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Thread: Relocating: South Dakota?

  1. #31
    I live and work in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and have been a resident since the late 80's. My, how things change.
    We're 15 miles from Sturgis, so summer rally is absolutely preposterous. A complete mob on the interstate for almost 2 weeks now, as rally goers who hate the crowds themselves come early or late to miss the peak of the insanity of it all (average 300k, can peak close to half million rally-goers). Quaintness of that event got burned out decades ago, especially when the 50th really seemed to solidify that event as a world-renowned annual destination for (mostly) Harley enthusiasts. The Black Hills are completely wrung-out after that event.

    I am also about a 15 minute drive from Rapid City.
    Rapid City area in general has always been expanding. Until now, it's never actually boomed. In the 90's it was 50k population. Now 80k and actually is booming, because of folks like yourself, no offense intended. Also, Ellsworth AFB is expanding, with estimates in the 30k range of new residents to serve with the latest bomber being assigned here.
    Health care: Rapid City Regional is a major hub, and has recently re-branded to Monument Helath and touting association with Mayo, which makes them all the better according to them. Lots of VA medical facilities as well, due to proximity of the Air base. Many military folks simply stay when retirement rolls around, so pretty friendly environment for those who've served.

    Real-estate: Now outpriced for local pay scales, due to excessive incoming cash buyers. Homes that were $150k 4 years ago are now asking for $225, with cash sales closing at 30-50k over that, due to unprecedented shortages. Actual average selling price used to be $225k 4 years ago. According to a realtor in my networking group, average is currently $453k. Many of us, like myself, are extremely grateful we found and settled into our current homes just before this situation developed. There is no major industry here, save a few specialized manufacturers, but at under 100 employees at best, it's still technically all small business. We still take $1.50 in Federal funds for every dollar we give in taxation, garnering a depressed economy classification. Yep, farming/ranching all over the place, but the subsidization of it all would make your head spin.

    Actually saw a very nice, clean, late model pickup in Sturgis recently with the following message in 4" high lettering on the tailgate: "Thanks for visiting the Black Hills... Now GO HOME!"
    Not an unusual sentiment, just really took me aback to see someone get this boisterous with their feelings, though it's commonly brought up in chats around coffee tables and bars. Truth is, it does feel we're getting a bit over-run.

    Hard to put this into perspective, but believe me, we're running out of quaint, undiscovered little pieces of paradise, like that which you're seeking. Especially for a steal of a deal, but even that is a matter of perspective. A $500k dump in your area may still be half that out here. But it's still a dump.
    As for infrastructure, thank goodness for Starlink, or I'd still be stuck with Centurystink for internet. However, living in a beautiful little canyon with a historic homestead down the street, I am faced with 2,500 gallons of propane to purchase each year for my home and shop, even though I'm only 1 mile off I-90, with Natural Gas supply line from Wyoming running parallel to it. So, realize, isolation has it's trade-offs. Your description is quite idyllic, but you just aren't going to get isolation and full infrastructure support.

    Take all the above for what it's worth. I'd welcome you, if you can afford it, but bottom line is, SD got discovered by retirees and remote workers right after the pandemic kicked off, close to 2 years ago. The lines have formed, and the prices have been adjusted accordingly. As real estate goes, looks a lot like the toilet paper aisles at the local grocer. Not much there, and nobody cares what they pay, as long as they got something they can grab.

    FWIW
    Jeff

  2. #32
    I feel your pain. I moved to the woods 20+ years ago (WV) for privacy, quiet, peace of mind, slower pace (failed miserably at the slower pace), hour to anything (pretty much an hour to nothing compared to "developed" areas).. lower taxes, blah blah blah. Its a hard balance especially if culture of any form (food, dining out, good grocery, shows, nightlife) there really isnt going to exist a 1 hour departure from food/culture bliss... to the woods. 1 hour from food culture bliss is called an hour of traffic to the suburbs.
    Last edited by Lee Schierer; 02-11-2022 at 8:14 AM. Reason: removed political comments

  3. #33
    Join Date
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Umm...let's avoid politics beyond what's been said. Not permitted and it could get the thread torpedoed. Please.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  4. #34
    Quote Originally Posted by Bruce Wrenn View Post
    Worse part is refugees from north move here, and then want to make it like where they came from. Why didn't they just stay where they were. Would the last person leaving NY /NJ turn out the lights.
    This is very similar to what we deal with here. NY/NJ, pretty much anywhere, comes here and have this overwhelming feeling to "enlighten the locals" to locks and bagels, and fine food, and what ever, which is exactly what they were fleeing from but what they really dont understand is it black balls them with the locals.

    I moved to this area to absorb their culture, not force mine onto them. I wanted to eat cornbread and brown beans, ramps, poke weed, on and on. If I want bagels I will make them for myself.

