Does living in WV Suck?

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

  • No ad networks!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • jpo183

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 20, 2013
    4,116
    in Maryland
    Hey guys, I live in Frederick MD right now and my office is in Urbana MD. I want to have some land (1.5 acres+) and my wife wants a "newer" home. In Frederick County to get that combination we are looking at 550k+

    I really do not want to drive from Hagerstown, as the drive is just down right miserable, so I am possibly thinking WV.

    How is it living in WV, I know they have some stupid personal property tax as well as vehicle inspections.

    Anyone from MD move to WV with thoughts??
     

    magnetic1

    Active Member
    Jun 21, 2013
    415
    Montgomery County
    Not sure how you get your income but when I did a spreadsheet to compare costs of moving to different places, I generally got the following:

    No county income taxes (3.2% in Mont. County; 2.92% for Frederick)
    Property tax rate on avg was significantly less
    Homeowners insurance was higher by a couple hundred a year
    Homes were half the price for similar size.
    Car insurance slightly less in WV
    You can deduct up to $26k for a 529 plan in WV versus $2500 in MD.

    And of course, no silly gun laws.

    Based on my calculations, if I moved from Mont. County to somewhere around Charles Town, WV, I would save $7-8k/year
     

    Ganegrei

    Comblock Convert
    Jun 23, 2011
    2,290
    Somewhere in BoCo
    Yeah I love WV but there are drawbacks to living there..

    1. Nothing there. Get ready to drive if you want anything.
    2. Meth problems. My cousins have had things go missing from their yard/shed because of meth addicts stealing to fun their habit.
    3. Hospitals. No good ones close by.
     

    Indiana Jones

    Wolverine
    Mar 18, 2011
    19,480
    CCN
    And if you are near Shepardstown, the overwhelming smell isn't fresh air, its cannabis. Ive never seen a higher concentration of dope users other than when I drove past a phish (shitty pothead band) concert.
     

    hvymax

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Apr 19, 2010
    14,011
    Dentsville District 28
    The West Virginia Law of Relativity: You can Marry your Cousin but Your Sister has got to be Commonlaw. West Virginia Motto: Goats are nice but Sheep are Beautiful.
     

    Rumnhammer

    Active Member
    Mar 2, 2013
    227
    Way better then MD

    I don't know about most people but I look forward to the day I can move there!

    I grew up in Western MD, and yes we always used to look at WV as backward, but unless your wife has a shopping problem, you won't have much of a problem with there not being anything out there. Look at it as saving more money, and your wife can do her shopping online, saving dragging you along as well!

    They don't have Vios in WV which would suck since I'm used to high speed internet now. But you can get comcast, although I hate dealing with them....

    Shepardstown is a liberal enclave in the middle of a very gun friendly state, don't base your views on that place, in addition to the cannibus smell, you will gag from the stench of patruoly as it seems that every hippie from the 60's moved there and got tenure at the University there.

    They don't have any zoning laws for private property. This can be both good or bad. It means you don't have to worry about getting a home FFL due to zoning, but is also means your neighbor can have a virtual junkyard going on next door.
    It is an extremely gun friendly state, ANYONE can open carry here, pretty much anywhere, except bars, and government buildings. And when I say anybody it includes non-residents. That means if you want to get a taste of freedom open carrying even MD residents can open carry just by driving across the river! Concealed carry permits happen in short order and getting one is quick and easy. Although you need to be a WV resident for those.

    Buying a gun is even easier, you can do a private transfer/sale for any firearm, AK AR, handgun anything. If you buy from a dealer, all firearms are cash and carry after they run the federal background check. Can you imagine, walking out of a gun shop with a handgun 15 minutes after you buy it? You can in WV! No stupid magazine restrictions! want a 100rd beta mag no problem!

    As far as everything being a drive away, it's really no worse then living in western MD, and if you live in the panhandle you are actually closer to Mont co md, DC and the metropolian area then you think. Not that far at all.

    It has it's +'s and -'s but I wouldn't say it sucks, by any stretch of the imagination, and if you are a gun person, the +'s outweigh the -'s tenfold!

    Chris Rummel
     

    rotag

    Member
    Mar 9, 2012
    89
    pasadena
    I have friends that live there and if it weren't for my career, I would already be there or Texas. This state is a lost cause as far as freedom is concerned, we can't even stop new anti-freedom laws from being passed, much less repeal the older ones to give us the same freedom neighboring states have.
     

    joppaj

    Sheepdog
    Staff member
    Moderator
    Apr 11, 2008
    46,451
    MD
    I have employees that live there and take the train in to work. The biggest concern that most of them have is their schools are apparently not real high quality. I don't know if you have school age children, so take that for what it's worth.
     
    Dec 31, 2012
    6,704
    .
    I have family who moved to the panhandle from Baltimore. That was well over a decade ago and for half of that time they have needed outside financial support(me) in order to survive. They will likely soon be returning to Maryland now that the housing market is somewhat stabilizing.

    Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, and again I say Jobs is a big issue. The local employer closed up shop and things have gone downhill.
    As long as you have stable income you'll be fine (true anywhere), but in WV if you're relying on a local skilled job you are in danger. There are not many local options for replacing a lost job when there is generally only one of that type of a company in a large geographic area.

    Expect long drives for most everything unless you live in town. Fine as long as you account for it. No more quick trips to pick up a pizza, etc... Not too big of a deal really. Consolidate shopping trips in a day.

