Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Upstate NY Baby Boomer couple is interested in N.C. retirement locations.
We are in the early investigation stage and are intrigued with the Carraborro / Chapel Hill areas. We are active seniors (early 50's) looking for a long term retirement location. Cost of Living issues are very important! We would like to hear from similar couples about retirement related issues. Also a realtor recommendation would be appreciated. (School district info is only important to us relative to housing values and appreciation.)
Additionally we have the following questions in random order:
Water availability.... we are avid flower gardeners..... frequent water use restrictions would be a problem?
Property taxes...... What would Annual Real Estate & School Taxes be on a $175,000 - $200,000 home?
Homeowner's Insurance...... Is it difficult to obtain? ie: flood insurance, hurricane protection etc?
Sales Tax..... Is there a State or local Sales Tax? If so, on what types of items?
Electricity Cost.... What is a typical monthly electric bill for a 2000 sq ft home?
Are there affordable neighborhoods where it is possible to walk to necessary amenities(ie: post office, grocery store, etc)?
Are there activities geared to all ages or is this primarily a college area that only caters to college age interests?
We are planning a 10 day visit to the area at the end of the month, recommendations would be appreciated as well as lodging options.
From here: http://www.ochlt.org/averagehomeprice.htm (broken link)
# The average sale price of a new home in Orange County today is $564,568, according to the Chapel Hill Board of Realtors. The average resale price is $443,860.
# According to the Triangle Multiple Listing Service, in early 2005 the average sale price of a home in Chapel Hill was $365,318. This included single-family homes, townhomes, and condos, new construction, and resale and is a 9 percent increase over the average price in 2004.
# To purchase a new medium-priced single-family home in Chapel Hill-Carrboro with a 20% downpayment and a conventional mortgage in today's market, a homebuyer would need an annual salary of $155,000.
---
As for Chapel Hill and Carrboro, they do revolve around UNC almost completely. There are probably more retirement areas further out in Orange County (I'd recommend Pittsboro if you wanted something less expensive but still close to things). At the price range that you gave, Chapel Hill and Carrboro are going to be far too expensive.
If cost is an issue, you may find places more affordable in nearby Hillsborough or Pittsboro. They are only like 20-25 minutes from the Chapel Hill/Carrboro core, and are very nice towns in their own right. They have a tad more to offer if you like historic districts, too.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
