[ShipOfFools42]

Originally Posted by Sherylcatmom

My husband and I live in Rutland and we find the quality of life wonderful, not bleak. We are able to live here because we've slowly, steadily built a small business and I also work in the nonprofit sector (totally privately funded, not government programs). We enjoy our work and the people we interact with.

We saved up our money and ten years ago bought our home at a very reasonable price in a nice neighborhood. Efficiency Vermont did a heckuva job improving the insulation and other heat-conservation measures in our lovely old home.

We're hardly the only Rutlanders we know who are doing okay and enjoying our lives here. We have friends and work colleagues, and I work with hundreds of volunteers in this region and throughout the state. Many of us are doing fine.

There seems to be something about internet discussion forums that attracts posts full of stereotypes and generalizations. I mean, anyone can have a hard time; I feel compassion and willingness to listen. But instead of telling their own stories, some folks on forums (not just this forum) seem to generalize: Everyone is miserable. Everyone is unemployed and/or working 5 jobs while barely making ends meet. Everyone pays unbelievable prices for everything. Most houses are rundown and full of welfare cases.

Well, many of us are busy living decent lives and don't have time to post so much on forums. I make it a point to do so, both because I work online and it's easy for me to post here, and also because I like to add another viewpoint so folks will know it exists.

This is great to hear. I read a lot of different states' forums, and a lot of those have people painting very unpleasant pictures of life in their area. I have always suspected it was a bit of an attempt to vent their frustration that things are not going the way they wanted. The way I see it, you don't move to Vermont to get rich. You move to Vermont for Vermont. It's a place where you either "get it" or you don't, and an hour into my first visit to Vermont, I knew I had found a place that I could live out the rest of my days. And that's something that is a scary idea to me, but Vermont makes it less scary. What's wrong with just living when you live in a wonderful place?

Now to give you an idea, I drive a Honda Accord, live on a lot that is no way a full acre (maybe a half), my neighbors are pretty close on both sides, my street is narrow, and we are right by the train tracks. None of those things bother me whatsoever. I just feel so lucky to be here that it never occurred to me that I would need anything more. Hell, my house is tiny too, and I love this little place.

What I'm saying is, I don't need a BMW. I don't need a 5000 square foot house. I don't need fashionable clothes. I need a roof over my head, food to eat, a car to get me around, and a little bit of spending money to go camping and go to concerts on weekends. As bleak a picture as some people paint, I feel confident that that is achievable in Vermont. Am I wrong?

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by ShipOfFools42

What I'm saying is, I don't need a BMW. I don't need a 5000 square foot house. I don't need fashionable clothes. I need a roof over my head, food to eat, a car to get me around, and a little bit of spending money to go camping and go to concerts on weekends. As bleak a picture as some people paint, I feel confident that that is achievable in Vermont. Am I wrong?

This is essentially how we live, though our recreation tastes are a tad different.

Sorry to say that no one here (or anywhere) can tell you whether you'll be able to secure the income you need to live in Vermont. If you can bring remote work with you or find a job here (both daunting prospects but possible), or bring existing money to live on, of course you can do it.

[BickleTravis]

Originally Posted by ShipOfFools42

This is great to hear. I read a lot of different states' forums, and a lot of those have people painting very unpleasant pictures of life in their area. I have always suspected it was a bit of an attempt to vent their frustration that things are not going the way they wanted. The way I see it, you don't move to Vermont to get rich. You move to Vermont for Vermont. It's a place where you either "get it" or you don't, and an hour into my first visit to Vermont, I knew I had found a place that I could live out the rest of my days. And that's something that is a scary idea to me, but Vermont makes it less scary. What's wrong with just living when you live in a wonderful place?

Now to give you an idea, I drive a Honda Accord, live on a lot that is no way a full acre (maybe a half), my neighbors are pretty close on both sides, my street is narrow, and we are right by the train tracks. None of those things bother me whatsoever. I just feel so lucky to be here that it never occurred to me that I would need anything more. Hell, my house is tiny too, and I love this little place.

What I'm saying is, I don't need a BMW. I don't need a 5000 square foot house. I don't need fashionable clothes. I need a roof over my head, food to eat, a car to get me around, and a little bit of spending money to go camping and go to concerts on weekends. As bleak a picture as some people paint, I feel confident that that is achievable in Vermont. Am I wrong?

No, you don't move to VT unless you're rich.

[joe moving]

shipoffools I don't think you are wrong. I think you will do fine.

While the PDF file is interesting, I am not sure I agree. They are saying you need to make 57k to own a 200k home. I think you could get by on a bit less. You also do not need to buy a $200k home.

[BickleTravis]

Originally Posted by joe moving

shipoffools I don't think you are wrong. I think you will do fine.

While the PDF file is interesting, I am not sure I agree. They are saying you need to make 57k to own a 200k home. I think you could get by on a bit less. You also do not need to buy a $200k home.

