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Old 02-14-2015, 10:45 AM
 
Location: Ormond Beach Fl
90 posts, read 126,511 times
Reputation: 280

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Quote:
Originally Posted by jane_sm1th73 View Post
Can you please elaborate?

I went to grad school in Rochester. Always loved being there - it was a gorgeous town! I understand it has changed a lot. Every so often I think about the area as a retirement destination. Not necessarily Rochester proper, one of the outlying small towns.

Can you tell us some of the reasons why moving away turned out, in retrospect, to have been less favorable than staying might have been?

As you can see, I'm looking to firm up my resolve to return, lol! Thanks in advance - Jane
We moved to San Luis Obispo from a Rochester suburb, Chili. We lived there for 20 years, here in Cali for close to 4.5 yrs. Some areas of Rochester are quite friendly. Some not so. Many of the tracts do not have sidewalks, so people don't walk much in the neighborhoods. Not exactly a walking friendly city, and yes there are paths, bike paths, but not as many as some other locations have. Plus you can only be outside for those activities for maybe 5 months of the year. In the 5 months suitable for outdoor (non winter) sports it rains a lot. In the winter, people leave their homes for work in the dark and return home on the dark, pull into the garage, and literally don't see their neighbors for much more than a wave all season long. Once spring comes you rediscover other people. Lol.

We had a lot of fun in Rochester - we return to visit family once or twice a year. Since Kodak has had its issues, and Xerox is a changing company, as well as the other big employer Bausch and Lomb have had huge layoffs the terrain is changing. Other start ups are coming in, but generally the area cannot attract new talent, younger people to the area, due to weather, culture and high COL.

We don't plan to retire in California because of the distance to family, but we currently can't see ourselves going back to the economic or weather climate of WNY. Our quality of life has improved so much. In a very walkable city with a nifty center of town we have new life. Our desire is to continue this way of life in retirement and understand there will be compromise.

Now, a very good friend of mine lives in a lovely tract with patio homes in a roch suburb, with professionals that have retired. They socialize quite a bit and enjoy all of the arts and activities Roch has. But they travel all winter long- to warmer climates..... It's getting pricey for my friend... She is questioning her ability to sustain that lifestyle... Because it's very hard to stay upbeat when you have so little activity in winter months.... And travel is one way to get warm!

Although-- there is Wegman's in NY! Haha, if only we could find a Wegman's in Florida!!!
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Old 02-14-2015, 11:05 AM
 
1,216 posts, read 1,455,699 times
Reputation: 2680
I consider upstate to be north of the thruway. Me personally, I can't wait to get away from upstate winter. For the past month we have been in hibernation mode- we only leave the house for work, food, and school. And we have at least 2 more months to go before we can start to see some change.

I can't believe NH property taxes are significantly higher than ours, I'd be intereted in an apples to apples comparison.
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Old 02-15-2015, 06:43 AM
 
9,296 posts, read 16,578,906 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NaleyRocks View Post
I consider upstate to be north of the thruway. Me personally, I can't wait to get away from upstate winter. For the past month we have been in hibernation mode- we only leave the house for work, food, and school. And we have at least 2 more months to go before we can start to see some change.

I can't believe NH property taxes are significantly higher than ours, I'd be intereted in an apples to apples comparison.
Your first statement "hibernation mode" reminds me of some friends that have retired to FL. They have a home in the Finger Lakes and one in FL. They refuse to live in FL after May 1st because the one year they stayed in FL all year, they hibernated all summer due to the oppressive heat and humidity. They return October 1st.
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Old 02-15-2015, 07:56 AM
 
Location: Central Massachusetts
6,528 posts, read 6,979,689 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NaleyRocks View Post
I consider upstate to be north of the thruway. Me personally, I can't wait to get away from upstate winter. For the past month we have been in hibernation mode- we only leave the house for work, food, and school. And we have at least 2 more months to go before we can start to see some change.

I can't believe NH property taxes are significantly higher than ours, I'd be intereted in an apples to apples comparison.

NH has no income taxes or sales tax so the state gets its income off the backs of property owners.

Taxes by State: Kansas to New Mexico link to NH

Compare it to your state then let us know what you think then

Taxes by State link to all states map
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Old 02-18-2015, 01:21 PM
 
253 posts, read 375,999 times
Reputation: 559
As another poster mentioned, the term Upstate NY varies greatly. Someone from New York City considers upstate NY to be anything North of Suffolk County! I live in Central NY. We are smack dab in the middle of the state in Syracuse. For anyone seriously considering retiring here, I would suggest that they crunch the budget numbers and plan for the usual aging issues.

