Moving south

[Nebraska]

I will echo the nw Arkansas Southern Missouri sentiment winters are pretty easy down there in fact if you get South of I 70 it's a bunch milder, than it is north of I 90...
I spent 4 years in Columbia MO yes they had winter, but it was from about Dec 15 to Valentine's Day but you get to trade the milder winters for more miserable hot weather. 

[Sixacresand]

People move here and I wonder what brought them to this small town.  Maybe cheaper real estate.  Certainly not being close to banks, shopping centers, doctors, fast food, pizza delivery or plentiful jobs.  We do have a 30 minute four lane to take you to those things and places.  So you need a decent pickup. 
If you move South, just don't brag that you used to work for the Sherman Match Company. 

[John357]

I'll say that the quickest way to get put on the ignore list in a new town down south is to call the cops on someone.  You'll need to be able to get along with the neighbors; maybe not be friends but calling the cops is the way to make enemies.  You'll need to interact with them enough to know who to trust, and who not to. 

John

[Machinebuilder]

I grew up in Western NY, Went to school in Central NY, Lived in the Hudson Valley, Then I moved to Tennessee 30 years ago.

I started in Middle TN near the Alabama border, then 30mi west of Nashville, now East TN south of Knoxville.

I did struggle in TN at first, much of it my fault, but it was a very stressfull time for me.

IMHO East TN is hard to beat overall, summertime is hot but middle/west TN is hotter, it tends to cool off at night here.
Winter ............... more the cooler months. I get less snow and cold than Middle TN. I don't own a snow shovel.

I bought my farm 20 years ago, I will never be one of the locals, in this immidiate area the locals are part of 3-4 familys that have lived here forever.
They will always have a grudge against the federal government fot takin there land to build Tellico lake (flooded in 1979).

on the other hand there have been so many people move here in the last 30 years that the bias isn't that bad.
Be a good neighbor, DO NOT say but this is how we do it back in .....
Don't be the know it all, some times these old hillbilly's do know what they're talking about.

With the huge influx of people the last few years you will need to get pretty far away from any bigger town to get affordable property.
forget Nashville and the surrounding countys, stay probably 50mi away from Knoxville, Chatanooga.
Upper east Tn I am not sure, I was told by a friend from WNY that the Bristol/ Johnson city area is priced higher than she expected.


Do you know the difference between a yankee and a DanG yankee?

a yankee is some one not from here, a DanG Yankee is some one who moved here......

[B.C.C. Lapp]

Lots of great reply's and pointers have been posted. Lots of good things to think on. 
But having said that.  
 Bruno, maybe you should move. Maybe a change of scenery is just what you need.  But think hard and long before you make a move.   When we hit hard times like your pulling through  right now sometimes pulling up stakes and chucking everything sounds good.    But maybe its not really a move you need as much as a resolution for some of the problems your dealing with.    I'm not saying your just running from it all.   What I am saying is that where ever you go, there you are.   A lot of those troubles will either come with you, or never ever be resolved.  So, all I'm saying is let it simmer a while.  Don't make any hard decisions when your feeling this low.  When things get a little better, then make the call.  
Hope you can think it through and make a good choice.   

[Raider Bill]

Recently read the cost of homeowners insurance in Florida could go up to 9k for a home by the end of this year if something isn't done to control it. Sounds  like that is something you should look into for the areas you consider. What you save on taxes can easily  disappear to other costs of living.

Mine hit $11K last year so I dropped the wind coverage which brought me down to just over $1K for fire and liability.
It's a huge concern here as there nothing stopping these crazy increases.

I'm also hearing the same is happening in Cali, Gulf states coastal areas and out west due to weather and fires.

[WV Sawmiller]

I have seen folks from West Virginia come into Virginia for the whole day just to do shopping.  I have been asked where to find things and then they take off in a big hurry. You would think they would look up things on the internet so they know where to go(if they have it).

We was just makin' conversation wit yuh and when you got your drawer's in a twist we decided to go look fer somebody more friendlier.

    Sounds like you may need to snowbird it with South Side for a while and come down and saw logs with him in the winter when its too cold then ease back north for the summers and avoid the bugs and snakes. That will at least let you dip you toes in the water  bit before you decide whether to move permanently.

