Iowa or Illinois?

[KewlKat]

I got a job offer in the quad cities and if I accept it, we can't decide which side of the mississippi we should live. Since we have lots of pets we decided we should buy a home versus trying to rent. I was "wowed" by the property taxes on the homes in IL. I don't know how anyone can afford a home for the taxes there. These weren't very expensive homes either. IA seems much less on prop taxes, but I realize some of my husbands retirement will be taxed there. So, I'm struggling to decide which side to go to, if I go. Any help in pointing out plus and minuses would be greatly appreciated. I do have my eye on one home in Davenport near I74 around Duck Creek and one in East Moline, IL, but the property taxes are very high at that one. As the housing prices continue to settle or fall, prop taxes will have to increase to offset the loss don't ya think?

Help!

[Blue Gardener]

1. Being a native Iowan

I would of course say Iowa.

[47of74]

2. Iowa

I work down in the Quad Cities several days a week - on the Iowa side of the river. So I don't get down in to Illinois all that much. Being a lifelong resident of Iowa I of course am going to have to stump for my home state above Illinois.

I'd look at some of the surrounding towns - sometimes you can get a better deal in small towns when it comes to property taxes.

[Bluzmann57]

3. QC native here

First of all, welcome to the Quad Cities. I think you'll like it here. If you want to live in the cities proper, choose Davenport over Bettendorf, mainly because Bettendorf has among the highest property taxes in the state. In Illinois, the taxes are usually higher than in Iowa. And you state that you have lots of pets so you may want to get a place with a large yard. If so, a small town like LeClaire or Princeton may be more to your liking. There are some spectacular river views on Highway 67 between those two towns although I don't know if any are available at this time. And should you choose a small town, you should probably stay away from Durant as they have a lot of problems out there with the school board. Anyway, good luck and once again, welcome to the QCA.

[Critters2]

4. It's probably a draw in the long run. Property taxes are higher in IL,

income taxes are higher in Iowa. The Quad Cities are a good place to live, on either side. Find a place you like--a nice home, good location, big yard, etc--and settle in. As a native Iowan QC, who later grew up on the IL side, I'd say you can't go wrong either way.