PA does have an inheritance tax and depending which district you live in, the school tax can be high.

If I were to move elsewhere (the summers here are getting to me), it would likely be PA.

I love PA, having lived there off and on about 20 years. Even sold real estate there. Be aware, since the summers are getting to you in MD, not all of PA is a treat in Summer. The Philadelphia area can be very hot and muggy, but we loved Pittsburgh, which we spent 7 summer weeks in a few years ago. Winters are a different story in Pittsburgh. Since climate seems to be important to you, compare where you live with where you are considering at weatherspark.com. Really fun, at least for those of us looking for a better climate, giving you the ability to compare multiple locations based on multiple climate data points.

Also understand that there is a tax game that can be played in PA, and most Realtors have no clue how to do so. The newer the house you buy, the higher the taxes will be. I once saved a client $5K/year in taxes, just by encouraging them to buy a 5 year old home, rather than a new purchase. They could have saved another $7k/year in taxes had they been willing to live in a different but comparably good school district. Many tax differences in PA from township to township. Make sure your agent understands that taxes are important, and understands how to mitigate their impact on you.

Also, watch out for real estate transfer taxes, which are locally based. Typically split 50/50 buyer/seller, they can range from 2-5% of property value. Be aware of this big cost.

Good luck, tough to have so many choices. We are kind of going through the same thing, and have come to the conclusion that finding a 4 season location is hard, but we are at least looking for a three season home. Where we are now I currently don't like Hot and Muggy Summer and cold winters. If I only have to run away from home for one season, that would be a huge improvement.

IP