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Advice/Suggestions on places to live on the East Coast?


EvilC

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So, it has been on my mind now for the last year or so that it is getting near the time for me to decide on where to live and buy a house. My gf is open to the idea of moving out of the tri-state area (NYC). We both work as engineers, so employment can be an issue depending on where we look for work. I am much more flexible as I have been working for a utility company since I have left college (5 yrs) and she works as a chemical engineer.

 

So what is the problem with the area I live in? Taxes and cost of living! I understand the idea of living in this area you receive a larger salary and have “everything†available to you but I am starting to believe it just isn’t worth it. Nice areas to live in and a school system worth sending your kid to, property taxes are in the $10k-$14k range. God help you if you need to cross any of our bridges to get to and from work, add at least $10 to your daily commute – gas is understood to be $.

 

Am I complaining? Not really. Just the quality of life is becoming more of an important factor rather than the amount of money I make and then to give it away just to live in the area, lol. I am sure we both are looking for a nice decent house with land for a garage big enough to hold the toys. Yes, the gf likes bikes and in the near future will have an s30 also! Doesn’t she sound perfect? Lol. But honestly after a few years of fun we would like to be in an area that has a good school system. It amazes me sometime looking at random places how much more “house†people get for their money. You can blame HGTV also….sometimes I hate watching those shows!

 

So now we are throwing the idea out there of getting feedback from others who live as far down as Nc, MAYBE Ga and see why they enjoy the places they live and would they recommend the area for a younger couple. My selfish requirement is I have to be within a few hours’ drive of a track or two. Property size we know will vary depending on where we are looking but taxes and school system takes priority over that. The Va, Md area seems to be the first choice just because it isn’t too far from our families but further down isn’t out of the question.

 

So let me know what you guys have to say…..in the meantime we will continue to look around in our area. This is really a decision to be made probably 1-2 years out but why not plan now?

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Not on the coast at all, but here in Dayton Ohio, we have Wright Patterson Air Force Base, a lot of engineering jobs are there. Theres also some cool perks there as they have a 10+ bay shop shop for WPAFB employees, any tool you'd imagine, full paint booth, plasma cutter, etc, they have it.

 

Also, other priorities: there are 3 dragstrips within an hour or so (kilkare, tri-state, edgewater), multiple autoX groups, Mid-Ohio road-course and Kilkare speedway.

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Hey Evil,

 

I lived in Maryland ( Columbia, Ellicott City, Baltimore County ) areas for 30 years. In between Baltimore City and Washington D.C. Are some pretty good choices. Columbias Schools are some of the best in the area. So check out Ellicott city and Columbia. Columbia was the First Master Built, Multi-cultural Community built by ROUSE.

 

Plus you won't have to have your Z's go through Emissions. They will have to pass a physical inspection but after they are registered, thats it. No every year car tax like Virginia either.

 

Capital raceway and 75-80 ( if 75-80 is still open. They are 45 minutes away. Buds Creek is a bit farther.

Edited by dexter72
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Yea Im in Maryland too and I like it. Historic tags for your Z means no state inspection or emissions testing. Montgomery county schools are very nice especially if your kids are into any performing arts or sports. Some of the largest and best schools in the nation are there. Cost of living is not terrible but its not the cheapest either. Oh and crabs cant forget crabs. Baltimore has a great music scene too if you like music and just about any type you can think of.

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Frankly I am astonished that some one would recommend the Dayton (Ohio) area as a worthwhile consideration. Having lived there for the better part of 2 decades, I have ZERO positive to say about the area... so I'll desist from saying anything.

 

Being a professional, almost-married to a professional, you may wish to consider a nation-wide job search first, and then relocate to where the two of you can find most commodious employment. Let the job search drive the location, and not vice versa. The more formal education you have, the more difficult it would be in this economy to find employment matching your qualifications.

 

As for specific recommendations... Northern Virginia has reasonable taxes and a superb school system. The downside is horrendous traffic and relatively high real estate prices. But the thing with expensive real estate markets is that they tend to hold their value, whereas the more "affordable" places are more affordable for a reason: houses don't really appreciate even during booms, but they severely fall during busts.

