I wouldn't move. I live in NY in the Adirondack Park. I have decreased my spending dramatically. If I hadn't done this, I would be struggling even more. I'm retired and would not be struggling if inflation wasn't so much.
It depends on the weather and, to a lesser extent, the demographics. I prefer to live in a diverse environment, and my mental health takes a toll in a colder climate. I’ve considered moving to Panama, but it would be difficult to live far from my grandchildren. I guess I’ll stay put for the time being and deal with the high cost of living by continuing to live below my means.
When ppl compare Florida to California and New York they don’t factor in that Florida pays low for professional jobs and that Florida is an at will state.
Also, California has largely fixed property taxes, generally 1-2% increase in tax amount max. So, people that owned a home there are shocked by home size of property tax changes.
@@ImThePronounPolice no income tax but high cost of housing, high cost of groceries, high insurance rates , high homeowner insurance as companies are trying to leave the FL market. In the county I live in, homeowners insurance has raised the cost of ppls mortgages by several hundred per month.
I feel so bad for people moving now. We moved to Florida from Pennsylvania in 2019 and we actually saved over $20,000 per year on our housing costs by moving here. Our $256k mortgage in PA was $2,600 per month but our $251k mortgage in Florida is $1,700 now. We did not even have the 10k school tax in PA included in our mortgage, so that was an extra $10,000 per year we owed there. We did have more land and a larger house in PA, though. PA also had income tax, and Florida doesn’t, and my husband is in a line of work (highway engineering) that actually pays better in Florida because of all the development they are doing. So we now make about 50% more income than we did in PA, and have much lower bills. A lot of it was just timing, though, because of the low interest rates when we moved to Florida, and the fact that we chose not to live near the water. We are over an hour from the beaches and not in a flood plain, which makes insurance much more affordable. We’ve also been able to have our children benefit from things in FL like the Step Up for Students scholarship and public school magnet programs for performing arts that our area of PA did not have. Unfortunately, that isn’t the experience for most people. The pay for bus drivers here in Florida, for example, is I believe the worst in the entire country. I hope people really do research, like you have, before relocating.
Wow, doesn't sound like the PA I live in? The median annual PA. real estate tax here in 2023 is $2223/YR. I own a $340K house, my taxes are a bit over $4K a year. The state average RE tax is 1.35%/YR of appraised retail value of the property, below the national average of 1.7%. My homeowner's insurance is $490/Yr which is 73% less than the national average of $1820/yr, and my homeowner's insurance is 92% less than the average Florida bill for 2023, which is expected to be SIX THOUSAND dollars. Insurance for my primary vehicle is $560/YR for full coverage, compared to an average of $2952 for full coverage in Florida. Overall, Florida's car insurance is 42% higher than the national average. Neither Florida nor PA tax most retirement income. Florida still has unusually low real estate taxes on a percentage basis. That said, IMHO, Florida property prices there are grossly inflated, and Florida has started doing something that we have not seen here in PA. That being random, and massive real estate tax hikes based on exploding property values, which involves keeping millage rates the same, and reassessing properties, creating multi-thousand dollar yearly increases with little warning. Lee County, home of The Villages, recently had a 25% hike in property taxes. Mine go up 2-3% a year, and assessments might happen every 15-20 years, not when the county and school system decide they want to grab tens of millions in extra cash. Much like Raising Wildflowers, I owned a place in Florida. Selling it was a giant relief. The cost of living is totally out of control. Politics are destroying the place. My taxes wasted on fights over woke BS, eliminating black culture and supporting an out of control fascist governor? Yea, no thanks. Changing climate is making it a lot of the state a really sketchy places to live. Our place was sixty years old, and never had issues, until a random storm flooded the neighborhood and wiped out a lot of retirees who were told they didn't need flood insurance. Raising Wildflowers is spot on. If you are thinking of heading to Florida, you better really think hard, and educate yourself in depth. The dark secret of the never ending growth of Florida is that for every five people relocating there, on any given day, there are three or four leaving the state for greener pastures. Look long and hard, before you leap.
@@kerrykerry5778 We bought land and built our PA house in 2013 for about $350k, which is reasonable for a large house on over two acres, I think. We put down a significant down payment, but had a $256k mortgage for the rest. It was on a few acres of land, which did increase the value some. When it was reappraised after a few years, the government decided it was worth much more than that. That house is currently for sale again and Zillow estimates that the exact same house is now worth $850k (more than twice what we sold it for just four years ago.) The new owners did add a deck and an outbuilding, but judging from the real estate listing, the inside was not touched at all, not even to paint. It still has the same number of bedrooms and bathrooms and land, and the PA taxes on it are now over $14,000 per year. That’s why I feel very bad for families trying to move in this economy!
So, you find Florida to be reasonable, based on having owned a trophy house, now worth almost a million bucks................that's a pretty odd outlook. So, at the moment a $850,000 home sold in Florida would be generating an $8,000 tax bill, and God only knows what the insurance bill would be? Easily another $8-12K depending on location. Then there are additional expenses in all areas from never ending pest control, termite bond, storm shutters, and more that do not happen in PA. Finally, as many friends and neighbors found out, it's nothing to see your car insurance double and triple, from what you paid in PA. Sounds wonderful, eh? @@StephanieGiese
@@kerrykerry5778 No, we found Florida reasonable based on our lived experience, which as I said originally is different than others will experience, depending on their field of work, and also the fact that the economy has changed so much that the price of a home we built for a reasonable price less than ten years ago has literally tripled and now prices young families out of owning similar properties at affordable rates. The same amount of money that built us a single family house in PA now does not even cover a two bedroom townhouse in our Florida neighborhood. That is just timing, unfortunately for young families, because those same FL townhouses that are now 350k+ were $110k when we moved here in 2019. The PA taxes in your example are still about 50% higher than we found them to be for us in Florida and because of the way PA separated school tax, real estate tax, and local taxes for Burroughs and municipalities, and also had an additional 4% income tax between state and local. We actually pay less than $100 per month more than we did in PA for our homeowners and car insurance bundled together, and it is probably comparable to how much it would have increased anyway over that time if we’d stayed in PA. The water bill is more expensive here, but gasoline is cheaper. Overall, it has saved us a lot. The insurance factor is deeply dependent on your location and driving record and the age of your home. There will be people anywhere who find one place more affordable for them, and others who find the same place isn’t a good fit for their family. That’s okay. It’s great we all have options that work for us. That’s why, as I said people should do their research before a relocation. Peace and love to you.
@@StephanieGieseAs a Florida native of 3 generations and where all my family resides. I see places like Georgia as being cheaper to live than Florida but I don’t think that is a reason to up root my life where I don’t have any family or friends to save money not even $20K per year. With that being said I just don’t know how so many people just up root their lives to move to another state to save money on water bills, property taxes ,etc, to me its about where my friends and family are. I see people that have moved here on the neighborhood website looking for friends for themselves and their children to meet, looking for babysitters because they have uprooted their lives and their children’s life away from family and friends. Kids missing their friends because the parents wanted to follow the crowd to Florida.
In 2018 my husband and I moved from Austin, Tx. to Farmington, NM which is where he grew up. We are retired and we could no longer afford to live in Austin. Best decision we ever made… in addition to saving a ton of money we don’t have horrible traffic and smog anymore.💕💕 We we’re able to buy our home which is wonderful, our son’s home and a rental condo for the value of our Austin house..Huge improvement!!!!! Thank you for your excellent channel!
@@reader6690 Albuquerque isn’t…Unfortunately we are a blue state. I live in San Juan County in Northwestern tip of state…we are more conservative…but just like many places many criminals don’t get punished….😢
My sister and I inherited a large plot of land from my dad when he passed in December of 2019. The city is located halfway between Memphis and Nashville. Taxes have been low, but we got a notice that our taxes will be increased for the next calendar year. I am looking to have an RV lot put on the property after I have the land surveyed. Tennessee is a beautiful state, but the price of things are increasing because a lot of folks are moving there.
Nice, I’ve been told RV lots mint money…, in the process of setting up a small 6 lot spot on a trout stream in North GA, with a few additional tent camping areas. I am trying to keep it as rustic as possible, so I don’t want to go overboard with typical RV resort style development. Good luck to you, and may your family benefit from a smart investment.
The taxes in TN being that low was probably on the home price/value before flipped and renovated. It will more than likely be reassessed with the new value of that home and taxes more than likely will go up. We had this happen to us. Tennessee is one of my favorite states and is beautiful. Good luck. 🙏
True, but it will probably only go up a couple hundred dollars. Properties in the area that have previously sold around the $300K price are right around $500-550.
I live in Texas and own a 3 acre ranch with a 3 bedroom 2 bath house the house is paid for the ranch payment is 675.00 a month and I'm 60 miles from the beach.
