Trying to find a place
 

Hi. I am in Southern California, and planning to relocate out of here in about a year. I have a daughter who has a medical condition that makes it miserable for her in hot weather (85F plus temps can be lethal, under certain circumstances) so we need a place that stays ~relatively~ cool in the summer or that has short summers. Winters can be anything - we have no problem with cold and wet, and the kid actually does better in overcast. We do not wish to go to the Pacific Northwest for personal reasons, so the Northeast seems the remaining choice we have.

Our priorities are: lack of excessive heat (we can deal with some, just not Mississippi or Arizona); being able to purchase a decent home for about $75,000; low property tax rate; low crime rate; & within an hour or so of a good university(ies). I have worked in academic circles as staff for many years, so my best chances are wherever there's a university or community college.

I am originally from New Jersey, but NJ's housing and taxes are way too high for us. We have looked at the greater Pittsburgh and Harrisburg areas of PA. Not sure about them. They do seem interesting, and we will travel there in the Spring to look around. I'm told to stay out of Pittsburgh proper due to taxes.

Kid wants me to look at Virginia, where it's not full of "Yankees", but I'm concerned about the heat issue. Are there parts in the mountains that are cooler than along the coast? Investigated the general DC area, MA, & CT - high taxes and housing costs. Maine didn't seem to have any jobs to speak of. Am wondering about New York State - Albany, Buffalo? Any info on them? (or any place else?)

Prefer to be within a couple of hours of a major city (one with at least 300,000 people) so we don't go quietly insane trying to find a good pizza. (I've lived in small towns in the south and cannot recommend that option.) Other than that, as long as I have a small yard to putter in, can get to the rest of the world through cable tv and the internet, I'd be happy living on anything from a farm to a brownstone. It just needs to be affordable, somewhere that doesn't have 3 months of weather over 90F, and safe. I really love wooded, hilly areas, so that would be a definite perk.

The kid would prefer something close to a city, so she can go in and do what adolescents do rather than sitting at home watching the grass grow. [Sigh]

Is there somewhere you've been that might be someplace for us to check out? Thanks in advance!

One of my best friends lives in Wilmington, Delaware. From the way she describes it, it sounds like it may meet many of your requirements. She moved there for college (University of Delaware) and has lived there ever since.

What about New Hampshire? A friend moved a couple years ago to Dartmouth to work at the university, and loves it up there. I'm not sure about the housing costs though.

Also, what about someplace like Burlington Vermont?

Both of these areas would give you woody, hilly landscapes, and there are a large number of university towns.

I don't think the NJ, PA, or DE is going to cut it if heat is a concern.... you can be looking at 90+ with high humidity for significant periods between June and September (having lived or worked in Wilmington, DE, south Jersey, central Jersey, Philly and P-burg).

Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine may be better options. I agree with the previous poster about Burlington, or possibly Rutland, VT. or someplace like Portland, ME. Housing prices are decent in upper New England, but $75k is probably somewhat out of the question in much of the Northeast.

try Find Your Spot.com (altogether) you put in all those requirements like size, cost, weather, terrain, the arts, etc. including medical facilities nearby, etc and it gives you 4 pages of matching cities.

I agree that any midatlantic state is far too hot. Portland Maine sounds like just the ticket for you.

Is this a joke? You can't (for personal reasons) go to the obvious part of the country that will have the correct climate; you are moving from one of the most expensive areas of the country where you apparently live in a log cabin in the woods, (a $75,000 home budget, plus the low property taxes, both of which have eluded the rest of us, won't even buy you a shared room in someone's house). I don't think there is any location in the NE where you could be guaranteed temps CONSTANTLY below 85 degrees (lethal is a scary word).

So give - this is a joke, right?

How about Madison, WI or Winona, MN. There may be other Northern MW locations that could fit the bill.

I agree that the 75K house issue will be a concern almost anyplace unless you are OK with a trailer park.

Surely you do not have a home in that price range at your current location?

I can;t imagine there's any place in the country where you can purchase a decent home for $75,000. Did you leave a zero off?
(I'd love to have a Porsche for $10,000 - but that's not happening either.)

Unless you're looking for a cabin in the back woods of Maine - with no utilities and situated in a swamp I think you;re out of luck.

On the off chance (very off) that you're serious - I think you need to google info on the cost of housing in various parts of the country - and work your way from the bottom up.

Have to agree with Leona on this one.

I can't think of anywhere you could buy a decent house for $75,000.

Have you thought about Canada?

What about buying a condo instead of a house? That would put many more locales into your range.

Remember though, you do get what you pay for.

I don't think so, Leona, since Nannersone's only other posts on the forum are asking the same questions about housing in Pittsburgh.

Nannersone, the average (for the entire USA) single-family home sales price by the end of 2004 was near $265,000. You'll probably need to consider a mobile home park to find anything in your price range.

You still can buy homes in that price range. I live in Minneapolis and though you cannot buy here in the cities for that, there are definitely places mid-state, or in northern Minnesota that you could buy a small home.

With that said Nan, Minnesota can be very hot and humid during the summer months, so I don't think that would be a option for you.