Property taxes are a factor to consider. In some towns, property tax on a $200k home could be close to $6k. Remember, $200k won't get you much.

[MRVphotog]

Originally Posted by BickleTravis

Property taxes are a factor to consider. In some towns, property tax on a $200k home could be close to $6k. Remember, $200k won't get you much.

Property taxes are important except property taxes for a $200,000 home is about $2600 for the state average, according to my neighbor who has been a real estate broker in Vermont for over 40 years. Some locations are less, some are more.

After a year of residency if you make less than $90,000/yr you get a discount on your property taxes. The rate depends on the town, my Homestead Rebate takes about 40% off so a $200,00 home would be around around $1500/year in property taxes.

I tried to find a $200,000 home with $6000, the highest I could find was a condo on the lake in Shelburne which is about $4000 before the rebate.

[BickleTravis]

Originally Posted by MRVphotog

Property taxes are important except property taxes for a $200,000 home is about $2600 for the state average, according to my neighbor who has been a real estate broker in Vermont for over 40 years. Some locations are less, some are more.

After a year of residency if you make less than $90,000/yr you get a discount on your property taxes. The rate depends on the town, my Homestead Rebate takes about 40% off so a $200,00 home would be around around $1500/year in property taxes.

I tried to find a $200,000 home with $6000, the highest I could find was a condo on the lake in Shelburne which is about $4000 before the rebate.

I saw a property tax bill of over $5k on a $165k house in Colchester. I won't debate your state average number, if thats what you saw, then I believe you. That number does not apply in Chittenden County though.

[ShipOfFools42]

^ Yes, also be aware I would be staying far away from Chittenden County. Not at all interested in Burlington, Essex Jct, Williston, etc. I am more interested in a rural kind of setting if I am going to be moving to Vermont. If I want a Burlington-like setting, I'll stay right here in Asheville. They're actually fairly similar, sparing a couple of major differences.

OK, I'll put it in a different way: Vermont is my best-case-scenario location. I love the place and its people, and I love how whenever I tell my friends I'm going to be in Vermont for the week I get all kinds of jealousy poured on me. It's a desirable place, scenery-wise, no two ways about it. And scenery is a HUGE consideration for me. Ever since I moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains from central Alabama, I feel like my level of happiness in general has gone up. I get to look at these mountains every time I go somewhere or do something. I get to climb and hike them too. So, I don't ever want to live in the flatlands again. New Hampshire is second on my list, since New England (along with its weather) is a priority. I just like the way people think and live in New England.

I guess it's going to come down to me coming up there for a couple of weeks, spending equal time in Vermont and New Hampshire, and just feeling it out. Vermont is where I want to be really, but New Hampshire is a fantastic compromise, if you know what I mean. I can still live in Northern New England, and I can be in Vermont in thirty minutes, and then I can go home to New Hampshire where my taxes are nearly as high. I just don't know, I guess it comes down to what your personal "Vermont tax" is, how high you're willing to let it be.

[BickleTravis]

Originally Posted by ShipOfFools42

^ Yes, also be aware I would be staying far away from Chittenden County. Not at all interested in Burlington, Essex Jct, Williston, etc. I am more interested in a rural kind of setting if I am going to be moving to Vermont. If I want a Burlington-like setting, I'll stay right here in Asheville. They're actually fairly similar, sparing a couple of major differences.

OK, I'll put it in a different way: Vermont is my best-case-scenario location. I love the place and its people, and I love how whenever I tell my friends I'm going to be in Vermont for the week I get all kinds of jealousy poured on me. It's a desirable place, scenery-wise, no two ways about it. And scenery is a HUGE consideration for me. Ever since I moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains from central Alabama, I feel like my level of happiness in general has gone up. I get to look at these mountains every time I go somewhere or do something. I get to climb and hike them too. So, I don't ever want to live in the flatlands again. New Hampshire is second on my list, since New England (along with its weather) is a priority. I just like the way people think and live in New England.

I guess it's going to come down to me coming up there for a couple of weeks, spending equal time in Vermont and New Hampshire, and just feeling it out. Vermont is where I want to be really, but New Hampshire is a fantastic compromise, if you know what I mean. I can still live in Northern New England, and I can be in Vermont in thirty minutes, and then I can go home to New Hampshire where my taxes are nearly as high. I just don't know, I guess it comes down to what your personal "Vermont tax" is, how high you're willing to let it be.

Not sure if you meant that literally, but its more than taxes that are a problem here. The quality of jobs is easily my biggest complaint, followed by the cost of living vs. wages. Vermont is a service sector state, period.

[RJARRRPCGP]

Originally Posted by yeajustme

Poultney (York st)

I lived in Poultney and on that street, but when I was only 13 and when I didn't even exist on the internet and also didn't even know squat about PCs, lol.