Anyone Move Back to NJ & Either Move Away Again or Regret the Move Back Because of Taxes? (Newark: car insurance, condos)

[FL little foot]

We fled NJ in 2007. We were both born and raised in Jersey and had our 2 children in Jersey. We fled because of the, 1, Property tax, 2. Cost of living, 3. My husbands company went out of business.

We fled to the Raleigh, NC area. We had a home built, it was beautiful, brand new 2400 sq ft. 4 bed 3 full bath and with property tax at 1,868.00. Well we only lasted 3 years in NC. The difference was just too much too handle and the schools for my kids were down right dangerous. My husbands employer in NC was able to transfer him so he could still have his same job and insurance. We are now in Orlando, FL. If his employer had business in NJ I would definetly have gone back "home". My husband says he never wants to live in Jersey again. But, I do.

I will say that being here in Orlando, and its only been 3 weeks now, It has more of a Jersey vibe then NC. For sure. I'm in a nice area of Orlando on the opposite side of all the attractions. I was one of the lucky ones who sold that house in NC on my first showing, and 30 DOM. I made a few dollars after all was said and done and commissions were paid out.

I'm currently renting, to really make sure this is the place for me, for now anyway.

There is one good thing, BJ's has our beloved "Porkroll".

I will say to the OP, If you can comfortably afford living in Jersey then go back, if not, Look into other States that you can adopt as your own.

Good Luck. and let us know what you eventually decide.

[smdlewis]

Originally Posted by back2jersey

After ten years in the South I want to move back to NJ in the worst way but am starting to get case of cold feet due to fear of high and rising property taxes. I've seen some decent looking, affordable small homes on gsmls.com with reasonable (for NJ) property taxes that are doable for me right now. My fear is that if I move back, in 10-15 years time, the now 'reasonable' property taxes will have skyrocketed and not be manageable. I don't want to move back only to have to move away again in 10-15 years because of even higher property taxes that I won't be able to afford someday. The other part of that fear is wondering if I will be stuck with a house that I will have a very difficult time selling because of the high taxes in the state. There seems to be such an exodus to NC and other parts south because of the higher cost of living in NJ and fear of it becoming more expensive that I'm almost becoming scared off of buying anything now. Has anyone moved back to NJ only to move away again because of the high taxes? Or have they really regretted their move back? Or were the high taxes enough to sway people's minds to move elsewhere instead of moving back to NJ. If so, where did they go and were they happy settling for someplace less expensive. Or has anyone moved back despite the high taxes, is happy with their decision and feels that even though taxes may increaase, it will be at a reasonable and manageable amount that they'll be able to afford it in their retirement years without having to flee to the Carolinas. There's no place like home and I want to come home to NJ but just don't know if I'll be able to stay there in 10-15 years time if taxes keep rising. Anyone else experience this feeling?

Hi, I also want to return to NJ after a 10 yr stint in NC. I am concerned also about the rising cost in NJ for housing, car ins. and taxes. Too be honest though, I have not experienced any "better" living in NC. I know no one will understand this but I truly do miss Jersey and all its people. I don't like NC, big culture difference. I like convenience, walking to things and everything Jersey has to offer. I have decided to go back as a single mom of 2 and try my best at making it happen. I don't know where you are from in NJ but another option might be to try the outskirts of eastern PA., south jersey etc. Good luck to you and decision making but, the way I think is just know where you want to be and make it happen.

[SkyNSea55]

I also want to move back to NJ. I wouldn't care if I had to live in a small condo either, at least I'd be back to civilization. Lived in NJ for 52 years until husband got a business in East Tennessee. We now have a big house on the lake, with a waverunner and boat at our door. Taxes are under $3000 a year. Sounds great, except I have to drive 35 minutes along country roads and then Interstate 75 (full of tractor trailers) to get to the mall. The foods I loved in NJ are gone. The radio stations I loved in NJ are gone. The medical doctors I had in NJ are gone. I sound like a transplant everytime I open my mouth here. They think I'm from Boston or Maine, they don't have a clue. No Giants, Jets or Yankees. Lots of Southern Baptists, church groups and religious sororities for women.. not into that. Old rusted cars along the interstate, lots of meth and felons. Lots of guns. In other words, big trade off for lower taxes and a business. There is only one direct flight back "home" and Continental charges over $400 for under an hour and a half flight, including baggage fees. Talk about feeling isolated. We didn't have a choice to check out the area before we moved here.. but if we did, I never would have come. Son came with us and hasn't made one friend since 2007. I am hoping to move out of here in two years when he finishes University of Tennesee. May have to leave the husband here.. it's that serious. The grass isn't always greener on the other side. (Tennesse Fan was created when I was trying to give this place a shot.. I'm over it now.. get me back to Jersey)