I can offer you that anywhere near the great lakes, such as Grand Marais off Lake Superior is consistently cooler than where I am.

Perhaps a Michagan person may chime in, good schools there and possibly cooler by the lake??????

I also liked the idea of Maine as Astein12 suggested.

Best of luck to you Nannersone, try that website Wednesday recommended.

Don't give up.
%%- Tiff

Beachbums number struck me as so odd that I did some research. I did indeed find that near 265K number but...

It is based on just under 24,000 home loans. That number of loans is so ridiculously low as to be laughable. there are well over 1 million...maybe lots more, transactions in this country each year. So I'm not buying that average number as accurate. I do know in IL the average is under that and given that the big majority of homes are in the high priced Chicago area...well, you get the idea.

Does anyone here think that there is a home (in livable condition, or even a "fixer-upper") anywhere in the NE? And where in the NE can you be guaranteed NO TEMP ABOVE 85? Don't forget, 85+ is "lethal".

I rest my case.

Leona: don't rest your case yet.

In my profession, I often help families with relocation. there are absolutely places in the NE where you can get a single family home for the 75K range. Granted, most of them are rural locations. PA, NY, VT, NH and ME all have those options. the bigger challenge may be to be close to higher education at the same time. I just have to believe that if you add in community colleges, this can be done. I am fully confident that it can also be done in the upper MW.

Once again, many of these places will occasionally see temps above 85 degrees but if the OP is coming from Southern CA. The frequency will definitely be less. The lethal part is "could" under "certain circumstances"

Nannersone, you can find an acceptable place.

placeu2, From my college stats classes, as long the sampling process used is valid, 24,000 is plenty enough to derive an accurate average. I was surprised that it's so high too. My guess is that's because most home sales are in urban areas, where housing prices are much higher than in rural areas. That, and the fact that you've got crazy folks in parts of California paying even crazier prices for homes.

This does sound like a near-impossible set of criteria for relocation. Pittsburgh? They just had a heat wave with several days well above 90F. And they will have such heat waves during the summer, and the heat index once humidity is factored in will exceed the "lethal" level. I'm thinking very northern New England or Alaska, to be honest. Housing costs are the challenge at that point-- $75K sounds unrealistic for a "decent" home (other than mobile homes or really cheap condos in questionable areas).

And if one lives right on the coast (like, within a quarter-mile) of the coast in southern California, the temperatures almost NEVER go above 85F. However, you pay dearly for that pleasure (even in Long Beach, a 600-square-foot condo will cost you $500K by the beach).

Is the temperature requirement because your daughter can't sweat? I have a friend with a sister-in-law with that condition and she lives in North Carolina. Remember, most everything in the south is air-conditioned. Go from the AC'd house, to AC'd car, to AC'd work/school, then to the (over)AC'd stores at the mall or the movies, etc.

$75,000 won't go far in town around here (Durham NC, excellent universities and community colleges, higher property tax that most of the state though)

How about International Falls, Minn.? I don't know anyting about the place, but it's as far north in the lower 48. And I'm surprised no one mentioned Alaska. Fairbanks has a university and I doubt it gets above 85, but check something reliable.

Area north and west of State College, PA -- home of Penn State -- is basically economically depressed, offers choices in your price range (realtor.com gives quite a few non-manufactured homes that look surprisingly habitable), and is a bit cooler than Harrisburg. Check Altoona (which also has a PSU campus), DuBois, Clearfield, etc. Low crime, taxes should be affordable as well. And plenty of fun stuff to do in State College that should appeal to a kid.

B/

OK - you are currently able to live in So. California. If the temps where you no live are so lethal why are you waiting a year to move?? And many parts of SoCal have very moderate temps - much more moderate than most of teh places so far recommended.

I really don't believe the $75,000 criteria. Sure there are places you can find housing that cheap -- especially w/ condos and town houses. But I honestly think anyone from Southern California would think that was a reasonable requirement.

And remember - even the places in the East that may only have high temps from 80 - 85F will also have humidity in the 50% to 90% range so it will feel much, MUCH hotter than some measley 90F in SoCal.

You might want to look at Mason City, Iowa. North Iowa Area Community College is in the town and it's 1/2 way between Des Moines & Minneapolis/St. Paul.

To those who offered constructive advice, thanks. I have hit realtor.com for months and know there are many, many places around the country that have decent housing for well under $100,000. We are just trying to find the right "fit" for us re: climate/job/housing. Since I am very familiar with the southwest and the west coast, I'm afraid I have to turn to strangers for advice about the NE. I appreciate your input very much.

I am sticking it out at my job for one more year because, if I do, we will have medical benefits from it for life when I take early retirement. As the kid has a "pre-existing condition" of which the heat issue is only a portion and she may not be covered as a dependant due to her age on a future employers' policy, we've been cautioned to do this by our legal eagle. Yes, she cannot sweat. Sun is also not her friend. Among other health problems. We're told it's a rare condition. Lucky Kid, huh?