    And the real beauty is you can drive an hour or so north and come eat some catfish and venison hash with us up here.

[TroyC]

Howard, I was on a hunting trip with a friend in West Virginia, not far from Romney. It was an annual trip for the family and about 15 guys show up to the old family farm, I was a guest from Florida. Well, during the poker game that night, in a discussion about politics, my friend (who lived in Florida but was a family member of the West Virginia clan) called his brother (who lived in Romney) a 'Hillbilly'. Might have used a couple more adjectives in there but wow, gloves came off and they were about to go at it over that comment. I learned not to go north of Georgia and call someone a Hillbilly. 

I also learned the deer have shorter legs on one side so they don't fall over when walking around the hills. Oh, and a chainsaw was used to quarter the deer, don't remember the brand..........

[hedgerow]

Sounds like you may need to snowbird it with South Side for a while and come down and saw logs with him in the winter when its too cold then ease back north for the summers and avoid the bugs and snakes. That will at least let yo9u dip you toes in the water  bit before you decide whether to move permanently.

 

This sounds like some good advice. I bought my first farm in this area forty five years ago. I am still a outsider to what is left of the local farmers around here. In forty five years a lot of farm land around here has been turned in to acreages so a lot of city folks have moved into the area. Never had any kids and worked nights in the city for years so never got to know to many folks. All the older guys I used to work with farming some are long gone. We own enough land no one is close to us and that's the way we like it. Taxes are high around here and land is high priced. We can have real winter around here. January this year was a good example. Wife says she likes to be home for Christmas so no snow birding for us. We have a pretty good life around here.

[YellowHammer]

The term "Hillbilly", like most Southern slang terms have two distinct and opposite meanings, so facial expression and delivery will determine how it is received and what offenses it may incur.  For example, looking at a person disparagingly and calling him a hillbilly, no matter where he lives, is shorthand for, and in no uncertain terms, saying right to his face, "Hey you dumb !!, crawl out of your run down shack in the woods and learn something from me, because you don't know nothing and I'm smarter and better than you." Yep, all that from the word "hillbilly" used incorrectly.  From your description, I would have expected the situation to have escalated quickly.  
      

[jpassardi]

At the risk of sidelining the discussion to Politics, my Wife and I agree with the philosophies of the South . I have lived all my life in New England and do enjoy the seasons - yet to see a better place than NE in the Fall, the winter less as I age though. We have talked about moving South when we retire in a few years but I can't stand humid heat. I could maybe do the mountains of Tennessee.
It can be good here depending where you are - as Aaron Lewis sings in Northern Redneck: "There's rednecks North of the Mason Dixon"
At the end of every work day I look forward to leaving the City and driving to the country where our acreage abuts the State Forest.

Personally, I would give it a go for a month or more to see if you really like the change. Southside's offer sounds like a Barry Bonds home run for you! Good luck.

[WV Sawmiller]

  And a Yankee was someone living in the Glaciated north. A *DanG yankee was one who came south and went back. A GD yankee was one who came and stayed.

    And remember it was the "War of Northern Aggression or War for Southern Independence" not the Civil war.

[SawyerTed]

Some of the others have alluded to RVing.  That may be the answer Bruno!

Rent one, go see Southside, come by here (I have 30 amp RV plug), trip over to see 123maxbars, then down to Yellowhammer, and to Magicman.  From there west to some of our Texas brethren or back east to Georgia.  Customsawyer is there and caveman isn't far away.   On the way home you will find Mr. Poston in SC, DonP in SW Va and Howard in West Va.

I'll bet I missed some Forumites and for that I apologize.  There are plenty to see down this way. 

You get the idea.  Come down and look around.  See who you you are acquainted with.

Then you can get an idea of what it's like in various areas of the country.  

One thing to know is east of the mountains and south of Lynchburg, Va temperatures can get mighty hot and humid during summer.   July and August here are just about guaranteed to have 85 degree and hotter days - many days are 95 and some are 100.

The good thing about winter is snow doesn't last more than two or three days.  More than 6" of snow is more and more unusual.  Most days in winter reach the 50's, some days are 40's and fewer are below 40.   We do get plenty of freezing nights November through mid-March.  

