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My parents in law are from Pennsylvania and they want us to move really close to them. We would like to have our privacy as a family, our situation is a little complicated....
I would like to move to New Jersey because I really think it is a nice state to live in, but my parents in law said it is too expensive and with only my husband salary (he is a network administrator) we cannot live there.
I'm sorry but I'm Italian and I'm not used to discuss about taxes because in Italy we barely survive ( taxes are high for everyone.... Everywhere).
Is there a place you think it is better to live in? We are looking for good schools too...
Depends where in NJ you live - Morris County, and Bergen County are the two highest ... Camden County maybe more affordable, but gang violence makes the news every other day (haa).
Overall, I would say NJ is very expensive~ a few more years here and I hope to leave.
I thought I'd take a break from packing, to give you a few opinions about NJ. Having lived here since 1985, it has been home for over half of my life, so, I figured that I would at least give you my impression about my "feel " of the state".
Sure, I can post the goods about NJ - and I can post the bads. But, I can tell you for certain,,,,when we finally sign those papers to close on this home, and have NJ in the rearview mirror,,,I won't be sad. Never have I felt like I paid so much for something, and gotten so little for that payment in return. I thought that, the BEST way that I can put this into words, would be to use a thing like, is wanting to see a concert or show. And it all starts out with: A Ticketmaster ticket!
The show is at: The Garden State Arts Center - exit 116 on the Parkway in Holmdel NJ. You go online, and see that each seat is $56.00. They are general admission lawn seats, but it's the least expensive choice. So, you order two seats, and head to the checkout - expecting a bill of $112.00 - you are shocked when that bill now adds up to almost [$175], because of the stupid charges that have been tacked on. Including a convenience charge for buying online - but, you pay up because, finding a local Ticketmaster is impossible. It's concert night----you get to the show, [after sitting in traffic for 45 minuets - and paying [$5.90] for an entry toll, and three mileage tolls. Excitedly, you pull into the parking lot, and are waved over to an area, that is FAR away from the venue. Oh, that's right, you didn't pay the extra $30.00 for VIP parking! Well, now you have to go to one of the OUTER lots and WALK to the venue,,,,when you get to the outer lot,,,they stop your car,,,and ask for [$15.00] for parking! Still excited about the show, you walk happily with the other show goers, and arrive at the venue. It's July,,,its HOT out, you just walked all the way to the venue, in 98 degree heat, and now, both of you, need a beer, and something to eat. You get a peek at the menu. A bottle of beer that they pour into a cup is $7.00 and the hot dog w/fries is $11.00 - for two people, that is [$36.00]. Taking your gourmet meal to the lawn seats,,,,you realize that, it rained earlier in the day, and the blanket is not an option, so, you have to rent chairs, to the tune of $6. per chair [$12.00] - The show starts, its great,,,but, ITS HOT out, so, you have at a minimum, two more beers each - [$28.00] -- Of course you want, a memory of the show, and head to the Merchandise booth. The cool T-Shirt that you KNOW that, without a DOUBT that, you will wear this shirt ALL the time, so you fork over the money for a shirts - [$57.00] (*for a t-shirt that was made in China). Walking back to where they made you park, exhausted, you get back onto the parkway, and head home. Depending on where you enter and exit, the Parkway, it will cost you anywhere from .70 to 1.70 to do so. So, lets see what a night out at a concert cost for two :
Tickets - $175.00
Tolls - $ 7.60 (minimum)
Parking - $15.00
Lawn Chair Rental - $12.00
Food/Drinks - $64.00
T-Shirts - $57.00
-------------------
Total of $330.60
less $112.00 for two $56.00 tickets
-------------------
$218.60 that comes out of your pocket to see a show on the lawn.
This could be described in the same numbers, if you went to the movies, or even out to dinner. My point is this: You started out with an idea, of going to a concert. The ticket cost was $112.00, but you have to add on, all of the incidentals that go with seeing a show. Those tickets, are the representation of, property taxes in NJ - you expect to get a LOT, for your ticket price - but in reality, after all of the initial fees - you actually end up shelling out, a MASSIVE amount of money, that goes way PAST that original fee of the of $112.00 for two tickets - Yet, If somebody were to ask you, how much you paid for your tickets, only the original ticket price of $56.00 each, will stay in your mind, because that is, how we think. You don't get much, for what they are charging you, just to have that ticket, in your hand. You are getting charged left and right, above and beyond, the cost of that ticket. What exactly do you get for the ticket price (property taxes) in NJ? Are you getting the BEST schools in the NATION? No. Are you getting the MOST for what it costs to live in the state? Not by a long shot. So, if NJ has the highest taxes in the nation, why are we not getting more for those figures? Why can a state like Delaware not have a sales tax, and still function? Why are there states that don't tax people on retirement benefits, yet NJ taxes them? When my husband retires, sure we can stay here but it WILL be VERY difficult - why live with "difficult", if it's not needed? Why do I have to pay almost 7K to stay in a small home in NJ? Seriously why??? What is the point? People are leaving this state in droves. It's not getting better. It can only get worse, and I'd rather look for a new home.
