Tennessee?
0patience
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Some of you know I'm getting close to retirement and we've been looking at properties across the nation to figure out where we want to go.
I came across several properties in Tennessee that are very reasonably priced in southern Tennessee. About $30k for 5 acres. Which 5 acres here would be about $100k.
I'm not sure what the weather is like in Tennessee.
In Oregon, well, it rains. All the time.
We have cold rain (winter), we have warm rain (summer) and sometimes we sacrifice enough Californians, that the sun gods make it shine. LOL!
So, those who know Tennessee, do you think it would be a good retirement place?
Says cost of living in Tennessee is among the 10 lowest in the nation.
Oregon is about the 10th highest in the nation, give or take.
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.
Comments
@MrShrek @Bob_Luken
"I've got a great cigar collection - it's actually not a collection, because that would imply I wasn't going to smoke ever last one of 'em." - Ron White
@TNBigfoot68
"I've got a great cigar collection - it's actually not a collection, because that would imply I wasn't going to smoke ever last one of 'em." - Ron White
Planning on moving to a free state, hmmm?
Trapped in the People's Communist Republic of Massachusetts.
All depends on what you like. Summers are hot and humid. Winters can be cold and windy. You definitely have four seasons. High sales tax but I believe no state income tax. Gas prices remain relatively cheap (especially around the Knoxville area) due to having major terminals.
Southern Tennessee covers a large area considering the layout of the state. The geographic features vary greatly from the western part of the state to the east.
It’s one of those things that all comes down to what you’re looking for in a retirement place.
Know the difference between a Tennessee girl and a bowling ball?
Come on over Tony. We'd love to have you. Rusty's right about the weather. We do get seasonal changes, and they change back and change again. Summers are humid. TN is divided into three divisions. East, Middle and West, represented in the state flag. And the state is long east to west so, "southern Tennessee" stretches across the entire northern borders of Mississippi, Alabama and half of Georgia's northern border. Where exactly you looking at Tony?
The properties we are looking at are around Chattanooga.
So south eastern Tennessee.
But we are still looking at properties.
This one [see picture] is around Pittsburg, TN and $30k for 5 acres.
Which 5 acres here is $100k.
I don't mind warm summers, as long as boss lady has AC.
Winters, on the other hand, after almost 30 years of working on snow removal equipment, I'm ready to not see a lot of snow.
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.
We have to many forum members from Tennessee. denied
My favorite cigar list here
Tennessee doesn't have pension tax.
That alone is a good reason to move there.
That means instead of paying the state $500/month, I keep $500/month.
Thinking that is a pretty good deal.
Plus, TN's taxes are not terrible compared to Oregon's extortion payments.
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.
The Chattanooga area is beautiful. As far as cost of living and the rest, it's all I've know and I think it's pretty good. So I can shed much light on comparisons. We would be lucky to have y'all though!
Best joke ever told on the vHerf!
Average rent around here is $1800-$2500/ month.
Houses are $300k+ and $300k is a fixer upper.
Oregon has a pension tax, which screws retirees.
In 2 years, 3 months, I am eligible to retire and unless something goes seriously wrong, I'm out.
Boss lady and I plan on spending about a year traveling the nation over the road and putting pension checks in the savings.
Between selling our house, which should clear us about $100k and putting pension in the bank, we should be able to buy a nice piece of property and bring in a manufactured home or have a small log house built.
It's the game plan. Whether it works out that way or not, is another story. LOL!
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.
I wonder what Mississippi, Arkansas, and Alabama have regarding pension taxes. I'm doing great here in Iowa with my middle class salary but the weather sucks.
Not sure. I know TN doesn't have a pension tax.
Mississippi and Alabama are too hot for me to check into.
Arkansas is one we might check on. Cause it is still relatively north.
This is the other problem that we are running into. We still aren't totally certain where we want to be. We want a mild climate during the winter. TN is kind of at that southern level we want to be at.
California and Nevada are out.
Too hot and cost of living is not where we want to be.
Plus, not a fan of desert type environment.
Eastern Montana sucks and anything like it is not where I want to be.
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.
You are only about 50 miles from Pittsburg, yeah?
And if I read them map correctly, Nashville is only 3 hour drive.
Winters see a lot of snow or fairly mild?
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.
Fairly mild, Maybe one or two snows with any real accumulation .
When my parents retired they bought a rv and drove around for a year till they found a place they liked the best.
Some things I like about TN:
No income tax.
Although state sales tax is 10%, we border more states than any other state, so, shop in whichever you're closest to to save some money.
We do in fact have 4 seasons, although it is possible that you'll see them all in a weeks time.
Great motorcycle roads.
People are generally friendly, helpful, and kind, except when driving.