Im in western NC in cherokee area by gsmnp. It’s very expensive here. My taxes and insurances and tags etc , just living costs, keep going up. I live in a modest 1950 old house that needs work and it’s on edge of town so I have to pay city and country tax. Im a widow and it takes all I get to just live, no extras. This place just keeps growing and things getting driven up beyond what the ones who’ve been here can afford. Im looking at places to move to , being pushed out.
I think Federal Pacific electric panels were deemed a fire hazard. Your buying a flip. Don't do it. Do the same thing you did with your Florida house. Buy a fixer-upper , renovate it in your spare time , sell it for a profit in two years. Along the way learn the trades like basic wiring and plumbing . You will save thousands. Rinse and repeat. Thats how you build wealth.
We probably will end up doing something like this. But, man, we are so burnt out renovating houses 😂 Maybe a break and a different strategy will help. Because it is definitely very profitable.
Wow your home insurance and car insurance is double what we pay in Canada. As for Florida no thanks I could never live in a hot climate. I love the fall weather of out leaves turning and winter.
In my opinion a vintage home doesn't need to be updated or remodeled. The roof and AC are things that are needed. Id also add removing the carpet for cleaner flooring. Anyway thanks for sharing.
Agree 100% about Florida cost of living. I just recently had to made the decision of buying in FL..or elsewhere. I picked Georgia. The only FL benefit was no state income tax. That's it. Otherwise everything is more costly. GA doesn't tax SS and treats retirees over 65 kindly when it comes to taxing pensions. And the house I got...3b/2b/2000 sq ft on a half acre in GA couldn't be touched in FL. Interesting video...keep it up.
I have lived in TN all my life and now that people are fleeing other states and the mess they made in the states they use to live in and coming here the cost of living is going up here too. Housing prices are way more in middle TN than they were 3 yrs ago. Its like TN is price gouging to take advantage of the influx of people coming here. So locals are having a hard time competing in the housing market.
Exactly. Income is supposed to reflect cost of living. These people maybe coming from areas with higher prices, but they also get paid more to balance it out. They are basically buying our houses with cash once they sell their house 3x what’s it’s worth in their own state and then completely pricing us out of our communities. Something needs to be done to protect locals, otherwise there may be no affordable places left.
@@jomr4249the problem is Tennesseans are selling their house to the highest bidder. Most sellers aren’t in a position to sell their house below market to a local. Many people to blame but locals are part of the issue as well.
I'm in Ocala, Florida. Our home is right around $360. It's 3000 sq ft on a double lot. Completely renovated. The East & and West Coast are expensive. Good luck with your adventure. I love following you❤
Florida (2 hours south of Tampa) to North Carolina (an hour outside of Charlotte) here, it has been by far less expensive for us in NC. It also helps that my husband has a better job here then he ever did in FL. My Aunt, still in FL, called just last night and told us that her car insurance premiums are going up on top of her home owners that already increased. FL is not the affordable place it used to be. Forget the people coming from more expensive places for a minute, it is becoming unaffordable for our seniors on a fixed income that already live in FL and have for years.
We're on the outskirts of Nashville in Bellevue and it is expensive. My rent has gone up hundreds of dollars in the last year and a half. I was looking at a rental that opened here...3 bedrooms, 1 bath, $2400 a month. I don't know how people are doing it. Glad you are finding some options.
I have lived in Florida a long time. If I was buying now I'd also pick a different state. We love our house, but it's unaffordable today. We are both from the northeast, and it's less expensive to live there now in some ways. Like salaries are low in Florida. And homeowners insurance is crazy. It's not the disasters, it's that Florida has lost so many insurance companies.
What? You seem to not comprehend cause and effect relationships. Florida lost so many insurance companies BECAUSE of the increasingly frequent and expensive disasters. They also allowed the trial lawyers and their famously corrupt state legislature to collude and create a law to rob insurers for crazy overbilling, and fraudulent claims by contractors for storm related repairs.
Just a thought - in a yr or so when the girls are no longer with you, consider house sitting and pet sitting. There are several websites for domestic and international house sitting. There are also care takers for large private estates, vacation homes, etc that are for 3 months or more. Since your income is independent in your location, you could also consider house swapping. People forget about ongoing expenses related to homeownership. I found a great home in Florida on a canal. Unfortunately, the insurance and taxes were to expensive when compared to income.
Working for an estate, is wonderful if you have good employers. I did. I did not live on the property, which for me worked out, but we had a couple who did. This was in the mid-1980s. The couple had a lovely apartment, their food, a car, medical coverage and $50,000 a year. They had zero expenses so they banked the income after taxes. Who you work for makes all the difference.
This is an excellent comparison of looking at cost of living and location. I don't think enough people investigate as you did. That will be quite a savings every year just from moving states. TN is a beautiful state. I love visiting. I would absolutely move states to lower my cost of living.
Glad it is working out for you. I have never been to your area in TN, but I was recently in Nashville and enjoyed it. Seemed pretty pricy, though, and a lot (really a lot) of construction going on. I hope Nashville does not get so expensive that people have to move because they get priced out.
Already happening to me been trying to look for my first house for 2 years and continually getting priced out my entire family has lived here for generation and generations 😢 it’s actually devastating
Your point is not lost on me. I 100% agree with your cost of living comparison but I would never consider living in that part of Knoxville. That’s the hood.
When, where, how...all depends on these things. I live in California and have my whole life. We bought our house 25 years ago our interest rate is 2. something..property taxes a little over $1200 a year...so much to consider.
@Michelle_Emm it would have been paid off sooner but my husband passed lsst October at the age of 68 from brain cancer so I had to stop work years back to care for him. We were married 40 years.It's slowed things down but I'm hoping to be completely debt free within two years, the mortgage is the only real debt.
Prop 13 makes the property tax affordable in CA. But then they stick you with a state income tax. One way or another every place gets its pound of flesh.
Born and raised in Florida and you are correct... ridiculous! Johnson City, Afton,Greenville are great places. I have a very secret place in Tennessee and I will not share it. Super cheap here!!
I left Florida for Idaho. In Florida my food budget was $400 without taking into consideration that to socialize you had to eat out. That’s $75 for a couple. My ex hated it here and moved back to florida because she wanted the beach close. My monthly food budget is $250. And peer pressure to eat out is not a problem. Don’t get me started on I4.
Thankyou so much for the info im new to florida and i cannot get over how high the car insurance is compared to the carolinas i dont believe i will be staying here
This is a great video!! I live in nashville and always wanted to move to FL someday. Your videos have been very helpful. I would love to visit Knoxville with my kids. Keep posting about your hometown. I would love to plan a trip there this year and go to the places the locals love not just the tourists and Ofcourse on a budget.
Nashville has grown so much, it’s turning into Atlanta, which is not a good thing. Murfreesboro’s recent & continuing growth is turning it into what Nashville used to be. All the formerly quiet, rural & affordable small towns are now turning into overpriced suburbs of the metro Nashville area. It’s sad to see beloved Tennessee being ruined in this way.
Funny, you just posted this after I commented on your last video. I’m a little behind because we are packing for vacation, first one in two years! But yeah, we are moving to Tennessee between now and April! I lived there when I was 12, and again when I was 15 and I’ve always wanted to go back! Maybe we will end up somewhere near you guys since you were near us when you were down here. 😊
How exciting! You are going to love TN. There are, of course, pros and cons, but it will be a great place to explore and is so, so beautiful. A huge geographic change from FL. Good luck with your move!!
I moved from FL to Texas, the taxes here is crazy but overall the mortgage comes up to the same rent we were paying. I got a raise for the cost of leaving which I was very much surprised
Don’t be spreading the word about how cheap it is or they will come and screw it all up like they did here in western . It’s become unaffordable for me in western NC in smokies, just over mtn from you.
A thought from Canada Small town in Ontario and not cheap , average rent here is 1500.00 for a 1 bedroom apt. I am looking to smaller towns also. Trying find something under the 1000.00 dollars mark . Means Trying to find the small towns.. they are out there but only if your willing to move out of your comfort zone
Also do not buy a place near any river that may flood In the future or has had previous flood damage. May need special flood insurance if you buy said property.
