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Old 07-19-2019, 06:01 PM
 
Location: plano
7,885 posts, read 11,328,992 times
Reputation: 7789

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I am retired living in a northern suburb of Dallas Texas. My wife has RA and other auto immune issues so good medical specialist are important to us. We are not mountain view or ocean view loving people. We like the conveniences of a large metro such as DFW, Houston and NYC which are the places we lived the past 30 years. We like the suburbs to living in the city however. We are both near 70 years old and might have one more voluntary move in us. I came fro a family from middle Tennessee and spent summers vacations there and have fond memories of it. I have eliminated good locations in several states in the SE. Nashville metro seems it might be a good fit. Large enough to have good medical specialist and growing which we like. We are focused on Williamson County in middle Tn, specifically Franklin or Brentwood. I have not looked at KY before but thought I would to see if we should visit KY on an exploration trip to Nashville area in a few months.

We like to be convenient to medical of course as well as Costco, Sams Club, good restaurants, and other shopping options such as where we live now. We own a home and would buy at the new location. We are use to a larger home but do not like a large lot as it represents a hassle to us not a desirable privacy feature.

We are considering a move from Texas over soaring cost of living and traffic issues as well as a tax structure that hit property taxes hard to avoid a state income tax. We like the diversity of neighborhoods we live now in Texas and would like that when we move too. Our housing budget is from $600k up by an additional 50% if needed to get a newer 4000 SF home in an safe, upper income suburban area. We would consider a condo or town home to avoid the maintenance headaches and would consider one slightly smaller than the home size noted.

I have taken a look at Lexington KY and Bowling Green. BG is too small but is close enough to Nashville metro that might work for us. Lexington is on the small size of what we are use to but are open to considering it too. My top concern with Lexington is medical specialists. I understand it has some of the top medical and hospitals in KY but that is my top worry about it. It is not near Nashville and other city options for us.

I like the growth rate I see in Lexington. What si driving that I assume not retirees but the university and local job growth? What are neighbor hoods in the area that fit my wish list above?

We are use to humidity, my wife loves it, I do not. I prefer cooler weather than she does. So Tn and KY maybe a good compromise for us both.

Thanks in advance.for any guidance you can provide, especially anyone who has lived in Tx or Nashville as well as KY. to comment on which matches my wants best if I am missing anything
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Old 07-19-2019, 06:14 PM
 
11,113 posts, read 19,427,260 times
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Why are Tennessee and Kentucky main choices for good healthcare? Have you investigated the healthcare in Charlotte NC ? Phoenix AZ ? areas of Michigan (yes I know about the cold weather ) but MI is beautiful too and known for excellent healthcare. The Mercy Hospital system etc..

Boston MA

Raleigh/Durham, NC

Chapel Hill, NC

Mayo Clinic has several locations

etc.

Your housing budget, fortunately, will allow you to relocate to several excellent healthcare popular areas. I would personally choose the hospitals/areas above in NC, and the areas themselves have beautiful weather, all the goodies you are looking for, and a reasonable drive to the lakes and beach areas. Best wishes to both of you in your final choice.
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Old 07-19-2019, 06:30 PM
 
Location: plano
7,885 posts, read 11,328,992 times
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We like where we are now more than living in the NE, MI, NC you mentioned. We have great health care here that is not one of the reasons we are considering a move. I am looking for a slightly colder climate which my wife can tolerate and where there are cost of living advantages to DFW Tx. The areas you mentioned fail to match where we are. I am familiar with Ann Arbor Michigan as I use to go up each fall to recruit UM grads to work for the company I spent 38 years with that sent me around the globe in a great job. We know the areas well you mentioned they are not more attractive to us than Plano Tx where we are now.I have vacationed and visited relatives in NC at both ends of the state as well as Charlotte. It is less appealing to us.

I left out we lived in Pittsburgh for 2 years. We did not like it at all. We like the south and we are not a fan of desert climates, wife's sister has been in Scottsdale for 30 years with a niece in Socal. We are not fans of a dry climate where I see big water issues in their future not to mention the dry heat is still too hot for me in summers. We have a place in the mountains of NM that is as much of the SW as we need and we do not go out there much these days like we did decades ago.

Last edited by Johnhw2; 07-19-2019 at 06:43 PM..
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Old 07-20-2019, 09:14 AM
 
Location: Lexington, Kentucky
14,678 posts, read 7,983,324 times
Reputation: 24910
Hi! Welcome to the Kentucky forums here at City Data.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqTCR9VvAQ0


Dallas? My only reservation is that Lexington may seem to small to you, considering what you are use to.
I have lived here since 1987 and I love it here. Low crime and cost of living. Friendly people.