Most apartments/condos here are not a/c'd here unless you are in the more upscale ones. We have a portable a/c in her room (Windchaser 9000, a wonderful machine that we can wheel from room to room, as needed, and exhaust through a window hose) and so she's comfortable in the house. It practically blows icebergs out the vent - a wonderful invention. Cools the whole back of the condo down. God forbid we have rolling power outages again this year. We now have a car that has AC (we didn't the last time) so I guess we'd go drive around until the power comes back on. We had a 3 hour power outage today and, thankfully, the Kid was at work (a/c'd!) and safe. It got very warm in here. While I know that can happen anywhere.... Yeah, well, a mom is a mom, what can I say?
: )

Back to the search: I already do two hours' commute bumper to bumper each way. So, two hours or less on an open highway getting into a city or town from the sticks for work would be an absolute delight. I will have $75,000 in cash to plunk down on a home, and another good chunk-o-change to stash for retirement/emergencies.

Given that our home would be paid for outright, we will be able to live on $8 - $10 an hour even if I have only part-time work available, as there will be no mortgage payment - only taxes, house insurance, and utilities that must be covered. As we'll have the medical things covered, I will have more flexibility in what jobs I can accept, including those with no benefits. Which means I can settle in places others may not consider desirable. Like the sticks. Which, if it's not hot in the summer, would be just fine. If the Kid whines about being bored, at least then she can go outside and do it! : )

I may have to reconsider the South - I hadn't really realized (duh!) that part about everything being a/c'd there. A guy I know in Arkansas in a decent sized community recently bought a 2,000 sq.ft. home for under $60,000 and walks to work. He says it's really nice there. Other than the summers. I guess if everything is a/c'd the kid would be ok in a place like that. Would really rather have to not depend on a/c, but it may be our only option. Will have to investigate further.

Again, thanks for the suggestions! We'll find a place, it's just going to take a LOT of legwork. Appreciate the website info. Will also look at Canada. I have dual EU citizenship, but I don't think that will help much even though Canada is part of the commonwealth (it is, isn't it?).


N

PS Wet heat or dry heat, as far as the kid is concerned it's all equal. Since she can't sweat to cool off, humidity or the lack of it has no impact on her. She can't tell the difference and neither can her body. So humidity is not really a factor in our equation (although I hate it, personally). We're looking for as few days of "heat" per year as possible, plus the other factors.

Again, thanks. My project for tonight is the State College area of PA, and Canada. Appreciate the tips! - Nan

Nannersone, I wish you good luck in your search. In central MO one can buy a decent house for under 75000--I happen to live in one. So one certainly doesnt have to pay 200000 for a house. (I'm not recommending MO for you--it does get very hot here.)

As for relocating to the south or lower midwest, I personally would nor recommed that in your situation. One cannot stay in the AC constantly and when it is extremely hot, moving between the outside and the AC can just about make anyone feel sick.

Might there be somewhere in upstate NY that would work? I visited Rochester several times years ago; there were 6 foot snow drifts in january, and it was very cool in the summer. People joked that they had 2 seasons, winter and the 4th of July. Rochester Institute of Technology might offer employment. Maybe there is affordable housing in some of the smaller towns.

On realtor.com there are 502 properties listed as between $50,000-$75,000 in the Buffalo NY area.

Hi. Yes, and the Albany area has a lot, too. Does anyone know anything firsthand about the areas? (That is, what it's like to live there?)

Thanks. - Nan

There was a thread about moving to Albany awhile ago. Do a search on Fodors for this. Can't help with Buffalo except for weather reports in the winter about "lake effect" snow. Both towns have SUNY campuses.
Good luck.

Nannersone, don't even think about the south.

You guys in Southern California have nothing on our humid heat. I can take dry heat, not humid heat.

The humidity causes all your pores to open up.

How does your daughter deal with the bathroom after taking a hot, hot shower? That is what the south is like at least four months of the year.

It was 87 degrees here at midnight last night. It doesn't cool down at night.

I would try for the upper elevations.

BTW, in areas that have housing for $75,000 there aren't any jobs that pay $8-$10 an hours. You are looking at minimum wage for the jobs available.

Albany NY would be a great bet, SUNY campus, State Gov't for other job options, cool weather mostly.

also Springfield MA, or the Amherst area,lots of universities and on the outskirts fairly low cost housing.

re-visit portland me, it's a charming city on top of meeting other requirements.

I live an hour northwest of Albany and you could easily find a house in your price range around here. (Fulton or Montgomery county -- both depressed areas) I'm not as sure about house prices right in Albany which is a growing area with lots of employment opportunties in the tech area.

Winters are LONG here, so maybe that would be a benefit for your daughter's condition.

Thanks, All. Of course we'll find something. People have told me for years that this or that was impossible, and I've gone right ahead and done it anyway. : )

I think our present plan is probably best right now. Go visiting next Spring. We were going to Pittsburg, etc., but I think we'll also do a swing through Albany, Buffalo, Rochester. There are many, many university jobs in those areas. Worst case, we'll see a lot of pretty countryside, and the Kid can meet some real "Yankees" to talk about.

Again, appreciate the help. Have a lovely 4th. - Nan

I would talk to an accountant about your plan to pay cash for a house and not owe anything. You might be better off in taxes to owe a bit on a place...