[cgregor]

Originally Posted by DC Fairwinds

But, if you aren't lower income, it hits you hard. I live in a 4 bedroom home that we built ourselves in 2001 with about 15 acres, in Brownington. We don't even have our own zip code. We have about 1K people, no store, nothing, just 2 churches and I pay around $4300/year in taxes. It's ridiculously high considering the nearest large city is almost 2 hours away.

You live in exactly the sort of situation that others would LOVE to have and would be willing to pay even higher taxes if they could get it. As a result of upgrading my house, I expect to see my property taxes triple, but I know my offspring will make a killing when they settle the estate. It's a form of investment.

[VTsnowbird]

Originally Posted by DC Fairwinds

But, if you aren't lower income, it hits you hard. I live in a 4 bedroom home that we built ourselves in 2001 with about 15 acres, in Brownington. We don't even have our own zip code. We have about 1K people, no store, nothing, just 2 churches and I pay around $4300/year in taxes. It's ridiculously high considering the nearest large city is almost 2 hours away.

Vermont has a pretty liberal definition of lower income. Like $137,500.

Income Threshold Dramatically Increased for Vermont Property Tax Adjustment | WestView Investment Advisors

[DC Fairwinds]

Originally Posted by VTsnowbird

Vermont has a pretty liberal definition of lower income. Like $137,500.

Income Threshold Dramatically Increased for Vermont Property Tax Adjustment | WestView Investment Advisors

I would not put my land in land use because I do not want the government telling me what I can and cannot do with it.

[DC Fairwinds]

Originally Posted by cgregor

You live in exactly the sort of situation that others would LOVE to have and would be willing to pay even higher taxes if they could get it. As a result of upgrading my house, I expect to see my property taxes triple, but I know my offspring will make a killing when they settle the estate. It's a form of investment.

Well, my house IS for sale. LOL. I'll send you an pic if you want.

[cgregor]

Thanks, but everything I need is within ten minutes walking distance-- including the cemetery! I'm set for life.... Good luck!

[ansible90]

Originally Posted by DC Fairwinds

But, if you aren't lower income, it hits you hard. I live in a 4 bedroom home that we built ourselves in 2001 with about 15 acres, in Brownington. We don't even have our own zip code. We have about 1K people, no store, nothing, just 2 churches and I pay around $4300/year in taxes. It's ridiculously high considering the nearest large city is almost 2 hours away.

Don't know where else you have lived, but that doesn't seem like all that much for a rather new-ish 4 bedroom house. Distance to a city has nothing to do with it. Maybe it's the location you don't like. I don't consider your taxes so terrible, but I have lived elsewhere and so have a different perspective.

Originally Posted by VTsnowbird

Vermont has a pretty liberal definition of lower income. Like $137,500.

Income Threshold Dramatically Increased for Vermont Property Tax Adjustment | WestView Investment Advisors

[DC Fairwinds]

Originally Posted by ansible90

Don't know where else you have lived, but that doesn't seem like all that much for a rather new-ish 4 bedroom house. Distance to a city has nothing to do with it. Maybe it's the location you don't like. I don't consider your taxes so terrible, but I have lived elsewhere and so have a different perspective.

Really? I think they are high considering the fact that there is nothing here except farmland and woods. We do have a small school with about 140 students. No store, no post office, nothing except for 2 churches. For what we have in the area, I think it's high. Glad to think others disagree and will buy my place so I can move south and get out of the deep freeze.

[RobinG60]

Methinks the grass is always greener.
Became permanent Vermont resident 2 weeks ago, yay me/us!
I could complain about: couple months back, the sump pump dying and when the temps went from 60 to 5 degrees and basement flooded then had to slide down my ice covered steep driveway to but the last pump in Vermont.
Or I could lament, from July thru yesterday, self moving all our crap in our old age, hauling on trailers like the Joad family in the Grapes of Wrath, only to be told, when we got the big 900 foot rental vehicle, via town sign at the end of our dirt/mud road, that "no heavy trucks until April 1st on road."
So my Alan and son loaded said truck, drove up from Jersey, then had to unload all our crap, lol, into new Hampshire storage unit, to be moved by us again, the past 2 weeks.
Won't even go into their calls for non existent taxi or uber, or how they drove big truck, parked at end of our road and walked 2 miles UPHILL in a snow squall to check on the house.
Our new neighbors were kind enough to give the hitch hikers a ride back to prohibited vehicle the next morning.
The weather:
Between the ice/3feet of snow and us being away for a week closing shop south, we had to hire a Backhoe fella to pull Alan's jacknifed trailer out of the woods next to our driveway (and he's ex army tank driver and plowed extraordinaire!). Thank God I arrived here first after the nj house closing, we were trapped up here on our little paradise mountain for 3 days, said trailer blocking the works.
Two weeks later, we're almost unpacked, can you say MUD? Holy crow,I think it's in the food we eat for dinner, it's so pervasive!
Lol.

