Washington D.C. has many ups and downs. One of the positives is property tax, which is going to be about $1,430 a year for a home valued at $250k, or about $116.92 a month. That is actually lower than in many places. However, a bevy of other taxes overcome this positive for many.
Something else which has become tantalizing is the fact that many occupations centered in D.C. don’t necessarily require living there. Sometimes just commuting there a few times a year is all that’s necessary—and in some scenarios, because of today’s digital breakthroughs, even that isn’t necessary. You may have some residential liquidity you didn’t even realize. A few changes here or there could give you and your family entirely new living options.
If you’re looking to leave D.C. any time soon, there are a number of places you can travel to where local costs end up being comparable to D.C. living costs, while offering many more amenities. The key term here is: trade-off. But even beyond a trade-off, moving your family to a new location could be convenient for other reasons.
With this in mind, following we’ll take a brief look at some popular locations people who previously lived in D.C. might want to consider traveling to.
Paradisiacal Living
In Hawaii, apartments for rent in Ewa Beach by Kapilina Beach Homes can be found in a community nestled at Iroquois Point in West Oahu amidst pristine lagoons, private beaches, and first-class amenities. Imagine spending a childhood in such a place—this is something you could do for your children. The environment is equally idyllic to young couples, or even those living on their own.
If you’d rather remain on the mainland, changes in population, economy, and demographics have begun to open up some West Coast living solutions. Washington, Oregon, and California all have coastal options. While generally, these are more expensive, at the same time, they are in one of America’s most exciting, active regions.
Arbors at Antelope in California offers far from typical apartment living – those are newly renovated homes that offer a unique opportunity and a luxurious living experience for you and your family. You can select one of our fully detached homes and say goodbye to sharing walls with neighbors.
Alternative Lifestyle Choices
Another choice that is gaining in popularity today is living the nomad lifestyle. While this may not be appropriate for some families, others find it ideal. If you’re already paying $1,430 a year in property taxes, you’re likely adding that figure to the costs of owning a vehicle. Between taxes, gas, oil changes, repairs, and other incidentals, owning a vehicle and properly maintaining it will likely cost you around $3k a year. Living in a rooted locale, you’re paying a minimum of $4,430 annually; or about $370 a month before food expenses. This is if you own the home and the car.
Meanwhile, if you can buy an RV for $20k new in a state like Arizona, then live in it full time, you cut off property taxes and combine vehicle expenses. Living in such a manner for five years will pay back the cost of your RV in terms of savings from a residential solution if you’re strategic, and keep traveling to places (and parking at night) where there are no parking costs.
If you were in a neighborhood where a property was depreciating anyway, selling your home and buying an RV with the proceeds will, in five years’ time, likely end up effectively costing you nothing while providing either yourself or your family the ability to travel the country and have all kinds of adventures.
The key to profitability here is having a source of income that doesn’t require you to be stationary. Now certainly, this is a lifestyle choice that isn’t appropriate for all, but for many, it’s doable; so many are doing it.