Don't get me wrong - EVERY state in the nation has it's problems. There is no one place that is "Shangri-La". We are leaving for GA, and I know that it won't be perfect. No place can be perfect. Happily I know that, as long as I have my Hubby by my side,,,,ANY place can be home. We will and can, make ourselves happy no matter where we land. However, knowing that I will not be charged a massive premium, just to have the privilege of living in a state - well - THAT will be a huge relief, especially during retirement!
Do the math. Only YOU know where you can or cannot afford to live. Go onto a website like Zillow and find COMPARABLE homes in NJ & in PA. Same amount of land, etc, and compare the property taxes. Then, do a Google search on the COL for NJ & PA, and compare them side by side. Don't forget things like Car Insurance comparables as well. Remember that if you live in NJ, that a commute to work may also be in the cards, so you must put in the daily commute amount in tolls as well. For us, we had to be farther away from my husband's work place for an affordable home, and that is a 45 min. commute each way each day, and that adds up.
[quote=ImCurlybelle;26313156]Depends where in NJ you live - Morris County, and Bergen County are the two highest ... Camden County maybe more affordable, but gang violence makes the news every other day (haa).
You are incorrect, in actuality Morris County on the whole has lower tax rates than other northern NJ Counties. Essex County on the other hand is extremely high.
PA is cheaper but many parts of it are also suckier. I mean boring, woodsy, redneck sucky with horrible Italian food. You have to weigh the good with the bad.
Property taxes and home prices are substantially lower in PA. Of that, there is no doubt.
However, some of us do not wish to live 1 hour (or more) from the nearest hospital.
Some of us do not want to have to drive 50 miles in order to have a decent selection of stores for shopping.
Some of us want to be closer to cultural amenities (museums, live theater, etc) than is typical in much of PA.
Some of us want better restaurants than are typically found in rural PA.
Some of us want more sophisticated food offerings than are typically found in supermarkets in rural PA.
Some of us want better schools than are frequently found in rural PA.
As with virtually everything else in life, positive factors are counterbalanced by negative factors, and lowering the cost of your housing usually results in trade-offs.
If you feel that you can live with the disadvantages that I listed above, then you can indeed live much more cheaply in PA.
Depends where in NJ you live - Morris County, and Bergen County are the two highest ... Camden County maybe more affordable, but gang violence makes the news every other day (haa).
Overall, I would say NJ is very expensive~ a few more years here and I hope to leave.
I want to correct this, that Camden CITY has a lot of crime, not Camden County.
Property taxes and home prices are substantially lower in PA. Of that, there is no doubt.
However, some of us do not wish to live 1 hour (or more) from the nearest hospital.
Some of us do not want to have to drive 50 miles in order to have a decent selection of stores for shopping.
Some of us want to be closer to cultural amenities (museums, live theater, etc) than is typical in much of PA.
Some of us want better restaurants than are typically found in rural PA.
Some of us want more sophisticated food offerings than are typically found in supermarkets in rural PA.
Some of us want better schools than are frequently found in rural PA.
As with virtually everything else in life, positive factors are counterbalanced by negative factors, and lowering the cost of your housing usually results in trade-offs.
If you feel that you can live with the disadvantages that I listed above, then you can indeed live much more cheaply in PA.
PA is a big state, it's not all rural and backward. Philly has some of the best hospitals, cultural amenities and food in the US (best brew-pub scene I'm aware of definitely). The Main Line towns are sophisticated and upscale with a lower cost of living than the high end NJ towns. The Allentown/Bethlehem area has all of the same amenities as any other suburban NJ town with half the cost of living.
PA has plenty of really good school districts and is littered with solid 4 year colleges, never mind Penn State and UPenn (hello Ivy League). Pittsburgh has Wharton.
Have you ever actually been there?
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NJ and Property Taxes,,,,