So interesting!! We are just over the TN line in NC (near Asheville). We have friends who retired from FL to Asheville, but couldn’t afford to stay there, so moved to Johnson City area, and love it
Family recently purchased outside of Jeff. City. Was surprised at the cost of housing there, similar to where we are in FL. Not sure about taxes and food and all that stuff. But the home itself was not as different as I thought
Wow! This is really interesting. Thank you for compiling this information. I live in the UK and was shocked at how expensive your insurances are. We live in a medium flood risk zone and were horrified when we moved here that our home insurance had increased from around £350/yr (in the very low-risk area where we lived previously) to about £700. Car insurance for our household is probably a little lower than average for various reasons, but for us it's £350-400 per vehicle per year. I'm not sure of the current conversion rates but i don't think £1 is much different to $1 these days, so it seems way more expensive in the US. It's fascinating that there are such huge differences between states as well in terms of insurance costs, and taxes, as well as the difference in straight up property cost. I wish you luck in your property search and with the sale of your old house :)
Wow the property taxes are mind blowing. I live in DFW Texas and we paid over $5,600. We have a small home, small lot. Very interesting. We have no state taxes, but the state comes up with other ways to get money. If you move, do your research. Taxes, jobs, groceries, gas...etc. I've seen people move here from CA thinking how affordable it is here, but then finding a job was one big hurdle, and a place to live. More apartments are being built than houses to fit the demand. Then there's this heat. Texas is very hot every summer, and this summer is awful. I'm native to Texas, so this is not new to me. But the cost of living has increased dramatically.
A few months ago one of the outfits that keeps tabs on costs around the country claimed that, on average, it now costs more to live in TX than CA. Another article noted that state quality of life ranking, for overall happiness and satisfaction with your chosen location, Texas is now near the bottom. Mostly due to increased cost of living (taxes and insurance) and serious drops in quality of public education and health care.
My wife and I are born and raised in FLA. and we hate that the more we make the less we have. She's a nurse and I'm a city employee as well as a veteran. Our property taxes alone have risen from 4k per year to 9k. Not to mention home owners insurance companies are super flaky. They will drop you for anything. I would be willing to move to GA, TN, or KY. If we sold our home we would make 150k on it, but can't find anything reasonable under 300k.
On the Florida home would living that close to the Halifax River not put it in a higher flood zone, reference flood insurance? Not sure how the taxing assessments work, but in Florida the taxes will be assessed at the new sale price, so always verify with the county property appraiser’s office. Also in Florida taxes are lowered by homestead exemption, not sure if TN has exemptions. I relocated from Tampa, Fl in 2020 to a small home in the mountains of North, Georgia. My property insurance in Tampa just for the interior of my townhouse was just under $900. My property insurance bill for interior & exterior (whole house) in North GA was $1,100. My property tax with a senior exemption for 2022 was $265.
Thanks for sharing the numbers. I'm hearing a lot of good things in terms of affordability for West Virginia. No state income tax in Tennessee but, a very high sales tax.
I'm looking to leave fl to TN in a few years. I make 60k here in fl & looking for a part time job on top of my full time job just to make it here in fl. I'm 61 yrs old & I'm pretty much done in FL. Too expensive & I can't take the summers here anymore.
I am so freakin jealous. In Texas, you would pay probably around 6000.00 for the property taxes. I don't know how these other states are able to budget with such low taxes but I wish Texas would find out. It's so pretty in Tennessee and the weather has to be better. I want to move!
Depends on where you live in Texas! I moved from Austin, TX to East Texas and love the Piney woods. Taxes are low (for example: simple home $150k range can be less than 2k). My taxes dropped by 70% moving from central Texas. I did research property taxes beforeI bought my home. Car insurance stayed same ($1300. Year for 2020 Mazda)
@@safeandeffectivelol I have done that sometimes, but really they need to lower the cost. We spent 120 dollars over 3 days and drove about 200 miles because we wanted to get someplace in a reasonable amount of time.
Property taxes will be going down this year with the new bill Greg Abbott signed. I believe the average is around 1200.00 decrease. Still high but at least it's some relief.
Don’t listen to people defending Florida. You lived it,, you know what you experienced. My sister in law bought a condo in Florida 3 years ago and now because of the extreme increase in property taxes and homeowners insurance she can no longer afford it.
You can also bet that the Holly Hill, Fl., house is in a major flood zone (near the river) and your mortgage company may require flood insurance. Otherwise I think it is delightful. I love Tennessee also.
I live in one of the most expensive cities in Florence and I don't see the price difference also the home quality in FLORIDA are definitely higher. I love TN but its not affordable ive been looking at chattanooga and Cleveland and prices are about yhe same also jobs pay less in TN. Loved your video
Thanks for sharing I live in Illinois and am looking to relocate myself I’m looking at Mississippi or Arkansas but had no thought of east Tn . Im from West Tn Memphis area that’s where I grew up but it is outrageous now Ill look at some areas thanks
Being 10 minutes from the beach is going to be very expensive, so I don't feel like comparing a FL house to a Knoxville, Tn house is a good comparison. There is nothing very appealing about Knoxville, and only some people would find it appealing. Nashville area, however, is much nicer, modern and has a great vibe. But if it's a rental, I guess it doesn't matter as much.
I live in Naples, Fl. And EVERYTHING IS THROUGH THE ROOF! Here normal apartments that have the word "LUXURY" stamped on it costs $2k-$3+k. No apartment should cost that much, I'm sorry not sorry. The jobs and cost of living DOESN'T keep up at all. I have been here 30+ years and would like to move, but my daughter is here and i don't see her wanting to move so i feel trapped 😞. Also the HOAS here are awful! Mine has mis appropriated funds leaving very little in our reserve and now I've had 2 expensive assessments it's just never ending. My $ will never be my $ sadly.
A totally dysfunctional HOA, with zero concern for following Florida's laws on budgets, spending and reserves, was a primary reason we sold a place north of Tampa. The board had reserves that desperately need to grow and be held for an upcoming major infrastructure repair, and they just would illegally spend it on whatever they felt like, without any proper procedure or vote by the owners. $80K wasted redecorating a social hall? $40K on things that are far from an emergency? Sure, why not. When the community's creaky old sewage treatment plant finally fails, the owners are going to get hit with a state mandated assessment that will cause many to lose their homes, but that fact just gets ignored.
I really enjoy your videos and appreciate the work and research you do for your channel. My concern in moving to remote and even non remote southern areas is racism. I have lived in California my whole life and have heard of negative experiences from friends and family. We are American born but "Hispanic" or "Chicano/ Chicana" (brown, lol) . What have you observed in regards to racism in the South?
There is racism here. It is getting better, but it's still there. Most of it will be subtle and passive. Many of those born in the southern states don't even realize they are and don't "want" to be, but the culture here is divided and stereotyped is many areas. Some areas are better than others and southern hospitality will keep the vast majority of people treating you well.
I don’t think racism is a problem, but people will have a problem with you moving from California. Many locals from low income states are getting priced out of their communities right now. It’s mass gentrification. Locals aren’t going to be happy about the fact you are from California. Minimum wage in TN is still at $7.25/hr. Our house prices have tripled in 2 years. Locals aren’t being protected at all in any of these states.
@@jomr4249 yeah, this is true. I live in a suburb of Raleigh and people are piiiiiiissed that transplants are raising prices for us locals. But I understand, everyone needs to live in a place that is affordable and I personally don’t begrudge anyone that chance.
I'm a happy PA resident with friends in MA. Not too hard to abandon the Boston area, move to a great area of PA and end up spending 2/3rd less for housing.
... Your property taxes will be reset for the sale price. example: If the tax was $100 and the house worth $20,000. The same house resold for $100,000 would be $500 in tax. You need to do the math.
Yes, my thought exactly, the calculation for the property tax on Tennessee seems way off. Also it seems like real estate websites intentionally mislead potential buyers by listing seller tax and NOT buyer tax.
Thanks for the Info. I retired 3 years ago and was looking at Fl but with the insurance issue I quickly crossed that state off the list. I have been looking in TN & KY , I currently live in NJ and my taxes are 10K per year, Home Insurance $980.00 and car insurance $1200.00 per year.
I retired the end of 2021 and following my already retired husband and I sold our R.I. home of 32 years and purchased a new home in The Villages in central Florida which is a huge 55+ community an hour drive northwest of Orlando. When we sold our R.I. home our property taxes were $9k, home owner's insurance $3k, natural gas for heating was $250/month on a budget plan and electric on the same budget plan was $200/month. Additionally we paid $2000k/year for R.I. state income tax on our retirement incomes which Florida has no state income tax. Our Florida property taxes plus bond is $7,200k/ year, home owner's insurance is $1,600k/year, gas for cooking and dryer averages $30-$40/month, and average electric for AC and all else is $120-$200/month. We pay $189/month amenity fee which includes the ability to participate in countless activities and clubs, pools, and free golf on the 60+ executive courses. It costs us $60/month for grass cutting and trimming in Florida and we paid $50/week for the same service in R.I. Since we travel in our community mostly by golf cart which includes going to the grocery store and restaurants, we got rid of one of our cars and the expenses that go with it because it is not needed. With no mortgage in R.I. we easily needed $60k/year to maintain our no frills lifestyle, and in our community in Florida which is not the cheapest place to live in our area, an income of $40-$45k/year also with no mortgage delivers us a very nice lifestyle since most of the cost of our activities and entertainment is covered by our $189/month amenity fee. So we chose Florida over other states to retire to because it is where the community we wanted to live in retirement was located. And with a retirement goal of wanting to be outdoors and physically active all year especially for me who spent 45 years in the nursing workforce working mostly full time in poorly ventilated germ ridden hospitals achieving that goal was not possible living in short summers long winters R.I. This podcaster is in a very different place in life than a retiree who no longer has the expenses of raising children, and most retirees that did not use their homes as piggy banks no longer have the expense of mortgages when they retire. And she is wise to search for a more affordable place to live at this point in her life so that one day she too can retire and be able to afford to live where she truly wants to live that delivers her the lifestyle she desires to have in retirement.
