[arctichomesteader]

Wow if this had been earlier in the summer I might of checked that out as an investment property.

[Riley.]

This can be a difficult place to live but from the sounds of it, you have financial resources which makes a move here more feasible. Home prices run the gamut and depend on where you’re looking. Property taxes as you mentioned are ridiculous for ‘what you get.’ It’s the education tax that is the problem. It’s all done on the backs of the property owner and they increase every year. You have your town tax, too, in addition to the education tax. This state has no vision for future fiscal health and are loathe to make the state business friendly. There are only a few really good employers in the state. And wages are generally low depending on your skill set.
Winters are long and dreary and the snow for skiing is not always good. Recreational activities in the warmer months are good although the weather can be unpredictable. When it’s good though it’s GOOD.
The locals are not very friendly to newcomers, unfortunately, and unless you know people here already, it can be hard to fit in and develop a social network. If you have kids in school it’d probably be easier. It’s a narrow minded place IMO especially if you don’t lean socialist/progressive although no one will ever say that.
I am looking to relocate out of this state when I retire in a year or so...

[cgregor]

In other words, "find another state." This is a message used to keep Vermont a special place. I would recommend you consider suburban New Jersey!

Seriously, what I like about this state is that you can make a difference. If you'd like the local schools to be better, you can join the PTA, buttonhole the superintendent or principal and get your ideas worked on. If you have a better idea for public recreation, people will listen to you and join you in making it happen. If you see people beating their head against a wall on an old problem, you might have the fresh point of view they've been missing. Don't move to this state and simply be a spectator!

I also like Vermont for having its rural areas literally seconds away from most front doors. A ten-minute walk from downtown puts me on the edge of woods and fields that stretch for three miles in three directions. Hiking them, skiing them or snowshoeing them is a great alternative to being one unit in an industrial-grade fitness spa.

And my town has great real estate bargains.

[Riley.]

Vermont is special for its natural beauty and recreational opportunities, although as I mentioned, skiing conditions can vary greatly from year to year. As an outsider who moved here 14 years ago, I prefer to offer my honest perspective on the state to save someone the drama of relocating here and later regretting it. You can do better than here unless $$ and social issues do not concern you and you like a long cold winter.

[Phorlan]

pamjedlicka said: "You can do better than here unless $$ and social issues do not concern you and you like a long cold winter."

Well what does better mean? More beautiful than Vermont? Sure, let's look at the options then. That could mean Colorado, right? It's beautiful and as far as the weather it could be "better"; surely the weather would be more sunny. But would it be cheaper? I doubt. If you find yourself anywhere in Montana/Colorado where you think, other than the weather, that's it's better financially, cheaper, than Vermont you are in a not very desirable area of the state. In other words, you are not around Boulder/Fort Collins, you are around Pueblo, in Southern Colorado and frankly it's not that great. Sure, it's cheap. I think by now you should know that, almost in 2018, if a place is beautiful in any western country, whether it's the US or Western Europe it's not going to be cheap. Don't you know that? You want the mountains or the ocean, or an amazing lake, you want the snow and interesting towns and culture you're going to pay for it. So I'm not sure what people are looking for when they look for a cheap, great place! I'm a progressive/Atheist born in France who like to ski and won't go into despair is the snow is not good a particular year as long as food, people is always great. What makes a place is the people, the people and the people.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by loreebee65

Property taxes are practically a shocker, and I hear they are set to rise again.

It depends on what you have for income. The expensive part of property taxes is the Act 68 state school tax. If you aren't higher income, most of that is means tested. The municipal property tax part of the bill isn't means tested and that varies greatly from town to town. You have to shop the town carefully.

You kind of have to consider energy costs. It's a rural place. You drive a lot in any rural place. Gasoline taxes in Vermont aren't awful but you probably buy gasoline at a low volume mom & pop gas station that has to charge more just to keep the doors open. Other than Burlington and down to Middlebury, there is no natural gas infrastructure in the state. Oil is cheap now but that's unlikely to last. Propane is expensive unless you have a huge tank where you can bulk buy to save some. Most people use wood as their primary heat source to save money and oil as their backup. If you buy a drafty old house, you're likely going to pump a lot of money into making it more energy efficient. Electricity is expensive because it's a rural state with trees so there are high costs maintaining the infrastructure.

Vermont is mostly like anywhere else. If you have a job lined up before you move that pays well enough to cover the regional cost of living, it's fine. If you show up unemployed and take a low paying service sector job, you're going to struggle.

[Riley.]

I wasn’t saying ‘cheap,’ I meant less costly. Vermont is not known for being affordable and I thought it was worth mentioning. You really do need a good job and/or financial resources if you want to be comfortable here. I agree that for certain amenities you will pay. The amenities here would be the natural beauty and outdoor recreational activities. Everything else depends on how you want to live. As for skiing, I lived in Vail for a number of years and I was spoiled by that for sure. Do you live here in VT?

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by Phorlan

pamjedlicka said: "You can do better than here unless $$ and social issues do not concern you and you like a long cold winter."

Well what does better mean? More beautiful than Vermont? Sure, let's look at the options then. That could mean Colorado, right? It's beautiful and as far as the weather it could be "better"; surely the weather would be more sunny. But would it be cheaper? I doubt. If you find yourself anywhere in Montana/Colorado where you think, other than the weather, that's it's better financially, cheaper, than Vermont you are in a not very desirable area of the state. In other words, you are not around Boulder/Fort Collins, you are around Pueblo, in Southern Colorado and frankly it's not that great. Sure, it's cheap. I think by now you should know that, almost in 2018, if a place is beautiful in any western country, whether it's the US or Western Europe it's not going to be cheap. Don't you know that? You want the mountains or the ocean, or an amazing lake, you want the snow and interesting towns and culture you're going to pay for it. So I'm not sure what people are looking for when they look for a cheap, great place! I'm a progressive/Atheist born in France who like to ski and won't go into despair is the snow is not good a particular year as long as food, people is always great. What makes a place is the people, the people and the people.

FWIW, I'd say Maine has what VT has at a more affordable price outside of southwestern Maine. Plus the ocean.

[squarpeg]

I'd say Maine has what VT has at a more affordable price outside of southwestern Maine. Plus the ocean.

I am going to disagree with the above statement. Well, actually the post is not specific enough to really disagree with it. What I will say is Vt is nothing like maine. Two different animals. The coast of maine is beautiful has a lot of money, but nothing like VT. Inland Maine makes VT look like a thriving wealthy metropolis. I will also say that every person I ever met that was from Maine was completely crazy. They are called Maniacs for a reason.

[Riley.]

Haha I guess I won’t be moving to Maine!! ��