Beautiful City. It does sometimes have the feel of a small town atmosphere though...it has excellent Medical facilities.
Lexington has made the list for one of the most educated cities in America, and also one of the cleanest cities in the world (that is "world" not just the U.S.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j48sj2pluWs

Here is a Youtube channel where you can look at different neighborhoods in the Lexington Area.


Lexington neighborhoods


Do you like older homes or newer ones?
Maybe you would like
Greenbriar?
Here are some homes for sale in Greenbriar

https://www.homes.com/lexington-ky/g...omes-for-sale/
Fairway?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_uO-sRXc-w&t=176s
Some homes for sale in Fairway

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...y_Lexington_KY

Beaumont

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaiDcOcHcNQ&t=171s
Beaumont homes for sale

Beaumont Homes for Sale in Lexington KY | Lexington KY Real Estate


Hartland is a nice area.
Different sections of Hartland are priced very differently.

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...d_Lexington_KY


Maybe Firebrook?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NjhstX7dzM
Firebrook homes

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...k_Lexington_KY
Andover is a nice area.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX17uxh3p-0&t=181s

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...s_Lexington_KY
Palomar is a nice area
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...r_Lexington_KY

Rabbit Run?Stonewall has a wide range of different houses/prices.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92dM5Y4X_hw&t=15s

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...s_Lexington_KY

Last edited by Crazee Cat Lady; 07-20-2019 at 10:05 AM..
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Old 07-20-2019, 10:24 AM
 
Location: plano
7,885 posts, read 11,328,992 times
Reputation: 7789
Thank you so much for the comments and links. I too am concerned about its size some as we have lived in Houston, NYC, Houston again and now DFW over the past 50 years. We spent 2 years in Pittsburgh during this 50 year period so it has been nothing but large cities for some time. However, my wife and I both grew up in a town of 10k in Oklahoma and attended college in Oklahoma too in a town of maybe 35k. My wife spent her first 7 years on a couple of ranches her family owned in Southern Oklahoma.

In my search I initially considered NW Arkansas which is similar sized metro wife to Lexington. To my surprise we both liked it a lot. We are home bodies, we spend out time addressing my wife's health issues. We travelled while younger fortunately so do not feel we are missing anything not doing so now as she is not very mobile and being away from Dr's for a week or more is a concern.

A good friend in college had family living in Frankfort and Lexington areas. He raved about them both. I saw the metro has been growing rapidly and we like that. I know it was some large corporate entities,nothing as big as Walmart and Tyson in NWA, but that appeals to us too. I know the medical school for UK is in Lexington and that a couple of hospitals are very good there. The most critical medical specialist we rely on are a concierge Internist and a Rheumatologist. Her RA now is the dominate chronic disease we deal with. She has had Lupus as well but it is in a dormant cycle now. We have great specialists in these areas and have been happy with the six other specialist we need on occasion all here. We had great medical experts in Houston as well. Our Houston Internist was an MDVIP network Dr. I see 6 internist in Lexington in that same network and trust it will get me to a good Internist who can send me to specialist she needs. Her RA is the thing that is most complicated in her health and it is hard to find a good RA Dr like we have here in Dallas area. We see the one here 2 to 3 times a year, so travelling to see him or another in say UA Birmingham, which has a great RA focus is workable if everything else works for us. I will spend some time reviewing the links and video;s you so kindly provided me and ask follow up questions as needed. My intent right now is to visit Lexington when we make our on the ground visit with my wife to Nashville area. That is a few months away still as health seems to get in the way of planned trips.

Thanks for all the advice an guidance you have provided it makes me excited to see Lexington, It reminds me of NWA which we loved but once I dug into the tax situation it was less attractive than staying where we are now. I have run the traps on taxes and cost of living in Tn and KY and know they work from that angle so the medical and do we like the place remain to be addressed in more depth research and an on the ground visit.

Oh forgot to respond to one question, we like newer homes, for fewer maintenance headaches. I would consider a condo too. We like being in the suburbs not the city proper but that may not apply given the city size compared to what we are use to. We are in Plano a suburb of 300k just north of Dallas. Great schools, lots of diversity, great shopping and restaurant options. 25 minutes max to Dallas DR medical center for an appointment, non rush hour of course. We would love to replicate this type smaller city. I have three Costco's within 5 miles, 3 Sam's clubs within 4 miles and can walk to the nearest grocery store if needed. We prefer small lots ot huge ones as most areas have in the nicer suburbs. I am a golf nut, more watching then playing these days. Watching the Barbasol sponsored tournament this weekend got Lexington on my mind. I know its in a suburban city not Lexington proper

Last edited by Johnhw2; 07-20-2019 at 10:46 AM..
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Old 07-20-2019, 04:53 PM
 
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Have you considered Northern Virginia or Richmond, I think Virginia might be a good fit.
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Old 07-20-2019, 05:50 PM
 
