NFT: Why did you leave the NYC metro area?

#2 - NJ Property tax
#3 - I hate, and I mean it, I hate the cold

I could live anywhere I wanted and company paid my transportation costs, so off to Florida.

I miss the NJ shore and trips into the city, a bit, but not much.

Go Badgers.

Then teaching - Western Michigan, Brandeis. Fellowship in Jerusalem, then Toronto in 1988.

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It wasn't until I moved to CA (after going to school in Boston and growing up in NJ), that generally speaking the people in the northeast just seem to be more miserable/negative than other places.

I didn't realize how much that affected me until I left. I also feel the CA lifestyle vibes more with my personality. I do feel that people in the northeast generally are brought up with a strong work ethic and no bullshit attitude, so I appreciate my upbringing to instill that.

I miss the Italian food and being close to Giants/Yankees games, but it's been 11 years now and I'm not moving back.

Obviously a lot of generalization, but that's my reasoning.

moved back four years later when opportunity surfaced, and I've often questioned why for probably 15 years. Now that my father is gone there's less meaning to being here too.

In comment 14793653 section125 said:

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#2 - NJ Property tax #3 - I hate, and I mean it, I hate the cold I could live anywhere I wanted and company paid my transportation costs, so off to Florida. I miss the NJ shore and trips into the city, a bit, but not much.

Pretty much the same.

I also had a heart attack and felt the weather would be better suited with the ability to exercise outside more. I'm not a Gym person and can't do thread mills or stationary bikes. I can golf everyday if I wish. (not very well but I enjoy it.)

but, I got to travel the country for work and saw the quality of life could be so much better. Both me and my spouse's parents moved to Florida so we spent a lot of time there and were comfortable with FL. All good things come to an end and my decades-long gig in NJ did too. Kids were older and looking for change. Taxes, arrogent people, bad politics, crowds everywhere, and bigger houses for less money all were incentives. I miss my past in NJ, but I'm not sure I'd like it now. Anyone considering leaving should note that once you leave you'll never move back.

California Dreamin'!

for fresh air.

Originally from Brewster NY, spent my 20’s in LA. Moved back to hometown region when it was time to start family life.
Just retired and wanted an urban lifestyle. Move to center city Philly. Apartment is 1/2 of what I would pay in any neighborhood in NY that I would want to live. NO taxes at all for city or state on retirement income. Getting ready to walk to a jazz club. Surrounded by bars/restaurants. Been here 7 months. Exceeded my expectations. Put my home sale proceeds in a CD thinking I’d need it soon to by something but I’m enjoying the freedom of responsibility of a renter in a wonderful building in a wonderful neighborhood.

In comment 14793667 Fred-in-Florida said:

Quote:

In comment 14793653 section125 said: Quote: #2 - NJ Property tax #3 - I hate, and I mean it, I hate the cold I could live anywhere I wanted and company paid my transportation costs, so off to Florida. I miss the NJ shore and trips into the city, a bit, but not much. Pretty much the same. I also had a heart attack and felt the weather would be better suited with the ability to exercise outside more. I'm not a Gym person and can't do thread mills or stationary bikes. I can golf everyday if I wish. (not very well but I enjoy it.)

Fred--

Greetings from Longboat Key. I too had a heart attack; we will have to talk coronary artery disease at the next Giants-Bucs game. Hope you're doing well.

Can get such more for your money so it was a easy decision then once my family all left for GA I don't have any reason to ever go back.

And was hooked. The 1st summer here (no humidity) was the clincher. Would NEVER go back.

High taxes, high costs, Dinkins, cold, snow, cold, shitshow, too crowded... go back once or twice a year for family I miss the food and my family we'll be buried there but I'll never live there I'm playing golf in January... Scottsdale when I retire

4 additional months of your life back instead of cabin fever. Walking around in shorts ad a sweatshirt in january and looking at the snow covered mountain tops is a joy to behold

Taxes, Tolls, Politics, Traffic Congestion,
Its a Great place to visit every now and Then.

I was in my early 30’s and knew if I didn’t make a move then I probably never would. I wanted to open my own business and buying prime retail properties in NY/NJ was impossibly expensive so I figured I would move and give a try and if I didn’t like it I could always move back.

The cost of living and quality of life is so much better I never looked back. There are things I might miss, but when I go home for a visit I realize what I mostly miss are the memories I had in the area and that is all different now. I have zero regrets, the best decision I have ever made. Was able to start the business I wanted to, then also met my wife and have a family. I couldn’t even imagine my life had I stayed in NY.

Will always miss the food though, no replacing that.

for the following reasons:
1. better weather
2. better fishing
3. lower property taxes
4. No state income taxes
5. Better qualify of life

I am also just tired of living in the political "bubble". I plan to live in a spot where I can just live on the water and not get exposed to the daily crap that we see. Life is too short to listen to nonstop crap all day. People are not happy unless they are constantly complaining about something.

