Who has MOVED from their home state ? How difficult was it for you?

[dart4forte]

We are back from our annual Christmas visit to see the wife's family in Arizona.
Awhile back, we talked about the possibility of moving there as a stepping stone to somewhere else. The idea was and is that we just want to leave this poorly governed state but haven't mustered the guts to do it yet. Arizona would allow us to still be reasonably close to family here in California while also being within a few hours of her family. I will not live near Phoenix. It is too damn hot there. If we did move there, it would be up north.
We have looked at some properties in the Kingman area.
Nothing that I have seen has any grass at all. The Kingman area supposedly has a climate temperature similar to here in Sacramento but about half the rainfall. I would miss the grass. Our dogs play in our backyard and seem to like it as well. All of the properties that I see are full of rocky plots with a few shrubs. I understand that this is the desert so maybe I'm expecting too much.
Over the past year or so, in some cases, I've approached some matters with a different view. In the case of a meal, I tell myself that this isn't the last meal that I will ever eat. This lowers my expectations so that if it isn't spectacular, I'm okay with it because the next one might be better. Today I thought about how my next house could be looked at the same way. Moving sucks but this move does not have to be the perfect place because it probably won't be the last place that I live. However.....There are a few things that are Go/No Go.
If there is no barn or shop on site. I will build one. If the building restrictions won't allow it, I'm out. I am a car guy that gets as much from building them as driving them.
I need some land around me. I want a minimum of 5 acres and it can't be on a steep slope.
I see several properties on dirt roads. I don't like that....I have vehicles that I keep clean and the thought of running down a dusty road does not appeal to me. If the roads are some type of crushed rock that isn't too dusty, that may be okay.
I'm curious about vehicle registration in Arizona. I have several classic cars including the '75 Power Wagon. Nothing I have has the original emission equipment on it anymore. I thought I read that if they are registered as a classic, they are exempt from testing?
Comments?

Damn Kern, you were in town and you didn’t call? I would of sprung for lunch.

 

[Builderguy]

Kern,
The wife and I have been looking hard since we sold our home about 6 months ago. Spent a few weeks in the TN area and looked at a few homes but the photos clearly did not reflect the actual condition of these homes.
Had one on a river that was nice but simply no room for a shop. That, and the prices are still too high. Most homes were in the 250K range and still needed work. Found a really nice home in southern (way south) IL that
has a shop with a high enough ceiling for a lift. Has 4 acres and is on the edge of a small town along with a pool. It is 7 1/2 hours from the kids so that is being considered; that, and the fact that is in IL and the property taxes are stupid at over 6K which is 2x what we are used to in MI. This home buying is much more difficult than I thought it would be. The prices, in general, are still running 50K or so over what the home was worth 2 years ago. We have decided to keep looking but will probably wait until summer hoping for the expected price drop. The house in IL is an auction so we will see where that one goes as in the first 30 days of listing, it can only be sold to owner occupied after that it will be open to investors. House sitting in MI now until mid Feb. then off to FL for 6 weeks of relaxation on the beach. Plenty of time to look then. I hope, for both our sakes, that this housing bubble bursts and prices return to normal. That would open up a lot more properties. Again, best of luck in your search!

 

[barbee6043]

^^^^^^ My wife has been doing country Texas r/e 20 years or so. Even do some commercial stuff too. I drive her (my job) and I carry the revolver for for protection. Nut cases, killers, rapist, etc. No were are not in the city! I discuss this in no way looking for business! I direct this disussion to OP or Builderguy in post # 942 or whoever it might help in general.

I could write a book on about buyers, sellers, people in general. Like writing a book about people in the Mopar hobby!!!!

My opinion is YOU as buyer, decide what you want, where you want it. It needs to meet your requirements. Make out a list. Example: If your minimum acreage is 20, why look at 5. If your are flexible, then your list will show that. Find the property that fits your needs and IF you don't want high property tax, look where they are affordable to you. Never buy property and then a week later say "WHY did we buy this!?"

Who knows what prices, interest rates will do in the future. The experts all have their opinions, some of which will prove to be correct! Realize, r/e is different in every state, or locale.

Today with property listed for sale on the puter, the buyer has the ability to searh for property they might have an interest in. It is the buyers job. Not the r/e agent. We will occasionally have a buyer contact us and ask IF we might know of a property that meets their needs, as in a large timber track, or one let say one located on the river ( scarce). Sometimes the buyer is looking for a specific property and we will know of such NOT listed for sale that can be bought. Here in rural property, the flood plain is extremely important.

In general, a great r/e agent can make or break the experience, specially when you are buying property not in the burbs! And a bad one is deadly!!

 

[Richard Cranium]

HOA's don't bother me.

HOA's can be a pain in the a** but they do serve the function of preserving property values.

