Why do you live in the town you live in and what keeps you there?

Naturally said:
Bought a house here in 2006 and didn't know a soul in this town ... but ...
Pros
- Adjacent to a military installation where I can use retired military benefits
- No state tax on retired military pay
- No state tax on social security
- Exempt from local property taxes by age and income
- Far enough back that hurricanes are less severe but day trip close to Gulf of Mexico beaches
- Love old houses and I live in an old house in the oldest part of town. It's quiet
- Backyard neighbor is a county circuit judge. Next door neighbor is a professor with a doctorate. Others are a mixed bag
- Easy walk to downtown
- Good percentage of the population is active duty and retired military
- Garbage, sewer AND water combined is $60 a month
- Big stores that fill all shopping needs
- Much larger city only 25miles away when needed for specialized personal and pet health care
Cons
- The others that are a mixed bag
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...any rentals going near you per chance... ?:p
 

Wayne said:
Born Texan here and love it here like our laws and freedoms we have here, not to many other states have the freedoms we have, some do so.
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Did you know that you could fit the UK into Texas almost 3 times... ( that's with 70 million people as well)... and did you also know that we could fit 10 European countries into Texas with room to spare.. ?

I would Love to live in a State that is so huge it's 3 times bigger than my whole country... :ROFLMAO:
 

hollydolly said:
I think Bedroom town probably means what we call in the UK a Dormitory Town,,,,
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Typically, at least here locally, a Bedroom Community is a small town where people live but need to go out of town for the services and amenities that urban people have close by in their communities, cities, Typically its by design.
We won't let any major stores/businesses in our town. The only major brand we have is a Dunkin Donuts and even then it took years to approve and only was allowed after strict store/property configurations were met.
 
Why do I live here? One reason is that most of this summer the high temps have been in the area of 78 to 82 degrees. Lows are in the area of 58-62. I have not run my heat-pump for AC or heat in weeks. A few fans in the windows blow out any warm air left over after the sun goes down. Making coffee and cooking breakfast breaks the morning chill very well. I will probably have breakfast and dinner al-fresco several times this week.
 
Brookswood said:
Why do I live here? One reason is that most of this summer the high temps have been in the area of 78 to 82 degrees. Lows are in the area of 58-62. I have not run my heat-pump for AC or heat in weeks. A few fans in the windows blow out any warm air left over after the sun goes down. Making coffee and cooking breakfast breaks the morning chill very well. I will probably have breakfast and dinner al-fresco several times this week.
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OK Fool! Now tell them about Nov,Dec,Jan,Feb when it’s cold, damp and very dark for four months. Then add in the soggy Spring season and smoke from fires in Canada and the Western US. Nobody leaves the house for at least 6 months, because it’s miserable outside. You also left out some of the highest housing and gasoline prices in the nation. Tell the truth!
 
Fairbanks the golden heart city. We don't live here because it is cold 6 or 7 months of the year and semi-dark. We don't live here because we are somewhat isolated and a 4 an 1/2 hour flight from the closest hub in the contiguous states. We live here because our 12 grandchildren do. :love:
 
Brookswood said:
OK Fool! Now tell them about Nov,Dec,Jan,Feb when it’s cold, damp and very dark for four months. Then add in the soggy Spring season and smoke from fires in Canada and the Western US. Nobody leaves the house for at least 6 months, because it’s miserable outside. You also left out some of the highest housing and gasoline prices in the nation. Tell the truth!
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I didn't know you'd moved to the UK , Brookswood ..:sneaky::D
 
Moved from midvalley Oregon (65 yrs) to eastside Seattle (5yrs).
Slightly better weather in Seattle.
Walkscore went from 0 to 90. No car is really needed although we have a car for Costco and major grocery shopping.
I can easily get into Seattle on frequent express buses (every 15min)
Our son and new bride are nearby.
Easy to get around locally on foot or on bus/lightrail. Senior fares.
No yard. Better layout and efficient. Flat.
I have ebike with extra battery. I can locally tour or throw on bus/lightrail/train if I get tired or take longer rides.
Wife and I can be independent from each other.
 