[bradykp]

Originally Posted by back2jersey

That goes right along with my fear of 'what if' when it comes to retirement age. I don't want to turn 70 years old someday for example and not be able to afford the taxes on my house then have to move South again (or somewhere else where it's must less expensive). I'm very disillusioned with living in the South. It's not as cheap as folks are led to believe. Salaries and wages are very low in comparison even though the housing is less expensive. Yes, the property taxes are lower but there are other costs involved - vehicle tax, HOA dues, good ole hurricane insurance (wind and hail - it's not called hurriance insurance anymore) - that quickly add up and it's not as inexpensive as folks are led to believe. The bills keep coming but the salaries are very low and opportunities just aren't there so it becomes much more expensive than folks ever realize. A large part of me wants to come back to NJ for the higher salaries, better opportunities, etc. so that I can make some money to stash away for retirement but am afraid I won't be able to stay in the long term once I do get there because of the high taxes. In a way I feel caught between a rock and a hard place.

i think you hit the nail on the head. every place is "expensive" in it's own regards. I grew up in Northeast Pennsylvania. If we wanted to go shopping for clothes, it was a 20 mile drive. Go to a movie? 20 mile drive. All those 20 miles drives add up quickly.

I think what people don't realize is that, although NJ taxes are "high" in relation to the rest of the country, the services provided for those taxes are pretty darn good. Public school systems? For the most part, even the "bad" ones in NJ far exceed the average ones in PA. It's all what you make of it.

If you'll be happier here, move back. Who cares about the taxes? Find a place that you can afford, and be happy. Sure, I could move back to Scranton area and have property taxes and sales tax savings to maybe 1/4 of what I pay now, but my salary would probably be 1/2 of what it is now. And if I ever got laid off in the Scranton area, I'd have an extremely hard time finding a new job. I could move to Philadelphia area and pay less taxes, but my income tax would be higher, my salary would be lower, car insurance isn't any cheaper in the Philly area, and I'd have to drive a lot more often, raising my vehicle maintenance expenses.

People seem to compare areas based on too little information: Salaries, Property Taxes, Housing Prices. Maybe a few more categories but that's basically what I usually see.

What about the costs of going out? Restaurants in my home area are marginally cheaper than restaurants in my NJ area - but salaries are significantly less. I'll put a lot more miles on my car in PA, resulting in more tires, more oil changes, more new brakes (even quicker because of PA terrain).

I'm not saying that other places aren't cheaper than NJ, I'm just saying that the cost comparisons are often overblown. My mom comes out to visit and always finds fruits and veggies for cheaper than back in PA. I'm always shocked by this, but it's just another example of some of the offsetting cost benefits of living in NJ.

[elflord1973]

Originally Posted by bradykp

i think you hit the nail on the head. every place is "expensive" in it's own regards. I grew up in Northeast Pennsylvania. If we wanted to go shopping for clothes, it was a 20 mile drive. Go to a movie? 20 mile drive. All those 20 miles drives add up quickly.

I think what people don't realize is that, although NJ taxes are "high" in relation to the rest of the country, the services provided for those taxes are pretty darn good. Public school systems? For the most part, even the "bad" ones in NJ far exceed the average ones in PA. It's all what you make of it.

Yes, except housing in the "bad" school districts in NJ is as expensive as housing in the "average" school districts in PA.

I could move to Philadelphia area and pay less taxes, but my income tax would be higher, my salary would be lower, car insurance isn't any cheaper in the Philly area, and I'd have to drive a lot more often, raising my vehicle maintenance expenses.

Income tax will be lower in PA unless you're living in the city, or you're earning under 35k.

Car insurance is cheaper, I pay about 30% less, much like housing which is also about 1/3 cheaper here.