@@nightengale2123 Thanks for sharing all of this. I have been watching a lot of videos about the Villages and looking at the homes on Zillow. Is there much crime there? Also, online at least, the older areas of the Villages on the northern end near Spanish Springs seem to appeal to me. Some have larger yards, which gives you a little more buffer between your neighbors. But I am sure online is different than in person.
@@ES-bn1bi I would strongly suggest which we did, a Lifestyle visit or two which gives you a good feel for what living in The Villages is like. Off season you can do a Lifestyle visit up to 6 nights for $99/night. In doing two Lifestyle visits that helped us determine where and type of home we wanted to purchase. Selling a 32 year old home prior to buying in The Villages we knew we wanted new because we had just done quite a bit of updating to get our R I. home sell ready and did not want to do that in The Villages home we would purchase so we went new. Also, privacy was also important to us and for that reason we purchased a courtyard villa which is surrounded by 9ft.walls. What we also liked about buying new in a new neighborhood is everyone else moving into the neighborhood is in the same boat so the forming of friendships is much easier than buying in an established neighborhood where all the people there have known each other and have been friends for years if that makes sense. The Villages has 140+ residents and spans 32 square miles which is equivalent to Pasadena, CA. That being said, you are going to have some crime, but certainly not the level and types of crimes you would see in cities the same size. I will be honest with you there is more crime in certain areas up north compared to down south where we kive because there are more rental properties there and some owners do not care who they rent to. Down south, you will see more full time residents and some snowbirds that do not rent out their homes when they are away from them usually in the spring and summer months. We have absolutely no regrets buying the type of home we chose and where it is which is in the St. Johns village which we are a 15 minute golf cart ride to both the Brownwood and Sawgrass Grove squares, near multiple rec centers as well as near grocery and other shopping that meets our personal needs. My husband can even take our golf cart to his PCP's office. Lots to consider relocating anywhere, so again for that reason I suggest you do a Lifestyle visit to get a good feel for the community which will give you a good idea if it will or will not meet your retirement needs. Good Luck.
@@nightengale2123I’m in NE FL and my yard mowing, etc is $160 a month and I have a good price here. Treatment (fertilizer) is another $53/mo. Then there is termite bond $44/mo. I dropped pest control last time it went up
@@nightengale2123 Your home is hopefully newer and you won’t be hit as hard by the increasing property insurance rates that are forcing some Florian’s out of their homes. I moved out of Florida, after living there from 1969 to 2020, mainly because I could no longer take the heat from April to October.
Where are you looking that taxes are that low in TN? Once you buy it will be reassessed and be market value issued. People fail to think of that as payment is going to go up monthly.
We live in SW Michigan and I can tell you this; housing is cheaper here but theres a reason for it. We are moving to Orlando in 2024 bc I can make $30k+ more a year for the same job that I can here, and if we opt for a "rural" property in Orlando the prices are comparable. There's a lot to unpack here and this video only covers about 20% of 🤔
@midlife_minimalist no, I'm in hospitality management. And salaries in most fields are garbage in michigan. People only seem to have an overarching picture, but after 20 years of business management, teaching college students and 2 masters, I've learned that most of these youtube videos are only correct on a small and confirmation biased spectrum.
You can’t compare California 🌴 to Florida! California does not have HUMIDITY 🎊 California does not have ALLIGATORS and we do not enclose our swimming pools to prevent bugs biting you and to prevent alligators from swimming in said pool so California WINS😂🤣 love my home state🌴🌴
omg, why not move into the country so you don't have to pay city taxes and have more privacy. Room for a garden, maybe some chickens, cheaper cost houses that will go up in value over the years as the local cities expand.
Have you considered buying a duplex since you said you were looking at buying something to rent? I own a duplex and could actually live there completely free if I could convince my wife and daughter to downsize, but when retirement comes, we might just do that.
Property taxes may go up to $500, but no where close to the FL taxes. And this is in the city of Knoxville - that is as high as you get in east TN. Go just outside of Knoxville and taxes are even cheaper.
Maryville has grown so much! That is actually where we are staying now. Townsend (fortunately) hasn't grown too much. Townsend is one of my favorite areas!
I watch a youtuber who's lives in miami and he talks about homes , and a variety of topics . Florida is nice to visit , but to live , I'll pass !!! yes I have cousins been living in florida all their lives . And in Tennesee, I have family who's been living there all their lives too . I know of people who's from Utah and moved to Tennessee , they love it , where they live . I been visiting Tenn since I been a baby with my family. My father is from Tenneesee . And I have a sister and niece who wants to live in tenn ( East Tenn ) closer to Gatlinburg, in that region.
Living in The USA , it's expensive . Where I used to live, the homes are dirt cheap, they are 100% fixer uppers and you will found homes, that's not fixer upper. But the city is going sorta downhill and I joke and say, "all the smart people moved out " , but there are still smart people in that town. Im just joking. Anyways, we bought a home for $40K ( back in 1988 ) it wasn't a fixer upper , it was a normal home , it wasn't large at all , 1,400 sq ft . And we lived there for yearssss until our daughter graduated from High School and then we moved out . We could of moved anywhere in the USA. I rather stayed close to family. We made over $100K on that home and applied the profits to this home we had build , in a different town. I like this town and it has nice people, clean and quiet . But it's not cheap living here , again Our home was $170K , now the homes are over $400K , just in 2 years. And the people who sold their homes 2 years ago , they made a HUGE profit , and one lady moved to the nicest subdivision in this town. Which is fine. Living there expensive .
Would YOU consider moving to a new location in order to live better and save money?
Absolutely! However, I live in the area where I grew up and both of our families are here. I would prefer to be within a days drive.
I wouldn't move. I live in NY in the Adirondack Park. I have decreased my spending dramatically. If I hadn't done this, I would be struggling even more. I'm retired and would not be struggling if inflation wasn't so much.
It depends on the weather and, to a lesser extent, the demographics. I prefer to live in a diverse environment, and my mental health takes a toll in a colder climate. I’ve considered moving to Panama, but it would be difficult to live far from my grandchildren. I guess I’ll stay put for the time being and deal with the high cost of living by continuing to live below my means.
👍
Yes and we did in 2019 😊
When ppl compare Florida to California and New York they don’t factor in that Florida pays low for professional jobs and that Florida is an at will state.
@stevemorlock5366 I personally can’t afford it!
Also, California has largely fixed property taxes, generally 1-2% increase in tax amount max. So, people that owned a home there are shocked by home size of property tax changes.
Well Florida has no income tax, unlike California and New York, with the highest taxes in the country!
@stevemorlock5366😂😂😂
@@ImThePronounPolice no income tax but high cost of housing, high cost of groceries, high insurance rates , high homeowner insurance as companies are trying to leave the FL market. In the county I live in, homeowners insurance has raised the cost of ppls mortgages by several hundred per month.
Showing this to my husband.. I’ve been trying to convince him to leave Florida for years now 😩
I feel so bad for people moving now. We moved to Florida from Pennsylvania in 2019 and we actually saved over $20,000 per year on our housing costs by moving here. Our $256k mortgage in PA was $2,600 per month but our $251k mortgage in Florida is $1,700 now. We did not even have the 10k school tax in PA included in our mortgage, so that was an extra $10,000 per year we owed there. We did have more land and a larger house in PA, though. PA also had income tax, and Florida doesn’t, and my husband is in a line of work (highway engineering) that actually pays better in Florida because of all the development they are doing. So we now make about 50% more income than we did in PA, and have much lower bills. A lot of it was just timing, though, because of the low interest rates when we moved to Florida, and the fact that we chose not to live near the water. We are over an hour from the beaches and not in a flood plain, which makes insurance much more affordable. We’ve also been able to have our children benefit from things in FL like the Step Up for Students scholarship and public school magnet programs for performing arts that our area of PA did not have. Unfortunately, that isn’t the experience for most people. The pay for bus drivers here in Florida, for example, is I believe the worst in the entire country. I hope people really do research, like you have, before relocating.