I live in a small town now, only abut 5,000 people and I'm here strictly because my daughter finally decided to start a family and I wanted to be part of all of their lives, so we moved here. I loved the town we used to live in, in another province, but our daughter's husband has a business here so they're obviously not going to move. Apparently my husband and I aren't the only grandparents in town who've made this move because we've met a few other grandparents here who came for the same reason.
 
leastlongprime said:
Moved from midvalley Oregon (65 yrs) to eastside Seattle (5yrs).
Slightly better weather in Seattle.
Walkscore went from 0 to 90. No car is really needed although we have a car for Costco and major grocery shopping.
I can easily get into Seattle on frequent express buses (every 15min)
Our son and new bride are nearby.
Easy to get around locally on foot or on bus/lightrail. Senior fares.
No yard. Better layout and efficient. Flat.
I have ebike with extra battery. I can locally tour or throw on bus/lightrail/train if I get tired or take longer rides.
Wife and I can be independent from each other.
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That sounds wonderful, wish we lived in a place like that.
 
Pepper said:
I don't care for where I'm living at all, but my son/grandson live in the city and I wouldn't be far from them willingly. I'm in a co-op and the monthly fees will rise in Feb. but it will still be within the range I could pay. I stopped driving, so have no car, wish I did, I would feel more free, but ... but ... No, I don't like where I live. Noisy. Very noisy.
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Do you find that the co-op carrying charge (HOA fee) is less expensive than other housing in the area? Do you own or sublet?
 
OneEyedDiva said:
Do you find that the co-op carrying charge (HOA fee) is less expensive than other housing in the area? Do you own or sublet?
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Much cheaper! I pay a few hundred a month living in a 2 bedroom that would cost thousands on the open rental market! I'd be homeless without this place.

eta
I own. There are only owners here, no subletting allowed and we have no HOA, we have an elected board & a mgmt. co.
 
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I live in a suburban town and raised a family here. It's a good fit for a young family but not necessarily a senior. You need a car for everything. Can't really walk to many places. It's a densely populated area and there's traffic. I can get a train into NY fairly easily though.
 
You wouldn’t be much impressed with my house. It’s a typical 3 bedroom stucco tract house built in 1954. We bought it in ‘67 for $22,500, which was as much as we could afford with my G.I. loan. It was paid off many years ago. It’s kind of like an old pair of shoes, a little worn but comfortable.

It has a larger lot than most of the new homes, and there was plenty of room for our boys and dogs to play, plus a little space for a garden. The neighborhood is quiet and our street has very little traffic. There is an elementary school, junior high, high school, jr. college, and university within walking distance, and our boys attended all of them.

Things have changed since we moved in. Some of the intersections that were stop signs now have traffic lights and left turn lanes. There are more apartment buildings, more people, no more orange groves. Traffic is much heavier, but I don’t drive much anymore.

My wife and I have lived all our lives within 30 miles of here. It’s the only area we have known. The weather is mild. There is morning ice on the bird bath maybe a couple times a year at most. Some days I can see snow on the local mountains from my back yard. There are occasionally strong winds from the east that blow things around and spread brush fires, and earthquakes now and then. I’ve never personally seen any earthquake damage, but it’s always a threat.

I’m happy here. It’s home.
 
Grampa Don said:
You wouldn’t be much impressed with my house. It’s a typical 3 bedroom stucco tract house built in 1954. We bought it in ‘67 for $22,500, which was as much as we could afford with my G.I. loan. It was paid off many years ago. It’s kind of like an old pair of shoes, a little worn but comfortable.

It has a larger lot than most of the new homes, and there was plenty of room for our boys and dogs to play, plus a little space for a garden. The neighborhood is quiet and our street has very little traffic. There is an elementary school, junior high, high school, jr. college, and university within walking distance, and our boys attended all of them.

Things have changed since we moved in. Some of the intersections that were stop signs now have traffic lights and left turn lanes. There are more apartment buildings, more people, no more orange groves. Traffic is much heavier, but I don’t drive much anymore.

My wife and I have lived all our lives within 30 miles of here. It’s the only area we have known. The weather is mild. There is morning ice on the bird bath maybe a couple times a year at most. Some days I can see snow on the local mountains from my back yard. There are occasionally strong winds from the east that blow things around and spread brush fires, and earthquakes now and then. I’ve never personally seen any earthquake damage, but it’s always a threat.

I’m happy here. It’s home.
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Did your sons settle nearby?
 

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