Why buy out of California

Yessir, as I have stated many times:
1. KNOW the law.
2. COMPLY with the law.
3. DOCUMENT the fact that you have complied with the law.
and you will have no problems!
It really IS just that simple!

My reading of the current Pub 52 aside from the current 1 year requirement is that it's now even more difficult for a CA resident to get the exemption. So make sure that you understand the requirements.

California -- good place to live if you have been here long term and own your home.

California -- not so good if you are young married unless you have good jobs and have been able to buy your first home. Our young marrieds are a large emigration group. (Leaving for Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and Texas.)

Yes, the one year out-of-state plan can work, but use is required. We did use the 2004 90 day plan (over 120 days and 18 states) and it was fine. I also note that with the amount of taxes we have paid to the state of CA in the past three decades, I consider myself to be a very patriotic person. :B Using the 2004 method to save sales taxes (in a legal manner) was a modest total amount by comparison.

rondeb wrote:

CA Traveler wrote:
Read and completely understand Pub 52 for CA. Among other restrictions in 2004 and I believe still current was functional use out of state, currently for 1 year. Storage was not functional use. This are other current restrictions that may make it difficult to qualify, perhaps very difficult for a CA resident.

Just curious, how do you get your license (plates) and tabs if you don't pay taxes. You can't buy and register a vehicle in a State you don't live in (well legally you can't) You can't drive the vehicle around without plates.

I'm pretty sure you can buy a vehicle in a state you don't live in and register it there. If in fact you intended to leave a vehicle in that state, you would actually be required to do that. There are people who keep homes in different states. They only get to claim one as their primary residence. So if they keep vehicles at their other homes in other states, they would have to be registered in those other states.

rondeb wrote:

path1 wrote:
If you lived in CA and didn't want to licensed rv why not buy a "trip permit". That way the state get some $$ and you get to use RV. You both win.

California doesn't allow trip permits. If you actually take possession in California they must collect the taxes no matter what state you live in. That is why we had to have a driver drive the motorhome we purchased in California to Nevada and meet a Power of Attorney who signed the document of delivery in Nevada. We Live in Washington State and didn't want to pay our taxes to California. California does not have a program to collect the taxes for your State and send it to them. They keep every sale delivered in California. When you get to Nevada, your are then driving with not even a temporary license, so we had already made arrangements to send the paperwork and tax money to Washington and they sent our plates and paperwork back by overnight delivery. (Washington State has private DMV's so that is possible to make those arrangements)

Couldn't you have also arranged to have the motorhome delivered to your home in Washington?

Just a comment on property taxes in California. The property tax rate in California may seem low relative to other parts of the country, but the amount one pays is not. This is because the prices of homes here are so high. The average price of a house in California is, for example, almost double the average price for a house in Oregon. Moreover, many newer homes pay additional Mello-Roos and other various tax assessments. On top of that we have some of the highest income tax rates in the country.

gemsworld wrote:
"...but standing in line to buy I believe is a stretch."

That was the case in some communities last year.

Two years ago my home in an Inland Empire community sold in three days....with the sales price being paid in CASH. AND it's still happening in that particular community.

"...but standing in line to buy I believe is a stretch."

That was the case in some communities last year.

CKNSLS wrote:

calamus wrote:
Why would anyone want to live in that State? I understand its beautiful but you can always visit.

Well 38 million people find the weather wonderful. Mountains, desert, beaches all with in a few hours drive.

People are now (again) waiting in lines to buy new or resale houses.

Well... I was born and raised there and lived there for 50 years. The things you identify (mountains desert etc.) were not enough to keep me there any longer. I also believe that the real estate market may have improved somewhat like some other parts of the country, but standing in line to buy I believe is a stretch.

Safe travels.

calamus wrote:
Why would anyone want to live in that State? I understand its beautiful but you can always visit.

Well 38 million people find the weather wonderful. Mountains, desert, beaches all with in a few hours drive.

People are now (again) waiting in lines to buy new or resale houses.