SW VA or NE TN?

[MyCitySearchName]

I think Volster LIVES in Virginia and knows its nice.....but is trying to discourage people from moving there, so it stays nice.....LOL......maybe.....

[cynbar]

We have lived in Middle Tennessee for about 9 years and have looked at the Tri-City Area as a retirement destination. Some considerations when considering TN...the sales tax is the major source of state revenue and at 9.025% is a bit much. The 0% income tax is a bit of a misnomer as the state has a "hall tax" which taxes all of your non-tax sheltered investment dividends, cap gains, etc. at 6%. So if you have any sum of investments, you get hit every April with a hefty (sometimes unexpected) tax bill.

Johnson City is seeing tremendous growth and property prices are in a growth spurt. I'm not as familiar with Bristol or Kingsport TN. But the entire East Tennessee area is beautiful.

[GOTTAGETOUTTANEWJERSEY]

Originally Posted by MyCitySearchName

I want to move soon, but I am not having much luck making a decision. I'm thinking heavily about Floyd, VA. or the Tri City TN area.

I have been looking at NCent. AR, NE AL, N GA, E TN, and SW VA mostly, but cut out the others for various reasons.

I posted a lengthy thread here:
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/sh...02&page=1&pp=30 (broken link)

But I'm still in a quandary.

I am finding quite a bit more bang for the buck in Tennessee (property wise), but until I can drive over there and have a look around I don't think I'll be able to make up my mind. I don't think any of the communities in TN have the appeal of Floyd, VA. We'll see. I also heard Giles, Franklin, and Patrick counties were nice. Any thoughts? How are Hillsville, Wytheville, Abingdon, Dublin or Christiansburg? Are they even worth considering?

I can't find any reliable info on property taxes either. This is one of my biggest concerns. Is it possible to give me a generic idea of what that might run, for say a $100,000 property? (just to make it simple) I want to stay put after this move and I don't want to get stuck with a lot of taxes and cost-of-living increases.

In Arkansas, I'm seeing between $50-$150 per year in property tax, depending on whether you get a homestead exemption or not. Is a homestead exemption even available in Virginia?

In Tennessee, for a $100,000 property, taxes are roughly $220 in Cookeville (which had the only property tax calculator I could find) and they have no income tax.

In Virginia, the sales tax is 5% and the income tax is 5.75%, so in essence I'm paying 10.75%, and as far as I can tell, the property taxes are close to $1000. Does this sound accurate? I LOVE the idea of Floyd, but if this is accurate, I don't think I'll make it.

I want my next move to be permanent, and I'd like to have my ducks in a row.

I'm self employed and won't have to look for work, but I do need to be fairly close (within 20-30min) of a decent (30-100k pop.) sized town.

Thanks for any help you're willing to provide.

The wife and I are recently retired and trying to relocate out of New jersey.The cost of living is wayyy over the top...
Anyway I hope this link works for you....Taxes by State
I guess you can't post active links on this board?You'll have to copy and paste it into your browser I guess...

[roanoker 4]

I like the one about Virginia being a socialist state. I took my first trip to eastern Tennessee recently and I thought the people around Pigeon Forge,
Knoxville areas were some of the friendliest people in the U.S. I was amazed at how the people there embrace their heritage of being country-like and they want you to feel welcome. Its almost like going back in time to around
1960. Tennessee people are very proud and welcoming of outsiders. Virginia is a very varied state. Southwestern and southside parts of VA are the most depressed areas but remember the northern part of VA is where the money is. On housing and income levels, Tennessee and Virginia aren't in the same category. Virginia is one of the richest states overall in the South(after Florida). I think if you are from TN you will probably remain there and vice-versa for VA. I think SW VA(below Blacksburg) is a lot more like Tennessee than the rest of VA. Also, Roanoke, Martinsville are more like North Carolina than the rest of VA. You really have to get to know the state to get these impressions.

[angryaryan]

just wondering how far west do the mountains in tn extend? im trying to figure out how far i can look for a place i really liked what i saw of the tri cities so tryin to find something around there i do know the wife dont wanna live in a big city she said bristol was to big and mountain city was to small if that helps lol...

[roanoker 4]

As you go beyond Bristol area the mountains get smaller and then become ridges down toward Knoxville. If you go a little east toward NC then you get into the highest elevations of the Blue Ridge. The mountains up here in Roanoke are about middle range and they seem to get higher as you go further south towards Asheville, Gatlinburg. I think the nicest views of the Blue Ridge are around Blowing Rock NC.