Location: plano
7,885 posts, read 11,328,992 times
Reputation: 7789
I know NOVA, worked six months in fairfax Monday thru Friday. Not a fan. I strongly prefer where I am to VA and would not leave Texas for it. Company I worked for 38 years developed a couple of communities there too much red tape and policies designed to drive cost up I am avoiding coastal states for a couple of reasons as I mentioned in my OP.
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Old 07-20-2019, 11:51 PM
 
Location: Lexington, Kentucky
14,678 posts, read 7,983,324 times
Reputation: 24910
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnhw2 View Post
Thank you so much for the comments and links. I too am concerned about its size some as we have lived in Houston, NYC, Houston again and now DFW over the past 50 years. We spent 2 years in Pittsburgh during this 50 year period so it has been nothing but large cities for some time. However, my wife and I both grew up in a town of 10k in Oklahoma and attended college in Oklahoma too in a town of maybe 35k. My wife spent her first 7 years on a couple of ranches her family owned in Southern Oklahoma.

In my search I initially considered NW Arkansas which is similar sized metro wife to Lexington. To my surprise we both liked it a lot. We are home bodies, we spend out time addressing my wife's health issues. We travelled while younger fortunately so do not feel we are missing anything not doing so now as she is not very mobile and being away from Dr's for a week or more is a concern.

A good friend in college had family living in Frankfort and Lexington areas. He raved about them both. I saw the metro has been growing rapidly and we like that. I know it was some large corporate entities,nothing as big as Walmart and Tyson in NWA, but that appeals to us too. I know the medical school for UK is in Lexington and that a couple of hospitals are very good there. The most critical medical specialist we rely on are a concierge Internist and a Rheumatologist. Her RA now is the dominate chronic disease we deal with. She has had Lupus as well but it is in a dormant cycle now. We have great specialists in these areas and have been happy with the six other specialist we need on occasion all here. We had great medical experts in Houston as well. Our Houston Internist was an MDVIP network Dr. I see 6 internist in Lexington in that same network and trust it will get me to a good Internist who can send me to specialist she needs. Her RA is the thing that is most complicated in her health and it is hard to find a good RA Dr like we have here in Dallas area. We see the one here 2 to 3 times a year, so travelling to see him or another in say UA Birmingham, which has a great RA focus is workable if everything else works for us. I will spend some time reviewing the links and video;s you so kindly provided me and ask follow up questions as needed. My intent right now is to visit Lexington when we make our on the ground visit with my wife to Nashville area. That is a few months away still as health seems to get in the way of planned trips.

Thanks for all the advice an guidance you have provided it makes me excited to see Lexington, It reminds me of NWA which we loved but once I dug into the tax situation it was less attractive than staying where we are now. I have run the traps on taxes and cost of living in Tn and KY and know they work from that angle so the medical and do we like the place remain to be addressed in more depth research and an on the ground visit.

Oh forgot to respond to one question, we like newer homes, for fewer maintenance headaches. I would consider a condo too. We like being in the suburbs not the city proper but that may not apply given the city size compared to what we are use to. We are in Plano a suburb of 300k just north of Dallas. Great schools, lots of diversity, great shopping and restaurant options. 25 minutes max to Dallas DR medical center for an appointment, non rush hour of course. We would love to replicate this type smaller city. I have three Costco's within 5 miles, 3 Sam's clubs within 4 miles and can walk to the nearest grocery store if needed. We prefer small lots ot huge ones as most areas have in the nicer suburbs. I am a golf nut, more watching then playing these days. Watching the Barbasol sponsored tournament this weekend got Lexington on my mind. I know its in a suburban city not Lexington proper
I had not heard of MDVIP's....I googled it, interesting, everyone of them is like 5 to ten minutes drive away from where I live!
My Primary Doctor is an Internist, or Doctor of Internal Medicine (I have a thyroid disorder).
She is a great Doctor with Central Baptist Associates, but the Practice is very busy there, and they seem to have a lot of patients.


I use to live in Baltimore, Miami, Louisville and Connecticut (a bedroom community to NYC)...so Lexington seemed a bit small to me at first. But within a year or two I fell in love with it. I can't imagine living anywhere else right now. (I had visited as a teenager while we were on a family vacation and thought that it was one of the prettiest cities I had ever seen, and knew that I wanted to live there one day.



Well, we don't have three Costcos (that I know of) but we do have one! And Sam's Club.
There is also Macy's, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods (we also have several great farmers markets in Lexington...plus some roadside fruit/veggie stands by farmers in a few spots), Good Food Co-Op...


