Can someone tell me what costs to expect when relocating to johnson city? (Bristol: sales)

[kittyranger]

Hi I am injured retired leo looking retire to eastern tn. I hear it lovely there . i dont have much income so i am looking for a home under $100,000. i see homes listed for the prices i seek that pics look good and move in condition but i would like to know more of what to expect my bills to be. for example my total property tax for a home(1100 sqf) in the city.cost of homeowners insurance(is flooding insurance needed?)
Also i am interested in conserving energy but like it cool when hot in summer ,so what will my avg electric-gas bill be around(i understand this varies but n idea would help).
I see sales tax high but looking at sperlings best places it shows food prices lower than national avg so is it possible food will be lower than pa even including the tax?
i have a med plan that covers emergencies in hospital but iif i needed to see family or specialist doctor i need to go to plan dr which closest in charlotte,nc (3 and half hour drive). does anyone see this as problem as driving 4 times a year or so?
do olks in tn save sales tax by ordering oot of state on internet?
anyone can help me deal with these issus id appreciate it.

[DubbleT]

Kitty, have you considered Bristol? It's a little less expensive than JC and has a slightly older population. More laid back and not quite as bustling as JC, but I find it has pretty much everything I need. The biggest drawback is that a lot of the main streets are sort of dingy and depressing looking. The place could really use some new sidewalks and a fresh coat of paint, LOL

I looked at tons of houses when I got to the tri-cities last year. Bristol seems to offer the most house for the money, with JC being the most expensive of the three cities.
The house I bought in Bristol is 1100 sq ft, in the 100k price range. It's in the city limits, my property tax is $800, insurance is $400, water bill is $30-35 monthly, electric is $40-$70 monthly, no gas. Thermostat at 68 in winter and 72 in summer.

Living in Bristol also means you can do your shopping across the state line in Virginia, where the sales tax is a lot lower. Unfortunately food prices are slightly higher in VA, so I don't find a huge difference on the grocery bill, maybe $5-6 dollars a week for just me. Non grocery items are where I see the savings, clothing, household items, etc.

As someone who also lives on a very modest income I thought I'd throw out another option for you to consider.

[jabogitlu]

I can speak a little about the utilities in Johnson City. I'm a renter, so I can't help on homeowner's insurance, taxes etc.

(BTW, unless you live in an area that regularly floods, you won't need flood insurance here. How to find out? Ask your neighbor. And make sure they've lived there for a decade or so. )

My house is a 1920s craftsman bungalow, around 900 sq ft. We keep the thermostat around 68 in the summer and 74 in the winter, and our bill (including electric heat) is generally $75-$90. I haven't lived there in Jan-Feb (our coldest months) yet, but I can't imagine it's going to be much more than $100. Water-sewer is around $45.

I really doubt that food prices are much lower here than anywhere else. We do have a high sales tax, but overall the tax burden in TN is light including no income taxes except on some very specific items.

As far as driving to Charlotte to see your doctor, it all depends on you. Are you fairly mobile and up for the trip? A drive to Charlotte is not something I'd want to undertake just to see my doctor. Also, if you're having a scheduled surgery (you mentioned specialists), will that have to be in Charlotte? Not really a good idea, it seems to me.

[kittyranger]

no you are right. ifigure 3 apointments a year not so bad and blue cross covers me in any hospital so if i needed hospital surgury i covered in tn.