Wow, doesn't sound like the PA I live in? The median annual PA. real estate tax here in 2023 is $2223/YR. I own a $340K house, my taxes are a bit over $4K a year. The state average RE tax is 1.35%/YR of appraised retail value of the property, below the national average of 1.7%. My homeowner's insurance is $490/Yr which is 73% less than the national average of $1820/yr, and my homeowner's insurance is 92% less than the average Florida bill for 2023, which is expected to be SIX THOUSAND dollars. Insurance for my primary vehicle is $560/YR for full coverage, compared to an average of $2952 for full coverage in Florida. Overall, Florida's car insurance is 42% higher than the national average. Neither Florida nor PA tax most retirement income. Florida still has unusually low real estate taxes on a percentage basis. That said, IMHO, Florida property prices there are grossly inflated, and Florida has started doing something that we have not seen here in PA. That being random, and massive real estate tax hikes based on exploding property values, which involves keeping millage rates the same, and reassessing properties, creating multi-thousand dollar yearly increases with little warning. Lee County, home of The Villages, recently had a 25% hike in property taxes. Mine go up 2-3% a year, and assessments might happen every 15-20 years, not when the county and school system decide they want to grab tens of millions in extra cash.
Much like Raising Wildflowers, I owned a place in Florida. Selling it was a giant relief. The cost of living is totally out of control. Politics are destroying the place. My taxes wasted on fights over woke BS, eliminating black culture and supporting an out of control fascist governor? Yea, no thanks. Changing climate is making it a lot of the state a really sketchy places to live. Our place was sixty years old, and never had issues, until a random storm flooded the neighborhood and wiped out a lot of retirees who were told they didn't need flood insurance. Raising Wildflowers is spot on. If you are thinking of heading to Florida, you better really think hard, and educate yourself in depth. The dark secret of the never ending growth of Florida is that for every five people relocating there, on any given day, there are three or four leaving the state for greener pastures. Look long and hard, before you leap.
@@kerrykerry5778 We bought land and built our PA house in 2013 for about $350k, which is reasonable for a large house on over two acres, I think. We put down a significant down payment, but had a $256k mortgage for the rest. It was on a few acres of land, which did increase the value some. When it was reappraised after a few years, the government decided it was worth much more than that. That house is currently for sale again and Zillow estimates that the exact same house is now worth $850k (more than twice what we sold it for just four years ago.) The new owners did add a deck and an outbuilding, but judging from the real estate listing, the inside was not touched at all, not even to paint. It still has the same number of bedrooms and bathrooms and land, and the PA taxes on it are now over $14,000 per year. That’s why I feel very bad for families trying to move in this economy!
So, you find Florida to be reasonable, based on having owned a trophy house, now worth almost a million bucks................that's a pretty odd outlook. So, at the moment a $850,000 home sold in Florida would be generating an $8,000 tax bill, and God only knows what the insurance bill would be? Easily another $8-12K depending on location. Then there are additional expenses in all areas from never ending pest control, termite bond, storm shutters, and more that do not happen in PA. Finally, as many friends and neighbors found out, it's nothing to see your car insurance double and triple, from what you paid in PA. Sounds wonderful, eh? @@StephanieGiese
@@kerrykerry5778 No, we found Florida reasonable based on our lived experience, which as I said originally is different than others will experience, depending on their field of work, and also the fact that the economy has changed so much that the price of a home we built for a reasonable price less than ten years ago has literally tripled and now prices young families out of owning similar properties at affordable rates. The same amount of money that built us a single family house in PA now does not even cover a two bedroom townhouse in our Florida neighborhood. That is just timing, unfortunately for young families, because those same FL townhouses that are now 350k+ were $110k when we moved here in 2019. The PA taxes in your example are still about 50% higher than we found them to be for us in Florida and because of the way PA separated school tax, real estate tax, and local taxes for Burroughs and municipalities, and also had an additional 4% income tax between state and local. We actually pay less than $100 per month more than we did in PA for our homeowners and car insurance bundled together, and it is probably comparable to how much it would have increased anyway over that time if we’d stayed in PA. The water bill is more expensive here, but gasoline is cheaper. Overall, it has saved us a lot. The insurance factor is deeply dependent on your location and driving record and the age of your home. There will be people anywhere who find one place more affordable for them, and others who find the same place isn’t a good fit for their family. That’s okay. It’s great we all have options that work for us. That’s why, as I said people should do their research before a relocation. Peace and love to you.
@@StephanieGieseAs a Florida native of 3 generations and where all my family resides. I see places like Georgia as being cheaper to live than Florida but I don’t think that is a reason to up root my life where I don’t have any family or friends to save money not even $20K per year. With that being said I just don’t know how so many people just up root their lives to move to another state to save money on water bills, property taxes ,etc, to me its about where my friends and family are. I see people that have moved here on the neighborhood website looking for friends for themselves and their children to meet, looking for babysitters because they have uprooted their lives and their children’s life away from family and friends. Kids missing their friends because the parents wanted to follow the crowd to Florida.
In 2018 my husband and I moved from Austin, Tx. to Farmington, NM which is where he grew up. We are retired and we could no longer afford to live in Austin. Best decision we ever made… in addition to saving a ton of money we don’t have horrible traffic and smog anymore.💕💕 We we’re able to buy our home which is wonderful, our son’s home and a rental condo for the value of our Austin house..Huge improvement!!!!! Thank you for your excellent channel!
Is NM...safe?
@@reader6690 Albuquerque isn’t…Unfortunately we are a blue state. I live in San Juan County in Northwestern tip of state…we are more conservative…but just like many places many criminals don’t get punished….😢
My sister and I inherited a large plot of land from my dad when he passed in December of 2019. The city is located halfway between Memphis and Nashville. Taxes have been low, but we got a notice that our taxes will be increased for the next calendar year. I am looking to have an RV lot put on the property after I have the land surveyed. Tennessee is a beautiful state, but the price of things are increasing because a lot of folks are moving there.
Nice, I’ve been told RV lots mint money…, in the process of setting up a small 6 lot spot on a trout stream in North GA, with a few additional tent camping areas. I am trying to keep it as rustic as possible, so I don’t want to go overboard with typical RV resort style development. Good luck to you, and may your family benefit from a smart investment.
That vintage Florida house is my groove. ❤
Me, too!!
The taxes in TN being that low was probably on the home price/value before flipped and renovated. It will more than likely be reassessed with the new value of that home and taxes more than likely will go up. We had this happen to us. Tennessee is one of my favorite states and is beautiful. Good luck. 🙏
True, but it will probably only go up a couple hundred dollars. Properties in the area that have previously sold around the $300K price are right around $500-550.
I live in Texas and own a 3 acre ranch with a 3 bedroom 2 bath house the house is paid for the ranch payment is 675.00 a month and I'm 60 miles from the beach.
Im in western NC in cherokee area by gsmnp. It’s very expensive here. My taxes and insurances and tags etc , just living costs, keep going up. I live in a modest 1950 old house that needs work and it’s on edge of town so I have to pay city and country tax. Im a widow and it takes all I get to just live, no extras. This place just keeps growing and things getting driven up beyond what the ones who’ve been here can afford. Im looking at places to move to , being pushed out.
I think Federal Pacific electric panels were deemed a fire hazard.
Your buying a flip. Don't do it. Do the same thing you did with your Florida house. Buy a fixer-upper , renovate it in your spare time , sell it for a profit in two years. Along the way learn the trades like basic wiring and plumbing . You will save thousands. Rinse and repeat. Thats how you build wealth.
We probably will end up doing something like this. But, man, we are so burnt out renovating houses 😂 Maybe a break and a different strategy will help. Because it is definitely very profitable.
@@raisingwildflowers maybe find a cheap contractor
Wow your home insurance and car insurance is double what we pay in Canada. As for Florida no thanks I could never live in a hot climate. I love the fall weather of out leaves turning and winter.
We are pretty excited to experience fall again for the first time in a few years! Already bought some pumpkin spice coffee lol.
In my opinion a vintage home doesn't need to be updated or remodeled. The roof and AC are things that are needed. Id also add removing the carpet for cleaner flooring. Anyway thanks for sharing.
Agree 100% about Florida cost of living. I just recently had to made the decision of buying in FL..or elsewhere. I picked Georgia. The only FL benefit was no state income tax. That's it. Otherwise everything is more costly. GA doesn't tax SS and treats retirees over 65 kindly when it comes to taxing pensions. And the house I got...3b/2b/2000 sq ft on a half acre in GA couldn't be touched in FL.
Interesting video...keep it up.
We just moved to TN from FL after our bills increased by 45% since the beginning of the year.
