and provide a counter opinion. I'm living proof and so is my wife: there are A LOT of people that move to Chicago for the QOL and COL, especially from areas that are as expensive or more so (coasts). Anecdotally, as a non-native, I feel like I always attract other non-natives and have bumped into my fair share over the years and half my office is made up of Big 10 alumni who are not from Chicago. My best friend moved here after spending his whole life between NYC and LA; he's been here 2 years, moved his fiancé, and they are looking for their next house in Bucktown.

I hear this all the time about locals/native Chicagoans complaining about taxes, prices, weather, etc etc. But for people from the East Coast (NJ, NY, CT), Chicagoland is actually cheaper, offers a similar-enough urban/suburban housing (I'd actually rank Chicago 'burbs above anything in Westchester or Fairfield counties), and virtually all the same big city 'perks' (i.e. great airports, restaurants, nightlife, etc). Weather is super subjective: I hate southern winters as much as anyone who hates our winters. Our summers are way better (Florida sucks in July+Aug), so that's a win, in my book.

There's tons of those stories in Chicago; for every uncle or in-law in DeKalb, McHenry, or DuPage county who 'can't wait to get out of here,' there's a transplant waiting to take their spot. I say good riddance: tell 'em to put their home on the market and make way. They can move to AZ and live in a precast shack with no basement, paper-thin windows, and enjoy their Saturday nights at Chili's and COSTCO.

I'll keep on boosting with my family on the NW Side of Chicago; fly internationally a few times/year non-stop, hit the Lyric and some shows, weekend-trips to Michigan/Wisconsin, play the forest preserve courses, movie nights in the basement, and fireplace fires in the winter. I'm good for the long-haul - there's a lot of us here, we're just not posting City Data.

[Bitey]

"Well, at least it's attractive compared to the other main places people are fleeing from en masse!" is a hell of a selling point.

Here's another reason to leave: to get away from legions of self-styled cultured deep thinkers who can't conceive of any options between a "Met or Chili's" binary. I'm 50 years old, I've had all my cosmopolitan itches scratched and then some, and I don't need to play "Keeping Up with the Vandertwits" via high-brow cultural pursuits any more.

Good riddance indeed. You can have this place while the self-dealing political class continually erodes your home value by using it as collateral for their own fat pensions. But I appreciate your willingness to boost the place so the next bright-eyed fool will do his part to help extricate me from this financial black hole.

[Master Jay]

Bitey, brother. Calm down. Your post made my heartrate increase!

I know it's not the same for me to speak, since I'm a weekend visitor. But there really IS good, even in the city.

A beer on me, brother. We'll figure this out.

Have a good night, all.

[Kluch]

Originally Posted by NYEddy

I have to strongly disagree with you on this point and provide a counter opinion. I'm living proof and so is my wife: there are A LOT of people that move to Chicago for the QOL and COL, especially from areas that are as expensive or more so (coasts). Anecdotally, as a non-native, I feel like I always attract other non-natives and have bumped into my fair share over the years and half my office is made up of Big 10 alumni who are not from Chicago. My best friend moved here after spending his whole life between NYC and LA; he's been here 2 years, moved his fiancé, and they are looking for their next house in Bucktown.

I hear this all the time about locals/native Chicagoans complaining about taxes, prices, weather, etc etc. But for people from the East Coast (NJ, NY, CT), Chicagoland is actually cheaper, offers a similar-enough urban/suburban housing (I'd actually rank Chicago 'burbs above anything in Westchester or Fairfield counties), and virtually all the same big city 'perks' (i.e. great airports, restaurants, nightlife, etc). Weather is super subjective: I hate southern winters as much as anyone who hates our winters. Our summers are way better (Florida sucks in July+Aug), so that's a win, in my book.

There's tons of those stories in Chicago; for every uncle or in-law in DeKalb, McHenry, or DuPage county who 'can't wait to get out of here,' there's a transplant waiting to take their spot. I say good riddance: tell 'em to put their home on the market and make way. They can move to AZ and live in a precast shack with no basement, paper-thin windows, and enjoy their Saturday nights at Chili's and COSTCO.

I'll keep on boosting with my family on the NW Side of Chicago; fly internationally a few times/year non-stop, hit the Lyric and some shows, weekend-trips to Michigan/Wisconsin, play the forest preserve courses, movie nights in the basement, and fireplace fires in the winter. I'm good for the long-haul - there's a lot of us here, we're just not posting City Data.

Right... Quality of life would include the amenities surrounding Chicago... to my point. The COL thing has been toted before and it's no surprise if you're coming from the coasts then sure, Chicago is a bargain, no doubt about that. I'm talking about those in the middle class. Those who are high dollar earners have no issues paying more and more and more in taxes each year, it doesn't ruffle their feathers. I guess my experience might be different if I ran in upper middle class or high earner circles but most of the families we met in the suburbs were squarely in the middle class (if not slightly below middle class) and they felt the pains of Illinois taxes. That said, Chicago still has a ton to offer, it's a great city. I just see it as "affordable" for those with lots of disposable income.

[Kmanshouse]

Those last two posts by NYEddy and Bitey are perfect examples of the two polar opposites of thought on Chicagoland.

And really, most people who post on these forums are complainers or boosters. There are a LOT of people out there just doing life and not expressing their angst here.

I'm personally closer to NYEddy - and I think the main reason for that is because I had kids young, and spent most of my 30s and 40s doing the suburban/chain restaurant cliche life and longed for a more urban experience with access to amenities the city offers. So we are now spending our late 40s and 50s doing that and enjoying it. We can afford the sales taxes and take advantage of what's here.

That said, if that's not important, then I get Bitey's attitude - he doesn't need/want that and thus doesn't want to pay for it. Understandable, and probably better suited for a different part of the country.