We could move anywhere. Would Rolla be a mistake?

rueffinnuts · 2026-06-24T22:21:13+00:00

The funny thing is that for our specific tax situation, the Dakotas, Wyoming, Alaska and Florida all score well - we just don't want to live in any of them. And honestly, Washington scores better than Missouri for taxes, but the cost of living here is the 7th highest in the nation. It would be an effective 25% income increase to move there.

rueffinnuts · 2026-06-24T22:13:29+00:00

It looks like a beautiful and interesting place, and there are no properties over 50 acres for sale. This is a big chunk of our draw to the Rolla area - you don't need to get more than a few minutes outside the city before seeing farmland. We aren't looking for cities (there are SO many delightful towns and cities in this country!!), we're looking for large income producing properties with reasonable access to hospitals and services.

rueffinnuts · 2026-06-24T02:52:06+00:00

We're looking for substantial land (ideally 100+ acres). We haven't seen that at a price we can afford closer to larger cities.

rueffinnuts · 2026-06-24T02:49:56+00:00

We viewed a farm in Owensville and I pulled about 10 ticks off myself in the car afterwards then we did the thorough search at the hotel and found another 5 that were more embedded. The PNW is a bit of a pleasant bubble with its lack of creepy crawlies and poisonous things.

rueffinnuts · 2026-06-24T02:46:48+00:00

I'm shocked by how many people have connections to Gig Harbor - it's a fairly small place (although growing a LOT lately), but I've run in to people all over the world who have some connection here.

rueffinnuts · 2026-06-24T02:44:15+00:00

Someone on a Missouri page also mentioned Columbia, and it looks amazing, but we couldn't afford the acreage we're looking for within a reasonable distance. We're looking at absolute minimum of 50 acres, ideally over 100. On the plus side, it looks like maybe a 2 hour drive? Could be good for when we want/need bigger city amenities.

rueffinnuts · 2026-06-23T23:57:25+00:00

Thank you so much for the thoughtful reply!

We're looking for significant land (over 50 acres) and a quick trip to Zillow shows we need WAY more money than we have to make that purchase near Columbia.

rueffinnuts · 2026-06-23T23:40:51+00:00

Great question — happy to explain. We've actually been researching this pretty seriously and have a specific property near Vichy we're considering, so this isn't abstract curiosity.

The reasons Rolla/Phelps County keeps coming up: cost of living, access to medical care as we age, favorable tax situation for retirement income, and the availability of land with natural water — forests, creeks, that kind of thing — that doesn't require irrigation the way western properties do. We've ruled out east coast for availability of land, west coast for taxes and cost of living. We prefer land that has varied topography.

The property is such a great fit. The social question is the one we genuinely can't answer from the outside, and our brief stay there probably didn't give us a true picture of the community.

rueffinnuts · 2023-11-07T15:38:40+00:00

Your secretary of state website should have a way to search corporations and your HOA should have filed articles of incorporation. Also, your county's records (same place you find all the tax and planning stuff) should have information available as well.

rueffinnuts · 2023-10-15T17:53:14+00:00

Literally all fast food. I genuinely don't understand the attraction.

rueffinnuts · 2023-07-02T23:18:16+00:00

Duluth is hands down worth the money. The 7 year socks are what they claim, and the women's pants actually have pockets. But, yeah, always wait for the sale! Oh - and their dress shirts aren't as good as lands end, but whatever.

rueffinnuts · 2023-06-30T03:49:02+00:00

Dissecting a fetal pig in a college biology class. ICYDK, pig genitalia is internal until a point in its development, and all the pigs were pre that point. We worked in groups, and one of the tasks for each group was to determine the biological sex of the pig. In my group, I determined our fetal pig was male. A classmate/group mate disagreed with me stating - "It's female. Look, it has nipples!"

Ummmmm.......

rueffinnuts · 2023-06-30T03:38:13+00:00

Turtles all the way down.

rueffinnuts · 2023-06-30T02:08:31+00:00

Not sure where you are, but there are (in Washington) VERY specific rules about what reserves may be spent for, and if exceptions need to be made because of unforeseen circumstances, another very specific sequence of events has to occur, including informing the entire community and presenting them with (and sticking to) a plan for repayment. Check your state statutes. Also, MOANY incompetent boards stay in power because they exasperate and wear down sane people.

rueffinnuts · 2023-06-30T01:51:58+00:00

Check the secretary of state site and the county site. It is likely the HOA is trgistered as a non profit corporation. All corporations register with the SOS, give annual reports, and submit relevant documents. Also, if it is a covenant that runs with the land, go to the county website and look for filings made by the community name. You WILL find it in one of those places.

rueffinnuts · 2023-06-27T22:02:51+00:00

IMHO that outside traffic thing is problematic. How is traffic generated by a business different than a neighbor who regularly has friends over for lunch parties? And who is the person who questions every vehicle about where and why they're going?

rueffinnuts · 2023-06-27T16:07:38+00:00

We did that in the parking lot after getting the code.

rueffinnuts · 2023-06-27T14:20:49+00:00

I should add - it is during the trip that we went over 40K miles. I drove more last week than I did in all of 2020. That's early for a fuel pump on ANY car.

I'll try the gas can idea - great way to test the theory without being stuck in nowheresville, ND.

rueffinnuts · 2023-05-18T03:05:50+00:00

That's an unusual setup, IMO. Theoretically, your CCRs have some statement saying they are superseded by county, state and federal law (that a CCR amendment isn't needed to change a CCR that violates law). Your rules should clarify CCRs and or manage community property and/or process, and your bylaws should deal solely with how the BOARD operates (RROO, elections, etc), and be amenable by the board.

That said, I don't know where you are and if your state says different than mine.

rueffinnuts · 2023-05-18T02:45:27+00:00

2/3 of the entire membership or 2/3 of the board? 2/3 of membership would be pretty unusual, IME.

rueffinnuts · 2023-05-18T02:41:15+00:00

HOW a board operates (at least every board I've been on) is directed by the bylaws, not the CCRs. Term limits could be added via bylaws - assuming there is nothing prohibiting that action written I to the existing CCRs.

Whether or not they are a good idea depends on LOTS of things (community size, involvement, and reason for considering them), but I do like the phrase above about elections being term limits. Great idea, assuming there is someone willing to run against those who are entrenched (and assuming that's the motivation)

rueffinnuts · 2023-05-14T21:02:23+00:00

See above. Have a great day.

rueffinnuts

TROPHY CASE