Driving costs depend on where you work, but if you have the flexibility to choose where you live, why should it cost a fortune ? My commute to work is about 3.5 miles. I could choose to walk or run it and/or live closer to work if I was really concerned about driving costs. I have the option of taking the train if I want to go out into the city, much like I more or less had to do in the NY metro area.

Whether or not your salary would be lower depends on what job you're able to land, I guess. If you're able to land a job with comparable pay, it's a no-brainer.

[LisaMc46]

Property taxes will just be one part of the COL equation if you move back. For instance, if you're making $20,000 more doing the same type of work you're doing in the south, you may actually come out ahead financially.

I left NJ for Vermont eight years ago. I pay lower property taxes on a house I built on 2.5 acres with amazing views than I did on a 100-year-old fixer upper on a 50 by 100-foot lot. But I also took a considerable pay cut.

For me, it's worked out. I'm much happier here although I miss my family and friends in N.J. and the proximety to NYC, the ethnic food and diverse population, etc.

I think your decision should be based on which state feels more like home to you. Where would you be happiest spending the rest of your life, whether comfortable financially or struggling a bit?

[findinghope]

i am with you guys. born and raised in north jersey and been in NC for 3 years. it's like another country down here. why oh why is there such a culture shock??
it is a beautiful place and yes i have a brand new home in a cookie cutter neighborhood with pool and gym. and when we were in NJ we couldnt wait to leave because of all the expenses and having to work 2-4 jobs between us.
but there is NO PLACE like home. we could be in NYC in 30 minutes, food of every ethnicity could practically be delivered to our door, all of our family, and 15 minutes in any direction you could have anything you need.
now i have to take a cooler to the supermarket cause even though it's in town, it's so damn hot that the food might melt on the way home---this coming from the biggest complainer of the cold. and what beats all is that in the past 3 years, i have STILL had to wear my parka cause we have had SNOW! and cold.
we would move back home in a heartbeat if only we could afford it! but we dont want to be stuck renting for $1200/month when we pay less for our mortgage.
just dont know what to do except keep playing the lottery.

[NJ2MDdude]

I'm just several hours aways in MD. So I can get my NJ fix and return to all in one day.

[Roselvr]

Originally Posted by TennesseeFAN

I also want to move back to NJ. I wouldn't care if I had to live in a small condo either, at least I'd be back to civilization. Lived in NJ for 52 years until husband got a business in East Tennessee. We now have a big house on the lake, with a waverunner and boat at our door. Taxes are under $3000 a year. Sounds great, except I have to drive 35 minutes along country roads and then Interstate 75 (full of tractor trailers) to get to the mall. The foods I loved in NJ are gone. The radio stations I loved in NJ are gone. The medical doctors I had in NJ are gone. I sound like a transplant everytime I open my mouth here. They think I'm from Boston or Maine, they don't have a clue. No Giants, Jets or Yankees. Lots of Southern Baptists, church groups and religious sororities for women.. not into that. Old rusted cars along the interstate, lots of meth and felons. Lots of guns. In other words, big trade off for lower taxes and a business. There is only one direct flight back "home" and Continental charges over $400 for under an hour and a half flight, including baggage fees. Talk about feeling isolated. We didn't have a choice to check out the area before we moved here.. but if we did, I never would have come. Son came with us and hasn't made one friend since 2007. I am hoping to move out of here in two years when he finishes University of Tennesee. May have to leave the husband here.. it's that serious. The grass isn't always greener on the other side. (Tennesse Fan was created when I was trying to give this place a shot.. I'm over it now.. get me back to Jersey)

Friends of ours have been moving back & forth from NJ to TN since 2007. Things were good when they 1st got there, then reality hit - kids were teased because of their Jersey accents; I was told the tax on clothing is outrageous.

Our friends just moved back 2 weeks ago, I was told that the school system in NJ is way more advanced then TN.

[todd72173]

Sounds like majority moved to NC. Also sounds like NC its total country living. Maybe if you went somewhere halfway in between country and city you would have had better time. I read the folks in Orlando,FL is having better time. Probably cause FL is not all country. I moved out of NJ 4 years ago and will NEVER return. I now own a 3 bed 1600 SQ ft house, fenced backyard, park down street annual taxes are $1200, car insurance $300 - YEAR (comp and collision). Schools are A+ (Excellence with distinction).

DirecTV provides all NY sports. I am missing absolutely nothing from NJ.