Do you ever think about moving out of state?

Pearl

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
I didn't read the
@Pearl how’s the move been so far?
Don't regret it one minute. We mostly moved because if we wanted to start a family, no way we could pull it off up north.

Most of my family isn't left in NJ, while most of M's is, so we certainly miss them. We don't have a free babysitter so nights out with just us two doesn't happen.
I miss the local mtb technical trails. I have two trails within a 10 minute drive of me, one is the most techy in CLT while the other is like the Allaire down here.
Miss the core cycling homies I met here. I found a good local roadie group of friends which is cool though.

Besides that? I don't miss anything about New Jersey it at all. Family comes to visit which isn't as frequent as if we were in NJ, which is probably a good thing. I could wake up at the crack of dawn and drive 2 hours to some of the best MTBing on the east coast. Desire has been low to do that last year, but I think it will happen more going forward as the kiddos get older.

Our property taxes in our Somerville house were $7000. If you ever been to it, you know it wasn't anything special. Now they are on the high end of the scale at $2000. We built a brand new house for the same price we sold that shoebox for. We are 35 minutes from an international airport. 2 hours from the best mountain biking on the east coast, don't at me if you never been. Whenever it snows, maybe once or twice a year, you get to do absolutely nothing. Summers are hot but I'd trade that in for a winters that if it is below freezing as the high, it's frigid.

You are doing a disservice if you THINK you have to stay in NJ for any specific reason.
 
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MMuller

Well-Known Member
I saw all of US and Canada (and beyond) while on the road. One place that stuck out as a poss retirement destination was Roanoke VA. Not sure why, just seemed nice, compact, south but not too. Problem is no ocean. But with climate change maybe that'll change. Climate change is another factor. Looking around the country to see where it won't be extreme in any season. Doesn't look like anywhere will be immune.
My wife's family has had a house in Poconos since 68. They bought 2 lots on a lake down the road from the house. We were just offered one of the lots and checked it out last week. I dunno, kinda nice. I could see putting a nice A frame up, chopping wood and hanging out with the Mrs, play music to the deer and bear. Not too far from kids in NJ.41925233_10204986704345226_1113405494791241728_o.jpg
Our house has been paid off for a while but I can def see taxes being the problem as we keep heading towards the 10K mark.
 

jnos

Well-Known Member
I definitely want out of NJ. The only issue is places where I can easily land a job. I'm an engineer in the automotive industry, so I can easily get a job in the Detroit area, but have no interest in living there (a lot of nice places to live, but no interest in moving to a colder place that isn't Colorado).

I also have a standing job offer in San Diego (construction), but California makes NJ traffic and housing prices look good.
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I should clarify that it's not that everyone is an asshole per se. Things here are just faster paced. Everyone is in a rush. Traffic can be horrific. Everywhere you go there are lots of people. There are a lot of high paying jobs here. That leads to more stress. Things are expensive, etc. Take all that and add it up and people aren't always too cordial.

When I used to live in Edison then Kenliworth and I had to drive to Edison/Iselin for work, I was pretty much ready to set fire to this state. Compared to NJ driving, commuting into NYC was actually far more consistent & less stressful, if not longer. I can see anyone who has to deal with that routinely hating this area. But to be fair you get that anywhere you go.

Now I WFH, and the 1 time a year I make the mistake of driving in that Edison/Iselin area with traffic I remind myself why I do not work nor live there. It's the total asshole of the east coast in some respects.
 

rick81721

Lothar
My buddy lives in Bedminster and his taxes are mid 3s

Lowest priced home on the market in one of the lowest property tax townships in the state makes that possible.

One nice feature in FL (where our property taxes are lower than NJ but not super low) is the homestead exemption lowers the cost plus caps increases.
 

ChrisG

Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
Mrs. G and I find ourselves increasingly discussing this.

I can retire 3 years from this coming June. Realistically, I see it happening in 5 years. At that point, getting out of NJ will become a legitimate priority, financially, as my pension will be our primary source of income, and I want to pay as little tax on it as possible. Ideally, none.

My parents will be 82 and 81 this year, and are currently (knock wood) in good health. As long as they, or either of them are alive and living in NJ, Mrs. G and I won't be moving drastically far away.

Mrs. G's siblings and our niece are in Missouri, 20 minutes outside of Kansas City, and our nephew is in Boise. Mrs. G has made it clear that she'd prefer to be within a reasonable driving distance of her family, but she knows we're not heading out there anytime soon.

Our house has been paid for since 2017, and taxes in our town are surprisingly low, by NJ standards. Our heaviest overhead is home equity debt that was accrued over the years for home renovations. We live 2 miles from the ocean, and I don't think I'll miss it at all if we move inland.

A priority will be living close to good quality riding, ideally both mtb and road. I grew up vacationing in the northeast PA mountains and have an affinity for that region. I could see that being our first, probably temporary, stop when we sell the house and move out of NJ. Eventually, we're likely to head west.
 

pooriggy

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I'm 52 and am a NJ native. I actually like the diversity of the state. I live in Union County, it does suck that the freeholders and residents are anti mtbing, with no legal trails in the county. Despite this, being centrally located I am not too far from great trails and the jersey shore. I can drive to Ringwood and mtb in 45 minutes or in the same amount of time drive to the Barnegat bay to kayak, which I do in the summer. For snow I can drive 2hrs to New Paltz for great xc skiing, which I love.

