POLL: Given this criteria, where would you suggest I move? (real estate, condo)

[wanderer71]

I am looking to make a move and here are the stats on me:

I am a 39 yr old white female. Divorced, no children

I am politically somewhat left leaning but mostly an independent as both sides drive me crazy most of the time.

I absolutely hate humid weather. I also hate dreary, dank, wet, weather.

I am originally from Boston, MA. Then I lived in NYC/NJ and now I live in Santa Fe, NM. I loved each of these areas (though NJ was bloody humid) but all three have such high cost of living I couldn't take it anymore. I am ready to make a change and live more simply in a less expensive area.

I love both the mountains and the ocean. But being close enough to drive 1-2 hours to the mountains or the ocean would be fine.

I really want a low cost of living, affordable housing, low taxes. I thought I was doing a great thing by moving to Santa Fe, NM, but I'm finding it's too expensive. Albuquerque is much less expensive but I kind of hate that city. It's ugly.

I'm thinking about Atlanta (I know, no mountains, no ocean, and really hot!) but the low cost of living there sounds great. The only problem is that I'm beginning to think the low cost housing is only in the ghettos. Whenever I find a nice house/condo in a nice/safe neighborhood it's about 3x the price of what is being pushed by forbes/fortune magazine stats. Is Atlanta really that cheap or is it just certain (awful) neighborhoods?

I do not need to be in a major city, but I would like to be within 1-2 hours of one. I am fine with a mid-sized city or even a small town that's close to a mid-sized city.

I do need to be around like minded people and some cultural stuff. Concerts, shows, plays and the like nearby would be good.

My work: I have an online business, a retail boutique, which I can do from anyplace as long as I'm close to a post office as there's lost of shipping involved.

Is there anywhere in FL that isn't all retirees? I'm not a young single but I don't want everyone else to be having supper at 4pm

I'm not interested in Las Vegas (yuck) or AZ.
Colorado comes to mind but is there anywhere that's truly affordable?
Also, western NC comes to mind (Asheville) but hasn't the cost of living there tripled the past decade?
Someone mentioned Spokane, WA, but I know nothing about that area.
I absolutely love coastal Maine, my aunt has an old farmhouse way up on the coast in Blue Hill that is so gorgeous it makes me want to cry. But I don't think it's affordable there and the winters are brutal, may as well be Canada.
I can't imagine anywhere in CA would fit the bill, too expensive, plus the earthquake potential.
I also want to avoid the tornado areas, and the flood zone areas along the Mississippi. Oddly, I love New Orleans, even with the humidity, but would anyone tell me that is a good idea? I hear so much about the corruption of the state government and the problems there. Plus the flooding and hurricane issues might happen again.

oh, and for what's its worth, I am a sucker for old historic architecture. I grew up in Boston so it's part of my blood. When I was in Savannah, GA, last year I was drooooooling. I just love me some beautiful, charming older homes (and hate those "planned communities" like in AZ or Las Vegas or many parts of FL). But, of course, given that I'm asking for places that are CHEAP I understand I might not be able to have everything I want!

I'm open to any and all suggestions. Thank you!! So Much!!

[knrstz]

Colorado Springs is quite a bit cheaper than Denver.

[northstar22]

I would suggest Asheville, NC. Mild weather (but not overly humid), mountains, great scenery and a liberal feel (but not crazy liberal, moderate liberal). I visited there once - it reminded me of the Midwest: not the mountains, but the culture and climate.

http://www.exploreasheville.com/index.aspx
http://www.ashevillenc.gov/
http://www.ashevillenc.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asheville,_North_Carolina

[knrstz]

From what I've read in the western carolina forum it was very difficult to make a living in Western North carolina before the recession. Try Knoxville, TN. Very pretty and more of an economy.

[meadowNC]

My first thought was CO Springs or Pueblo. Denver in general might be too expensive and the weather is more unpredictable than Pueblo. However, Asheville is a great suggestion based on your criteria. Real estate there used to be pretty expensive but I'm pretty sure things have changed in the last 2 years. Plus, the beach would be within reason to visit over a long weekend.

Savannah is wonderful and highly underrated. However, if you hate humidity, you would be dying there 4 months out of the year. I've learned to handle some humidity, but whenever I think of visiting Savannah, my first thought is related to the time of year. May through September are likely to be miserably humid, from my perspective.

[northstar22]

Knoxville is, if I'm not mistaken, much more conservative than Asheville. I'm not sure you'd find that appealing.

[creeksitter]

Knoxville City is not particularly conservative. Knox county does vote strongly republican, but there's the Appalachian tradition of tolerance.

However the OP's hate on humidity knocks off Knoxville and all of the Southeast. Even Asheville, I'm afraid. Especially Atlanta.

P.s. most of the universe is much more conservative than Asheville, i'm just sayin'. There again you pay a premium for living in a crunchy mecca.

How about Tucson?

[ckhthankgod]

Maybe the Tidewater area of Virginia, Upstate SC(Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, Clemson, etc.) and Philadelphia.

[kyle19125]

I have your spot...Chapel Hill, NC.
Chapel Hill, North Carolina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Town of Chapel Hill : Home

It's a liberal small town (75,000 people) which is part of the Raleigh-Durham (Triangle) metro area.
Research Triangle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It's a college town (one of the most picture perfect I've seen) with a nice downtown area and it's very walkable.

http://www.consultwebs.com/ncphotos/images/aerials/UNC-00-1030832_large_dropwm.jpg (broken link)
Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership :: Home (http://www.downtownchapelhill.com/index.php - broken link)

Also worth checking out is the neighboring town of Carrboro, which runs right into Chapel Hill. Carrboro offers more in the way of affordable historic homes (bungalows).

Carrboro, North Carolina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Carrboro, North Carolina Overview

YouTube - It's Carrboro ...how many towns of 18,000 inspire a video?

Despite the fact that Chapel Hill is a college town you won't have the sense you're old and out of place. There are quite a number of older singles thanks to the university and major hospital, plus its proximity to Raleigh and Durham attracts a fair number of singles who like Chapel Hill's amenities.

There is a nice blend of all four seasons, none are extreme. Average Weather for Chapel Hill, NC - Temperature and Precipitation

It's also lacking in catastrophic events like tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires, flooding and hurricanes though some hurricane remnants have come through from time to time. It's an hour and a half to the beach and about the same to the mountains. It's very clean/green with a lot of greenspace as well. Duke Forest is beautiful! Duke Forest

Check it out and good luck!

[rnc2mbfl]

Originally Posted by knrstz

Colorado Springs is quite a bit cheaper than Denver.

...and quite a bit more politically conservative. It's not going to match her stated left leaning political posture.