Which is the purpose of a HOA, but...........a HOA can dictate what shrubs or trees you can plant, tell you to cut your grass or wash your vinyl siding, complain that your car is too loud, park a trailer/boat in the driveway, what Christmas decorations you can or can't put up, what color your trash barrels can be, whether you can hang up a laundry line, have a shed and/or dictate the size of it. Some of those sound extreme, but I lived in a community with a HOA and know of others who have as well. They may have garden/plantings at the entrance which are maintained by outside companies.

The main reason I moved out of the barn house after 2 years was because of the community sewer/septic system that was part of the HOA fee. We were told that the HOA fee was going to be about a grand a year when we bought the property, which wasn't bad, but due to problems with the sewer/septic system (which was built to minimum standards), the HOA fee went to over $3,000.00 per year and our first year had an additional $500.00 assessment.

 

[erickson]

I’m lucky I have two houses. My main house in WI. I live on 40 acres with my house and shop on to of a hill. 40 x132 shop. + 2 car garages. My winter home in Apache Junction AZ. Is on 1 1/4 acres with a fence and electric gate with 3 garages and a lean too. Wife wasn’t happy that’s its an older double wide. Slowly redoing it. I bought it without her permission. She’s getting used to it. I bought it for the garages. If anyone is there during the winter come over for a beer and fire.

 

[Richard Cranium]

The wife's parents are in their 80s and don't have a lot of time left. Mary would like to live closer to be able to see them more than once a year. Each trip is 12 hours by car. We don't fly because we prefer to have our car there and because holiday travel sucks.

Maybe wait for them to kick the bucket and then make a move to where you really want to go.

 

[BigLime]

I have lived my entire life outside of Cleveland Ohio, 45 years. Loved the snow since I was a snowmobiler but got tires of the weather(Also, hurt my back bad in a snowmobile accident).

I moved to Arizona 15 years ago and have never looked back. Cars last forever. No rust to touch up. My current car is a 69 charger. Original to AZ, got it on my lift and the only rust is a tiny amount in the floor pans. A few the size of a 1/8" drill.
A perfect body, even by my high standards.

Perfect in any way in AZ. No tree leaves to brush up.
I wash my 69 a few times a year. Normally I just California brush it clean.

Gilbert, Arizona...
Love it.

 

[66/440]

When your shopping beware homes that are in a MUD (Municipal Utility District) the fees can easily be half or more of annual taxes!

 

[GetX'd]

When your shopping beware homes that are in a MUD (Municipal Utility District) the fees can easily be half or more of annual taxes!

That’s something they recently dreamed up in CO where I have been looking. Another way to get around the so called fixed tax rate. Most all of the newer developments are characterized as such. Won’t do it. I’m trying to stay West but there’s such slim pickings in terms of conservative livable areas - I’m not a small town guy and neither is my wife otherwise it would be a bit easier. I distain the desert, love the mountains - had enough beach to last me the rest of my life - if I want more we’ll just vaca at one. The entire West Coast, with all its beauty has been thoroughly occupied by the evil ones. Can’t be in that again - I’ve been here for 33 yrs and despise what goes on here. The corruption and all that goes with those people is astonishing. Forget what you think you know - Reality is far worse. I need to be rescued somehow. Pls help!!!

 

[Hey-O]

Which is the purpose of a HOA, but...........a HOA can dictate what shrubs or trees you can plant, tell you to cut your grass or wash your vinyl siding, complain that your car is too loud, park a trailer/boat in the driveway, what Christmas decorations you can or can't put up, what color your trash barrels can be, whether you can hang up a laundry line, have a shed and/or dictate the size of it. Some of those sound extreme, but I lived in a community with a HOA and know of others who have as well. They may have garden/plantings at the entrance which are maintained by outside companies.

The main reason I moved out of the barn house after 2 years was because of the community sewer/septic system that was part of the HOA fee. We were told that the HOA fee was going to be about a grand a year when we bought the property, which wasn't bad, but due to problems with the sewer/septic system (which was built to minimum standards), the HOA fee went to over $3,000.00 per year and our first year had an additional $500.00 assessment.

In all my times living in developments that had HOA's, the rules that were used were in line with what I needed at that point and time in my life. I've owned some nice homes in town where I did whatever I wanted because I could. I avoided homes and properties with community wells, septic systems, lakes and private streets, knowing how that works out. I owned my own lake in town and I could've **** in it if I wanted.Two of my homes had rules that that were strict and one I still put in a soccer field and an eighteen acre ATV track in the common ground, yes I was on the board and I didn't own an ATV, but don't park your ATV in your front yard or it was mine. You can park your car in the driveway or your company truck all day long, but not on jack stands for two years and no boats and RV's in the driveway, I had a lake house and my boat was on a hoist, in a slip, in my dock and before that it was in my attached garage in a 50 foot bay or in rack storage at the marina. on the river. I've had open sided wood sheds and landscaping fit for a king in all my homes, even with an HOA. My last one and this one, they take care of all of it. I don't need a shed, they plant, trim and water all of it. The trash can, they gave me because it was made to work with the trucks lifting mechanism and needs to be in your garage when not left out for pickup. A time and place for every phase in my life, it called timing and I'm pretty good at it.

