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We pay $700 electric bills in summer from the A/C, and $300 to $350 electric in winter + $250-$300 gas bills in winter, so all in all we pay $700 a month for heating/cooling year round.
Are heating bills in VT more than that? If so, we may start looking at Spokane again...
PS we know all about remodeling and repairing-- we're doing it now with our house getting it ready to sell. We have a lot of rot & a lot of upgrades to do. It can certainly run into $$$.
We are just looking for a modest home. Nothing fancy. If it needs weatherising, we can do it. We need a roof & a place to work.
Just a question out of curiosity... where do the poor working class people in VT live? Certainly there are regular neighbourhoods with working class folks, right? Those areas can't be too expensive or noone would live there, right?
Thanks for your reply... upkeep is one serious factor when thinking of buying... we want to rent first so we can put feelers out on where exactly we want to buy. We were looking at duplexes for sale in VT and were thinking of living in one side...
Cheers!
What you have for utilities as well as the age of the place and the size will dictate what your expenses will be monthly. Electric will be cheaper without a doubt, but for the six months out of the year for electric and heat alone you could be spending anywhere between 400-800. This has been my experience with the several homes I have owned and own in Vermont. During the summer electric bills have averaged about $200 per month. One bit of a warning. If monthly expenses are going to be your deal maker or deal breaker, one bit of information for you. Vermont Yankee (nuclear powerplant) is most likely going to be shut down and the contract with Hydo Quebec is up for renewal soon. The state of Vermont has put some warnings out already that with these two major events, our electric rates are going to increase and depending on the events that take place the rate hike could be significant.
Williston would be fine. It's close to Burlington and has access to everything. Does size matter to you? I'm wondering how big the place in Williston is. I live close to Williston and that price seems very low. In Chittenden County your monthly housing expenses are going to be about what you are paying right now. That is with a rental property below 1000. I'm doing the math with what I pay right now and I am going the cheapest route possible with my monthly housing expenses. Some landlords will pick up some expenses like heat, water and sewer. Ask the landlord if they can provide you with monthly expenses. It could save you some pain trying to calculate everything on your own.
Don't be discouraged. there are areas in the state where anyone can afford to live. You just need to decide on what you need and what you don't need in your lives. Your quality of life sounds like it would be much better here than there. If that is what will make you most happy, you should make the move even if it means it may cost you more each month.
What you have for utilities as well as the age of the place and the size will dictate what your expenses will be monthly. Electric will be cheaper without a doubt, but for the six months out of the year for electric and heat alone you could be spending anywhere between 400-800. This has been my experience with the several homes I have owned and own in Vermont. During the summer electric bills have averaged about $200 per month. One bit of a warning. If monthly expenses are going to be your deal maker or deal breaker, one bit of information for you. Vermont Yankee (nuclear powerplant) is most likely going to be shut down and the contract with Hydo Quebec is up for renewal soon. The state of Vermont has put some warnings out already that with these two major events, our electric rates are going to increase and depending on the events that take place the rate hike could be significant.
Williston would be fine. It's close to Burlington and has access to everything. Does size matter to you? I'm wondering how big the place in Williston is. I live close to Williston and that price seems very low. In Chittenden County your monthly housing expenses are going to be about what you are paying right now. That is with a rental property below 1000. I'm doing the math with what I pay right now and I am going the cheapest route possible with my monthly housing expenses. Some landlords will pick up some expenses like heat, water and sewer. Ask the landlord if they can provide you with monthly expenses. It could save you some pain trying to calculate everything on your own.
Don't be discouraged. there are areas in the state where anyone can afford to live. You just need to decide on what you need and what you don't need in your lives. Your quality of life sounds like it would be much better here than there. If that is what will make you most happy, you should make the move even if it means it may cost you more each month.
Thanks. I am mostly looking for a cheaper place because we are starting over & we will only have a very limited income at first due to re-establishing a client base up there. We absolutely cannot move up there until hubby has found a job there first. Here, he works 95 hours a week between the business and his side job... and the side job is 40-50 hours a week. We are just adding the online store (retail art supplies) into the mix so it's not a constant flow yet, although I do have some clients already in Houston, Tennessee, and D.C. (we can continue the online retail in Houston from VT.)
The business is a modest income so the self employment taxes eat up so much of it that it doesn't leave much left over to make a huge difference in income... and Houston is getting so expensive rental wise-- what used to be $600 a month is now $1600 a month for the same house in a matter of just a few years-- but wages have fallen so sharply here that it's getting impossible to live. I figure if we're gonna live paycheque to paycheque, it may as well be somewhere pretty.
When we head up to VT in January we're really going to be so busy exploring all options and tryng to find our home.
We were definitely planning on asking any potential landlord about average expenses for any potential house we'd rent.
GR, I'm speaking up because my experience is different -- and good.
When I was looking for property in Vermont in '07, I did my research online because it was convenient and useful. In fact, I ended up buying the property I had my eye on at the beginning and had assumed it would sell fast, but it didn't.
I think you ought to search for a property to buy, after taking time to look around in January. It is definitely a buyer's market in Vermont. I paid $102,400 for my place, two years ago. The price came down 20%. I bought property in a rural area of Rutland County -- in the western and south/central part of the state, so my experience is different than people who tell you that you have to look in the far northern part of the state. I see many properties for sale at low prices in town.
I honestly think your best bet is to keep looking online, see how long properties stay on the market, and get a feel for what your money will buy.
You will come with an ace-in-the-hole, your own business.
