Relocation to ... NC , SC, VA ?

I'm living in Mass now and considering moving south. I've been in the
computer business (hardware) for 30 yrs and its getting too small /cheap
to make a living. Customers that used to be $10,000/mo for maintenance
are now $250 - if they even want a maintenance contract, so I'm looking
for a change of career / location.

I've played tourist and loved Charleston ( a LOT like Boston but
warmer ) , but seemed like the economy was only " tourism ". I made
small talk with a lot of business owners and they all agreed (without my
prompting) that tourism IS the economy in the coastal part of the state.
Same thing along the NC coast. I would like to remain near the ocean so
Ashland, Charlotte not an option - just coastal

I wouldn't need to own the business - just a job. BUT before packing my
bags and just heading there I'd like to ask opinions : of those states
which to choose ? or avoid ? Why ? High taxes ? Crime rates ? etc

States don't have high or low crime rates. Cities, towns and areas might but
the variation within a state is too broad to base it on state. As for taxes,
you have to count them all (including local property taxes which vary for
each town) then add in all the fees (tolls, car registration, etc.) to
figure out which has the lowest. Figure all in all, they really don't vary
much in nearby states. After all, what you save in income and sales taxes in
NH vs. MA, you make up for in other taxes and fees or differences in
services.

If you find a good job, the difference in taxes doesn't mean much.

John

"- Bobb -" wrote in message
. ..
I'm living in Mass now and considering moving south. I've been in the
computer business (hardware) for 30 yrs and its getting too small /cheap
to make a living. Customers that used to be $10,000/mo for maintenance are
now $250 - if they even want a maintenance contract, so I'm looking for a
change of career / location.

I've played tourist and loved Charleston ( a LOT like Boston but warmer )
, but seemed like the economy was only " tourism ". I made small talk with
a lot of business owners and they all agreed (without my prompting) that
tourism IS the economy in the coastal part of the state. Same thing along
the NC coast. I would like to remain near the ocean so Ashland, Charlotte
not an option - just coastal

I wouldn't need to own the business - just a job. BUT before packing my
bags and just heading there I'd like to ask opinions : of those states
which to choose ? or avoid ? Why ? High taxes ? Crime rates ? etc

- Bobb - wrote:
I'm living in Mass now and considering moving south. I've been in the
computer business (hardware) for 30 yrs and its getting too small /cheap
to make a living. Customers that used to be $10,000/mo for maintenance
are now $250 - if they even want a maintenance contract, so I'm looking
for a change of career / location.

I've played tourist and loved Charleston ( a LOT like Boston but warmer
) , but seemed like the economy was only " tourism ". I made small talk
with a lot of business owners and they all agreed (without my prompting)
that tourism IS the economy in the coastal part of the state. Same thing
along the NC coast. I would like to remain near the ocean so Ashland,
Charlotte not an option - just coastal

I wouldn't need to own the business - just a job. BUT before packing my
bags and just heading there I'd like to ask opinions : of those states
which to choose ? or avoid ? Why ? High taxes ? Crime rates ? etc



South Carolina is the place to go. Low taxes and it's not too hot.
Stay out of Tennessee. It has much too high taxes and is overcrowded.

Re SC - aside from tax rate, what's the reason to move there ?
I was told in the summer it's 90 degrees with 80 percent humidity


"john" wrote in message
...
- Bobb - wrote:
I'm living in Mass now and considering moving south. I've been in the
computer business (hardware) for 30 yrs and its getting too small
/cheap to make a living. Customers that used to be $10,000/mo for
maintenance are now $250 - if they even want a maintenance contract,
so I'm looking for a change of career / location.

I've played tourist and loved Charleston ( a LOT like Boston but
warmer ) , but seemed like the economy was only " tourism ". I made
small talk with a lot of business owners and they all agreed (without
my prompting) that tourism IS the economy in the coastal part of the
state. Same thing along the NC coast. I would like to remain near
the ocean so Ashland, Charlotte not an option - just coastal

I wouldn't need to own the business - just a job. BUT before packing
my bags and just heading there I'd like to ask opinions : of those
states which to choose ? or avoid ? Why ? High taxes ? Crime rates
? etc



South Carolina is the place to go. Low taxes and it's not too hot.
Stay out of Tennessee. It has much too high taxes and is overcrowded.

"john" wrote in message ...
- Bobb - wrote:
I'm living in Mass now and considering moving south. I've been in the
computer business (hardware) for 30 yrs and its getting too small /cheap
to make a living. Customers that used to be $10,000/mo for maintenance
are now $250 - if they even want a maintenance contract, so I'm looking
for a change of career / location.

I've played tourist and loved Charleston ( a LOT like Boston but warmer
) , but seemed like the economy was only " tourism ". I made small talk
with a lot of business owners and they all agreed (without my prompting)
that tourism IS the economy in the coastal part of the state. Same thing
along the NC coast. I would like to remain near the ocean so Ashland,
Charlotte not an option - just coastal

I wouldn't need to own the business - just a job. BUT before packing my
bags and just heading there I'd like to ask opinions : of those states
which to choose ? or avoid ? Why ? High taxes ? Crime rates ? etc



South Carolina is the place to go. Low taxes and it's not too hot.
Stay out of Tennessee. It has much too high taxes and is overcrowded.