 

[barbee6043]

You city guys are funny!!

 

[moparedtn]

All I can say Greg is stay out of Illinois ! It’s a well known welfare / sanctuary state .. if commiefornia does something the Colorado will and here come Illinois jumping on the wagon.. Good luck! I really believe Tennessee is a safe bet for you guys... but Nashville area is libtarded.

Nashville for sure, along with Memphis and Chattanooga to an extent as well...
The voting results map of Tn is funny to see - a red sea with three little blue dots on it.

 

[moparedtn]

You city guys are funny!!

Ain't they though?
My perspective, after having lived half my life in urban and the other in rural now is
going to be different, of course - but almost all of the concerns expressed herein about
restrictions, taxation, oppressive laws and such - simply don't exist where I am.

I am here intentionally - I believe I belong here - expressly because it's still capital "A"
America here.
As Greg says, I can walk out the back door and target shoot on my range anytime I like.
No entity tells me what I can or cannot do with my property. The nearest neighbor is over
a quarter mile away - and I can see them from here quite easily (scope required for sharp
focus, of course ).
Folks here mind their own business and leave you be, unless you invite interaction - yet
I can strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere at the drop of a hat, too.
It's hard to explain to people who haven't experienced it - and it's funny to watch folks not
from here experience it for the first time.
They're absolutely befuddled. Gotta love that...

It ain't for everybody. A lot of folks have become accustomed, even dependent, on all that
urban life entails and if I'm honest, there were some conveniences to it when I lived there.
Also to be honest now though - I don't miss a one of them and whatever we need (and me?
Lord knows, I have medical handlers galore these days) is available fairly close by, too.

I didn't like the influx of "yankees" (actually, they're mostly from places like Michigan, Colorado,
Florida and the like) at first, with the county seemingly ALL for sale, but the land values have gone
nuts to the point where all that has slowed down some now.
As long as whoever comes acknowledges why things are they way they are here and makes an
effort to assimilate (rather than CHANGE things), I got no beef with 'em.
Besides, it's kinda fun to mess with them - especially the ones that are still new enough not to
be used to strangers being friendly. That's a hoot.

 

[Hey-O]

You city guys are funny!!

A few weeks ago I bought into my brothers bucket list farm. He bought it because he always wanted to be a farmer LOL. He lives in the city and now plays on this place and enjoys every minute of it. He asked and I said yes, so now I am a part owner of a 53 acre farm connecting Mark Twain forest in the middle of nowhere. That now brings the families total land ownership to over a 140 acre, So I do get it and choose to have my cake and eat if too, now that's funny. This is our hay field which we let the neighbor cut. 120 round bales a year, two cuttings.

 

[barbee6043]

I lived in Mo. 37 years. I miss it and the conservative nature and the lower cost of life there. Rounds bales were worth about $35 a bale when I left 5 years ago. His share should be half.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

I lived in Mo. 37 years. I miss it and the conservative nature and the lower cost of life there. Rounds bales were worth about $35 a bale when I left 5 years ago. His share should be half.

were tornadoes common then? I have some co-workers from a satellite office in St Louis and they got hit bad a few times, but not sure if it's that common compared to other areas of "tornado alley"?

I've had a lot of people who live in missouri report that they love it there...

 

[Hey-O]

I lived in Mo. 37 years. I miss it and the conservative nature and the lower cost of life there. Rounds bales were worth about $35 a bale when I left 5 years ago. His share should be half.

He gets it all, as long as the pasture is kept clean. He's now officially a loyal friend with a long memory. It all pays off when you play the long game. I like to say, It's a round world and what goes around, comes around.

 

[68-500]

It wasn’t hard to leave when I was in my twenties, I was searching adventure. I find it almost impossible to get back to NW Iowa in my late forties after a wife and family. I’m done with adventure just want to try my hand at farming some family land.

 

[GetX'd]

I lived in Mo. 37 years. I miss it and the conservative nature and the lower cost of life there. Rounds bales were worth about $35 a bale when I left 5 years ago. His share should be half.

Curious why you left - if you care to share …

 

[barbee6043]

Curious why you left - if you care to share …

I will share, After almost a lifetime, I met the perfet woman for me, and she seems to think I am perfect for her. My two girls back in Mo, are totally indepent types. My wife has children here. Her kids are not so independent types. She is native Texan and has no desire to leave.
My opinion of Texas is everything here is way more expensive than Mo. People here are underworked and overpaid in general. So be it.