Oh wow! I love TN especially this time of the year with the fall weather and foliage
I have lived in TN all my life and now that people are fleeing other states and the mess they made in the states they use to live in and coming here the cost of living is going up here too. Housing prices are way more in middle TN than they were 3 yrs ago. Its like TN is price gouging to take advantage of the influx of people coming here. So locals are having a hard time competing in the housing market.
Exactly. Income is supposed to reflect cost of living. These people maybe coming from areas with higher prices, but they also get paid more to balance it out. They are basically buying our houses with cash once they sell their house 3x what’s it’s worth in their own state and then completely pricing us out of our communities. Something needs to be done to protect locals, otherwise there may be no affordable places left.
@@jomr4249the problem is Tennesseans are selling their house to the highest bidder. Most sellers aren’t in a position to sell their house below market to a local. Many people to blame but locals are part of the issue as well.
I'm in Ocala, Florida. Our home is right around $360. It's 3000 sq ft on a double lot. Completely renovated. The East & and West Coast are expensive.
Good luck with your adventure. I love following you❤
Florida (2 hours south of Tampa) to North Carolina (an hour outside of Charlotte) here, it has been by far less expensive for us in NC. It also helps that my husband has a better job here then he ever did in FL. My Aunt, still in FL, called just last night and told us that her car insurance premiums are going up on top of her home owners that already increased. FL is not the affordable place it used to be. Forget the people coming from more expensive places for a minute, it is becoming unaffordable for our seniors on a fixed income that already live in FL and have for years.
We're on the outskirts of Nashville in Bellevue and it is expensive. My rent has gone up hundreds of dollars in the last year and a half. I was looking at a rental that opened here...3 bedrooms, 1 bath, $2400 a month. I don't know how people are doing it. Glad you are finding some options.
Not sure where she is living in her area, but TN is not cheap.
I have lived in Florida a long time. If I was buying now I'd also pick a different state. We love our house, but it's unaffordable today. We are both from the northeast, and it's less expensive to live there now in some ways. Like salaries are low in Florida. And homeowners insurance is crazy. It's not the disasters, it's that Florida has lost so many insurance companies.
What? You seem to not comprehend cause and effect relationships. Florida lost so many insurance companies BECAUSE of the increasingly frequent and expensive disasters. They also allowed the trial lawyers and their famously corrupt state legislature to collude and create a law to rob insurers for crazy overbilling, and fraudulent claims by contractors for storm related repairs.
You are correct. My homeowners insurance just doubled in price.😮
Tennessee is going up daily property prices has already tripled. It’s getting to where you can’t afford to live anywhere.
Just a thought - in a yr or so when the girls are no longer with you, consider house sitting and pet sitting. There are several websites for domestic and international house sitting. There are also care takers for large private estates, vacation homes, etc that are for 3 months or more. Since your income is independent in your location, you could also consider house swapping.
People forget about ongoing expenses related to homeownership. I found a great home in Florida on a canal. Unfortunately, the insurance and taxes were to expensive when compared to income.
Working for an estate, is wonderful if you have good employers. I did. I did not live on the property, which for me worked out, but we had a couple who did. This was in the mid-1980s. The couple had a lovely apartment, their food, a car, medical coverage and $50,000 a year. They had zero expenses so they banked the income after taxes. Who you work for makes all the difference.
@@buffycat4641 I’m sure.
This is an excellent comparison of looking at cost of living and location.
I don't think enough people investigate as you did. That will be quite a savings every year just from moving states.
TN is a beautiful state. I love visiting.
I would absolutely move states to lower my cost of living.
Glad it is working out for you. I have never been to your area in TN, but I was recently in Nashville and enjoyed it. Seemed pretty pricy, though, and a lot (really a lot) of construction going on. I hope Nashville does not get so expensive that people have to move because they get priced out.
Two nice towns in TN to check out are Cookeville and Crossville. Midway between Nashville and Knoxville, just off I-49. Very pretty areas.
Already happening to me been trying to look for my first house for 2 years and continually getting priced out my entire family has lived here for generation and generations 😢 it’s actually devastating
Thank you so much for this! We are planning a move to east TN in a few months.
Good plan! Florida is crazy on property insurance alone.
Your point is not lost on me. I 100% agree with your cost of living comparison but I would never consider living in that part of Knoxville. That’s the hood.
After living in FL, nowhere in Knoxville is all that bad 😂
When, where, how...all depends on these things.
I live in California and have my whole life. We bought our house 25 years ago our interest rate is 2. something..property taxes a little over $1200 a year...so much to consider.
@Michelle_Emm not for long
@Michelle_Emm it would have been paid off sooner but my husband passed lsst October at the age of 68 from brain cancer so I had to stop work years back to care for him. We were married 40 years.It's slowed things down but I'm hoping to be completely debt free within two years, the mortgage is the only real debt.
Prop 13 makes the property tax affordable in CA. But then they stick you with a state income tax. One way or another every place gets its pound of flesh.
Born and raised in Florida and you are correct... ridiculous! Johnson City, Afton,Greenville are great places. I have a very secret place in Tennessee and I will not share it. Super cheap here!!
Keep it to yourself. Northerners will flock there and ruin it.
I left Florida for Idaho. In Florida my food budget was $400 without taking into consideration that to socialize you had to eat out. That’s $75 for a couple. My ex hated it here and moved back to florida because she wanted the beach close. My monthly food budget is $250. And peer pressure to eat out is not a problem. Don’t get me started on I4.
Thankyou so much for the info im new to florida and i cannot get over how high the car insurance is compared to the carolinas i dont believe i will be staying here
This is a great video!! I live in nashville and always wanted to move to FL someday. Your videos have been very helpful. I would love to visit Knoxville with my kids. Keep posting about your hometown. I would love to plan a trip there this year and go to the places the locals love not just the tourists and Ofcourse on a budget.
Thank you for this. I live in Louisiana and we are in the same boat as you had in Florida. Nice to know some where else will be alot better
Didn't realized you guys lived just down the street from Saint Augustine (me). I used to live in Murfreesboro TN, nice area but getting expensive.
Nashville has grown so much, it’s turning into Atlanta, which is not a good thing. Murfreesboro’s recent & continuing growth is turning it into what Nashville used to be. All the formerly quiet, rural & affordable small towns are now turning into overpriced suburbs of the metro Nashville area. It’s sad to see beloved Tennessee being ruined in this way.
Wow I had no idea places could vary that much in property taxes. I can’t imagine just a couple hundred is insane to me.
That was the original tax rate for prior owner with senior discount. Those taxes will go up as soon as the new home closes to meet market value.
Funny, you just posted this after I commented on your last video. I’m a little behind because we are packing for vacation, first one in two years! But yeah, we are moving to Tennessee between now and April! I lived there when I was 12, and again when I was 15 and I’ve always wanted to go back! Maybe we will end up somewhere near you guys since you were near us when you were down here. 😊
How exciting! You are going to love TN. There are, of course, pros and cons, but it will be a great place to explore and is so, so beautiful. A huge geographic change from FL. Good luck with your move!!
I moved from FL to Texas, the taxes here is crazy but overall the mortgage comes up to the same rent we were paying. I got a raise for the cost of leaving which I was very much surprised
Such an interesting video. Loved it!
Thanks so much!
Wow, thank you so much for showing us the benefits of TN.
Don’t be spreading the word about how cheap it is or they will come and screw it all up like they did here in western . It’s become unaffordable for me in western NC in smokies, just over mtn from you.
Very good comparison on the differences. Appreciate the work you put into this.
A thought from Canada
Small town in Ontario and not cheap , average rent here is 1500.00 for a 1 bedroom apt. I am looking to smaller towns also. Trying find something under the 1000.00 dollars mark . Means Trying to find the small towns.. they are out there but only if your willing to move out of your comfort zone
What a great video! You are a very intelligent woman.
Also do not buy a place near any river that may flood
In the future or has had previous flood damage. May need special flood insurance if you buy said property.
thanks for sharing, very interesting
So interesting!! We are just over the TN line in NC (near Asheville). We have friends who retired from FL to Asheville, but couldn’t afford to stay there, so moved to Johnson City area, and love it
This is really interesting! I like how you did the comparison.
