Hi, I'm uncleharley

[uncleharley]

I am within one or two years of retirement and thought I should check in with some people that are in a similar situation. I am thinking of moving to another area when I retire with the idea of reducing my living expenses. I currently live in a high tax state that has a lot of services that I don't feel I need. Does anyone have any suggestions on where or how I can compare different states and locations before I go visit them? I think what I am looking for is a small town in the mountains with low cost housing and of course a little shopping and some health care in the area. Anyone have any idea's on where to start??
uh

 

[Arturo]

Try New Mexico. They roll up the sidewalks in our little town about sunset but we love it here. See my post under New Members , Arturo. E mail me if you wanna.

 

[JPatrick]

I am within one or two years of retirement and thought I should check in with some people that are in a similar situation.   I am thinking of moving to another area when I retire with the idea of reducing my living expenses.  I currently live in a high tax state that has a lot of services that I don't feel I need.  Does anyone have any suggestions on where or how I can compare different states and locations before I go visit them?   I think what I am looking for is a small town in the mountains with low cost housing and of course a little shopping and some health care in the area.  Anyone have any idea's on where to start??
uh

There are a number of websites that can give you info on your dream location.  http://houseandhome.msn.com/pickaplace/comparecities.aspx
This site lets you do comparisons etc.  Once you narrow it down a bit you will probably find someone on this forum has been there, done that, or is there, doing that.  Ask questions
Good luck and welcome UH

 

[Brat]

Low cost needs to be defined. Do you have a lot of income? In that case a state with low income taxes (usually means a sales tax) should be on your list.

Do you need a moderate climate? Heating and cooling costs..

Do you have a preference about the region of the country? FYI, lots of folks love the south, but its not for me.

 

[uncleharley]

Arturo, Thank you for reknewing my interest in New Mexico. I checked out Silver City on the site that JP linked, but it looks a little hot. Bayard is not listed on the site, but since it is higher in elevation than Silver City, it very well might fit the bill.

JPatrick, thanks for the link. I used it last night and have it bookmarked for the future.

Brat, There are many, many things that need to be defined. That is why I started this thread. It is unlikely that I will be forced to retire, consequently I have the luxury of retiring when I feel I have enough money. The less money I need, the sooner I can retire. The climate we are looking for would be humidity free and relatively cool. That is why I mentioned a place in the mountains. Probably somewhere between Albuqurque and Anchorage.

Thanks for your responses,
uh

 

[JPatrick]

Another site to consider is:
http://www.city-data.com/
Covers many cities indepth , but does not have a compare feature.

I know a few folks that have settled in the small towns west of Colorado Springs. They seem to like it.

I'm currently checking out Branson MO (it's more than tourists). Not mountains per se, but great country/lakes/4 seasons/favorable cost of living/midwest folks always great/and ability to be isolated or not.
Always thought I belonged on the beach, but recent hurricanes and silly home values have given reason to pause.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Arturo,  Thank you for reknewing my interest in New Mexico.  I checked out Silver City on the site that JP linked, but it looks a little hot.  Bayard is not listed on the site, but since it is higher in elevation than Silver City, it very well might fit the bill. 

JPatrick, thanks for the link.  I used it last night and have it bookmarked for the future.

Brat, There are many, many things that need to be defined.  That is why I started this thread.  It is unlikely that I will be forced to retire, consequently I have the luxury of retiring when I feel I have enough money.  The less money I need, the sooner I can retire.  The climate we are looking for would be humidity free and relatively cool. That is why I mentioned a place in the mountains.   Probably somewhere between Albuqurque and Anchorage.

Thanks for your responses,
uh

If the "harley" in uncleharley means you're a biker, you could do a lot worse than
New Mexico.

IMHO, if you don't have a pretty specific idea about where you want to end
up BEFORE you get close to ER, you have a potentially large problem, one that
we almost fell into. The world is a big place. You can spend a whole lot of
precious time looking. My advice is to narrow your focus until it hurts.
If you get lucky, you will land somewhere and say,"Ahh, this is it!"