Will be selling my PSLs too because I likely would not attend many games and could just buy tickets if I happen to be in NJ.

Any fishermen here in Florida? Lets connect...

Reason I accepted transfer was to get away from taxes, politics in Jersey and weather. Never looked back. I love Texas and raising my family in Dallas.
I do miss NY sports scene.

I agree. That's a good way to put it. I left in '74 and never looked back. Like others have said, once you go, you won't go back. Our "uncle" was the reason at first, but after four years away, you couldn't get me back for anything. I did accept a promotion to the Boston area in 1993. I thought, well I grew up with this weather, it won't be that bad. It was that bad. Now, after 22+ years in AZ, I'm here to stay.

Yeah, lower cost is a huge factor for me. I am on pace to retire at 60 (in about 7 years). A house with a really modest mortgage and low taxes made that possible. My house would be twice as much on LI, and my property taxes would probably be 6 to 8 times what I am paying now.

drugs/crime, traffic, weather.

the better question might be "why would you ever stay?" I know the inevitable answers, but none of them would ever convince me to live there.

to Texas.

Did not miss the trafffic

My commute went from an hour and a half each way SI - Lower Manhattan to 10 minutes.

Got a condo and a car that I could never have afforded in NYC.

Really missed the Italian seafood I grew up on. But discovered Cajun/Creole and really good Mexican food

Found out for the better that NYC is not the center of the universe

Found out because they tell you real quick that Texas was a country before it was a state.

Now I am in Chicago and get back to both NY and Texas periodically

There really is no place like Chicago...

In comment 14793694 fuzzy said:

Quote:

Originally from Brewster NY, spent my 20’s in LA. Moved back to hometown region when it was time to start family life. Just retired and wanted an urban lifestyle. Move to center city Philly. Apartment is 1/2 of what I would pay in any neighborhood in NY that I would want to live. NO taxes at all for city or state on retirement income. Getting ready to walk to a jazz club. Surrounded by bars/restaurants. Been here 7 months. Exceeded my expectations. Put my home sale proceeds in a CD thinking I’d need it soon to by something but I’m enjoying the freedom of responsibility of a renter in a wonderful building in a wonderful neighborhood.

Cool post

Taxes are awful. Weather is awful.

I was in the crib.

I still have a ton of family in Monmouth County & love visiting. Give me a mansion on the Navesink tomorrow & I'm there :-).

Her mother had just passed away, a month before our wedding. My wife wasn't happy in her job as an accountant. She had taken some steps to become a teacher through an alternate route program, but in NJ, that route was basically take some tests, pay a fee, find a job on your own, get paid less, we're not going to train you, and if you survive long enough, congrats you're a teacher!

A good friend from college was living in Maryland with his wife, who used an alternate route program to get into education. We had to go through an application process, and if accepted, they trained us, helped us find a job, kept training us, paid us the same as a regular teacher, and then had to pass a Praxis test to prove we were qualified to be full-blown teachers.

So we moved down to Columbia, MD, became teachers, started a family, and although we've talked about moving back to NJ, will probably not do it any time soon.

In comment 14793694 fuzzy said:

Quote:

Originally from Brewster NY, spent my 20’s in LA. Moved back to hometown region when it was time to start family life. Just retired and wanted an urban lifestyle. Move to center city Philly. Apartment is 1/2 of what I would pay in any neighborhood in NY that I would want to live. NO taxes at all for city or state on retirement income. Getting ready to walk to a jazz club. Surrounded by bars/restaurants. Been here 7 months. Exceeded my expectations. Put my home sale proceeds in a CD thinking I’d need it soon to by something but I’m enjoying the freedom of responsibility of a renter in a wonderful building in a wonderful neighborhood.

By any chance did you hang out at Fore n Aft, or Kelsey's Bum Steer?

Went to graduate school at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. I worked abroad for the Federal government and then came back to Washington DC. In about 10 or so years I will retire and get the hell out of this overly expensive and overly congested region.

Went to graduate school at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. I worked abroad for the Federal government and then came back to Washington DC. In about 10 or so years I will retire and get the hell out of this overly expensive and overly congested region.

My company opened a new office in Dallas. We're a british company and office makes sense here since many of our clients are moving here for tax reasons.

It's also a logical place for a hub since it's Central and DFW flies everywhere.

Went to graduate school at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. I worked abroad for the Federal government and then came back to Washington DC. In about 10 or so years I will retire and get the hell out of this overly expensive and overly congested region.

Hahaha. Just kidding.

In comment 14793689 BlueLou'sBack said:

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California Dreamin'!