    There was a couple from NY that had the double whammy, they thought they needed to save our local community from itself with their food and their religion. They bought the local country store (more money in their pockets than they knew what to do with), two gas pumps, basically the hub of our little local community but the past owners were getting older, tired, and a live fish on the hook they couldnt say no. Needless to say they poured thousands into the place, pissed off every local in the area.. if you parked in their parking lot and walked 40' over to the post office (anoher local hub) you were ripped six ways to Sunday. They destroyed themselves in a year. Changed the menu to stuff no one wanted. Pissed off everyone in the community with their condescending attitudes, and wound up selling the place for a total loss just to get out.

    Sadly the little local hub of a store has never recovered. Does OK, but not profitable in any way.

    All to common a scenario. You either move into a community and enjoy the warmth or you storm into a community telling them everything they should be doing and bad juju follows. We are moving into times when more and more people aim to kick the doors off the hinges rather than enjoy the good.

    One of my long standing lines here is that I can pull over on the interstate to make a phone call and with in 5-10 minutes either my phone is ringing or someone has pulled up behind me to make sure Im not broke down. Phone calls say "Im doubling back, what do you need"... Born and raised in New England where your neighbor 10 doors down doesnt even wave at you much less help you change a flat.

  5. #35
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    Last summer, I drove through Ohio and made a quick stop in Charm to get some lumber at Keim. Keim lived up to all the positive reviews but the area was well worth the trip. The Amish farms were so tidy. I even liked slowing down so I wouldn’t hit a carriage.

    I know I’m sort of in love with the idea of living in Amish country. The reality could be different.

  6. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Bolton View Post
    This is very similar to what we deal with here.
    I moved to this area to ...
    I may have missed something. Where is your "here", "this area"? Some find it useful to put their general location in their SMC user profile so it accompanies every message.

    Almost everyone around here is helpful and friendly, will help anyone.

    Except for one guy down at the other end of our dead-end lane. A day after he yelled at me for riding down "his" end of the road he saw me cleaning up a neighbor's place with my tractor and stopped to apologize. Said he was mad because he thought we were yankees who didn't belong in the area. I'd only been living on our farm that street for 15 years. He was friendlier when I told him we had lived within 10 miles of that spot for the last half century, had relatives all over the area, AND a well known highway close by was even named after my wife's cousin.

  7. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Drew View Post
    My idea of mellow is snow on ground for Christmas, but it doesn't stick around for months.......Sounds like the Black Hills might just be more or less what I want to get away from. This is looking out my LR window.....



    I was a bit hesitant to ask on a public forum, as I do like my anonymity, but I'm glad I did. I thought SD might not scratch the itch. My 'friend' can be a bit of a salesman. I do like the rocky mountains, which is kinda what inspired me to look at Colorado. But as I mentioned, I'm not all that confident I can pull that move off anymore.

    I have not ever been to Tennessee or Missouri. I was stationed in Virginia Beach and Newport RI, and lived in New Hampshire for a year. Travelled all over the east coast. Too crowded for me, but I did enjoy my time there.

    I think I might just throw some darts on the board and go for a long drive. Any particular areas of Tennessee and Missouri I should target? I might get in trouble in Tennessee though, I love a good bourbon, and it's pretty close to Kentucky......
    Tennessee and Kentucky ain't too shabby. Pretty mild winters and topography that suits me. There are some good sized lakes created by dams as well as natural lakes and rivers. As a retirement destination, consider proximity and quality of medical care and shopping.

  8. #38
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
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    Mountain City, TN
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    I agree with John K Jordan, eastern Tennessee is a great place to retire.

  9. #39
    Quote Originally Posted by John K Jordan View Post
    I may have missed something. Where is your "here", "this area"?
    post #34, WV. Agreed with your overall experience. Get a few cantankerous individuals and some that think they own the place but Ive always been able to get along with the devil himself. Country folk typically seem to know how hard life is so a bit of a team effort is always a welcomed thing.

  10. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bruce Wrenn View Post
    Don't come to central NC, unless you want to be in New Jersey / New York South. Our area is over run with those leaving these areas. In the county we live in, people are moving in at the rate of over 100 per day. 40+ years ago, we bought in one of the most rural areas of the county. Because of a nuclear plant, zoning was minimum of two acres. Closest town, of about 500 people was seven miles away. Now town has EXPLODED! 20,000+ people. Million dollar homes (on golf course) are just across the creek from us. Track of land (100 + acres) behind us is potentially for sale. Two new light industrial plants, that cover about 100 acres each are being built within two miles. Worse part is refugees from north move here, and then want to make it like where they came from. Why didn't they just stay where they were. Would the last person leaving NY /NJ turn out the lights.

    I agree with this. I just moved from outside of Raleigh. Huge boom in new housing. Weeks before my move a beautiful farm just up the road from me was sold and now over 300 townhouses and houses are being built. All this on a quiet two lane country (usta be) road.

  11. #41
    Join Date
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    If you are an avid woodworker, I'd advise locating in the mid-west, north or central due to the availability of hardwoods. I live in Idaho and the cost of hardwoods locally is incredible primarily due to the cost of transportation.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  12. #42
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    Nov 2009
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    Alaska
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    Thanks for your frank honesty. I can certainly empathize with you, and do not wish to add to the problem you and others in your community are dealing with. I have many friends that travel to Sturgis every year, and have been doing so for decades. One of them was telling me that is not what is used to be, and has no intention of going again.

