Anyone retire to Alabama, GA or SC from someplace else? (weather, moving)

[NorthmeetsSouth]

My husband and I have recently "retired", which sounds better than "unemployed" (we were in the construction business, and there is no work anymore) and we are looking into scaling down and moving to either Alabama or So. Carolina. He is originally from NC, I am originally from NY, and we have both been in the Atlanta area for almost 20 years. We are looking for a nice place to retire to, and a low cost of living is very important.

Here are some of my priorities...
I like a place that has a fair number of transplants so that we aren't the only "outsiders". Someplace that welcomes strangers and has activities or ways to meet new people. Hubby grew up in a small town where everyone knows everyone else's business, and he definitely doesn't want that again, but we don't want too big either.

I don't care about proximity to a large city (I never even go into Atlanta anymore) but I like a good size town with a nice "downtown" area (maybe 20,000 - 50,000 people)

Someplace pretty. I love the charming old New England towns that looked like something from a Norman Rockwell painting. I couldn't live in a run-down area.

Decent shopping. By that I mean good supermarkets, Lowes & Home Depot, Target, the type of shopping centers that would have a Barnes and Noble in them, etc.

A good rental market. I like to buy fixer-uppers and renovate them. If I can't sell them then I will have to rent them and I need a positive cash flow.

Some place where we could find a nice ranch, about 2,500 sf on 1/2 acre or more for less that $200,000. Condition isn't important as we both know how to fix just about anything. I wouldn't mind buying the worst house in the nicest neighborhood, but if the rest of the neighborhood was a mess I wouldn't want it.

The reason I asked for feedback from people from other states is because it is easy to love your hometown where all of your childhood memories are. It is a completely different perspective moving there as a stranger in a strange land from someplace else and having to adjust to your new surroundings.
We are going to start making some trips soon and I want to use our time and gas wisely.
Thanks in advance for your help.

[NewToCA]

Though I didn't move to that section of the country myself, I know a few folks who have. From your description, you may want to take a look at Huntsville, Alabama.


http://www.huntsville.org/

[WellShoneMoon]

As long as you're considering Georgia, why not go 10 miles south of the border and look at Tallahassee? It has a pretty stable economy, as it's the state capital and has two major universities and a large community college. Because of the universities, there is a lot going on. Tallahassee is a medium size city (city pop. about 150,000 according to C-D), and is very much accustomed to welcoming newcomers. Lots of people came here as FSU students and stayed on because they liked it so much, but there's also a sizeable population of retired folks, many of whom followed their kids here. There is a thriving Newcomer's Club and other organizations and activities around town to welcome you. It's a very pretty city, with rolling hills, massive live oak trees and Spanish moss. The shopping should suit your requirements. And I think you'd be able to find housing in the price range you mentioned. We landed here kind of by accident when we "escaped" from South Florida, but we love it.

[NorthmeetsSouth]

I originally considered Florida too, because my mother lives there, but found that the property taxes, HOA fees, and Homeowners Insurance were significantly higher than the other states mentioned. I am staying open-minded about it though, and I am willing to look into any place in the southeast that meets the criteria.
Thanks, and keep those suggestions coming!

[darstar]

Try the Mountians in NC. best places in the South to retire, hands down. Lots of places around Asheville, Hendersonville, Brevard, and ofcoarse my favorite Highlands. The South's little known secret for a place way up in the mountians, no AC needed, and a way of live enveyed by everyone who visits.
I lived there 18 years, it was great, at 4,000 feet. Yes on snow , but not so much ice as in lower elevations. Very low crime, good schools, shops, and more.....Can be pricey, but if you are creative, land and homes can be had for a bargan...if you look hard enough. The only drawback was the shopping, it was 100 miles to anywhere with a Mall. Choices were Greenville, Asheville, and ofcoarse Atlanta...where we went mostly, once a month.
I miss the Blue Ridge Mountians, always will, but am quite happy here in Upper Michigan building my retirement home on the shore of Lake Superior. Was on my bucket list...I had no choice but to go........

[RiverBird]

I am retired against my choice (health reasons) and live in New England. I can tell you to just about forget Conn, Mass., VT, and NH if you want a nice location in NE but are concerned about property taxes. You will not pay less than $2200 - $$3600+ per yr for prop taxes alone, even on a cheap house ($160K). If you do it will be in an area not so "pretty." NH has extremely high prop taxes b/c they have no state income tax. If you are concerend about taxes also forget New York state.