Rutland, the closest city, has a decent farmer's market and a co-op, and I'm just learning about raw milk.
By the way, I was a little confused by what you're looking for -- and I understand how confusing it can be! You wrote about maybe looking for a duplex, and looking for a farmhouse.....
My only other thought is take note of how you would get around. You have to drive everywhere in VT. I came from a very walkable part of upstate NY, so it surprised me.
Groens writes: "We are a very progressive, vegan, childfree, 30-something artist couple with several geriatric pets looking to FLEE Texas and move to Vermont."
Based on your self description you should feel right at home in VT. We've seen a influx of like minded people for many years now which has produced a population that leans decidedly left. Furthermore, we've see an exodus of people like myself who are FLEEing Vt to move to Texas for reasons that are mirror opposite of your own.
Its interesting how TX and VT each stand out as shinning stars in the dark sky for ideologically misplaces residents. I'm confident your making the right decision, as am I. Good luck.
Groens-hope you have a great scouting trip in January. I'm glad you are finding some housing online that is in your price range and it's good that you don't mind a fixer-upper.
The Rutland area is really growing on me. My parents moved to the Rutland area from Bennington a few years ago and I've been exploring the area when I go visit.
If you have time when you come visit, please visit the Burlington area, Rutland area, UPper Valley (White River area) and the Northeast Kingdom (Lyndon/StJ/Newpoort). Each area has a different feel and you'll get a good idea as to what kind of cash will give you what.
Also....be sure to bring your long underwear!
Groens writes: "We are a very progressive, vegan, childfree, 30-something artist couple with several geriatric pets looking to FLEE Texas and move to Vermont."
Based on your self description you should feel right at home in VT. We've seen a influx of like minded people for many years now which has produced a population that leans decidedly left. Furthermore, we've see an exodus of people like myself who are FLEEing Vt to move to Texas for reasons that are mirror opposite of your own.
Its interesting how TX and VT each stand out as shinning stars in the dark sky for ideologically misplaces residents. I'm confident your making the right decision, as am I. Good luck.
GR, I'm speaking up because my experience is different -- and good.
When I was looking for property in Vermont in '07, I did my research online because it was convenient and useful. In fact, I ended up buying the property I had my eye on at the beginning and had assumed it would sell fast, but it didn't.
I think you ought to search for a property to buy, after taking time to look around in January. It is definitely a buyer's market in Vermont. I paid $102,400 for my place, two years ago. The price came down 20%. I bought property in a rural area of Rutland County -- in the western and south/central part of the state, so my experience is different than people who tell you that you have to look in the far northern part of the state. I see many properties for sale at low prices in town.
I honestly think your best bet is to keep looking online, see how long properties stay on the market, and get a feel for what your money will buy.
You will come with an ace-in-the-hole, your own business.
Rutland, the closest city, has a decent farmer's market and a co-op, and I'm just learning about raw milk.
By the way, I was a little confused by what you're looking for -- and I understand how confusing it can be! You wrote about maybe looking for a duplex, and looking for a farmhouse.....
My only other thought is take note of how you would get around. You have to drive everywhere in VT. I came from a very walkable part of upstate NY, so it surprised me.
Good luck!
Re: farmhouse or duplex, we were considering pros and cons of each and were open to either renting or buying a farmhouse, or open to buying a duplex & live in one side to save money.
I was thinking that buying a duplex might be easier (for financing) since it will generate rental income, as I don't know if the banks will consider our business income as income (they don't here in Texas because the business is only a year old) so they only consider hubby's full-time side job & my meager income for the time being. The business is 52% of our total household income, yet here in Texas they won't consider it when were were looking to refinance our house here... so they go buy 48% of our income to qualify for anything UGH.
Also I was thinking it might be harder to buy a home there because we'll be starting from scratch as far as jobs and clients go. Hubby has been at his side-job for 10 years, so there both would be "new" so not sure what kind of risk they would think we would be. I guess that is something we can find out in January when we go...
I don't mind driving. I live in Houston. Noone walks here. You have to drive somewhere to walk. Although I am sure I can at least walk the dogs there (unlike here-- too dangerous in most areas... or hot to walk. lots of places don't have sidewalks anyway.)
Thanks for your post! Like I said, we are definitely going from Burlington down to Bennington, then crossing over to the east side & going up. We are so excited!
Like I said, we are definitely going from Burlington down to Bennington, then crossing over to the east side & going up.
Cool! I love the Route 7 drive up and down the state. When you drive through Rutland, remember that downtown is just west of Route 7. You can turn west on West, Center, or Washington Streets. All those strip malls on Route 7 are not downtown Rutland, as I used to think before I lived here. I'd drive up 7 shaking my head, wondering where the "there" was.
You should definitely give VT a shot. A lot of VTers live on the Ok job + Ok small business method. You've been warned plenty about COL. Ideologically you will likely be very happy. Someone who lived in TX and now is in VT once told me that it is similar as to the weather making being outside unpleasant for X months out of the year. I guess it is personal preference whether you'd like to be uncomfortably hot or uncomfortably cold. RE is softening up in VT. From the little that I know a lot of stuff seems to be priced for a couple of years ago and not moving. It might take longer for reality to set in for owners, but consider listed prices as optimistic on the seller's side. You can always offer to rent a house that has been sitting. Never know what you will find if you ask.
You can always offer to rent a house that has been sitting. Never know what you will find if you ask.
We know a couple who recently rented a $1500/month house near Burlington for $1350/month because they made the offer.
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