Planning your Illinois escape

I guess we're among the lucky ones, or so we were told by several folks at our final yard sale. After nine months on the market, we finally sold our suburban Palatine home and happily became cheesehead residents of Wisconsin. Yes, Illinois with its corruption, taxes and traffic congestion is officially in our rear-view mirror except for the friend and family visits only an hour away, which only serves to confirm our decision.

We're not the only fortunate refugees from the state that has led the nation in departures per capita for several years, and for good reason. As documented in countless news articles describing the slow motion fiscal train wreck, Illinois also leads the country with the highest combined personal, sales and property taxes.

Simply put, the Illinois fiscal mess has become unsustainable and the options will be few and unpleasant when the day of reckoning arrives, and so we decided to change states sooner than later.

If you are dreaming of a similar escape plan, I suggest setting your expectations realistically by looking at comparable homes on the market in your area and price range. Research how long have they been on the market, as any real estate professional will tell you it remains a buyer's market and today's finicky buyers tend to want newer everything, perfect move-in condition and there is plenty of competition on the market.

All I'm suggesting is to get an early jump. Moving can be a long process, but trust me, the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Last one out, please turn off the lights.

John Finney

East Troy, Wisconsin