If you live in a neighborhood that is going downhill, chances are pretty good that being able to afford to get out are really tough.
I went through this with my starter home. I was there maybe 10 years after the neighborhood "changed". I finally got out, but had to spend a lot of money to make my house sell quick. I definitely put more into it for the 20 plus years I had it than what I got out. My selling price was only 2K more than what I bought it for and it was a "fixer upper" back then.
I'm actually going tomorrow to check on some new apartments. They are buying up everything in my neighborhood to put in stupidly expensive apartments and condos.
My neighborhood just started to go downhill yesterday. I was talking to a plumber neighbor about all the 'Trump' political signs stuck in everybody's lawn. He told me he wasn't going to vote for Trump! THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD!!!!!
My neighborhood was called "Whiskeyswitch" when the family first moved here. There were equal numbers of gas stations, restaurants, bars, card rooms, and "houses of ill repute" -- eight of each. But only two motels. Trucking companies hated Arizona and told their drivers to buy everything they needed before crossing the state line, and then drive all the way across the state without stopping. That supported the town until the freeway was built. Population now is one third what it used to be. So why did my dad decide to live here? There was no sales tax on groceries at the time.
Florida doesn't tax groceries. Neither does Washington generally; seems like there were a few grocery store items they taxed. Probably soda. Don't remember now.
B.H.Wilson 