    It sounds as if the winters in the Black Hills will be more than what I want to continue dealing with in my retirement years.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Roltgen View Post
    I live and work in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and have been a resident since the late 80's. My, how things change.
    We're 15 miles from Sturgis, so summer rally is absolutely preposterous. A complete mob on the interstate for almost 2 weeks now, as rally goers who hate the crowds themselves come early or late to miss the peak of the insanity of it all (average 300k, can peak close to half million rally-goers). Quaintness of that event got burned out decades ago, especially when the 50th really seemed to solidify that event as a world-renowned annual destination for (mostly) Harley enthusiasts. The Black Hills are completely wrung-out after that event.

    I am also about a 15 minute drive from Rapid City.
    Rapid City area in general has always been expanding. Until now, it's never actually boomed. In the 90's it was 50k population. Now 80k and actually is booming, because of folks like yourself, no offense intended. Also, Ellsworth AFB is expanding, with estimates in the 30k range of new residents to serve with the latest bomber being assigned here.
    Health care: Rapid City Regional is a major hub, and has recently re-branded to Monument Helath and touting association with Mayo, which makes them all the better according to them. Lots of VA medical facilities as well, due to proximity of the Air base. Many military folks simply stay when retirement rolls around, so pretty friendly environment for those who've served.

    Real-estate: Now outpriced for local pay scales, due to excessive incoming cash buyers. Homes that were $150k 4 years ago are now asking for $225, with cash sales closing at 30-50k over that, due to unprecedented shortages. Actual average selling price used to be $225k 4 years ago. According to a realtor in my networking group, average is currently $453k. Many of us, like myself, are extremely grateful we found and settled into our current homes just before this situation developed. There is no major industry here, save a few specialized manufacturers, but at under 100 employees at best, it's still technically all small business. We still take $1.50 in Federal funds for every dollar we give in taxation, garnering a depressed economy classification. Yep, farming/ranching all over the place, but the subsidization of it all would make your head spin.

    Actually saw a very nice, clean, late model pickup in Sturgis recently with the following message in 4" high lettering on the tailgate: "Thanks for visiting the Black Hills... Now GO HOME!"
    Not an unusual sentiment, just really took me aback to see someone get this boisterous with their feelings, though it's commonly brought up in chats around coffee tables and bars. Truth is, it does feel we're getting a bit over-run.

    Hard to put this into perspective, but believe me, we're running out of quaint, undiscovered little pieces of paradise, like that which you're seeking. Especially for a steal of a deal, but even that is a matter of perspective. A $500k dump in your area may still be half that out here. But it's still a dump.
    As for infrastructure, thank goodness for Starlink, or I'd still be stuck with Centurystink for internet. However, living in a beautiful little canyon with a historic homestead down the street, I am faced with 2,500 gallons of propane to purchase each year for my home and shop, even though I'm only 1 mile off I-90, with Natural Gas supply line from Wyoming running parallel to it. So, realize, isolation has it's trade-offs. Your description is quite idyllic, but you just aren't going to get isolation and full infrastructure support.

    Take all the above for what it's worth. I'd welcome you, if you can afford it, but bottom line is, SD got discovered by retirees and remote workers right after the pandemic kicked off, close to 2 years ago. The lines have formed, and the prices have been adjusted accordingly. As real estate goes, looks a lot like the toilet paper aisles at the local grocer. Not much there, and nobody cares what they pay, as long as they got something they can grab.

    FWIW
    Jeff

  13. #43
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Fitzgerald View Post
    If you are an avid woodworker, I'd advise locating in the mid-west, north or central due to the availability of hardwoods. I live in Idaho and the cost of hardwoods locally is incredible primarily due to the cost of transportation.
    After paying what I've been paying for tools, machinery, lumber, wood, fuel, milk......etc, etc, etc, I doubt anything will shock me. Well, other than building a home in Colorado......

  14. #44
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    Nov 2009
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    Alaska
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Bukovec View Post
    I agree with John K Jordan, eastern Tennessee is a great place to retire.
    I have been playing around with Google maps, putting a road trip together. I think I might just take John K up on the offer to take one if his critters for a walk. LOL..... I've always wanted to see Kentucky, but Tennessee and/or Missouri have not ever been on my list of places to visit. I have no idea why. My mother was born and raised in Missouri, but she and my grandparents moved to Arizona, so there was never a reason for us to visit my mother's birth state.

  15. #45
    Join Date
    May 2021
    Location
    Spartanburg South Carolina
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    I am in upstate SC and enjoy easy access to mountains and the beach. As you get up in to the NC mountains it is usually about ten degrees cooler in the summer and it puts you about 4 hours from the beach. Tennessee is right there to with the same type of climate. Some good fishing in the mountains too. A good part of the country to poke around if you get this far.

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