    Gun laws, what laws? Just kidding, but compared to MD...
    I carry and shoot there with no issues.

    Schools, not so good. Teachers are underpaid and recruitment of top talent is low.

    Potential neighbor problems, yes.
    Potential drug problems, yes.
    These happen everywhere.

    I considered moving there with the previously relocated family but jobs for wife and self were the biggest limiting factor.
     

    T-Man

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 23, 2010
    3,671
    Catonsville
    Not totally thread hijack, its on the same subject, but my inlaws are thinking of moving from Bel Air to the panhandle after they retire. They have pensions so jobs are not an issue and schools are not an issue.

    Can anyone make recommendations about nice areas to start the looking process. They are looking for a quiet home with some land not in town in the panhandle region within a reasonable weekend driving distance so wife, kids and I can visit.
    Thanks
    Tom
     

    jpo183

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 20, 2013
    4,116
    in Maryland
    I have employees that live there and take the train in to work. The biggest concern that most of them have is their schools are apparently not real high quality. I don't know if you have school age children, so take that for what it's worth.

    Two and soon to be three so...yea.

    One of my staff lives in WV and moved from MD, and she doesnt like it. She says the people are backwards and the actual system that is in place (court, hospital, schools) are not the best. Which is where I have some concern.

    You can get more than that in Frederick County for sure...

    I live in Myersville area...here is one $465k 3.6acres

    http://www.mrishomes.com/homes-for-sale/MD/MYERSVILLE/21773/10078-VISTA-CT-97956476

    Yea, I like something like that however the wife wants new construction (or very near new/ total rehab) To get what we both want is out of our price range.


    I was even thinking about right over the line in PA. Its about 30mins either way to WV or PA from my office here in Frederick.
     

    bean93x

    JamBandGalore
    Mar 27, 2008
    4,569
    WV
    I love WV.. You can do anything you want if you have the $.



    How ever keep in mind its a bunch of fat, ignorant rednecks. I have a love hate relationship with WV..
     

    bean93x

    JamBandGalore
    Mar 27, 2008
    4,569
    WV
    Two and soon to be three so...yea.

    One of my staff lives in WV and moved from MD, and she doesnt like it. She says the people are backwards and the actual system that is in place (court, hospital, schools) are not the best. Which is where I have some concern.



    Yea, I like something like that however the wife wants new construction (or very near new/ total rehab) To get what we both want is out of our price range.


    I was even thinking about right over the line in PA. Its about 30mins either way to WV or PA from my office here in Frederick.

    Truth.
     

    Rumnhammer

    Active Member
    Mar 2, 2013
    227
    I love WV.. You can do anything you want if you have the $.



    How ever keep in mind its a bunch of fat, ignorant rednecks. I have a love hate relationship with WV..

    If you are a gun owner in Maryland, you are viewed/thought of as this my the majority of people that live in this state, whether you fit the description or not.....

    What I don't get is all those that can't get over that there is not the nightlife/shopping etc. Oh boo hoo there isn't a starbucks on every corner....the way I see it you have a choice, live in Maryland and deal with BS gun laws being taxed out of a decent life or move to WV where you can save money and have more freedom.

    For jobs, if you work in Fredrick and have a good paying job, you can still live in WV and commute to work. It's not that far people, think of all the people that migrated to Shrewsbury Pa from Baltimore, they still work in Baltimore, but just commute down 83 every day. That commute is farther then say Harpers Ferry to Fredrick. Also WV and western MD sits on a huge ocean of Natural gas, that WV is getting pretty heavily involved in fracking to capture it. Maryland on the other hand is moving towards banning/and preventing that from happening. This is the cusp of a huge economic boon that will soon be happening in WV.

    For schools, my kids already have to go to catholic school, because the schools in my area suck, so it won't be much of adjustment to have them go to a private/catholic school in WV.

    Chris Rummel
     

    frogman68

    товарищ плачевная
    Apr 7, 2013
    8,774
    not to hijack but every piece of land I see is part of a subdivision does that mean a HOA?
     

    krew08

    Lurker.
    Feb 26, 2010
    532
    PA
    I defected to West Virginia over a year ago. I am not a homeowner in WV though, so I have no insight to anything about that.

    Obviously the gun laws are much much better, and for many gun enthusiasts this is enough reason to cross the river.

    As others here have stated... jobs kinda suck. I still work in Hagerstown.

    GAS TAX. As much as I hate giving any more money to MD, the gas tax in WV is significantly higher. Typically expect to pay 10 cents more per gallon compared to MD or more. Since I work in Hagerstown I just get gas there.

    My auto insurance went down significantly when I moved here, because WV does not require PIP, unlike MD.

    No sales tax on food as of July 1 this year.

    I had an incident where someone illegally entered my car. Nothing was stolen that I am aware of. My fault for leaving it unlocked :sad20:... but crime does happen in this state.

    Edit: Speaking of cars... registration fees and such are cheaper. NO EMISSIONS TESTING WOOT.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,877
    The panhandle is the most builtup and yuppiefied portion of WV ., so the culture shock will be least. The Governmental infrastructure will be smaller , with fewer layers than Md , but less corrupt. Generally speaking that will be an advantage.

    For the OP's situation , the commute is reasonable. As he noted , the other option of PA is about the same commute , so the real debate is WV v Pa .
     

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    274,918
    Messages
    7,258,760
    Members
    33,348
    Latest member
    Eric_Hehl

    Latest threads

    Top Bottom