Originally Posted by CX500T

Went from a 3% 400k mortgage to a 6.2% 900k mortgage (put 220k down). That was the hardest part to swallow.. But my insurance on a $1.1M house is 1/4 of what it was in VA (Flood and Hurricane driven rates). And my property tax is about the same. Granted the house in $20k a year in tax, but in VA I was paying $6k a year on a 1400sqft 3/2, $5000 a year on my new-ish pickup with no carpet and cloth seats, $3k on my wifes' Expedition, $1500 on my camper, $1200 on my 25 year old airport truck, $300 on a 40 year old motorcycle and so forth. I basically doubled my housing costs (including property tax) but went from a 1400sqft on .25 acre and a neighbor that called the cops on me weekly, to 6200+sqft 6/5 on 9 acres. (3 are the "yard" 6 are an attached conservation lot)

No HOA. Can't see the nieghbors unless I walk on the deck, and lean over the side and then I can see Mike's house.. And he also brews beer, and rides motorcycles, and restores old British cars. We like Mike and his wife. At night I can look over at the next hill and see some lights from houses, but can't actually see any of them. I'm literally the last house before the end of the road.