Just have to say, 8 months in, 2 weeks fulltime, and:
I Love Vermont!
In spite of all the trials.
Cause, (and I always say: pick your poison and yur passion, every place has both): they have Black! squirrels here, how cool is that?And, In my meanderings all around, I've seen a myriad of different folk, but they all kinda just blend together and make it work together. I have met: a downeast farmer who loved my dogs and told me scary tales about snow in June! I had lengthy and fascinating conversation with a very cultured woman of the arts. I had a seemingly ragtag homeless fellow help me gather some dollar bills that fell out of my purse, the nicest man you could ever encounter. I may be naive, but I kinda feel that most folks here just take it easy and get along, regardless of social standing whatever. And to me that is a Huge deal. Cause it's not that way in many places.
As well: the quiet, the stars, the rivers, the trees, the lack of billboards. The peaceful quiet. The sweet little towns. The older folks who still kick ads with zest!
Those of u who were born and raised may envision a different, better life. For me, I have aspired to This life.
Fyi. For those lamenting taxes, I left Nj paying $13,000 in property taxes for 4 acres and a 3 bed home in rural community! Previous,
I moved out of my old town where folks are going bankrupt with their $25,000 property taxes.
So, it's all relative I guess.
I know I have the deal of my lifetime here : ice, mud and lackluster bread notwithstanding.

[Biker53]

Well said RobinG60. You hit upon one item that I particularly like. Folks with disparate backgrounds and lives get along. An example I have used is a cookout with neighbors of mine. They live in a trailer. The guests included the full economic and lifestyle range. Farmers, retired high level executives, mechanic, Licensed Nursing Asst, factory workers, lab workers, para-educator, teacher, carpenter, mason, young, old, rich, poor, and even someone most here can see on TV just about every night. And the significant differences in backgrounds and socio-economic status didn't matter at all.

[DC Fairwinds]

Originally Posted by RobinG60

Methinks the grass is always greener.
Became permanent Vermont resident 2 weeks ago, yay me/us!
I could complain about: couple months back, the sump pump dying and when the temps went from 60 to 5 degrees and basement flooded then had to slide down my ice covered steep driveway to but the last pump in Vermont.
Or I could lament, from July thru yesterday, self moving all our crap in our old age, hauling on trailers like the Joad family in the Grapes of Wrath, only to be told, when we got the big 900 foot rental vehicle, via town sign at the end of our dirt/mud road, that "no heavy trucks until April 1st on road."
So my Alan and son loaded said truck, drove up from Jersey, then had to unload all our crap, lol, into new Hampshire storage unit, to be moved by us again, the past 2 weeks.
Won't even go into their calls for non existent taxi or uber, or how they drove big truck, parked at end of our road and walked 2 miles UPHILL in a snow squall to check on the house.
Our new neighbors were kind enough to give the hitch hikers a ride back to prohibited vehicle the next morning.
The weather:
Between the ice/3feet of snow and us being away for a week closing shop south, we had to hire a Backhoe fella to pull Alan's jacknifed trailer out of the woods next to our driveway (and he's ex army tank driver and plowed extraordinaire!). Thank God I arrived here first after the nj house closing, we were trapped up here on our little paradise mountain for 3 days, said trailer blocking the works.
Two weeks later, we're almost unpacked, can you say MUD? Holy crow,I think it's in the food we eat for dinner, it's so pervasive!
Lol.

Just have to say, 8 months in, 2 weeks fulltime, and:
I Love Vermont!
In spite of all the trials.
Cause, (and I always say: pick your poison and yur passion, every place has both): they have Black! squirrels here, how cool is that?And, In my meanderings all around, I've seen a myriad of different folk, but they all kinda just blend together and make it work together. I have met: a downeast farmer who loved my dogs and told me scary tales about snow in June! I had lengthy and fascinating conversation with a very cultured woman of the arts. I had a seemingly ragtag homeless fellow help me gather some dollar bills that fell out of my purse, the nicest man you could ever encounter. I may be naive, but I kinda feel that most folks here just take it easy and get along, regardless of social standing whatever. And to me that is a Huge deal. Cause it's not that way in many places.
As well: the quiet, the stars, the rivers, the trees, the lack of billboards. The peaceful quiet. The sweet little towns. The older folks who still kick ads with zest!
Those of u who were born and raised may envision a different, better life. For me, I have aspired to This life.
Fyi. For those lamenting taxes, I left Nj paying $13,000 in property taxes for 4 acres and a 3 bed home in rural community! Previous,
I moved out of my old town where folks are going bankrupt with their $25,000 property taxes.
So, it's all relative I guess.
I know I have the deal of my lifetime here : ice, mud and lackluster bread notwithstanding.

As a Vermonter born and raised here, I love your post! It's so accurate. LOL. I'm used to those things you mentioned and you were spot on in your description of VT.

My main reason for leaving is I'm tired of winter. It lasts forever and it's very grey and dreary. I'm ready for a new adventure in the sunny South.

VT is not a horrible place to live. I'd never say that. It all depends on what a person wants. Hope you are very happy here.