Tax wise I think it may be hard to beat Tennessee, no state income tax is awesome!
In Kentucky Seniors don't have to pay income tax on retirement, but I think it only goes up to a certain point....I am not sure. We do have a lower sales tax than Tennessee, and Groceries and Medication are not taxed in Kentucky. That can add up to a lot of savings. I am not sure how the two compare property tax wise. The culture and Feel are quite a like,
as far as I have seen, and I have visited Tennessee a lot over the years.


My Dad use to go to University of Louisville for free! (He had already went to college when he was younger at the University of Connecticut many decades previously) but in Kentucky as long as there is room, seniors can attend college classes for free...My Dad loved it, he said it was fun and you can always learn more, and it kept his mind fresh. (I think maybe retirement was starting to get a bit boring for him at that point! He loved to golf a lot too.)


Golfing, there are several Golfing communities in Lexington or neighborhoods that back to golf courses.
Here are a few that are for sale right now:


Lexington KY Golf Course Properties | Lexington Kentucky Real Estate

Last edited by Crazee Cat Lady; 07-21-2019 at 12:25 AM..
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Old 07-21-2019, 02:19 AM
 
Location: plano
7,885 posts, read 11,328,992 times
Reputation: 7789
Tax wise, Tennessee is the best state I have found that I would consider for my situation on state and local taxes. But remember, Texas too is a no income tax state and Tn for my situation is $10k per year lower in State and local taxes. My current home is $15k a year in property taxes and if I was not a senior, where my property tax amounts get frozen to the level they were in the year I turned 65. they would be $22k a year.

The only area in Tn we are likely to consider in Tn is Williamson County, Franklin and Brentwood. Real estate prices are are higher there than my Texas location by maybe 20%. Cost of living can be a factor too if the differences are significant as they are from my location to Lexington. Ignoring property taxes, the cost of living in Lexington is about 30 to 35% lower than where I live now. So this can offset a lot of state incomes taxes. Also while the property taxes in Ky are similar to Tn when comparing taxes paid for the same price house, so if home prices are in deed 35 to 40% lower than Williamson County this can offset the state income taxes perhaps. But I need to land on a couple of locations to see if this makes it competitive with Tn, Williamson County. I suspect it well may be no more expensive to live in Lexington KY than say Brentwood Tn considering cost of living and cost of homes.

I have looked for both locations for Costco and Sams as I have learned that they will tend to be near suburban areas that I like. I also look for where Lexus and Infiniti dealers are located too. This usually tells me where the higher income suburbs are located. This is pushing me to look in the southern or SE end of Lexington. Does that make sense for my price of home and want to be near good shopping options in a suburban area? Are there some nearby areas in small suburban towns I should consider too? Such as where the golf even it being played this weekend which is in a small town generally south of he city of Lexington?

Is there a suburban location where I would see trees and newer home construction in my price range, lets call is $600k to $1000k? That would not be too far from the shopping I mentioned?

I looked at the videos you sent me. While interesting areas the homes look older than my current 1999 build. I am looking fo a newer home than I am in now? Ideally something like a 2010 to 2015 build is ideal. One story would be even better if it exists in areas near the shopping options I want? We are use to high ceilings as well and prefer that if its an option. We have 9 ft ceilings up now and down stair ceilings range from 10 feet in bedrooms to 12 feet in FR, Kit, Dining room to 16 feet in Study to 20 feet in LR and Entry way

MDVIP does a couple of things that are key for my wife's situation. By charging around $1600 to $2000 per year per patient, they can cut the size of the practice from around 2000 patients to around 500. So more time for each patient and you get their email and cell phone number for easy access.Secondly they tend to be some of the top doctors around. Another advantage is if you are traveling and need to get into to see a Dr while not in your city, the lower patient count means a MDVIP Dr can fit one more patient any day for an emergency. My wife consumes a lot of a Dr's time with her various issues or impacts of her RA and immune impairment. So it is worth the fee we do not get reimbursed by health insurance for this access and time commitment to her case by the Dr.

Thanks for all your help

Last edited by Johnhw2; 07-21-2019 at 03:34 AM..
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Old 07-21-2019, 09:07 AM
 
10,226 posts, read 7,500,578 times
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Maybe I missed it, but I don't see why you want to move. Why not stay where you are? DFW is a great area in the country. The cost of living is a bit below the national avg. Property taxes are high, but tax deductible. No state income tax, reasonable sales taxes. No natural disasters to speak of. Low home and auto insurance. Every store imaginable is there, most easy to get to because of Dallas' expert design of highways. It's hot as hades, but not humid (it's normal to dry humidity). It snows or ices once or twice a year, so one can experience a change in seasons, w/o snow & ice being a big problem for a retiree. A big airport that is a major hub in the country. It doesn't have a naturally beautiful landscape; it's a city of buildings with wide open spaces, built on a plains area. But no city will have everything. I used to live there and regret leaving, but I couldn't afford to buy a decent house there, now.
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