Family recently purchased outside of Jeff. City. Was surprised at the cost of housing there, similar to where we are in FL. Not sure about taxes and food and all that stuff. But the home itself was not as different as I thought
Wow! This is really interesting. Thank you for compiling this information. I live in the UK and was shocked at how expensive your insurances are. We live in a medium flood risk zone and were horrified when we moved here that our home insurance had increased from around £350/yr (in the very low-risk area where we lived previously) to about £700. Car insurance for our household is probably a little lower than average for various reasons, but for us it's £350-400 per vehicle per year. I'm not sure of the current conversion rates but i don't think £1 is much different to $1 these days, so it seems way more expensive in the US. It's fascinating that there are such huge differences between states as well in terms of insurance costs, and taxes, as well as the difference in straight up property cost. I wish you luck in your property search and with the sale of your old house :)
Wow the property taxes are mind blowing. I live in DFW Texas and we paid over $5,600. We have a small home, small lot. Very interesting. We have no state taxes, but the state comes up with other ways to get money. If you move, do your research. Taxes, jobs, groceries, gas...etc. I've seen people move here from CA thinking how affordable it is here, but then finding a job was one big hurdle, and a place to live. More apartments are being built than houses to fit the demand. Then there's this heat. Texas is very hot every summer, and this summer is awful. I'm native to Texas, so this is not new to me. But the cost of living has increased dramatically.
A few months ago one of the outfits that keeps tabs on costs around the country claimed that, on average, it now costs more to live in TX than CA. Another article noted that state quality of life ranking, for overall happiness and satisfaction with your chosen location, Texas is now near the bottom. Mostly due to increased cost of living (taxes and insurance) and serious drops in quality of public education and health care.
Nashville is very expensive. Wouldn’t mind living in your area. We visit as much as possible
My wife and I are born and raised in FLA. and we hate that the more we make the less we have. She's a nurse and I'm a city employee as well as a veteran. Our property taxes alone have risen from 4k per year to 9k. Not to mention home owners insurance companies are super flaky. They will drop you for anything. I would be willing to move to GA, TN, or KY. If we sold our home we would make 150k on it, but can't find anything reasonable under 300k.
On the Florida home would living that close to the Halifax River not put it in a higher flood zone, reference flood insurance? Not sure how the taxing assessments work, but in Florida the taxes will be assessed at the new sale price, so always verify with the county property appraiser’s office. Also in Florida taxes are lowered by homestead exemption, not sure if TN has exemptions.
I relocated from Tampa, Fl in 2020 to a small home in the mountains of North, Georgia. My property insurance in Tampa just for the interior of my townhouse was just under $900. My property insurance bill for interior & exterior (whole house) in North GA was $1,100. My property tax with a senior exemption for 2022 was $265.
You made a wise decision coming to TN !! I live in VA but love TN ! 🤩
Thanks for sharing the numbers. I'm hearing a lot of good things in terms of affordability for West Virginia. No state income tax in Tennessee but, a very high sales tax.
Comparing Daytona Beach to Knoxville is insane…Maybe try Ocala or Gainesville or Baltrow
I'm looking to leave fl to TN in a few years. I make 60k here in fl & looking for a part time job on top of my full time job just to make it here in fl. I'm 61 yrs old & I'm pretty much done in FL. Too expensive & I can't take the summers here anymore.
I am so freakin jealous. In Texas, you would pay probably around 6000.00 for the property taxes. I don't know how these other states are able to budget with such low taxes but I wish Texas would find out. It's so pretty in Tennessee and the weather has to be better. I want to move!
Depends on where you live in Texas! I moved from Austin, TX to East Texas and love the Piney woods. Taxes are low (for example: simple home $150k range can be less than 2k). My taxes dropped by 70% moving from central Texas. I did research property taxes beforeI bought my home. Car insurance stayed same ($1300. Year for 2020 Mazda)
Texas does not have an income tax, so you get hit with high property taxes and those crazy expensive toll roads to make up the revenue.
@@JBoy340a You can avoid toll roads most of the time
@@safeandeffectivelol I have done that sometimes, but really they need to lower the cost. We spent 120 dollars over 3 days and drove about 200 miles because we wanted to get someplace in a reasonable amount of time.
Property taxes will be going down this year with the new bill Greg Abbott signed. I believe the average is around 1200.00 decrease. Still high but at least it's some relief.
I am considering retiring overseas
Don’t listen to people defending Florida. You lived it,, you know what you experienced. My sister in law bought a condo in Florida 3 years ago and now because of the extreme increase in property taxes and homeowners insurance she can no longer afford it.
You can also bet that the Holly Hill, Fl., house is in a major flood zone (near the river) and your mortgage company may require flood insurance. Otherwise I think it is delightful. I love Tennessee also.
Great vid. Thanks for the info
I live in Western New York, reasonable cost of living here.
@@Chowda41 Taxes aren't great but real estate is still within reason.
Have you looked at McMinn County? It's not that far from Knoxville. Check out Athens and Etowah.
I live in one of the most expensive cities in Florence and I don't see the price difference also the home quality in FLORIDA are definitely higher. I love TN but its not affordable ive been looking at chattanooga and Cleveland and prices are about yhe same also jobs pay less in TN. Loved your video
Thanks for sharing I live in Illinois and am looking to relocate myself I’m looking at Mississippi or Arkansas but had no thought of east Tn . Im from West Tn Memphis area that’s where I grew up but it is outrageous now Ill look at some areas thanks
Being 10 minutes from the beach is going to be very expensive, so I don't feel like comparing a FL house to a Knoxville, Tn house is a good comparison. There is nothing very appealing about Knoxville, and only some people would find it appealing. Nashville area, however, is much nicer, modern and has a great vibe. But if it's a rental, I guess it doesn't matter as much.
I live in Naples, Fl. And EVERYTHING IS THROUGH THE ROOF! Here normal apartments that have the word "LUXURY" stamped on it costs $2k-$3+k. No apartment should cost that much, I'm sorry not sorry. The jobs and cost of living DOESN'T keep up at all. I have been here 30+ years and would like to move, but my daughter is here and i don't see her wanting to move so i feel trapped 😞. Also the HOAS here are awful! Mine has mis appropriated funds leaving very little in our reserve and now I've had 2 expensive assessments it's just never ending. My $ will never be my $ sadly.
A totally dysfunctional HOA, with zero concern for following Florida's laws on budgets, spending and reserves, was a primary reason we sold a place north of Tampa. The board had reserves that desperately need to grow and be held for an upcoming major infrastructure repair, and they just would illegally spend it on whatever they felt like, without any proper procedure or vote by the owners. $80K wasted redecorating a social hall? $40K on things that are far from an emergency? Sure, why not. When the community's creaky old sewage treatment plant finally fails, the owners are going to get hit with a state mandated assessment that will cause many to lose their homes, but that fact just gets ignored.
Would you ever consider an off grid homestead?
I really enjoy your videos and appreciate the work and research you do for your channel. My concern in moving to remote and even non remote southern areas is racism. I have lived in California my whole life and have heard of negative experiences from friends and family. We are American born but "Hispanic" or "Chicano/ Chicana" (brown, lol) . What have you observed in regards to racism in the South?
I live in the south, and most racist people hang out with other racist people and they usually are smart enough to keep to themselves. Thank God.
yes stay where you are
There is racism here. It is getting better, but it's still there. Most of it will be subtle and passive. Many of those born in the southern states don't even realize they are and don't "want" to be, but the culture here is divided and stereotyped is many areas. Some areas are better than others and southern hospitality will keep the vast majority of people treating you well.
I don’t think racism is a problem, but people will have a problem with you moving from California. Many locals from low income states are getting priced out of their communities right now. It’s mass gentrification. Locals aren’t going to be happy about the fact you are from California. Minimum wage in TN is still at $7.25/hr. Our house prices have tripled in 2 years. Locals aren’t being protected at all in any of these states.
@@jomr4249 yeah, this is true. I live in a suburb of Raleigh and people are piiiiiiissed that transplants are raising prices for us locals. But I understand, everyone needs to live in a place that is affordable and I personally don’t begrudge anyone that chance.
I left massachusetts and moved to Pennsylvania. MA prices were just insane and I refuse to be house poor.
I'm a happy PA resident with friends in MA. Not too hard to abandon the Boston area, move to a great area of PA and end up spending 2/3rd less for housing.
... Your property taxes will be reset for the sale price. example: If the tax was $100 and the house worth $20,000. The same house resold for $100,000 would be $500 in tax. You need to do the math.
Yes, my thought exactly, the calculation for the property tax on Tennessee seems way off. Also it seems like real estate websites intentionally mislead potential buyers by listing seller tax and NOT buyer tax.
Thanks for the Info. I retired 3 years ago and was looking at Fl but with the insurance issue I quickly crossed that state off the list. I have been looking in TN & KY , I currently live in NJ and my taxes are 10K per year, Home Insurance $980.00 and car insurance $1200.00 per year.
