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I keep vasilating on this decision so I figured you could tell me what you would do if you were in my situation.
I'm from Buffalo area, born and bred... so is the husband. We have 3 small children.
We were away and moved back a year and a half ago... were fortunate enough to sell a business and stop working for a while. Now I have to go back to work.
Husband and I both have our whole extended family here.... they are great but we don't see them as much as we'd like.
Due to circumstances there is only one job I am looking at in Buffalo. It pays 50 thousand less per year than the jobs I want in another state.
There is no income tax there so take another 12 thousand or so off the salary.
Then in the other state the property taxes are lower so another several thousand or more in savings down there.
Also comparable houses cost less in the other state.
We don't particularly like the cold weather and snow. The other state is a lot warmer in winter. Summers are way better here though.
We don't like the segregation in this area.
We do love Buffalo and wny... it is home to us.
I'm torn. Life is not all about money I guess but the financial incentives to move are big.
Your opinions/advice please.
What is the other location, as factors such as schools, child care, other fees/taxes, driving times and even the lack of seasons may come into play, among other things.
It boils down to quality of life like ckh mentioned. My own personal goal was to spend as little time as a slave to oil and car companies while staring at other people's tail-lights and an asphalt ribbon. The independence from cars was a lifestyle I wanted to portray to my kids so I decided to locate near transit. Since my quality of life is ideal, I can work efficiently to help my kids achieve their goals. Nothing works if you are unhappy so you have to do what is right for you and your kids.
The extended family is a valuable experience for kids, but you claim that you don't see them very often so the value of this is lowered. Finances can make certain goals realizable so they do play a role. If you prefer other climates, that makes the decision easier. The segregation in WNY is distressing. You only need to leave a city to watch the populations change dramatically. The unwillingness of people to accept others is alarming. To the point where systems are established to exclude many. But that's not just WNY that's a whole rust-belt phenomena.
Also, I'm surprised about this place having no income tax, but having lower property taxes than Upstate NY. I'm not saying that this is a lie, but states like Texas and New Hampshire that have no income tax tend to make up for revenues by having high property taxes. Rates may be lower in those states, but that is due to having higher home prices on average. So, even with property taxes, you can make out with lower overall property/housing costs.
While the Buffalo area can be segregated, perhaps a little bit of research could offset that. Meaning, look at suburban, urban and private schools in the area with diversity and at least a good quality in terms of academics. In the suburbs, Sweet Home, Amherst Central, Williamsville Central and maybe even to a lesser degree, Cleveland Hill, Kenmore-Tonawanda, Cheektowaga Central, Akron and Lake View could fit. In Buffalo in terms of HS, DiVinci, Hutchinson Tech, City Honors and to a lesser degree, McKinley could work. As for private schools, perhaps single sex schools like St. Joe's, Canisius, Holy Angels and Buffalo Seminary could work, with some consideration to Nichols or the Park School in Snyder. So, there are good school options with diversity in the area.
I don't know what city you're looking into exactly - that information would help to better measure the pros and cons of a move.
However, I think it's wise that you do move. WNY has a very bleak outlook, it will continue to under perform the national economy resulting in a lower standard of living on a relative basis. The only projects in Buffalo that are going on right now are heavily subsidized by a broke government. There is little private investment to speak of, and why should there be? - NY has perhaps the worst business environment in the country and Upstate lacks the advantages that have kept NYC viable.
Your family may be in Buffalo now but I guarantee that more will leave as the Upstate economy stagnates while taxes continue to increase. Furthermore, as your kids grow up and graduate from school, they would likely move from Buffalo to pursue job opportunities. However, if they grow up and develop childhood friendships in a vibrant area that offers them a future they will be more likely to settle down there themselves. So distancing yourself from family now may serve to preserve the unity of your immediate family down the line... Just something to consider.
Unfortunately or the reality is that many jobs are subsidized by government through subsidies to private companies or are government based employment. Taxes and Fees are rising in various places in the country in order to bring in revenue. So, it will come down to what a person or family is looking for.
Thanks for your input.... it is appreciated! I am no closer to a decision yet so I'm still thinking. Neither of the jobs have been offered to me yet, so I'm just hoping that I'll get one of them.
ckh, In terms of the taxes, it's true that they are less surprisingly enough. I just picked a random house in Tampa and the price is a little lower than mine, and I pay somewhere over 8 thousand in property taxes. This is the zillow page and if you scroll down you'll see the taxes were 2-3 grand. 4800 N River Shore Dr, Tampa, FL 33603 MLS# H2077205 - Zillow
Thanks for your input.... it is appreciated! I am no closer to a decision yet so I'm still thinking. Neither of the jobs have been offered to me yet, so I'm just hoping that I'll get one of them.
ckh, In terms of the taxes, it's true that they are less surprisingly enough. I just picked a random house in Tampa and the price is a little lower than mine, and I pay somewhere over 8 thousand in property taxes. This is the zillow page and if you scroll down you'll see the taxes were 2-3 grand. 4800 N River Shore Dr, Tampa, FL 33603 MLS# H2077205 - Zillow
Check to make sure that the previous owner didn't have tax exemptions, which is something you should look into. Perhaps challenge your assessment too. That may have been the taxes for the last owner and that may not be the case for you. You may find a similarly sized home in the Buffalo area for less in terms of overall costs too.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 08-16-2012 at 12:01 PM..
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