Then there is the cultural aspect, we have NYC for the best shows, entertainment, buildings, food...this also spills over to NJ, which is pretty good for cultural stuff as well.

My wife is a school teacher and I'm a civil service employee, luckily we bought our house over 20 yrs ago, when it was affordable. I understand why young people are moving out of NJ, houses are crazy expensive. This is driven up by the large wage earners associated with NYC jobs. Property is so expensive in this area because people have the income to buy it, this is a reflection of supply and demand.

We both have family in the state, which we like. Yeah, they can be a pia at times but we grew up with family and that's what we know.
I am happy with the friends I've made in the mtb community over the last 10 yrs, this also keeps me with good feelz.

Add all this together and I'm satisfied with my quality of life. I may feel differently when I retire in 12 yrs and am living on a smaller income and paying property tax, currently I'm paying 11 grand just to live in Cranford. We'll have to figure something out, maybe I'll move in with Mitch. Where ever I end up, I probably won't be too far from my 2 son's.
 

MMuller

Well-Known Member
Mrs. G and I find ourselves increasingly discussing this.

I can retire 3 years from this coming June. Realistically, I see it happening in 5 years. At that point, getting out of NJ will become a legitimate priority, financially, as my pension will be our primary source of income, and I want to pay as little tax on it as possible. Ideally, none.

My parents will be 82 and 81 this year, and are currently (knock wood) in good health. As long as they, or either of them are alive and living in NJ, Mrs. G and I won't be moving drastically far away.

Mrs. G's siblings and our niece are in Missouri, 20 minutes outside of Kansas City, and our nephew is in Boise. Mrs. G has made it clear that she'd prefer to be within a reasonable driving distance of her family, but she knows we're not heading out there anytime soon.

Our house has been paid for since 2017, and taxes in our town are surprisingly low, by NJ standards. Our heaviest overhead is home equity debt that was accrued over the years for home renovations. We live 2 miles from the ocean, and I don't think I'll miss it at all if we move inland.

A priority will be living close to good quality riding, ideally both mtb and road. I grew up vacationing in the northeast PA mountains and have an affinity for that region. I could see that being our first, probably temporary, stop when we sell the house and move out of NJ. Eventually, we're likely to head west.
We're near Blakeslee off 940. Hope you'll come by for a visit and a ride sometime, down the road in imaginary retirement. (musicians don't retire).
 

ChrisG

Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
We're near Blakeslee off 940. Hope you'll come by for a visit and a ride sometime, down the road in imaginary retirement. (musicians don't retire)
I know that region quite well. My entire family is from the Wilkes-Barre area.

Having a small place on a quiet PA lake is the stuff of my dreams. Would be stoked if we end up in your neighborhood (again).
 

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
My buddy lives in Bedminster and his taxes are mid 3s
Bedminster taxes are pretty decent compared to the neighboring towns. For a small town there are a lot a of office building and corporations to offset taxes. But then the home prices are higher as well. Far Hills is the same, but Basking Ridge, which is next door is quite a bit higher. Look at the home prices in the Hills section, its very clear where the town lines are.
 

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
Lowest priced home on the market in one of the lowest property tax townships in the state makes that possible.

One nice feature in FL (where our property taxes are lower than NJ but not super low) is the homestead exemption lowers the cost plus caps increases.
Rick are you in a over 55/senior community? We're thinking to go that route when I get there in a few. Any benefits in doing so?
 

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
When I used to live in Edison then Kenliworth and I had to drive to Edison/Iselin for work, I was pretty much ready to set fire to this state. Compared to NJ driving, commuting into NYC was actually far more consistent & less stressful, if not longer. I can see anyone who has to deal with that routinely hating this area. But to be fair you get that anywhere you go.

Now I WFH, and the 1 time a year I make the mistake of driving in that Edison/Iselin area with traffic I remind myself why I do not work nor live there. It's the total asshole of the east coast in some respects.
haha, I lived in Edison for the first 10 year after getting hitched and commuted to Kenilworth/Union every morning. One thing I really miss is the food, even the pizza was better in Edison. We just went to Edison last night for Korean, then bubble tea. @Norm, if you haven't already, try Ye's in town, but order from their WeChat menu.

I can't imagine what it must be like to commute in North Jersey, where the congestion maps are red all the time. Love my current commute of 10 miles going opposite of the traffic each morning. I'm one of the few who likes going into work each morning.
 

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
My wife and I had dinner with Jimmy Page on the upper East side and then saw Seinfeld live at the Beacon Friday...so there are advantages to NYC proximity.

I fantasize about Asheville, SC is not far away, but two notches more racist. TBS, a pickup truck driver, waited for me to ride my road bike down a mile of dirt road before passing us on the county pavement in SC about 8 years ago. Wouldn't see that in NJ, maybe.


IDK

View attachment 87541

I like Jersey.
Haha, aren't you white?
Chinese guys goes into a BBQ joint in the deep south....
Hey you speak good english....
 
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