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But in retirement, we could get twice the home at nearly half the price if we moved to a "working class" community outside the Washington Metro Area. For example, Roanoke VA is a nice enough town but has fewer nice restaurants, poorer schools, less landscaping, rougher looking neighborhoods, less shopping, poorer libraries, more poverty, and social problems. There are some nice neighborhoods but the community does not offer as much as our current hometown of Bethesda MD.
When I have traveled to working-class communities, like Roanoke, I am so happy to see such nice folks and their lack of ego and friendly personality.
Regarding Roanoke... My parents lived there for a while and I visited every year. They liked the place and had a nice brick home on a large lot with nice neighbors. People were friendly up to a point. Smaller towns are somewhat "closed" and it is sometimes hard to be a "local". The smaller the community the tighter the relationships are -- often familial. You might look for smaller towns with other retirees.
I perhaps never experienced a purely "white collar" town -- I guess this means affluent communities. I would avoid tourist towns but living in a satellite community of a tourist town might work. Some smaller state capitals might have a lower cost of living because of the lower government wages. That was my experience for several decades. In these affordable places, you typically won't see as much of an increase in property values whenever you decide to sell. University towns might be good but I would not choose a town with a major public university with football or other sporting events dominating weekends. That gets very tiresome, not to mention 20,000 students.
I never said the people in working-class towns were bad. In fact, I respect the hard physical work they dod and how down to earth they are. But a town that is wealthy and full of college-educated professionals have a different vibe. Opera and fine dining vs Nascar. French Food and Saks Firth Avenue vs Burger King and Walmart. You get the idea!
How about Opera and fine dining versus potlucks and town socials. French food and Saks Fifth Avenue versus "home-grown-made from scratch-just like great grandmas dinners" and neighbors helping neighbors, no matter how they're dressed. You get the idea.
That cuts across all classes. The worst-maintained house and yard in my neighborhood belongs to a doctor who was unfortunately seriously injured in an auto accident years ago and apparently no longer works for a living or has the means to hire out the work. It's gotten so bad that the fire department has it classified as one where if it's in fire they rescue the guy and protect the adjacent homes. That's it. (HOA Board Chair is retired fire chief.) The house next to me is owned by an architect whose DIY deck repair has been ongoing for 4 years. (Yes, that's a violation of restrictions.) One house recently sold to our relief- it was starting to look junky outside and the owner, who'd been through a divorce and BK, wasn't maintaining it. None of these owners belonged to an ethnic group or "class" that might be stereotyped as sloppy or lazy.
Working class folks are less likely to show pride in their property. They're much more willing to sit in the house, munch Cheetos, and watch the boob tube, rather than doing anything useful.
Working class folks are less likely to show pride in their property. They're much more willing to sit in the house, munch Cheetos, and watch the boob tube, rather than doing anything useful.
Well now, maybe that's a regional thing where you're at. Most working class folks where I've lived, 7 states in 3 time zones, seemed to me place a great deal of store in how they appear as far as the house & their clothes... strivers who want to at least appear upwardly mobile even if that isn't entirely the case. Granted I have never lived in the deep south if that's what you're referring to.
Working class folks are less likely to show pride in their property. They're much more willing to sit in the house, munch Cheetos, and watch the boob tube, rather than doing anything useful.
You really need to get out of your little town in TN more often and open your eyes. Not all working class people live like your parents do. You do realize from your previous posts you are describing them and not the average working class person, which like it or not, you are one of also.
Obviously, you're too biased to have a rational conversation about this anyway. Your true colors came out boldly.
Last edited by marino760; 08-03-2019 at 05:05 AM..
If you can afford a Bethesda-type town(even in a townhouse) on your retirement income, then go for a Bethesda-type town. Should be plenty of those in NoVa. Why settle for less? I wouldn't if I were in your shoes. Quiet, very low crime with some amenities nearby suits me well. If you want twice the home but at a lower price then you need to compromise stuff. As mentioned on here quality over quantity. Bigger housing means more maintenance, and as you age isn't that counterintuitive?
If you can afford a Bethesda-type town(even in a townhouse) on your retirement income, then go for a Bethesda-type town. Should be plenty of those in NoVa. Why settle for less? I wouldn't if I were in your shoes. Quiet, very low crime with some amenities nearby suits me well. If you want twice the home but at a lower price then you need to compromise stuff. As mentioned on here quality over quantity. Bigger housing means more maintenance, and as you age isn't that counterintuitive?
I can fully understand the OP’s question and interest in moving from Bethesda to a smaller more tranquil setting. Bethesda to Roanoke is a major change in driving and associated hassle.
On a scale of affluence of 1 to 10, 1 being ghetto and 10 being the Hamptons, I have lived in places ranging from a 3 to a 7 and been comfortable in ALL of them.
However, that being said, I would NOT be comfortable living any place below a 3 and would find it to be almost unbearably depressing, but I could live okay in a 9 or a 10, although I would probably just stay home and not socialize very much. "Keeping up with the Joneses" or socializing with the Rich and the Famous has never appealed to be in the slightest. I worked as a social secretary for a famous multi-millionaire businessman,once and I would rather live in Mayberry and socialize with Andy and Aunt Bea than socialize with people like him! (He also socialized with some movie and television celebrities -- and, no, I won't name names.)
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