1) Expect to pay someone else for snow removal. While you may be able to do it now with a shovel, plow or a snowblower, you will eventually want someone else to take care of it for you. Plan accordingly and make sure that there is enough money in the budget.

2) Purchase a home that you can age gracefully in. We have many housing styles, but are probably best known for our Victorians. While you may be able to climb stairs now, you should assume that things will become more challenging. A one story home will be far easier to deal with. Homes are quite affordable here. I purchased my first home at the age of 23, while working for below-average wages.

3) Heating can be costly in the winter, but a small house with good insulation can vastly reduce the bills. A woodstove or fireplace insert can be another great way to reduce the cost of heating. Even if you have to purchase the wood, you still come out ahead.

4) This area has really good hospitals and medical facilities. Locate yourself in an area where you will have easy access and public transportation, if needed.

5) This are has many colleges and universities. Plan to keep your mind active by taking a class, now and then. Some allow seniors to audit classes for free.

6) Syracuse does get a lot of snow, but we know how to manage it. Over the past few days, we've been laughing at the states that are forced to shut down due to a dusting of snow. We might get a foot of snow in one storm and not even bother to cancel school. Our municipalities are quite good at salting the roads prior to storms and then plowing all night long to keep the traffic flowing for the morning commute.
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Old 02-18-2015, 03:54 PM
 
1,216 posts, read 1,455,699 times
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Good point about heating and utility costs. My house is well insulated and very easy to heat. In winter we average $400\mo between our propane and pellets and then $150-$202 (ugh January) for our electric bill. In the summer electric is still over $100. Not sure why its so much higher in our area, I know my inlaws in central NY are closer to $60 in summer.

Snow removal- driveway and roof.

Can't beat summer in upstate NY but winter is tough
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Old 02-19-2015, 07:43 AM
 
21,454 posts, read 12,568,166 times
Reputation: 36189
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellwood View Post
Your first statement "hibernation mode" reminds me of some friends that have retired to FL. They have a home in the Finger Lakes and one in FL. They refuse to live in FL after May 1st because the one year they stayed in FL all year, they hibernated all summer due to the oppressive heat and humidity. They return October 1st.
And hibernating in a cold, dark, house (air-conditioning never feels natural) house all summer while the sun shines outside is infinitely more depressing that hibernating indoors beside a toasty warm fire while the snow flies outside the window. It feels "okay" to be indoors in the winter (although you can also do many outdoor activities), but just wrong in the summer, at least to me; forget hiking in 115 heat index.
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Old 02-19-2015, 08:53 AM
 
Location: Jamestown, NY
7,840 posts, read 9,140,847 times
Reputation: 13779
Quote:
Originally Posted by otterhere View Post
And hibernating in a cold, dark, house (air-conditioning never feels natural) house all summer while the sun shines outside is infinitely more depressing that hibernating indoors beside a toasty warm fire while the snow flies outside the window. It feels "okay" to be indoors in the winter (although you can also do many outdoor activities), but just wrong in the summer, at least to me; forget hiking in 115 heat index.
I lived in Nebraska for two years, and one of the summers, there was a heat wave where the highs were 100+ very day. It drove me nuts to stay inside every single day, and convinced me that moving to the South was out of the question. When it's green and sunny outside, I want to be there, not shut up inside.
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Old 02-19-2015, 09:01 AM
 
Location: Jamestown, NY
7,840 posts, read 9,140,847 times
Reputation: 13779
Quote:
Originally Posted by NaleyRocks View Post
Good point about heating and utility costs. My house is well insulated and very easy to heat. In winter we average $400\mo between our propane and pellets and then $150-$202 (ugh January) for our electric bill. In the summer electric is still over $100. Not sure why its so much higher in our area, I know my inlaws in central NY are closer to $60 in summer.

Snow removal- driveway and roof.

Can't beat summer in upstate NY but winter is tough
It may very well be your electric utility provider. I know in western NY that National Grid is cheaper than NYSEG. In the Albany/Hudson Valley area, Central Hudson was significantly more expensive than other electrical providers.

Where I live in Jamestown, we get our electricity from the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities, which is publicly owned power, and our rates are among the lowest in NYS. I heat my sunroom addition with electric and I have an electric heater, range, and dryer, and I pay about $100 in the winter and about $50 in the non-heating months.
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Old 02-20-2015, 06:34 AM
 
1,216 posts, read 1,455,699 times
Reputation: 2680
National grid is the only provider in our area, except in massena. I am going to shoo around for delivery service as the delivery surcharge is higher than the usage charge.
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