Also some NE states have excise tax (tax on vehicles and boats, etc). Even Maine, which has some extremely nice towns and rural areas has surprisingly high property tax in relation to cost of the house to buy. It makes sense b/c there are so few people in Maine compared to other NE states, they have to raise money for the services we all want and need.

I would look at internet sites that compare all kinds of taxes by state, incl property, excise, income, inheritance, etc. Then find out about hidden costs that can vary widely like water and sewer costs, house and car insurance, electricity per KWH. Check out public transportation for seniors and if there is affordable senior housing (will be needed some day) close by. What will be the cost to travel back to see family each year? Will that offset whatever you save in taxes?

I don't know much about Rhode Island but it's probably more affordable NE state. I ehar Delaware is very tax friendly to seniors and that many are moving there b/c of location, shore, better winter weather (compared to North), and low taxes.

If I didn't ahve family here I would relocate back to a college town in Missouri, very nice houses with affordable taxes but humid as blazes in the summer (maybe not in the Ozarks?) and of course, tornadoes....which seem to be happening in many unusual places these days.

Good luck in your search

[RiverBird]

PS: However, on other CD retirement threads like "Retiring on a Shoestring," Forest Beekeeper and other posters have found that living in rural Maine (outside of organized towns) has a very low cost of living and very low taxes.

[Gandalara]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

I would look at internet sites that compare all kinds of taxes by state, incl property, excise, income, inheritance, etc.

A good place to start is The Tax Foundation and Retirement Living Taxes by State

Neither site can keep up with all the tax changes, but it's a good place to start.

[suzy_q2010]

Originally Posted by NorthmeetsSouth

My husband and I have recently "retired", which sounds better than "unemployed" (we were in the construction business, and there is no work anymore) and we are looking into scaling down and moving to either Alabama or So. Carolina. He is originally from NC, I am originally from NY, and we have both been in the Atlanta area for almost 20 years. We are looking for a nice place to retire to, and a low cost of living is very important.

Here are some of my priorities...
I like a place that has a fair number of transplants so that we aren't the only "outsiders". Someplace that welcomes strangers and has activities or ways to meet new people. Hubby grew up in a small town where everyone knows everyone else's business, and he definitely doesn't want that again, but we don't want too big either.

I don't care about proximity to a large city (I never even go into Atlanta anymore) but I like a good size town with a nice "downtown" area (maybe 20,000 - 50,000 people)

Someplace pretty. I love the charming old New England towns that looked like something from a Norman Rockwell painting. I couldn't live in a run-down area.

Decent shopping. By that I mean good supermarkets, Lowes & Home Depot, Target, the type of shopping centers that would have a Barnes and Noble in them, etc.

A good rental market. I like to buy fixer-uppers and renovate them. If I can't sell them then I will have to rent them and I need a positive cash flow.

Some place where we could find a nice ranch, about 2,500 sf on 1/2 acre or more for less that $200,000. Condition isn't important as we both know how to fix just about anything. I wouldn't mind buying the worst house in the nicest neighborhood, but if the rest of the neighborhood was a mess I wouldn't want it.

The reason I asked for feedback from people from other states is because it is easy to love your hometown where all of your childhood memories are. It is a completely different perspective moving there as a stranger in a strange land from someplace else and having to adjust to your new surroundings.
We are going to start making some trips soon and I want to use our time and gas wisely.
Thanks in advance for your help.

Hey NorthmeetsSouth from the city of the Big Chicken:

Before you leave Georgia, come on up I-75 and look at Rome, population 36,000. We are only minutes away from where you are now. We have Shorter University, Berry College, great medical services, and a minor league Braves baseball team. There is a superb library, little theater, and great music --- Shorter turns out very talented musicians. Downtown is probably not on a par with Marietta, but there are some specialty restaurants. It's a great time to buy real estate.

We have Lowe's, Barnes & Noble, and there are plans for a new mixed use shopping area that (hopefully!) will include a Publix grocery store. We now have Kroger and some smaller groceries.

There are some wonderful neighborhoods, expensive and not, some with mountain views, and that ranch can have acreage rather than a small lot.

As with many communities, our single mall is hurting a bit, but Atlanta and Chattanooga are close enough for a day trip, if you need to do major shopping.

I was not born here, but I have been here for about 30 years. Rome has enough of the small town feel that people will greet you by name, you're not anonymous, but you don't feel like everyone knows every move you make.

Send me a private mail if you would like to know more.

[darstar]

Chattanooga is not doing all that bad ether, I hear. Lots of rural areas between Rome, N.ga. Mtns.,and east Tenn. along with a sweet slice of the NC Mountians. Suburban Knoxville is also in this mix, always was one of my favorite large cities in the South.