Even in the mountains, it's unusual for snow to pile up and linger down this way.

Tornados are a slight concern, as are flooding and fires.  We are inland far enough that hurricanes don't pose a direct danger - except Hurricane Hugo...

[peakbagger]

The one thing I have heard from several folks who moved south from northern new england is that church and religion is far more important to fitting in. New England in general is probably the least religious part of the country while the south is definitely the bible belt. I remember when hiking with a car through the area one year, I would be way out in the mountains and come upon a small valley (AKA a "cove") with maybe two or three hundred acres of sort of flat land and down in the middle would be two or three churches. Its sure looked to me like the entire population could fit into one but a local commented that sometimes folks didnt get along with one another so they would start a new church. I am not trying to start a fight over which is best its just different.

As the others commented health care is a big issue, There are regional medical centers in the SE but in some cases they may be hours away. Reportedly there far fewer ambulance services out in the rural areas. I did a big project 15 years ago in eastern NC (near Swamp Loggers territory) and when we had to plan emergency response, there was a county ambulance service but the nearest critical care hospital was 2 hours in either direction.

[WV Sawmiller]

  I came across this and thought it might be applicable:

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/19-people-moved-one-state-181602222.html

    Yes, I have a lot in front of the house with power available and a well for guests with RVs to hook up to. No sewage yet but maybe I'll add that one day for guests.

[chep]

Jim! Having been to your place it would be sad to move off it. 
But  Southsides offer sounds wildly ideal. I'd follow up on that offer!!!

[dgdrls]

https://www.ramseysolutions.com/real-estate/cheapest-states-to-live-in

Might provide some direction Bruno,

Best  D

[moodnacreek]

The term "Hillbilly", like most Southern slang terms have two distinct and opposite meanings, so facial expression and delivery will determine how it is received and what offenses it may incur.  For example, looking at a person disparagingly and calling him a hillbilly, no matter where he lives, is shorthand for, and in no uncertain terms, saying right to his face, "Hey you dumb !!, crawl out of your run down shack in the woods and learn something from me, because you don't know nothing and I'm smarter and better than you." Yep, all that from the word "hillbilly" used incorrectly.  From your description, I would have expected the situation to have escalated quickly. 
     

Hillbilly is incorrect English. It is Hillwilliams 

[Bruno of NH]

I would never say 
That's how we do it up north to someone 
I had a guy from California work for me for 15 years . I herd that every day and know how it comes off to folks.
I have learned to watch , listen and observe. Keep my mind open.
I have always tried to fit in .
It can be hard when your 400 lbs 
You kind of stick out and get labeled as lazy when your not.

[jpassardi]

You sound like a humble Man, you'll be well received by good people wherever you go. 

[711ac]

Bruno ever had any thoughts about the mountain states out west? 
The dry climate is very comfortable both summer and winter. Humidity ruins both in my opinion and there's plenty of areas "off of the beaten path". 
I was hell bent on moving west, but I was bringing all of my stuff. Too far for all of that, but from Kalispell MT straight down into ID (western) and down into UT is where I roamed about and definitely liked that region. 
I love the culture, food and people of the *south, but the summer weather became unbearable to me and I actually moved North. 

* that actually should be "country" or generically "the sticks", the further from the city and suburbia the better. There's good and bad folks everywhere in my experience.
That seems to be directly linked to the distance from highly populated areas.

[Bruno of NH]

My Uncle moved to Meskete Nevada and loves it .
It looks nice but I would like to be someplace where I could mill again or help at a mill .

[Bruno of NH]

I need to outfit a van or build a truck camper like I want.
Take a few trips . Maybe spend a month in the winter looking. 
I would keep my place here and live in a camper for the winter somewhere but I heat with wood .
My mobility is not the greatest but I still have alot to offer for a small sawmill operation. 

[JD Guy]

In my opinion it comes down to the expression: " People don't care what you know, until they know that you care". Covers most all personal interactions no matter which side of the Mason-Dixon Line you hail from

[LogPup]

Bruno,  Maybe try and come down during the summer also.  A lot of people move to Florida because they wintered there.  Summer comes around and they can't handle the heat and humidity.  They then become half-backs.  Moving half way back to the north.