If the sweet little old lady in front of you at the checkout line sets her purse down and there's a noticeable thump, she's probably packing.
Some things I don't like:
Can be extremely hot and humid in the summers, but not always.
Home to a dizzying array of annoying insects.
Everyone here thinks they're a great driver, very very very few of them are, and nearly none can drive in the snow, they think it's just like driving in mud. It's not.
I stay out of Memphis every chance I get, avoid at all costs.
Nashville's getting too many Yankees moving in, fleeing states that they could no longer afford to live in, and then trying to change the laws here to match the places they left. If you liked it there so much, go back!
Road maintenance can vary greatly from one county to the next.
All in all, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
"If you do not read the newspapers you're uninformed. If you do read the newspapers, you're misinformed." -- Mark Twain
I think the economy will be appreciably different in two or three years, it might change your plans. Winters in the middle of the country have been getting noticeably milder in my life time, so that shouldn't be a problem, summers might.
Don't let the wife know what you spend on guns, ammo or cigars.
Tony, you might want to consider elevation. We are at 3800 ft in the NC mountains and are four miles from the Tenn border. Any thing above 2500 ft will be cooler in the summer but a might colder in the winter.
(fleeing states that they could no longer afford to live in, and then trying to change the laws here to match the places they left. If you liked it there so much, go back!)
People in the red states say that about people from the blue states all the time. They ruined their own state with lefty politics and then go to better states and try to ruin those states too. No offense, Tony, if I lived in one of the free states I'd be happy to have you as a neighbor.
Trapped in the People's Communist Republic of Massachusetts.
Check out Brenham Texas. 45mins from me. Nice country breeze all the time lower humidity, No hurricanes to worry about that North, no snow. Summers are hot but it’s the humidity that kills ya. Spring/Fall are wonderful! Winters not that bad and can drag race year round. No political BS, no state income tax and your still close enough to College Station for severe medical needs. Check it out for real, I’d move their in a heartbeat but not good for professional detailing due to demographics.
My mom and bonus dad live in E. Knoxville close to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg. I love that area. Beautiful mountains, great hiking, great restaurants, etc. Tenn is a cheap state to live as well, for example, no vehicle inspections and all the crap that comes with it. I am in love Tenn. If my company ever signs me into full remote work from home, I am going to Tenn.
"Some people meditate, I smoke cigars." - Ron Perlman
"...I intend to go home tonight and smoke a cigar to the glory of God." - Charles Spurgeon
Two Time Cigar Lottery Winner
I lived in Weymouth, MA for about 4 years, when I was younger in the early 70s.
I love the Massachusetts area, but the population, taxes and cost of living is a bit tough for retiring in.
The amount of people coming from California into Oregon and trying to make Oregon Califoregon is crazy.
Oregon, Washington and California are getting expensive to live.
And then the politicians can't understand why tutoring people are leaving this area as soon as they retire.
It's all about the money.
States that don't tax pensions are seeing people retiring flock to those states.
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.
We may be doing something like that, except getting paid to haul stuff while we do it. 😉
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.
I am going to retire in a year or two. Mrs. Slob and I have sold our home in the Denver Metro area, for a smaller home in Paragould Arkansas. 2100 sq. ft. on over 1/2 acre...2 car garage...in ground pool. For a little more than 1/3 of what we this one cost. We are moving at the end of the month.
Isn't it amazing how that works?
This is one reason we are looking now.
Housing costs where we are have sky rocketed.
When you look at housing, one house we considered in Missouri, was 2000 sq ft on 1/2 an acre and it was $70k.
$70k here can't even buy a 1/2 acre lot.
The one thing that may give me a bit of a problem is that there aren't much for Indian health services in TN. Most facilities are in Oklahoma and a couple in North Carolina.
So I might have to drive a little to get to them. And those are what help keep my medical costs down.
So I may have to add that into the parameters for where ever we want to be at.
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.
The last week in July, we're heading to Cherokee, NC for a vacation. Any good cigar lounges in the area?
Join me in SW Missouri, maybe an hours drive to OK. Taxes aren't outrageous, but housing prices are on the rise.
Don't let the wife know what you spend on guns, ammo or cigars.
One of the listings we were sent was in Ellington, MO
13 acres and an 800 sq ft house (total fixer upper) for $70k
This is the problem we are running into.
When we keep looking at places, we see so much potential in a lot of them.
And when we already have $100k budgeted for a home when we retire, not including what pension we can put away while we're running over the road hauling.
We should do ok on a home, just figuring out WHERE we want to be is proving to be more difficult than I anticipated.
But we have pretty much determined that it will end up being in that area.
I want a small stream or creek running through the property and be able to put a small shop up.
Boss lady just wants her kitchen. I'm good with that.
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.