Where to live - Best City to Buy House for GN owners/tuners/shops

[GNregistry]

I have been looking at buying real estate since it is raining and there is nothing to do... Where is the best city to live in any state, prefer south, but open... I am retired military veteran, no job needed, all my income is tax exempt... dont need uncle sam tax benefits for home purchase...

I was looking in Cape Coral, FL as example, top price I want to spend is $130,000, that way I can keep all my toys... if I sell my house in WI, then I could go higher, but I dont like to spend more becuz what if market tanks... I think more people can afford $150,000 home vs $200,000 or more...

I was approved up to $130,000, 5.5% fixed rate, $2,000 taxes figured in, payment would be $738 per month, everything included... NO PMI, NO MONEY DOWN

I am 43 rs old, single, divorced, no children, no girlfriend, can move ANY WHERE... I like quiet life but with access to city... dont like tolls....
dont need huge house with lots of sq ft, under 1,000 sq ft, one level would be good enuff for me...

3 Car garage preferred, 2 car garage ok, zero car garage - Unacceptable

right now I am paying $600 cash per month for renting a room with a 50 yr old woman... plus I have my house in WI I am paying home mortgage. I like to live below what I can afford, so I have extra cash...

I would like to be close to Buick events, Buick Owners, Tuners, Builders, Mechanics, race tracks, beach, water, sun... no not bowling green....

remember I can fly or drive to any city in the US, in fact I prefer to drive...

also, most of the homes found are bank owned, short sale due double income earners who divorce and cant afford the loan or cant sell the home for the value of the loan cuz it is more than home value... I found a 2500 sq ft home, 3 acres, detached 3 car insulated garage for $142,900 in need of $20k -to-$30k in repairs, with estimated 2009 taxes of $3900 for a $215,000 home... bank is selling for $142,900, if I made an offer it would be $115k or $120k, suggestions....

link here for home above
192 Marston Hill, Auburn, ME, 04210 - MLS ID#927748 - Single Family Home real estate - REALTOR.com®

 

[TurboDave]

I used to live in WI, as a matter of fact I was born and raised there, so I can pretty much guess how you're getting royally screwed with property/realstate taxes. Yes you are!!!!!

I had to get out of there before they cleaned my out. I'm also retired military so I had a few concerns when looking for a place to live. My pension is not tax free, so I wanted to reduce the tax load on it.

1. With that in mind I looked only at states that had NO state income tax.

2. I didn't want to live anywhere that had anykind of really snowy winter, had enough of that from WI.

3. Kinda like 4 seasons though.

4. Didn't want to go too far south and get stuck in hellfire and brimstone heat and humidity.

So with all that my choices were few.

That's how my decision to move here to East TN was made really easy!!!!

No state income tax. VERY low property/realstate taxes (mine are $500 annually on a $200,000 home) as apposed to the $5000 annually it cost me in WI for the same value home.

We have very mild short winters here. Summers are pretty mild compared to what we had up in WI, and there's a definate spring and fall.

Besides, It's beautiful here sitting up against the Smoky Mountains!!!

Now, keep in mind that Central and West TN have completely different weather patterns if you look in that direction. Their summers are MUCH hotter than ours, and they actually have miserable cold snowy winters.

Must be because we're in the foothills of the smokies that our weather patterns are so much milder than the other side of the state.

I never for a single day have regretted my decision to move here to east TN.


Left the hustle and bustle to get out of southern kalifornia (GREAT decision), but screwed up by trying to go back home to WI. After two years my savings were taxed into oblivion!! So left there for here!! :biggrin:

 

[Junior Samples]

Foreclosures in FL are crazy, you can pick up what used to go for 325K for about 100.

Myself Id move to Eastern TN

 

[malibuick231]

I was raised in east tn and my familey still lives there. As far as buicks go most of them dont know what a injector is. They do how ever know what a 750 holley is. There is alot of old muscle cars around there with some great car shows to go to in Pigeon Forge.

 

[GNBRETT]

I say Johnson City, TN. Has everything, even a world class race track close by.

 

[SGRIM]

NC is TurboBuick headquaters nowadays:biggrin:

 

[novaderrik]

you must really love your car if you'd base your choice of home town based on being able to get parts for it and hang out wiht other GN owners..
that being said, house prices are pretty damn low up here in west central MN- for that $130,000 you could probably get a 10 acre hobby farm with a couple of out buildings around here.. then you could give the Amish $20k and have a nice big pole shed built..

 

[asrnj77]

I agree with North Carolina or Southern Virginia. Plenty of Buick people and events and short trip to the beach with a relatively low cost of living. Also no emissions (at least in Southern VA)

 

[GNregistry]

Little biased, I was in army at Ft Bragg, NC, luv it there...

