Considering Vermont (Burlington, Rutland, Brattleboro: relocating, insurance, incomes)

[Motörhead]

Hi,

My wife and I are considering relocating to Vermont in the next couple of years. We are currently living in Miami, she hates it (has lived here all her life) and I'm no fan of the place either (awful traffic, rude people, terrible customer service, nothing to do in terms of scenery/culture, climate too hot, too expensive, etc, etc).

I would like to hear some opinions from those of you who currently live in Vermont. How's life there? Do you enjoy living in Vermont? What are the pros and cons? Are the locals friendly and do you consider them to be welcoming towards those from other states/other countries? Also, what is there to do in Vermont? I'd imagine that it'd be a good place for outdoor activities, unlike South Florida.

House prices in Vermont seem extremely cheap (compared to Miami, at least). Is there any reason for this?

I know it's a far cry from Miami, but that's exactly what we want. I have seen pictures of Vermont and it looks like an insanely beautiful state.

Many thanks!

[KoZmiC NinJa]

I just moved from VT to South Florida.
The cost of living is going to be cheaper in FL. if you were a
renter. Homeowners in VT dont have to pay the crazy insurance
in FL but dont count on any cost of living change because everything
else is very expensive in VT. If I were to do this, I would only consider
renting in Burlington, Brattleboro or Montpelier and see how you like it.
Any information you are looking for has been posted here many times before.
Rutland is the second largest city(?) in VT. and where I was close to. To make
it short and to the point, I would rather be homeless in Florida than live in
Rutland. Really. Im not kidding.

[68vette]

You should search and read the Vermont forum. This subject has been covered throughly, but just few quick things. Vermont is a nice place to live and raise a family. There is plenty to do outdoors and the scenery is second to none. The housing prices seem cheaper than other parts of the country, but the incomes in Vermont are low(high cost of living). It depends on how much money you come here with and how much you will earn. The other thing to consider is coming from southern Florida, you may find winter a little to much here(it can be cold here for 6 months or so). Summers are beautiful, so I would recommend coming for a visit in January or February to see if winter is for you. A co-worker of mine came from Vero Beach, Fl. and was in complete shock when winter hit. Once their child graduates they are moving to a more mild area.

Search through many of the previous posts and I think many of your questions will be answered.

[Motörhead]

Originally Posted by KoZmiC NinJa

I just moved from VT to South Florida.
The cost of living is going to be cheaper in FL. if you were a
renter. Homeowners in VT dont have to pay the crazy insurance
in FL but dont count on any cost of living change because everything
else is very expensive in VT. If I were to do this, I would only consider
renting in Burlington, Brattleboro or Montpelier and see how you like it.
Any information you are looking for has been posted here many times before.
Rutland is the second largest city(?) in VT. and where I was close to. To make
it short and to the point, I would rather be homeless in Florida than live in
Rutland. Really. Im not kidding.

How are the locals in Burlington, for instance? I find people in South Florida beyond rude (never mind the drivers, many of whom are downright dangerous/reckless). Both my wife and I want to find somewhere peaceful, friendly and scenic to live. The cost of living in South Florida is crazy, considering you don't get your money's worth, IMO. They pay you in sunshine dollars down here, to live in a place that is overly expensive, overcrowded and filled with some of the worst lowlifes imaginable.

[KoZmiC NinJa]

Originally Posted by Motörhead

How are the locals in Burlington, for instance? I find people in South Florida beyond rude (never mind the drivers, many of whom are downright dangerous/reckless). Both my wife and I want to find somewhere peaceful, friendly and scenic to live. The cost of living in South Florida is crazy, considering you don't get your money's worth, IMO. They pay you in sunshine dollars down here, to live in a place that is overly expensive, overcrowded and filled with some of the worst lowlifes imaginable.

Hey Motorhead....my real first name is one of a guy who has
bad teef and plays bass...For real

But yeah.....Im Juno / WPB and for every mean , rude , criminal
yup scum type we've found someone cool to balance it out. I go to
work in Riviera Beach with a weapon. Very scary ! Thats what you
will like about Vermont...people are stoic, but very nice and trustworthy.
You can leave anything outside and it will be there when you want
it. It is very hard for me to get used to how ignorant and self-
centered people are here , but I try to stay out of places that have
a hi quotant of them. Some things that might be hard for someone
in your family to get used to might be how long and dark the winter
is. You can get used to the cold but for me, it was the psychological
issues that go along with cold and dark for long periods. You will
absolutely LOVE driving in VT !! The most friendly driving state there
is. Thats good, because you will spend a lot of time in your car.
Compared to the hiways to hell here, you will think you are on
another planet !!
For me what sealed liking FL better was the job and availability
of cultural stuff without having to drive 45 minutes or more.
I hate malls and stuff but love the beach and nature stuff right
out of my door. The nature in VT is spectacular, just like a postcard
but if you dont ski or dont like the cold it doesnt do you much good
half the year. The end of October will positively blow you away
there...so pretty.
Good luck on your decisions !

