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I couldn't agree more. Some people think they're going to move somewhere across the country and then start complaining that it's not enough like home, too many people do things differently and the existing mall is too small for them. Then they wonder why they can't make friends in the new location.
It's one of the reasons I am hoping to find property with land on both sides of the road. Just in case I get those "but we used to do it that way neighbors" - that way we can't see each other! Leave me and my old farm alone!
Yes, we see that out here too. Subdivision goes up on old farm land, what remains is still farmed. New rich neighbors don't think the smell is quaint once spring and summer hits.
I learned over the years to keep my mouth shut when in another's territory. It was truly culture shock when I moved from a city to the small town my mother grew up in. The importance of keeping a low profile proved invaluable.
Now that I'm in Arizona that has also been a huge aid. Part of me is not certain I'll stay here as I do miss the 'green' aspect of Minnesota, but not the winters or the allergies! I do plan on checking out Tennessee this spring but, again, my allergies may make that unfeasible. I chose Arizona for that reason.
It's very important to not only look at the col but also the culture of the area you are looking to move.
That's my plan too, to keep a low profile and mind my own business. When the time is right, I may be able to make a few friends but I don't expect anyone to roll out the red carpet for me. I'm not moving to make close new friends. If it happens that's great, if not, that's ok too. I'm not one that needs many people around me. The last thing I'm going to do is criticize people for being different than I am in certain ways or say negative things about the town.
As far as your allergies, TN may be fine for you. Plants producing pollen in MN may be completely different than the plants in TN. I live in the desert SW and some people here have terrible allergies despite what we see as a lack of green. Everyone and everywhere is different.
... you probably have no idea of the culture or lifestyle of any of these areas.
Being a southern Californian, you're probably a lot wealthier than people in the prospective areas. People in rural east TN are NOT going to take kindly to some Cali retiree rolling in with a lot of wealth (at least by local standards), and trying to influence local decision making. To be frank, we don't like wealthy out of state retirees in my neck of the woods. Truth be told, we'd prefer you relocate to Nashville, Charlotte, etc., where out of area wealth is common and welcome.
We have been living here in the oldest state for about 12 years, during which time we have heard many stories about retirees coming here from wealthier states and trying to change things here.
Since we have the highest percentage of retirees, it seems that every local has at least one story where some retiree was bragging about how great something was in their previous state, and how they wanted to change things here to copy that other state.
We have been careful to avoid both of these pitfalls. We never tell the locals about how wonderful things were in a previous state, and we try to avoid discussions of changing things here.
I figured that since I have a federal pension, anywhere I migrated to my spending habits would strengthen the local economy of anywhere that I went. But that only buys a small bit of goodwill among the locals, compared to making suggestions that things change here.
I guess there must be something wrong with me because my experience has been kind of different. I've had no problem with the new "culture" here. My feelings are that people are people where ever you go. We lived for four years in the late 70s in a small town in South Carolina and my wife (degree in journalism and newspaper editing from Ohio U) begged for a job in a mill as a spinner as that was all she could find. Working side by side with people whose parents and grandparents worked there. Didn't take long for her to be accepted once they saw that she worked hard and was nice to everybody. I've always figured that if we could fit in there, we could fit in anywhere as that was a real change for us.
Here, I don't stay quiet, I talk to anyone at any time and people here love to talk. Whether it is in the store/restaurant, Dr waiting room, at the park/university for a concert, or wherever, I just smile and mention something like the weather or whatever comes to mind and away we go. Have met a lot of very nice. helpful people that way.
I guess there must be something wrong with me because my experience has been kind of different. I've had no problem with the new "culture" here. My feelings are that people are people where ever you go. We lived for four years in the late 70s in a small town in South Carolina and my wife (degree in journalism and newspaper editing from Ohio U) begged for a job in a mill as a spinner as that was all she could find. Working side by side with people whose parents and grandparents worked there. Didn't take long for her to be accepted once they saw that she worked hard and was nice to everybody. I've always figured that if we could fit in there, we could fit in anywhere as that was a real change for us.
Here, I don't stay quiet, I talk to anyone at any time and people here love to talk. Whether it is in the store/restaurant, Dr waiting room, at the park/university for a concert, or wherever, I just smile and mention something like the weather or whatever comes to mind and away we go. Have met a lot of very nice. helpful people that way.
I was in Cookeville for a few days in 2013 and I found the people to be very friendly.
The first day I was there, I stopped at an independent coffee shop in front of a nondescript strip center. The kids running the shop were serving customers and working on a 3D printer. I assumed that they were Tennessee Tech students. No, they were high school graduates that were playing with the printer so they could solve problems for one of the local manufacturers. We talked for about 30 minutes.
That was one of several discussions I had in the three days I was there.
I guess there must be something wrong with me because my experience has been kind of different. I've had no problem with the new "culture" here. My feelings are that people are people where ever you go. We lived for four years in the late 70s in a small town in South Carolina and my wife (degree in journalism and newspaper editing from Ohio U) begged for a job in a mill as a spinner as that was all she could find. Working side by side with people whose parents and grandparents worked there. Didn't take long for her to be accepted once they saw that she worked hard and was nice to everybody. I've always figured that if we could fit in there, we could fit in anywhere as that was a real change for us.
Here, I don't stay quiet, I talk to anyone at any time and people here love to talk. Whether it is in the store/restaurant, Dr waiting room, at the park/university for a concert, or wherever, I just smile and mention something like the weather or whatever comes to mind and away we go. Have met a lot of very nice. helpful people that way.