Like I said in the other thread, During the gawd awful winter of 1978, one way or another I was not going to deal with winters like that again. California had good weather, good jobs and at the time it was affordable.
Link - ( New Window )

In comment 14793741 ChicagoMarty said:

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to Texas. Did not miss the trafffic My commute went from an hour and a half each way SI - Lower Manhattan to 10 minutes. Got a condo and a car that I could never have afforded in NYC. Really missed the Italian seafood I grew up on. But discovered Cajun/Creole and really good Mexican food Found out for the better that NYC is not the center of the universe Found out because they tell you real quick that Texas was a country before it was a state. Now I am in Chicago and get back to both NY and Texas periodically There really is no place like Chicago...

I have really enjoyed Chicago the half a dozen times or so that I have been there.

In comment 14793657 BH28 said:

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It wasn't until I moved to CA (after going to school in Boston and growing up in NJ), that generally speaking the people in the northeast just seem to be more miserable/negative than other places. I didn't realize how much that affected me until I left. I also feel the CA lifestyle vibes more with my personality. I do feel that people in the northeast generally are brought up with a strong work ethic and no bullshit attitude, so I appreciate my upbringing to instill that. I miss the Italian food and being close to Giants/Yankees games, but it's been 11 years now and I'm not moving back. Obviously a lot of generalization, but that's my reasoning.

Who are you calling miserable you f'ing bastard.

1966, graduated with an Associate's degree in Electronics. The only electrical Tech jobs in the City were Edison, Transit Authority and repair services in the city.

Went to MA to be on the ground floor of the Computer business.
That was 54 years ago.

As a Yankee and Giant fan, I took a lot of shit, but gave more than I took. Especially beating Brady .... twice.

Lou

Did my undergrad and grad work in Virginia. Came back to Jersey to work but then had a chance to jump into the DC-VA-MD area. And took it. Have lived in Virginia now for 25 years. Bounced between living in northern Virginia and southern Virginia. Don't miss Jersey and the high cost of living at all. And it's just a better place to raise a family...

Cayman Islands. Miss NYC but we visit a bit.

In NJ all my life. Love where I live, but like others it's about property taxes when I retire. Have friends in NH/VT, and may go up there. Can buy a house for cheap and cut my property taxes by 2/3. Don't mind the cold.

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Tax Map - ( New Window )

In comment 14793804 Steve in ATL said:

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. Tax Map - ( New Window )

How did California get tax friendly? ;)

Father took a job out West and never looked back. Have lived in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, California, D.C., Rome, and Beirut. Worked on a case in NYC for 7 months about 12 years ago and could not stand it--stress, congestion and cost of living.

In comment 14793809 bw in dc said:

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In comment 14793804 Steve in ATL said: Quote: . Tax Map - ( New Window ) How did California get tax friendly? ;)

That surprised me too.

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The Golden State’s reputation as a high-tax destination is built in part on how aggressively it goes after big earners, with a 13.3% tax rate that kicks in at $1 million (for single filers) of taxable income. But for more modest incomes, the impact is far milder, and property taxes are low.

California - ( New Window )

but this past Summer, the wife and I purchased a house in the Pocono's. We have alot more space for the kids which is nice. There is no way the kids go out and play on the sidewalk in Hoboken where thousands of cars pass by our building everyday of the week. Way too dangerous.

I don't know if we could ever move out of NJ, but we love our time in the Pocono's every weekend.

Left to get away from the cold and high taxes. Our house on LI had property taxes of 10 grand when we left, 20 grand now.
Our current house is 4 grand.
There is life after NY.

And raised in NYC. Still here. The liberals have kicked most of us out. Their hypocritical gentrification really sucks. But at least they never experienced real ny. And never will. It's funny watching how they cross the street, and how they think their really New Yorkers now when the city has zero coolness, grit, and creatativty. Just a giant sterile overpriced tourist mall. A couple local spots left in my neighborhood. The yuppies keep far away from us. Good.

I love NYC and I live where I live on LI except for two things. The high cost of living, which has always been the case I’m actually okay with. But a few years ago the FAA rerouted a shit ton of commercial air traffic over Long Island and it’s become ridiculous. I really don’t mind the high cost in and of itself. The area is great, easy commute to the city where I work, the water on both the north and south shore is great, but I just can’t stand the aircraft noise now. Honestly don’t understand how the FAA gets away with this because they’ve ruined some really amazing and expensive real estate. I think we’ll be forced to leave after our youngest graduates in a few years.

then 4 years in Boston, graduating after the 1978 blizzards. Moved to the Bay Area of CA for a job. Went to Med school in Philly but went back to Oakland for residency and have lived in East Bay ever since.

I miss the pizza the most (I still know the number for Joe & Pats). It’s true CA property tax is low but that means we struggle with funding for schools and other services. And other cost of living expenses are high. Will likely move once I retire in 7 years - but not back to NYC.