[68vette]

One more option for you is that if Vermont is to cold for your liking there are other places that are very nice with four seasons. Charlottesville, Va is like Burlington in many ways. Both are two of the top rated small cities in the US. More mild winter, mountains, history galore, top of the line health care, jobs, ect.

[Motörhead]

Originally Posted by KoZmiC NinJa

Hey Motorhead....my real first name is one of a guy who has
bad teef and plays bass...For real

But yeah.....Im Juno / WPB and for every mean , rude , criminal
yup scum type we've found someone cool to balance it out. I go to
work in Riviera Beach with a weapon. Very scary ! Thats what you
will like about Vermont...people are stoic, but very nice and trustworthy.
You can leave anything outside and it will be there when you want
it. It is very hard for me to get used to how ignorant and self-
centered people are here , but I try to stay out of places that have
a hi quotant of them. Some things that might be hard for someone
in your family to get used to might be how long and dark the winter
is. You can get used to the cold but for me, it was the psychological
issues that go along with cold and dark for long periods. You will
absolutely LOVE driving in VT !! The most friendly driving state there
is. Thats good, because you will spend a lot of time in your car.
Compared to the hiways to hell here, you will think you are on
another planet !!
For me what sealed liking FL better was the job and availability
of cultural stuff without having to drive 45 minutes or more.
I hate malls and stuff but love the beach and nature stuff right
out of my door. The nature in VT is spectacular, just like a postcard
but if you dont ski or dont like the cold it doesnt do you much good
half the year. The end of October will positively blow you away
there...so pretty.
Good luck on your decisions !

Many thanks for your reply.....so you're a Motorhead fan?

Cold doesn't bother me, nor do long, dark winters (I'm from northern Europe originally, so I'm used to it!).

It's funny...because I am no fan of the beach or hot weather and would actually prefer activities such as hiking/skiing. I also like places with a little history, culture....museums, old buildings, etc (not much of that in Miami). I hate malls, but like smaller stores with a friendly 'local' feel.

My wife....she's lived in Miami all of her life and hates it with a passion. She says that she doesn't care about the cold, but wants to get away from here to live somewhere where people are at least civilized and polite. Of course, there are bad eggs everywhere, but we both feel that Miami has more than its fair share of them.

[Motörhead]

Originally Posted by 68vette

One more option for you is that if Vermont is to cold for your liking there are other places that are very nice with four seasons. Charlottesville, Va is like Burlington in many ways. Both are two of the top rated small cities in the US. More mild winter, mountains, history galore, top of the line health care, jobs, ect.

I don't care about the cold....in fact, I like it. Call me crazy, but give me freezing temperatures and snow anyday, over the South Florida heat and humidity, in which it is often virtually impossible to cool down without having the AC on @ full blast.

[pucabear]

I also lived in Florida, then moved to Vermont. The good thing about Vermont is the ability to own a home with some land. We did not find Vermonters, in general, to be friendly. The ones we encountered were very blunt and not real welcoming of out-of-state people. We have since moved, and are happy to be out.

[Lilybeans]

I live in south Florida. We moved here from VT 25 years ago, and now our focus is on getting back. South Florida has become a cesspool.

Vermont is much nicer than Florida. I'll take it any day of the year. It does get cold in the winter, but if you like winter, it's great. One thing to contend with in the winter is the fact it gets dark at 4pm and light at 8am. On the other hand, in the summer it's light at 4:30 and dark at 10pm.

Shoveling snow sucks; so does fixing frozen pipes. Standing in a cold basement with a torch and copper pipe is a drag. Driving in blizzards bites. Being inside during a blizzard is great.

Summers are nice. Springs are muddy as hell. Fall is great. My favorite time of the year is from November 1 through Christmas. I like it when it is gray, and blustery, spittin snow.

Be prepared for a long winter. It's not unusual to see snow on the ground through April and even in May.

I never skied. I did cross country ski, which is nice. If you like fishing, hunting or shooting, Vermont is great.

The people are very nice, once you get to know them. Don't be too "south Florida" oor you won't like it.

It's great watching the news on TV. Once you see what the rest of the country watches, you'll realize how bad it is here. Florida news is murder, murder, robbery, rape, muder, weather, sports. Vermont is a cow loose in a cornfield, and volunteers fixing a conservation project. I know, that is an oversimplification, but the difference is night and day.

Some people cannot make the transition. They just can't cope with the lack of shopping and amenities. There aren't malls on every corner, or Starbucks or whatever is in Miami. Life is different. I think it's better.

Don't go in with the idea that people are "rubes" or unsophisticated or uneducated though. That is most certainly not the case.

I love Vermont. It's the only place I ever felt at home. Even after being in Florida for all these years, the only place I feel comfortable is in Vermont. Strange, eh?