I retired the end of 2021 and following my already retired husband and I sold our R.I. home of 32 years and purchased a new home in The Villages in central Florida which is a huge 55+ community an hour drive northwest of Orlando. When we sold our R.I. home our property taxes were $9k, home owner's insurance $3k, natural gas for heating was $250/month on a budget plan and electric on the same budget plan was $200/month. Additionally we paid $2000k/year for R.I. state income tax on our retirement incomes which Florida has no state income tax. Our Florida property taxes plus bond is $7,200k/ year, home owner's insurance is $1,600k/year, gas for cooking and dryer averages $30-$40/month, and average electric for AC and all else is $120-$200/month. We pay $189/month amenity fee which includes the ability to participate in countless activities and clubs, pools, and free golf on the 60+ executive courses. It costs us $60/month for grass cutting and trimming in Florida and we paid $50/week for the same service in R.I. Since we travel in our community mostly by golf cart which includes going to the grocery store and restaurants, we got rid of one of our cars and the expenses that go with it because it is not needed. With no mortgage in R.I. we easily needed $60k/year to maintain our no frills lifestyle, and in our community in Florida which is not the cheapest place to live in our area, an income of $40-$45k/year also with no mortgage delivers us a very nice lifestyle since most of the cost of our activities and entertainment is covered by our $189/month amenity fee. So we chose Florida over other states to retire to because it is where the community we wanted to live in retirement was located. And with a retirement goal of wanting to be outdoors and physically active all year especially for me who spent 45 years in the nursing workforce working mostly full time in poorly ventilated germ ridden hospitals achieving that goal was not possible living in short summers long winters R.I. This podcaster is in a very different place in life than a retiree who no longer has the expenses of raising children, and most retirees that did not use their homes as piggy banks no longer have the expense of mortgages when they retire. And she is wise to search for a more affordable place to live at this point in her life so that one day she too can retire and be able to afford to live where she truly wants to live that delivers her the lifestyle she desires to have in retirement.
@@nightengale2123 Thanks for sharing all of this. I have been watching a lot of videos about the Villages and looking at the homes on Zillow. Is there much crime there? Also, online at least, the older areas of the Villages on the northern end near Spanish Springs seem to appeal to me. Some have larger yards, which gives you a little more buffer between your neighbors. But I am sure online is different than in person.
@@ES-bn1bi I would strongly suggest which we did, a Lifestyle visit or two which gives you a good feel for what living in The Villages is like. Off season you can do a Lifestyle visit up to 6 nights for $99/night. In doing two Lifestyle visits that helped us determine where and type of home we wanted to purchase. Selling a 32 year old home prior to buying in The Villages we knew we wanted new because we had just done quite a bit of updating to get our R I. home sell ready and did not want to do that in The Villages home we would purchase so we went new. Also, privacy was also important to us and for that reason we purchased a courtyard villa which is surrounded by 9ft.walls. What we also liked about buying new in a new neighborhood is everyone else moving into the neighborhood is in the same boat so the forming of friendships is much easier than buying in an established neighborhood where all the people there have known each other and have been friends for years if that makes sense. The Villages has 140+ residents and spans 32 square miles which is equivalent to Pasadena, CA. That being said, you are going to have some crime, but certainly not the level and types of crimes you would see in cities the same size. I will be honest with you there is more crime in certain areas up north compared to down south where we kive because there are more rental properties there and some owners do not care who they rent to. Down south, you will see more full time residents and some snowbirds that do not rent out their homes when they are away from them usually in the spring and summer months. We have absolutely no regrets buying the type of home we chose and where it is which is in the St. Johns village which we are a 15 minute golf cart ride to both the Brownwood and Sawgrass Grove squares, near multiple rec centers as well as near grocery and other shopping that meets our personal needs. My husband can even take our golf cart to his PCP's office. Lots to consider relocating anywhere, so again for that reason I suggest you do a Lifestyle visit to get a good feel for the community which will give you a good idea if it will or will not meet your retirement needs. Good Luck.
@@nightengale2123I’m in NE FL and my yard mowing, etc is $160 a month and I have a good price here. Treatment (fertilizer) is another $53/mo. Then there is termite bond $44/mo. I dropped pest control last time it went up
@@nightengale2123 Your home is hopefully newer and you won’t be hit as hard by the increasing property insurance rates that are forcing some Florian’s out of their homes. I moved out of Florida, after living there from 1969 to 2020, mainly because I could no longer take the heat from April to October.
Where are you looking that taxes are that low in TN? Once you buy it will be reassessed and be market value issued. People fail to think of that as payment is going to go up monthly.
Here in California a 3 bedroom home 2 bath better homes $260
We live in SW Michigan and I can tell you this; housing is cheaper here but theres a reason for it. We are moving to Orlando in 2024 bc I can make $30k+ more a year for the same job that I can here, and if we opt for a "rural" property in Orlando the prices are comparable. There's a lot to unpack here and this video only covers about 20% of 🤔
Interesting because salaries in FL are typically much lower. You must be in a high demand job
@midlife_minimalist no, I'm in hospitality management. And salaries in most fields are garbage in michigan. People only seem to have an overarching picture, but after 20 years of business management, teaching college students and 2 masters, I've learned that most of these youtube videos are only correct on a small and confirmation biased spectrum.
Any suggestions for less expensive northern states? Thanks!
You can’t compare California 🌴 to Florida! California does not have HUMIDITY 🎊 California does not have ALLIGATORS and we do not enclose our swimming pools to prevent bugs biting you and to prevent alligators from swimming in said pool so California WINS😂🤣 love my home state🌴🌴
It’s a beautiful state and there are some affordable properties but they are far inland and far from population centers. Suits me but not most.
I love the Daytona beach area! Did you sell your house yet? All my best wishes!
$300k for that? LMMFAO, got That 70's Show look.
Excellent video! Thank you. You cover important points. I am very interested in seeing more of east TN and am looking forward to more of your videos.
Look , it may be cheaper today but when the population increases prices go up big time.
omg, why not move into the country so you don't have to pay city taxes and have more privacy. Room for a garden, maybe some chickens, cheaper cost houses that will go up in value over the years as the local cities expand.
Katie likes being in walkable areas and, if she continues with instacart, she will need to be fairly close by!
Can I assume rental apartments are cheaper in Knoxville TN too? FL rentals are terribly expensive.
Stop sending people to TN. We are full!!
Have you considered buying a duplex since you said you were looking at buying something to rent?
I own a duplex and could actually live there completely free if I could convince my wife and daughter to downsize, but when retirement comes, we might just do that.
Love the Tennessee house except kitchen but Florida no.
I LOVE MEMPHIS TENNESSEE....
This is very interesting. It’s definitely cheaper in Florida than California but that doesn’t make it a good deal
Anything out of California is a good deal
I’m surprised that the property tax was that inexpensive.
that was the TN property tax BEFORE the renovation. very misleading. The home would be re-evaluated and the property taxes adjusted. upwards for sure!
Property taxes may go up to $500, but no where close to the FL taxes. And this is in the city of Knoxville - that is as high as you get in east TN. Go just outside of Knoxville and taxes are even cheaper.
@@raisingwildflowers lucky you!!!
I like Maryville and Townsend. Haven't been there in 20 yrs. Wonder what that area is like now.
Maryville has grown so much! That is actually where we are staying now. Townsend (fortunately) hasn't grown too much. Townsend is one of my favorite areas!
@@raisingwildflowers Townsend is near Cade's Cove, my favorite part of Great Smokey Mntns.
Opinion: Drunk neighbor + guns do not mix:(
Two words, snakes, nope.
I watch a youtuber who's lives in miami and he talks about homes , and a variety of topics . Florida is nice to visit , but to live , I'll pass !!!
yes I have cousins been living in florida all their lives . And in Tennesee, I have family who's been living there all their lives too .
I know of people who's from Utah and moved to Tennessee , they love it , where they live . I been visiting Tenn since I been a baby with my family.
My father is from Tenneesee . And I have a sister and niece who wants to live in tenn ( East Tenn ) closer to Gatlinburg, in that region.
Living in The USA , it's expensive .
Where I used to live, the homes are dirt cheap, they are 100% fixer uppers and you will found homes, that's not fixer upper.
But the city is going sorta downhill and I joke and say, "all the smart people moved out " , but there are still smart people in that town. Im just joking.
Anyways, we bought a home for $40K ( back in 1988 ) it wasn't a fixer upper , it was a normal home , it wasn't large at all , 1,400 sq ft .
And we lived there for yearssss until our daughter graduated from High School and then we moved out . We could of moved anywhere in the USA.
I rather stayed close to family. We made over $100K on that home and applied the profits to this home we had build , in a different town.
I like this town and it has nice people, clean and quiet . But it's not cheap living here , again Our home was $170K , now the homes are over $400K ,
just in 2 years. And the people who sold their homes 2 years ago , they made a HUGE profit , and one lady moved to the nicest subdivision in this town.
Which is fine. Living there expensive .
You get what you pay for. TN is more affordable for a reason.
Great video. You should be a realtor. How about multiculturalism in TN?
ThT shows how they are ripping me off in Georgia
$300,000 isn’t much of a house these days.