Depends on which tax you look at. South Carolina income tax hits the top 7%
level at only $12,650 (after allowed deductions). Tennessee has zero income
tax on earned income and capital gains and 6% tax on dividend and interest
income.

VA has the lowest income tax rates and sales tax rates out of NC, SC and VA.

catalpa wrote:
Depends on which tax you look at. South Carolina income tax hits the top 7%
level at only $12,650 (after allowed deductions). Tennessee has zero income
tax on earned income and capital gains and 6% tax on dividend and interest
income.

Though Tennessee charges 9.25% sales tax, and counties can (and usually
do) charge as much as 0.5% on top of that. Food and medicine are *not*
exempt. Not a big issue if you'll live near a town in a bordering state
but you should consider it if you're going to be "inland".

Vehicle registration fees vary wildly from state to state. (and even
from county to county within the state)

----------------------------------------

Other things one should consider before moving across the Mason-Dixon Line:

- Do you enjoy hot, humid weather? Are you *sure*? I don't think us
Yankees are really aware of just how hot and humid it gets in the South.
(personally I *do* enjoy it but none of my relatives do...)

- Are you ready to deal with ice? In my experience, ice storms are FAR
more common in the South. (up north, the same storms usually result in
snow, which can be plowed or blown away and doesn't damage power lines
or trees. Current storm in western NY State notwithstanding )

- Things grow FAST down here. More often, things you'd rather didn't
grow at all.

- That applies to insects toogrin. Stinging insects (wasps,
yellowjackets, etc.) are more prevalent.

- (Southerners will tell you horror stories about venomous snakes down
here. In 16 years in Tennessee I might have seen one in the wild.)

- If you're particularly religious you might want to ensure you'll find
a place to worship in your chosen faith. The mix of denominations down
here is very different from what you'll find up north. For example, I
know of *one* Lutheran church within 30 miles - in my native Wisconsin
sometimes I'd think there was one every 30 *feet*! (down here, there's
a Baptist church every 30 feet! - and you'll quickly learn just how many
different kinds of Baptist there are...) Outside large cities you may
find yourself travelling a long ways every Sunday morning.

I don't mean to discourage one - I've really enjoyed living in the South
since coming down from Wisconsin 16 years ago. But while a Yankee
upbringing does teach some of the differences in Southern life, there
are some elements one doesn't learn up there - and doesn't really pick
up in a few vacation trips either.
--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

- Bobb - wrote:
I'm living in Mass now and considering moving south. I've been in the
computer business (hardware) for 30 yrs and its getting too small /cheap
to make a living. Customers that used to be $10,000/mo for maintenance
are now $250 - if they even want a maintenance contract, so I'm looking
for a change of career / location.

I've played tourist and loved Charleston ( a LOT like Boston but
warmer ) , but seemed like the economy was only " tourism ". I made
small talk with a lot of business owners and they all agreed (without my
prompting) that tourism IS the economy in the coastal part of the state.
Same thing along the NC coast. I would like to remain near the ocean so
Ashland, Charlotte not an option - just coastal

I wouldn't need to own the business - just a job. BUT before packing my
bags and just heading there I'd like to ask opinions : of those states
which to choose ? or avoid ? Why ? High taxes ? Crime rates ? etc

The Virginia Beach area had a high crime rate last I heard...but that
was years ago.

I suppose that the OP wants to avoid the winter weather. That avoidance
and the desire for a coastal location will result in very high humidity
with possibilities on the Atlantic, Gulf or Pacific coasts.

- Bobb - wrote:

Re SC - aside from tax rate, what's the reason to move there ?
I was told in the summer it's 90 degrees with 80 percent humidity


"john" wrote in message
...

- Bobb - wrote:

I'm living in Mass now and considering moving south. I've been in the
computer business (hardware) for 30 yrs and its getting too small
/cheap to make a living. Customers that used to be $10,000/mo for
maintenance are now $250 - if they even want a maintenance contract,
so I'm looking for a change of career / location.

I've played tourist and loved Charleston ( a LOT like Boston but
warmer ) , but seemed like the economy was only " tourism ". I made
small talk with a lot of business owners and they all agreed (without
my prompting) that tourism IS the economy in the coastal part of the
state. Same thing along the NC coast. I would like to remain near
the ocean so Ashland, Charlotte not an option - just coastal

I wouldn't need to own the business - just a job. BUT before packing
my bags and just heading there I'd like to ask opinions : of those
states which to choose ? or avoid ? Why ? High taxes ? Crime rates
? etc



South Carolina is the place to go. Low taxes and it's not too hot.
Stay out of Tennessee. It has much too high taxes and is overcrowded.

"Frank F. Matthews" wrote in message
...
I suppose that the OP wants to avoid the winter weather. That avoidance
and the desire for a coastal location will result in very high humidity
with possibilities on the Atlantic, Gulf or Pacific coasts.

Uh, there is very little humidity on the Pacific Coast. In the summer
anyway. Here in Seattle it's definitely humid in the winter, but not in the
summer. And, as you move down the coast, there is even less humidity in the
summer.

Marianne

There's an interesting website where you can fill in a questionnaire,
add your preferences and get a listing of locations that will satisfy
your needs. It will also give ratings for crime rate, cost of living,
etc.. Check it out at findyourspot.com.