 

[xcessiv6]

With out a doubt Cincinnati, Dayton area has more buick turbo guys than any other town in the US. You have Lonnie and Kip close by for support and jegs or summit is one day away on parts. Not to mention the 5 drag strips that are within 10 minutes to an hour away. 1/4 mile dragstrips Cinti Edgewater, Tristate are with in 10 minutes of each other, Thornhill is in Nortern Ky,
Kilkare is in Dayton, National Trails is in Columbus, Muncey Indiana, ORP in Indy, Clay City in Ky and about 3 other drag stips in KY and In that are withmin 2 hours drive, Kentucky Speedway and Kentuckey Motorsports PArk (New road race track). And if you like shows the GOODGUYS in Columbus and the ROD show in Louisville that gets 14000 cars a year. LOts of choices in the Tristate Area to choice from.

 

[V8Assassin]

Bret, come on down to the dirty south! Something south of memphis and north of FL. You know where the summers are brutal and winters, well whats winter?

 

[87action]

BEST place to live

I've heard for many years and maaaaaaannnnnnnnnnny stories about Tennessee(eastern) that is. I've been looking into Sevierville, Dandridge, Lake Douglass area myself. It really seems like God's country(beautiful,serene,peaceful,calming). Seriously looking to leave South Florida as it was ONCE a VERY nice place to live. Many of my personal friends have left (north) since the BIG HURRICANE they called ANDREW!

 

[87action]

By the way...............................

Nothin wrong with a 750 Holley!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[87natl]

The Orlando area has a lot of TRs running around, and some pretty good shops and tuners nearby (KDK, Hartline), not to mention home prices are way DOWN. We have a central FLA buick club that has a large membership and regular meets. Just a thought....

 

[turbo39151]

My father retired from the Air Force and relocated to Cape Coral in 1989. He still thinks it was a huge mistake but he'll never move...

Having lived in a bunch of spots I can give you the following insight:

Cape Coral/Fort Myers/Lehigh Acres- lived there 12 years.

Pros: Still growing. Prices are much more reasonable- lately. Lots of deals to be found. Excellent and predictable weather. From what I hear a decent TR community about an hour or so north in sarasota area to 2 hours north in tampa. No state tax. Close to Miami and Orlando, RSW international airport, never any cold weather.

Cons: Hot as hell in the summer. You'll need A/C in the garage if you want to work in it. Lots of bugs (my personal favorites the palmetto or American Cockroach and the Wolf spider - big as your hand), mosquitos, A few snakes here and there but no biggie. Not much by way of work- mostly service industry


If you expand your search more into the Lehigh Acres and Labelle Areas (less desireable- ie: cheaper) you'll find lots of nice spots. You can probably buy a few acres and build to suit your needs and still keep it cheap.



San Diego- I lived there 5 years

Pros: Perfect, predictable weather, no humidity, average temp is like 70 year round. No bugs. Lots of TR guys and shops, Lots to do, good location- close to Mexico (if you need to go there), Las Vegas is 6 hours away and LA is 2 hours away -but who the hell wants to go there... ; lots of car shows, lots of race tracks. No rust! Lots of opportunity to work in any field.

Cons: Expensive!(about 3x's more than the Cape) Smog-nazis, tax nazis, need a permit to change a lightbulb


Kentucky- lived here 1.5 years

Pros: Super cheap to live. Huge house with acres (yes acres with an "S") available for well under $200k, insulated from crazy fluctuating prices in Ca or FL, no traffic, only about 4million people in the whole state (unlike the nearly 3 million in San Diego alone), low taxes, no emissions tests

Cons: Hillbilly's, no zoning laws, everyone smokes everywhere, state tax,
unpredictable weather (ex: this past winter it was snowing-then it stopped and was 70 degrees over the weekend and then back to snowing and ice storms the following day.), less industry and lower pay, small town politics. Not as many TR guys/shops as I had hoped. Seems they're all in Lexington and Louisville.


When I lived in SoCal, I heard a report on the radio that stated the median income in San Diego was $60k and that only 2.5% of the people that lived there could actually afford it. Nevertheless, it is still my top choice because of the weather- I hate the cold.

Hope this helps, a little...

