Relocating - CO an option?

[Rcjackrabbit]

I will Shawshank out of CA by the end of 2022. We are looking a couple states. SC and TN look good. I like TX. However, because of the property taxes, it doesn't make financial sense for a retired person. A person could easily have a $2000 a month property tax bill even if they live in a house that is 100% paid off.

What do you guys think of CO? The hunting would be amazing. I know it is blue. But, it is better than CA. Would it be a stupid move? I would hate to go there only to be living in a state as bad as here in 5-10 years.

Any opinions? Its okay to be brutally honest.

P.S. Gun rights and my ability to survive financially are the biggest concerns.

[morrcarr67]

I will Shawshank out of CA by the end of 2022. We are looking a couple states. SC and TN look good. I like TX. However, because of the property taxes, it doesn't make financial sense for a retired person. A person could easily have a $2000 a month property tax bill even if they live in a house that is 100% paid off.

What do you guys think of CO? The hunting would be amazing. I know it is blue. But, it is better than CA. Would it be a stupid move? I would hate to go there only to be living in a state as bad as here in 5-10 years.

Any opinions? Its okay to be brutally honest.

P.S. Gun rights and my ability to survive financially are the biggest concerns.

Are you sure about that? That would be $24K in property tax. If this site is correct in saying that TX has a 1.8% property tax rate, I don't trust their CA rate as I know I pay more than that. At that rate you would have a house with a value of about $1.325 Million dollars.

Me personally I'm looking at states that don't or limit how much they tax retirement income and have a low property tax.

[lurchnp81]

Been in CO since 2016. Housing prices have exploded, not real excited about getting the next property tax assessment (there is no protection like CA has with Prop 13), although it is still less expensive than CA or TX.

Resident OTC (over the counter) Elk tags are around $60 and gives you the chance to hunt a number of Public Units throughout the state for 2nd and 3rd rifle season

Politics wise, state has turned completely blue. I think every major elected seat at the state level is Democrat and the house and senate are both Democrat controlled and will likely continue that way.

I am in El Paso County which is 50ish miles South of Denver. Very Red area due mainly to the USAFA, Ft Carson, and Pederson AFB being in Colorado Springs.

Weather: First hard freeze is usually towards the end of October/early November, however it can snow in September and on the front range we can get snow sometimes into June (we just had a storm come through last weekend where it dumped between 12-18 inches in my area).

Spring and Summer months look out for the thunderstorms...lots of hail. This translates to considerably higher auto and home owners insurance premiums

Gun laws:
The good: no roster, no AWB (except Denver), shall issue CCW (permit is good for 5 years and I think training is only required every other renewal). Loaded handguns are permitted in your vehicle either open or concealed, however long guns must be unloaded (loaded in CO is round chambered) Currently the waiting period is however long it takes CBI (Colorado Bureau of Investigation) to complete background. It can be as little as 5 minutes but during any type of panic buying has been up to several days. NFA friendly, suppressors/SBRs/SBSs/and if you have the coin full auto are all available.

The bad: 15 round mag limits...sort of. Technically there are laws on the books limiting mag capacity to 15 rounds...this is however retailer dependent. I will just say if you want mags with a higher than 15 round capacity you can get them at any number of stores.
PPT's as of 2013 require background check at a FFL

Any specific questions feel free to send me a PM.

[Capybara]

Why move from California to California in the Rockies? Out of the frying into the frying pan. Not as bad today but the writing is on the wall.

[Rcjackrabbit]

Are you sure about that? That would be $24K in property tax. If this site is correct in saying that TX has a 1.8% property tax rate, I don't trust their CA rate as I know I pay more than that. At that rate you would have a house with a value of about $1.325 Million dollars.

Me personally I'm looking at states that don't or limit how much they tax retirement income and have a low property tax.

Thanks. The property tax rate can vary considerably. It is not uncommon to see 2.5% to 3.50% property tax. The worst part is if your house goes up in value, you have to pay based on the new value. Theoretically, you can be taxed out of your own home. When the property values go down, they just raise the % rates because no government bureaucracy likes getting less money.

There is no state income tax. That is great if you are still in the work force. But, if you are retired, you do not benefit.

Many houses in the Ft. Worth area are $550K+. That is about $1500 a month taxes!!!! That is more than I pay for my mortgage in Mission Viejo.

[Rcjackrabbit]

LurchinP81, thanks for your comments. Is it true that individual cities can pass their own gun laws? AWB bans ect...

[SilveradoColt21]

Ever considered Nevada? I went recently for the first time in a while and it was NICE, that would probably be where I would go if I were looking to relocate.

[highpower]

I pay $178 a year here in Tennessee.

[ar15barrels]

Are you sure about that? That would be $24K in property tax. If this site is correct in saying that TX has a 1.8% property tax rate

Texas has NO state property tax.
The counties, cities, school districts, water districts and anyone else who can get a tax approved do the taxing so it's different all over the state.
1.8% is the statewide average.

Some areas are over 3%.
Most areas are half that.

The median property tax in Texas is $2275 per year.
I think people are confused and think that's per month or something by the way people talk about Texas property taxes...

[The Gleam]

More like Calirado.

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[sigstroker]

>rimshot<

[kustomkat1950]

I hear GA is nice this time of year... But hail and flood insurance are $$$. But you can buy all the guns you wish..

[lurchnp81]

LurchinP81, thanks for your comments. Is it true that individual cities can pass their own gun laws? AWB bans ect...

[jamespres2001]

Well, I have lived in Grand Junction, Co for about 4 years now. Area around here is very Red. Congress "person"is Lauren Boebert. She is from Rifle, Co. Property Tax is about $1400 a year for a 330 K, 2000 sq ft. house. It snowed here a total of 2" last year nothing stuck more than a few days. 3 Walmarts, 1 Home depot, 1 Lowes, 1 JC Pennys, 1 Dillards and a Cabelles and a Sportsman Outdoor. Chilles Applebees. VA Hospital, plus 2 others. People very nice and friendly. Colorado Mesa University is here. CCW is shall issue.

[ja308]

According the the info contained in the Blueprint ( How the Democrats Won Colorado) Solid Red Colorado was flipped by a plan developed by 4 billonaires among them, 2 homosexuals Jared Polis and Tim Gill .

1st they had volunteer,(some paid) canvas areas to get an idea of issues , the data was put into mainframes daily. The next step was to tap their friends in NON PROFITS who are exempt from campaign finance laws, to flood smaller districts with clever TV ads and it worked.
That said as others pointed out , democrats do not have every county and some counties will remain free, at least until democrats decide they want them. (Currently a plan is under way to flip California's San Bernadino and Riverside counties, because their supervisors did not follow democrat covid protocols .

In short moving to a blue state with a strong republican county government might be a good choice.
FWIW as long as we can be easily led by democrats , there is little hope for anyplace staying free .
One can only notice how wealthy democrats and their hired prosecutors have tarnished the image of Wayne La Pierre .