Community Forums

sec1rlr · 06-27-2020, 03:01 PM

I need your input. Frankly, I'm lost and at my wits end. I'm widowed now and retired a few years ago. I want to relocate out of S. Cal. I hope to travel at least 6 mo's out of the year and the rest have a home base. I'm a car guy. I've got all of the toys including a lift. Here's where I need your help. Some key points. It's just me, a 60 year old retired UPSer, I want a no income tax state if at all possible, small town near bigger city amenities, a lock and leak type home with good neighbors and low crime, I want the garage to support a lift, a small home is better as I don't need to spend a half mil on just little ol me. I travel overseas quite a bit. Any RV friendly communities come to mind where I can work on my stuff (tall garage), ride my motorcycle and have a realistic chance my stuff will be there when I return home 6 months later. I'm a damn good neighbor and friendly so I can get along. I just haven't found anything and Covid19 doesn't make my search right now any easier. You guys and gals have seen a lot more of this country than I have and I bet you've got some ideas. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Bobby F · 06-27-2020, 04:23 PM

Take a close look at the communities around Sturgis, South Dakota.

SD is one of the three top states for RV residency. No income tax. Sturgis is one of the great places to be in the summer if you're a motorhead (like me.)

Nice spring/summer/fall climate. (A good place to be FROM in the winter, of course.) Pretty safe area to leave stuff, too.

(Avoid actually being right in Rapid City or Sturgis. Traffic problems three months out of the year.)

sec1rlr · 06-28-2020, 12:15 AM

Thank you Bobby. This is the kind of info I find useful. It's insight to the gotcha's. I never really considered the traffic in Rapid City. I've only visited the area one time in the summer. Spearfish was pretty nice. I'll have to give it more consideration.

Isaac-1 · 06-28-2020, 01:34 AM

Consider any number of towns around central or east Texas, the weather is nice about 6 months out of the year (3 months in the fall and 3 months in the spring). Texas has no income tax, you can find towns with low crime rates. It does not get much more centrally located than Texas, there are lots of type of topography around the state, and lots of quaint towns with diverse heritage. There are a number of popular motorcycle riding areas, though the hill country really comes to mind,...

KenZ71 · 06-28-2020, 02:47 AM

Try this link
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.kip...dex.html%3famp

Then go travel & check out a few

MikenDebbie · 06-28-2020, 04:50 AM

Adding to what Issac-1 said about small towns in TX...beware that if you want to be near one of the major metropolitan areas that are growing and have a booming economy - the small towns around that area will also be booming and growing. Yes, TX has no income tax but we do have property taxes. So the city, the county, and the school district fund their budgets with property taxes. Each city gets some money from sales tax, and if you are close to a city that has a light rail system, the sales tax helps fund that. Sales tax is currently capped at 8.25%.

Back to property tax - booming areas are growing in population and the schools are busting at the seams. They have to pass bond issues to fund new construction...and will have high taxes. I live in a rural area outside of Austin. It is far enough away that the boom has not hit here. The school district has not built new buildings since the 70s. The population is the same as it has been for decades. I have no city property tax since I do not live in an incorporated area. I have county taxes and school district taxes - both very low. I have no neighborhood association to contend with but DW is pretty tough with high standards, so my projects are difficult enough. No neighborhood association means that all my neighbors can have a collection of cars and trucks up on blocks - future projects I suppose. But that sort of thing does not bother me.

Also - a small town that is not close to a big city is going to have lower housing and land cost. Another example for central Texas - everybody wants to live in “the hill country” west of IH35. Property in the west side of the interstate is much more expensive than on the east side in the black land prarie.

Good luck with your search.

dverstra · 06-28-2020, 06:17 AM

Take a look at Fairfield Glade near Crossville, TN. No state income tax.

Mjc · 06-28-2020, 05:54 PM

Come check out lake havasu city. Az has lower taxes and we has lots of houses with big garages. Yes it us hot some of the year but beautiful the rest( I love the heat). Also a big old car town.

paul65k · 06-28-2020, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mjc

Come check out lake havasu city. Az has lower taxes and we has lots of houses with big garages. Yes it us hot some of the year but beautiful the rest( I love the heat). Also a big old car town.

I second this......I live in LHC and it is absolutely full of Car/Boat and RV guys!

As a matter of fact, LHC has the highest percentage of garage square footage to living sq footage of any town in the USA!!

Being from S. Cal as you are I'm guessing you've been here before. While we do have a state income tax it is very low and the property tax rate is well below California and many of the other states that have no income tax........the prices are climbing however as many more "Get the hell out of California" people decide to retire here each year......Just like Mike (Mjc)

gertpacu · 07-01-2020, 10:49 AM

The best place I lived was Cody, WY. Second fav was Carson City, NV. Last place is Sacramento CA. I don't like living in CA. So that third place is WAYYYYYYYYYY down there..

I think you would like Wyoming though. It's flipping beautiful in the summer and in the winter. It gets cold in the winter, but you can use that as your 6 months of travel time and go south to AZ or southern NV.

deandec · 07-01-2020, 12:45 PM

Take a look at Redding, Ca.

Lots of big bikes and pu trucks along with restored autos and auto shows.

Fly fishing, water falls, big lakes, river and tall mountains (yes dormant Volcanoes).

Annual car show. Big properties.

Housing prices lower than the rest of California.

Property taxes are 25% of our previous homes in NY, OH, Minn for same value house.

Income tax is only a burden for real high income folks.

Pretty hot at times in the valley during the summer. No snow shoveling.

A fairly conservative community by Ca, NY, Minn standards.

Segrieve · 07-01-2020, 12:50 PM

Hello, My husband and I have found Texarkana, AR and Texarkana, TX., to be a great small/big town. Many conveniences just a few miles every direction you'll find LA, TX, AR, and OK.

450Donn · 07-01-2020, 12:59 PM

In todays enviroment I would look very closely for states that are interested in protecting their residents along with low taxes and RV friendly.

gertpacu · 07-01-2020, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 450Donn

In todays enviroment I would look very closely for states that are interested in protecting their residents along with low taxes and RV friendly.

Definitely. Without getting into politics I would say that ID, MT, ND/SD, WY, NV, UT, AZ, and NM (lesser extent Colorado) would all be great places to move. Idaho is pretty cheap, as well as WY. NV is a good state too for taxes. A couple of these states have higher crime rates, but only in the big cities. In the rural areas it's like 1 out of 100,000 suffer from violent crime, which is some of the lowest numbers in the world. You also get to know the sheriffs personally in these areas which is awesome too.