[EricS39]

Originally Posted by the fish

Renting east of the river, what a utopia! Care to share the name of the town?

Ellington, CT
Very nice town with 24 hour fitness center free included
Apple picking farm down the street
Hilly windy backroads with minimal traffic
And if I want to go to the richy towns west of river that you complain about so much , I can get there in 12 minutes of a drive

I pay $900/month that's it
My mill rate is very low and no taxes I've hit yet that aren't common in most US states

I am noticing very few CT affordability complains from the east section of the state. This says something about dysfunctionality of some of the state's town finances more so than it being a state issue driving people out. I hear a lot of complaints about property taxes and this is set by town mill rates not so much Connecticut as a whole

So maybe instead of leaving the lovely state of CT, change towns. It comes down to this. If your rates came down, would you still want to leave the state?

And if you really want out, Longmeadow Massachusetts is cheaper and on the Enfield line. I see absolutely no reason to leave the entire region of the northeast over tax issues unless your heart is set on leaving no matter what

[EricS39]

My worry isn't about can I handle CT

If it were I would not be so frustrated with what anyone else thinks. My concern is you guys leaving the state will cause my employer to move to Texas and then it won't be an option for me to stay obviously. Trying to keep you guys here to save my job from leaving

And all of you who love it here better do whatever possible to keep as many high income people from making the move down south or else whatever you do for work will be gone and like it or not, we all will be relocating to Texas. There won't be a Connecticut any longer

[the fish]

Originally Posted by EricS39

Ellington, CT
Very nice town with 24 hour fitness center free included
Apple picking farm down the street
Hilly windy backroads with minimal traffic
And if I want to go to the richy towns west of river that you complain about so much , I can get there in 12 minutes of a drive

I pay $900/month that's it
My mill rate is very low and no taxes I've hit yet that aren't common in most US states

I am noticing very few CT affordability complains from the east section of the state. This says something about dysfunctionality of some of the state's town finances more so than it being a state issue driving people out. I hear a lot of complaints about property taxes and this is set by town mill rates not so much Connecticut as a whole

So maybe instead of leaving the lovely state of CT, change towns. It comes down to this. If your rates came down, would you still want to leave the state?

And if you really want out, Longmeadow Massachusetts is cheaper and on the Enfield line. I see absolutely no reason to leave the entire region of the northeast over tax issues unless your heart is set on leaving no matter what

Right, why bother owning your own home when you can rent! problem solved! Everyone can put their family of 4 into an apartment!

[EricS39]

Originally Posted by the fish

Right, why bother owning your own home when you can rent! problem solved! Everyone can put their family of 4 into an apartment!

Any economist would be able to tell you that if the rent is $900/month (no subsidies involved), then it is apparently at the very least...a break-even to own the property (taxes included) or else the cost burden would be passed onto the tenant by the landlord and my rent would be hiked. So it's not that it's cheaper to rent than own, it's that it's cheaper to rent and own east of CT River than it is to both rent and own west of the river.

Longterm, it is of no benefit either way to own vs rent as far as risk/reward...perceived cost and liability risks. During real estate boom, it's financially better to own, during real estate plunge it's financially better to rent...during stagnation ( where we are right now)...makes no difference

Owning you get reward of no indebtedness not borrowing land/building, but you accept responsibility for property damage and maintenance. It's risk/reward...

Rent advantages are really good:
Can move without worrying about selling
No financial worries if there is a water leak or a bulb goes out
No property tax paperwork
Renters insurance way less than homeowners insurance
On site help when something is wrong
While owning can appreciate one's networth, it too can destroy one's equity

[ctwhitechin]

Originally Posted by EricS39

$1,000 taxes avoided moving to Florida is $3/day

You can't be serious. So all you need to do is add in a morning coffee and you more than outdo the savings of moving down. Or you can theoretically donate a cup of Starbucks coffee a day to better schools and state parks...

I like this state. I'm ok with donating a cup of coffee a day for better schools and parks, instead of to a hyper shake. To each their own preference .

That was just an example. We are happy in Florida, no way could we afford the home we are getting here, in CT. Have to admit, CT economy is in the toilet. Not a business friendly state for sure, Malloy dosnt see that though..he thinks creating some part time jobs is good news, but Metlife leaving, ehhh whatever. I could have gone to Charlotte, but too far from the ocean for me, and actually probably could have built a bigger home in NC or SC for less $ than here in FL.

I liked my 10 years in CT, it is a beautiful state scenery wise, we met some really nice people but the politicians have no clue.....

[EricS39]

My fiancée is annoyed with me over my annoying her about how much I like living in Connecticut. Funny thing is she grew up all her life in New England.

I grew up in Florida and moved here in 2010. She likes Florida and I like here. Since I'm the breadwinner sort of, we are here.

She is also a very right of center New Englander and I'm a left of center guy.

She put it bluntly: "you have your opinion I have mine. People come and people go. There's obviously more to do down south. People can't afford to live here...no I didn't say we are moving out don't put words in my mouth ...but I grew up here ....now can we move past this topic you really don't know when enough is enough ...you keep this up you won't be with me much longer dude...over and over and over again the same topic...you are a bore"

Fiancée said this to me

[bobtn]

Originally Posted by EricS39

My fiancée is annoyed with me over my annoying her about how much I like living in Connecticut. Funny thing is she grew up all her life in New England.

I grew up in Florida and moved here in 2010. She likes Florida and I like here. Since I'm the breadwinner sort of, we are here.

She is also a very right of center New Englander and I'm a left of center guy.

She put it bluntly: "you have your opinion I have mine. People come and people go. There's obviously more to do down south. People can't afford to live here...no I didn't say we are moving out don't put words in my mouth ...but I grew up here ....now can we move past this topic you really don't know when enough is enough ...you keep this up you won't be with me much longer dude...over and over and over again the same topic...you are a bore"

Fiancée said this to me

Train wreck (difference of opinion level)

[LRPct]

Originally Posted by EricS39

And all of you who love it here better do whatever possible to keep as many high income people from making the move down south or else whatever you do for work will be gone and like it or not, we all will be relocating to Texas. There won't be a Connecticut any longer

That will work out great when half of Texas loses the last bit of drinking water they have in just the next couple years.


Texas Drought Information

Drought forces a Texas city to turn to toilet water - Houston Chronicle

Officials predict Lake Travis will run dry by 2016

[LRPct]

Originally Posted by the fish

Right, why bother owning your own home when you can rent! problem solved! Everyone can put their family of 4 into an apartment!

You must be 12 yo if you do not get the assimilation in housing costs. Btw. Housing is similarly inexpensive in MUCH of west of the river as well. Just not SOUTHwest.

[Mr_250]

The title of this article is a overkill, scare tactic, but some interesting nuggets of knowledge in this piece. I like how a CPA firm is behind this NOT some quasi government group. What I find the most interesting is that CT has 5,000 FEWER businesses than it did 10 years ago. That is a staggering fact esp. for a small State like CT.

The New Britain Herald : New Britain, Conn., and surrounding areas (newbritainherald.com)