Affordable housing in Western MA (Springfield, Quincy: relocation, property taxes, income)

[Wanda-ng]

Could anyone tell me where the most affordable homes are in the Berkshires or surrounding areas?

Would like to be with 10mins from a town with culture, good restaurants, health food store, yoga etc.

[Noodle]

What do you consider affordable? In the suburbs, the sky's the limit, but the cities are more affordable. Try Northampton. I'd stay away from Holyoke/Springfield/Chicopee. Or maybe you would like Greenfield. In the Hilltowns, you won't be just 10 minutes away from much of anything. And that's the way they like it.

[Wanda-ng]

Thanks for the info. Affordable for me would be a home under $150,000 with 2 bedrooms. Single Mom.

I am actually looking closer towards the New York border, where I have lots of work.

[Torrey]

The Berkshires area was a place I had considered for my near future relocation, but the Mass. taxes make people not want to live there. So I am going to relocate to another New England state instead. People pay enough without having to be taxed to death by the state as well.

[Wanda-ng]

Hi Torrey~

Taxes in Mass are not bad. It's still only 5% sales tax and clothes are tax free. Propery tax is also low. NY state is the killer for taxes. 8% sales, clothes are taxed and property tax is almost another mortgage payment.

I guess it depends on where you are coming from.

[Torrey]

In San Antonio Texas, sales tax is 8.25%, but we have no state income tax either. Wonder how the land taxes compare?

[Quincy]

Property taxes have gone way up here in Western, MA. We live in a small town in the middle of the hilltowns, 20 minutes from any stores. Our home is valued at $180,000 (older post and beam on 4 acres) and we are now paying $3,300 a year in property taxes. The taxes were $1900 when we bought the house seven years ago. Income tax is 5% abd sales tax is 5% on everything except food and clothes. What kills you is all of the little extras-expensive gas, expensive food, car insurance (excpect to pay at least $900 a year per car), car inspections every year, vehicle excise tax every year, and the list goes on. We are moving out of state. Feels like we are working just to pay taxes and insurance. If you are dead set on coming here you may want to look at towns in the Berkshires like Lee, Pittsfield, Hindsdale, or Dalton. Northampton is nice, but is expensive. In that area you may want to check out Williamsburg or Westhampton.

[ontheroad]

Hi, I wonder if you wouldn't mind sharing some actual costs, say for petrol (gas), cost for yoghurt, bread--just for a comparison.

I am a former Valley resident, and just left Taos, NM. As a comparison for me, petrol (gas, 86) was 2.56 when I left one week ago; Brown Cow yoghurt was 99c and 1.29c at two of the local markets, bread, never less than 3.69.
My auto insurance I believe is over $1000. p/a for an older Pathfinder.

Thanks in advance.

Originally Posted by Quincy

Property taxes have gone way up here in Western, MA. We live in a small town in the middle of the hilltowns, 20 minutes from any stores. Our home is valued at $180,000 (older post and beam on 4 acres) and we are now paying $3,300 a year in property taxes. The taxes were $1900 when we bought the house seven years ago. Income tax is 5% abd sales tax is 5% on everything except food and clothes. What kills you is all of the little extras-expensive gas, expensive food, car insurance (excpect to pay at least $900 a year per car), car inspections every year, vehicle excise tax every year, and the list goes on. We are moving out of state. Feels like we are working just to pay taxes and insurance. If you are dead set on coming here you may want to look at towns in the Berkshires like Lee, Pittsfield, Hindsdale, or Dalton. Northampton is nice, but is expensive. In that area you may want to check out Williamsburg or Westhampton.

[mwgans]

In southern berkshire county near the NY border, Sandisfield appears to be the most affordable town and it's close enough to Great Barrington for culture, restaurants, etc... that you seem to be looking for. But I cannot comment on the quality of life there -- we just know the town from looking for several months now for a 2nd home in the Berkshires.

[Quincy]

I am a former Valley resident, and just left Taos, NM. As a comparison for me, petrol (gas, 86) was 2.56 when I left one week ago; Brown Cow yoghurt was 99c and 1.29c at two of the local markets, bread, never less than 3.69.
My auto insurance I believe is over $1000. p/a for an older Pathfinder.


Wow. I guess that it is not that much more expensive to live here. I would guess your grocery prices would be about the same. You can get bread for less, depending on what you want-I usu. spend $2.50 for a loaf of multi grain or whole wheat. Gas is running around $2.59 now and I couldn't tell you about yogurt.

By the way, my house is for sale here in the Berkshires if anyone is interested. The town we live in is Peru. It's about 20 minutes from Pittsfield, so may be too far out for you. But it is beautiful out here. here. Is a Lindal Cedar home on 4 acres.