Same here. I don't talk politics or religion with anybody, and never tell people how to act. But I love meeting new people, and in the place we are moving to, have already met some great people.
Best of all, it is a small town, with only one hardware store. When I walked in to it, discovered a large rack of Earnie Ball Slinkys. I was dumbfounded when I saw them, and asked the sales lady who's idea was this???
She said they have been in the store ever since it was opened, and they are a big seller...Looks like I am moving to the right place!!!
Forty years ago, I moved to Texas with the mid-1970s great migration because the economy in Michigan was in the dumper. If I learned one thing that served me well over the years, it was that a new place was not necessarily better or worse – it was just different. I watched many people pack up and leave because they could not adapt ... and often thought people were unfriendly.
That's what happens when you're quick to tell someone that their way is the wrong way.
I moved from CA to eastern TN and absolutely love it. The "culture shock" was that people in east TN are actually NICE, unlike many in CA. Not everyone that moves to a lower COL state is an idiot that wants their old lifestyle in their new state. That is just as much of a stereotype as the idea that everyone in KY or TN is poor, or hill people. Since Rod5591 gives no indication of his income, I don't see how people are assuming that he must be wealthier than folks in KY or TN. There are PLENTY of native Tennesseans in Knoxville with WAY more money than us. And not everyone in CA is retiring with a fat bank account. If they were, they wouldn't be looking for a low COL state.
I definitely agree that one needs to make a few long visits to the precise area you are planning to move to, in order to SEE if the lifestyle appeals to you, and if the area meets your needs. Don't take other people's word for it that you will, or won't, fit in. I lived in northern CA my entire life, and I love living in TN.
Last edited by TheShadow; 12-05-2017 at 01:45 PM..
I couldn't agree more. Some people think they're going to move somewhere across the country and then start complaining that it's not enough like home, too many people do things differently and the existing mall is too small for them. Then they wonder why they can't make friends in the new location.
Some people can make these changes well. Others fail spectacularly. If I moved to San Francisco, I'm sure I would be overwhelmed.
My wife and I are planning to retire, on a budget, and we are looking for the state with:
1) No state income Tax
2) Lowest Sales Tax
3) Lowest Property Tax
Or the best combination of the three.
We plan to buy a few acres and raise chickens, maybe a goat or two, and have have a garden and try to live a quiet life, minding our own business. We would love to find a house/manufactured home in good condition and 3 acres for not more than $75K. My wife would like to locate near but not in a small city maybe 25K in population with a full service hospital. I am a veteran and would like to be withen 40 miles or so of a VA medical center or clinic.
We don't have strong preferences about weather except we do not want humid hot summers such as Florida or the Gulf Coast states.
The weather here is California where we live is great, but its way too expensive here and taxes keep going up, plus the state is going the wrong direction culture-wise, with all the liberals and the crooked politicians. We would live Oregon and/or Washington, but prices are high in those areas and the liberals are ruining those states as well.
Some states we have looked at are Arkansas and Tennessee, Wyoming, Utah.
Can anyone suggest any good low cost states to retire?
Also where can I get the information about sales tax rates, property tax rates, etc?
Thank you for any help and/or advice.
Rod,
First, I hope you and your family are not affected by the fire in Southern California.
I read some posts on this Forum which a few suggested Northern Wyoming: No State Income tax, and if you need to purchase big ticket items, drive to Montana to shop because Montana has No Sale Tax.
I guess in the end you have to make that big decision which fits your life style and preferences. I really struggled with this question last year as well. Here's my story:
-I am originally from Vietnam; immigrated to the US and settled in San Francisco, CA in '86; joined the Marines in '89 and been to many places in the US, Japan, and the Middle East. Love being in the Marine Corps, but all good journeys will eventually have their own finish line. My finish line was on 30 Apr 2017. We flew back to California from our last duty station, Okinawa, Japan; picked up our car in storage; then proceeded to San Antonio, Texas. After spending two weeks in the lodge at Randolph AFB, I ended up bought a new tract home in Schertz (a small town in NE San Antonio).
-Why Texas and not California:
1. Politics. I'm done with the crazy communist politics of California. Have to defect from the People's Republic of California.
2. California's crazy high taxes. No Income tax in Texas. Texas has high Property tax, but as for me, I pay zero amount due to my VA 100% Rating. And another few perks for being a disabled vet, I pay only $3 for my car registration and can park at any airport parking lots free. In some toll roads, I am exempted from paying tolls. For Sale tax it is 6.25%. However, since I am a military retiree, we mostly shop at the near by Air Force Base Exchange and Commissary. I also fuel up my vehicle at on base gas stations. Gasoline is always 10 - 15 cents cheaper on base.
3. Healthcare. I live near a local Tricare Clinic and about 15 miles from Brooke Army Medical Center. And there's a decent size VA hospital in San Antonio and a few clinics sprinkled in surrounding suburbs. I mainly use Tricare clinic since I am a long-term military retiree.
Here's a few things I miss for being in San Antonio:
1. Good Asian restaurants. Don't think there are any great Vietnamese/Thais/Chinese Dim Sum here. Once in a while I have to drive to Houston to eat good Asian food. Think I make do with good Tex-Mex and great BBQ here. Did I mention that they have great breakfast tacos here?
2. I miss the evening walk along the beach as I did almost daily while living in Okinawa, San Diego, San Francisco, and Bahrain. Once in a while, we take a 2-hour drive to Corpus Christy to walk the beach there and enjoy some great seafood.
Anyway, good lucks to you and your family wherever you end up decided to call home.
Semper Fi...
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Leave me and my old farm alone!