 

[GNregistry]

Thank YOU...

love my Buick, bought NEW 153 miles -- January 1988 when I was 21, which is now 22 years ago... what I dislike, is when I need help with my GN, there is no help to be found, maybe some help, BUT can they be trusted with working on it... as for parts, ebay, lol and Buick vendors are book marked in my favorites and phone numbers/names stored in my phone book...

which leads to a comment my dad stated while replaing windows in my house, which it takes him all day to remove and replace FOR FREE, he said "I can replace a window in an hour, but I can't promise it will open and close" funny stuff, pops is clever with his one liners... being 65

like golfing: hit a ball high in the air off the tee, wow "you hit the ball-- high and stinky, like an elephants arse"... use that one on golf course Adam... people will look at you like WTF, lol bust a gut funny...

I am disabled Army Veteran with 2 hip replacements: Jan and Nov 2007, due to injury jumping from airplanes, airborne radio man, Ft Bragg, NC... with all equipment and no tether to drop stuff before landing, it was like 300 pounds of potatoes hitting the ground and rolling, becuz the government couldnt afford to buy tethers for equipment to drop prior to landing, so we had to land with everything to the right only... my last jump was NIGHT time 800 feet, 10 mile walk back to unit, with radio, M16, one catch, I hit the plane couple times after exiting the door... your told to jump or walk out depending on plane C130 (Jump) or C141 walk off short pier ( like jumping into your closet at night no lights, AND NO FLOOR... I was young and paid $114 extra per month, maybe more, but was 100 bucks extra... now you know more about me, personally... I like the GS Nationals, to me it is family reunion, BPG is different... too far away from track racing... Reynolds is exactly my idea of fun... so with another event in NC.... I want to go...

if all events can be run like a family reunion, then they will be successful drawing people... look at last year thursday rain... this year people came becuz they want to miss anything, wait until 30th Annversary...

Tryin to pace my life out over the next 40 years, where to live...

for me my life is the Buick Grand Nationals, period, and GS Nationals... last year went to a few events 2008, 2009 is travel, I will be moving south and never to the west coast... buying homes great deals, but I am looking to steal a house from the banks, which get help from the stimilus money, cuz THE PEOPLE only get what was left on the pump handle by a bird...

BTW, my house in WI, taxes are $900, BECUZ i live in the town, and the city boundaries are all around me... my taxes would double or triple if I were required to be annexed into city to pay taxes, AND I still get city police and fire, without paying for it...

I am in a new world, one I never knew of... my past work history, I worked all the time, days, nights, weekends, now I am retired, I will never have to work again, hopefully, unless Veteran Administration goes BANKRUPT too... then i will be homeless veteran in a shelter... probably not, but 30 years is long time from now...

THANK YOU... trying to keep low profile so I don't stir any bees or keyboard gangsters

 

[scot w.]

Easy TN....

I moved here to Sevierville,TN 14 years ago and have loved it ever since!!

1) The weather is GREAT!
2) 2 HUGE Rod runs a Year!
3) TONS of stuff to do if you get board!
4) Quite a few TR's here also!
5) (TurboDave) as a translator tuner!
6) (Pudd'n) as a engine builder! & GNS Performance for parts and all other major work! :biggrin:
7) 1/8th mile tracks everywhere!
8) Bristol 1.5 hrs away!
9) YOUR CENTRALLY LOCATED IN THE U.S (Mertle Beach 6hrs, FL 10hrs Bowling Green 3hrs)
10) TAXES on a $150,000 home with 1acre = $500 per year!! :biggrin:

BRETT I will sell you my house cheap! Need to find a ranch...


SW.

 

[JayC]

Cape Coral is kind of in the middle of nowhere. Its nice and all but youre gonna have to drive to find any kind of Buick tuner. Cal is probably ~3 hours away, anyone in the Tampa area is 2 hours... I lived in St Pete for a while and I liked it. I dont know how Id feel about being that far down tho.

 

[gordyzx9r]

I'm Army (18 years...and hoping to retire in 2 years god willing). I think some people recommended Eastern, TN and that is a pretty good choice IMO. There are quite a few TR enthusiasts in the area. Also, checkout Huntsville, AL. There is a plethora of TR guys in that area and a few shops as well. Plus, if you do ever have to work for whatever reason...Huntsville is the government contractor capital of the USA right now and if you're retired military you'd probably have a hard time not finding work there. Also, NASA is dropping big dollars there too. Don't fall for the 'deep south' stereotypical remarks some people make about the south when talking about places like Huntsville.

 

["Turbo-T"]

Little biased, I was in army at Ft Bragg, NC, luv it there...

You're probably the first I've ever encountered that said they loved Ft. Bragg.

I was stationed next door at Pope for the last 8.5 years I've been in. Didn't get my TR until about 6 months before I PCS'd out of there. Then I later learned there was an abundance of TR folks within the Fayetteville/Ft. Bragg community.

Maybe one day I'll PCS back to NC to Shady J....though it's not someplace I ever imagined going to.