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Money. Personally, getting taxes taken out isn't great, but your primary expense will be food (depending on how you choose to eat) and the house. Food prices are cheaper in SC and utility bills are cheaper as well (I think, but i could be wrong). And unless you buy the house outright, you may choose to take a lower home expense. So kind of depends? Finance or straight up purchase?
This all depends on where you are coming from. We lived in western PA, about an hour NE of Pittsburgh, and found the price of food to be quite a bit higher in SC, even for items grown in the area. A lot more things have sales tax in SC including clothing and county sales tax on groceries. Also, our utility bills are higher, especially the water which is ridiculously high. For us it is a minimum of 300% higher, and go up to 1000% higher if we are minimally irrigating, which we pretty much stopped doing except for our drip. The only one lower is our trash because it is included in our HOA and it was separate up there. Our basic property taxes are a bit lower, but add in the personal property taxes and the fire district tax and they are now probably 20% higher than PA.
We are currently in the process of moving to Delaware, not because we are unhappy here but to be closer to our daughter. However, we are finding that overall our costs are going to be lower. Property taxes lower, no sales tax, no personal property taxes, lower food costs and substantially lower house insurance cost. Haven't seen the car insurance bills, but they drive a LOT more sanely up due to greater enforcement of the traffic laws. Property taxes are for the same appraised amount house, although the DE one will be a bit bigger with a slightly larger lot. Yes it will be a bit colder and have a bit more snow, but we can deal especially since any snow removal over 2" is included in our HOA dues, which is more than down here. And yes, we have had a couple of instances of over 2" of snow, and then usually topped by ice.
Not trying to discourage anyone from SC if it works for you, but full knowledge of where someone is considering for a move is essential in my eyes.
Property taxes in TN are much cheaper than CA. We moved from a home on 4 acres, $450K, in a foothill community in CA. Our property tax there was about $4500/yr. Here in TN we have a $350k home and our property tax is about $1300/yr. The tax rate in TN is based upon the assessed value of the home, which is 1/4 of the market value.
In CA we also paid outrageous water bills. In summer we watered about 1/4 acre of lawn twice per week and our summer water bills were $200/month! Here our water/sewer bill is around $40/month. Our other utilities are also MUCH cheaper. Electricity costs are a flat per KWH rate, without the dreaded upper tier rates for higher usage. Even our garbage rates are 1/4 of what they were in CA. Our insurance is moderately cheaper here in TN. Food costs are a little higher than in CA. The only income taxed is interest and dividends to the extent that they exceed $1250/person, and pensions or earned income are not taxed by the state. Since we are both on pensions and not living off investments, that is important to us. CA would have taxed our pensions.
Most important fact about TN though is that we love it here. It's not all about money. It's about being in a place where people are not all bunched up and constantly fighting for space and seeming to be angry all the time, or just ignoring each other. I've lived in CA almost all of my life, love the state, the geography of it, the weather, etc, but I would not live there again due to the crowding, the traffic, the pollution, the inconsideration for others, the crime, the politics, sheesh! It is not the CA I grew up in. That place is gone. Tennessee makes me want to say "aaaaahhhhh", I feel like I can relax. That's what you should look for in a retirement locale in my opinion.
Property taxes in TN are much cheaper than CA. We moved from a home on 4 acres, $450K, in a foothill community in CA. Our property tax there was about $4500/yr. Here in TN we have a $350k home and our property tax is about $1300/yr. The tax rate in TN is based upon the assessed value of the home, which is 1/4 of the market value.
In CA we also paid outrageous water bills. In summer we watered about 1/4 acre of lawn twice per week and our summer water bills were $200/month! Here our water/sewer bill is around $40/month. Our other utilities are also MUCH cheaper. Electricity costs are a flat per KWH rate, without the dreaded upper tier rates for higher usage. Even our garbage rates are 1/4 of what they were in CA. Our insurance is moderately cheaper here in TN. Food costs are a little higher than in CA. The only income taxed is interest and dividends to the extent that they exceed $1250/person, and pensions or earned income are not taxed by the state. Since we are both on pensions and not living off investments, that is important to us. CA would have taxed our pensions.
Most important fact about TN though is that we love it here. It's not all about money. It's about being in a place where people are not all bunched up and constantly fighting for space and seeming to be angry all the time, or just ignoring each other. I've lived in CA almost all of my life, love the state, the geography of it, the weather, etc, but I would not live there again due to the crowding, the traffic, the pollution, the inconsideration for others, the crime, the politics, sheesh! It is not the CA I grew up in. That place is gone. Tennessee makes me want to say "aaaaahhhhh", I feel like I can relax. That's what you should look for in a retirement locale in my opinion.
Wow! I could have written the same about us. We are looking at the Reno-Tahoe area for those reasons as well. As we get closer to retirement and moving, and the anxiety creeps in, I'm finding great comfort in the stories here.
Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences!!
COL living includes taxes and fees. Do not forget fees which politicians love for that reason. You will even find difference in city; county within a state.