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North by God Dakota! Why? Because even retards make $3000 a week! Winters aren't bad, -50 and summers only hit 100! Come on over bud!

 

JK JK I been here a year and hate it, not going to state my day rate but it's pretty high and the money sure ain't worth it!

 

In other news, the Raleigh area of NC is nice and you have research triangle park for jobs.

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"I understand the idea of living in this area you receive a larger salary and have “everything†available to you but I am starting to believe it just isn’t worth it."

 

No Kidding...I've been entertaining the Third World as my alternative place of living...

 

 

Hell, your property taxes are 7X what mine are in SoCal for 2.5 Acres!!!!!

Edited by Tony D
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Raleigh, Cary area is a great place. Charlotte is also pretty good. You could live in SC and commute to Charlotte. You would have the low SC taxes and the better job opportuinties Charlotte affords.

Edited by mark
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Cheap parts of the world (and the country) are cheap for a reason.

 

But I can relate to the NE cost of living.... just drove from Ohio to NJ and up the various "highways" into Rhode Island. $12 to cross the GW bridge into Manhattan; I mean, 12 bucks for a BRIDGE TOLL??? For that kind of money, they should have ripped off one of girders and offered it to me as a souvenir.

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  • 2 weeks later...

"The more formal education you have, the more difficult it would be in this economy to find employment matching your qualifications."

 

I think that is part of the problem, because people bought into the lie that education automatically entitles them to some set salary, they actually BELIEVE they will get it!

 

I got news, education is great, but it doesn't entitle you to anything other than the consideration that you have the education. Having the education doesn't necessarily mean you can do anything useful for a prospective employer.

 

Skillsets, demonstrated and proven do that. In many cases, regardless of advanced degrees.

 

If you get hung up on what you are 'entitled' or 'should' make because you have a Masters Degree (or whatever) it can be a bumpy road.

 

Ask all those unemployed UAW workers who had high school diplomas (!) and now can't find a job that pays them $120K+ per year. They'd been taken in by the same sort of lie.

 

Beware! (Again, speaking of the third world: there are plenty of software companies in India where Masters and Doctorate degree holders make 45 and 60K a year. It sounds 'well below market rate' until you realize on that salary, in that country, you have servants, drivers, basically living like very high income people. But because of the salary many people did not choose to relocate when the jobs moved there.)

 

Salaries are regional, and many times skills based more so than entry-level positions where they only have a diploma to look into... Once your CV starts getting filled with competencies and proven abilities, the money takes care of itself. It's important to let employers know what your salary range is---many times prospective employees are not considered based on the assumption that with X Degree they will want $X... If it's not the case, if you REALLY want a particular location or job and money is not a factor, you need to let them know that.

 

It happened to my father, who was semi-retired and found they had hired another person for a job opening without even calling him. The reason they didn't was 'we couldn't pay you what you're worth'.... My dad told them "let me be the judge of that"---at that point he was willing to work for MUCH less than 'the going rate for his qualifications' simply to keep busy at a job and add to his pension a little bit. The job was short term anyway, it would have been a perfect match. As it was the guy they hired didn't work out, and he ended up there for the last five years before retiring, and then did consulting work for almost another five years!

Edited by Tony D
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I feel the safest when I can sling arms and return fire with anything I can pick up on my own, without restriction.

 

That kind of rules out USA---where should I go? :P

 

Texas?

 

:D

Edited by Tony D
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The trouble with living in a place where you can "sling arms and return fire with anything I can pick up on my own, without restriction", is that other guys will do precisely the same thing. And no matter how skilled or motivated you are, there will ALWAYS be some one who's faster on the draw, who has better aim, and more ammo.

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Yeah, that's where that bunker style house I've been obsessed with since High School comes into play, along with my dedicated cadre of local mercs who depend on my benevolence for the village's livelyhood.

 

It's rumored "Apocalypse Now" as opposed to being a historical drama, was actually a prophecy on my final demise...

B)

 

64816-Col-Kurtz-0.jpg

 

I mean, I'm just sayin'... No resemblance whatsoever right?

I'm safe, I'm not going Insane.

Really!

Edited by Tony D
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