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I lived in Atlanta a total of 5 1/2 years. You DO NOT want to live within 50 miles of Downtown! The traffic is brutal, ranking in the top 15 in the world for congestion. Roswell is just north of Atlanta city limits so avoid it as well. Athens is far enough away to be its own hub.. Chattanooga I've visited a few times and found it very appealing. Its a good 90 minutes from Atlanta and TN has no state income tax.
Greenville SC has a great downtown and is two hours either way from metro Atlanta or Charlotte.
Avoid MS. I think it is too far removed from conveniences you will miss associated with a big city. Something to think about two with Greenville. At least Athens or Chattanooga aren't too far from Atlanta. Healthcare, entertainment, air travel I would think about.
Is there a reason you are only looking toward the southeast? I'm in Texas and can vouch for
1. small towns between Austin and San Antonio (80 miles between them),
2. Huntsville, TX (Sam Houston State U) which is about an 55 miles north of Houston in a heavily wooded area.
3. Bryan/College Station, Texas (home of Texas A&M University), in the Brazos Valley. Similar to Athens, GA and about 90 minutes from either Houston to the southeast or Austin to the west.
4. Sherman, Texas - 60 miles due north of Dallas.
Again, no state income tax.
Thanks! I'm just more familiar with the southeast. I've only been to Texas once and that was Amarillo. Maybe I'll have to do some more research on those areas you named. Thanks for the insight!
I bought new bulbs at Auto Zone and they installed them in the parking lot for free.
Wow! I don't know where you live, but the last time I bought a couple of windshield wipers at Auto Zone for a small sedan, I was on my own in the parking lot trying to figure out how to clip them on. You must live in an area with very friendly service!
If you have never been to the South, may want to rent first. Not all Southerners are gonna be "yankee" friendly, trust me, lived there for 30 years. Your best bet may be San Antonio,it gets hot, but not Dallas hot. And they have the Riverwalk. 2nd choice? Go west,Henderson,Nv. Has everything you need. Gets hot, but cools down at night. The South does not cool down at night. And you can Uber to the strip if you need to people watch. Good thing about Nevada,you can enjoy everything California offers, and it's 1/2 as cheap. No state tax. No fools voting for sales tax raises for the homeless (LA) every year. I live there now on the 4 yr plan. There is something good about driving in Neighborhoods looking at houses you can affords opposed to looking at houses you can't. 3-2-2 1500 sq ft in SoCal? 700k or more. No thanks.
Wow! I don't know where you live, but the last time I bought a couple of windshield wipers at Auto Zone for a small sedan, I was on my own in the parking lot trying to figure out how to clip them on. You must live in an area with very friendly service!
Raleigh and Durham in NC, El Passo TX and Tucson AZ can be good options for weather, walk-ability and cost of living.
Durham NC does not have good schools but I don't think that is your criteria anymore. Otherwise it is happening town with many safe walkable neighborhoods. And prices are still within reach.
I realize this is a year old thread, but thought I'd ask what specific Durham neighborhoods are safe and walkable to downtown, with prices still within reach. I haven't visited Durham, but it interests me as a possible retirement location. From the NC forum and other threads, Durham seems to have a crime problem and the areas around Duke aren't good, according to locals. I'd be interested in hearing about safe and walkable areas downtown Durham with reasonable rents. The American Tobacco complex looks interesting, but it's small and rents are high.
Personally I think for someone who has had a lifetime, of living in walkable communities. Locales such as Chicago and a few others in this country. Then moving to the Southeast and finding it again, would be very difficult. Its going to be very limited in the Southeast, and that's an understatement. The south seems to be built for the car and pickup truck. I don't notice much interest at all in walking. I don't believe for one moment, the reason is its hot and rains. Its a culture that developed years ago, and continues. Maybe a few areas build some housing in downtowns now, where you can walk to something such as Greenville. That is true but its limited and most can't afford it. Most people in the south will drive all day every day.
I grew up in the Boston area, and have lived in other regions where walking was part of the lifestyle. I can't find it in the south, and respect its not like that here. I don't like the fact its this way, but it is what it is. I get plenty of walking, but I have to drive to trails or around lakes to walk.
Believe me you want a walkable community. I recommend Metros in the Northern states. If you want minimal snow then Portland is a great walkable city. In other words your looking in the wrong direction.
You might want to look at some of the smaller towns south of Nashville. It has been a while since I have checked on the prices in that area.
Err.... You're probably 6 or 7 years too late. You're not going to get walkable south of Nashville for sub-$200K. Prices have at least doubled. I see a 1,825 square foot brick faced ranch in Franklin walkable to the Main street that is in untouched 1976 splendor for $360K. With a new kitchen and a couple of bath remodels, that would be a pretty good location. I prefer salt water and ski areas but if I had to live inland in the south, I'd pick Franklin. It's a really nice town with a great town center and it's very convenient to Nashville and the airport.
Never again will you be as young as you are right now. For me walking has become a loathsome chore which I seek to avoid as much as possible. Public transportation never goes where I want/need to go.
Stairs are also unacceptable also.
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