Property taxes in TN are much cheaper than CA. We moved from a home on 4 acres, $450K, in a foothill community in CA. Our property tax there was about $4500/yr. Here in TN we have a $350k home and our property tax is about $1300/yr. The tax rate in TN is based upon the assessed value of the home, which is 1/4 of the market value.
In CA we also paid outrageous water bills. In summer we watered about 1/4 acre of lawn twice per week and our summer water bills were $200/month! Here our water/sewer bill is around $40/month. Our other utilities are also MUCH cheaper. Electricity costs are a flat per KWH rate, without the dreaded upper tier rates for higher usage. Even our garbage rates are 1/4 of what they were in CA. Our insurance is moderately cheaper here in TN. Food costs are a little higher than in CA. The only income taxed is interest and dividends to the extent that they exceed $1250/person, and pensions or earned income are not taxed by the state. Since we are both on pensions and not living off investments, that is important to us. CA would have taxed our pensions.
Most important fact about TN though is that we love it here. It's not all about money. It's about being in a place where people are not all bunched up and constantly fighting for space and seeming to be angry all the time, or just ignoring each other. I've lived in CA almost all of my life, love the state, the geography of it, the weather, etc, but I would not live there again due to the crowding, the traffic, the pollution, the inconsideration for others, the crime, the politics, sheesh! It is not the CA I grew up in. That place is gone. Tennessee makes me want to say "aaaaahhhhh", I feel like I can relax. That's what you should look for in a retirement locale in my opinion.
Shadow, everytime I have the heebie-jeebies about moving out of what is familiar, I come across a post that says, Tennessee is calling you.
Wow! I could have written the same about us. We are looking at the Reno-Tahoe area for those reasons as well. As we get closer to retirement and moving, and the anxiety creeps in, I'm finding great comfort in the stories here.
Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences!!
Love Tahoe. My DH's parents owned a vacation home (1/2 share) there for 30 years, and we continued to rent it for another 10 years. My nieces live near Reno too. I'm not as fond of Reno. I would live in Tahoe (Nevada side), but DH says no shoveling snow, and he doesn't care much for the cold. As much as we love it there, we've pretty much done a lot of living there already in the last 40 years.
Don't pretty much all states have an annual motor vehicle registration fee?
Yes and no. There is an annual fee, which pretty much all states charge. THEN there is an annual tax, which SOME states charge. States like New York and Vermont charge an initial sales tax when you initially register/purchase the vehicle, along with the registration fee. Once you pay the initial sales tax for THAT vehicle in THAT state, even if you leave the state, re-register somewhere else and then come back, you DON'T pay the sales tax on THAT vehicle a second time. But then every year/two years after that you are just charged the FEE, which is fixed per whatever class of vehicle you have ie: pleasure car, truck, bus, etc. Other states, like West Virginia, Maine and North Carolina charge the annual fee AND tack on a annual excise or property tax which is in proportion to you vehicle make/brand/year/mileage/value.
Don't pretty much all states have an annual motor vehicle registration fee?
Yes and no. There is an annual fee, which pretty much all states charge. THEN there is an annual tax, which SOME states charge. States like New York and Vermont charge an initial sales tax when you initially register/purchase the vehicle, along with the registration fee. Once you pay the initial sales tax for THAT vehicle in THAT state, even if you leave the state, re-register somewhere else and then come back, you DON'T pay the sales tax on THAT vehicle a second time. But then every year/two years after that you are just charged the FEE, which is fixed per whatever class of vehicle you have ie: pleasure car, truck, bus, etc. Other states, like West Virginia, Maine and North Carolina charge the annual fee AND tack on a annual excise or property tax which is in proportion to you vehicle make/brand/year/mileage/value.
Sometimes this is a state-wide excise/property tax and sometimes it's a county wide tax. I think some counties in Virginia have county taxes on personal property (ie, cars, boats, RVs, etc).
Shadow, everytime I have the heebie-jeebies about moving out of what is familiar, I come across a post that says, Tennessee is calling you.
what a wonderful post. Thank you.
I can tell you that most people have some axiety and many have a lot of that about moving from what is familiar. I have said this all along in any post here that if you are considering moving pick general locations look all the factors that are important to you. Then get to local areas and start up a weighted list. Add your currnet location to the mix. Put weighted numbers to your selections and make an informed decision. Always keep in mind that moving will require you to look for new doctors, mechanics, plumbers, carpenters. You will also be moving away from friends and family (maybe). You will have a whole new life to work through.
I can tell you that most people have some axiety and many have a lot of that about moving from what is familiar. I have said this all along in any post here that if you are considering moving pick general locations look all the factors that are important to you. Then get to local areas and start up a weighted list. Add your currnet location to the mix. Put weighted numbers to your selections and make an informed decision. Always keep in mind that moving will require you to look for new doctors, mechanics, plumbers, carpenters. You will also be moving away from friends and family (maybe). You will have a whole new life to work through.
Actually I may be moving back to what is familiar. I never really felt at home and comfortable where I've lived (for my job) for so many years. I know that my old home town area has changed, a lot, but some things will seem the same - the natural areas, the climate (4 seasons), the basic nature of people of the region, the language spoken (English!), the love of history, culture, the University, etc.
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