JG

 

[REWahoo]

Another nice NM area is around Ruidoso and Cloudcroft. We vacation there almost every summer and have considered buying a second home in that area. The unclemick2 factor keeps putting the brakes on that idea.

REW

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Another nice NM area is around Ruidoso and Cloudcroft.  We vacation there almost every summer and have considered buying a second home in that area.  The unclemick2 factor keeps putting the brakes on that idea.

REW

Unclemick is a sensible guy.

JG

 

[Arturo]

"Arturo,  Thank you for reknewing my interest in New Mexico.  I checked out Silver City on the site that JP linked, but it looks a little hot.  Bayard is not listed on the site, but since it is higher in elevation than Silver City, it very well might fit the bill. "

According to the local folks here,last winter was the wetest winter anybody had seen in over 70 yrs and this summer is the hottest anyone has ever seen. Go figure , just our luck. But all in all it has been pleasant . We have an evaporative cooler (swamp cooler)but it is generally turned off. Sometimes we turn it on around 3 pm and turn it off round 7:30. Last winter our nat gas bill was around $90-100 per month for cooking and heating . Many days we turned he furnace down to minimum when the sun was well up then turned it up again at night.

I guess the main reason we chose this area was because of housing prices. We searched long and hard and the house in Bayard was the only one we could comfortably afford that my wife would settle for. We liked Bisbee Az an awful lot but we got twice the house here we could have gotten there for the money.


We stayed for the house but the biggest bonus for us has been the local people . When we go to town ,  Silver City  or Las Cruces and we realize we forgot to lock a door it's not cause to turn around and rush back to lock it. Even the kids with their baggy ,low slung pants and earrings have always been polite and respectful with us. There's not a lotta entertainment around here , the whole town turms out to support the Little League and high school baseball teams in summer and the basketball and football teams in winter. It's really kinda like another era , when we were young.

 

[Nords]

Welcome, UH! Good to see that the TA has been paying off...

 

[uncleharley]

Hi Nords. Good to meet you again. Yeah, that T/A stuff seems to be working and should provide a nice supplement to my pension. I still need to be more disciplined in my execution, but, I've come a long way , babey.

Arturo, it sounds like you have found a real gem and I have every intention of personall checking it out. Maybe we should keep it a sceret or you might be invaded by hordes of Californio's.

REWahoo, thanks for the lead on Ruidoso. I checked it out on JPatricks link and it's not quite what we have in mind. It gets a little hotter in the summer than we want and the price of housing combined with the growth rate seems to indicate that it has already been discovered. I haven't found anything on Cloudcroft yet, but if it's a couple thousand feet up the mountain, it may fit the bill.
What a unclemick2

MRGalt, I agree that we have to narrow down our territory a bit. Last year we took the scenic route to Haines, Alaska from Wisconsin and this spring we did the scenic route to Tucson, then up thru Utah, across Wyoming and home. Next year we paln to do British Columbia, Idaho, some of Oregon, & a little more of Alaska. It is getting there.

Does anyone know anything about Hayder, Alaska

uh

 

[wildcat]

Do you have a preference about the region of the country? FYI, lots of folks love the south, but its not for me

Too many people hear about warmer weather but they forget to experience a little taste of a long, hot/humid summer. I have read about some people from the cold states that move to Florida based on a good experience during a winter vacation. After a year or two, easy come easy go.

uncleharley - I don't mean to beat a dead horse but I suggest traveling to your ideal spot during the season you feel you may dislike the most just to get a taste. Also consider moving away from important social networks. If you can find new ones then it doesn't matter but it is not the case for some.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Too many people hear about warmer weather but they forget to experience a little taste of a long, hot/humid summer.  I have read about some people from the cold states that move to Florida based on a good experience during a winter vacation.  After a year or two, easy come easy go.

uncleharley - I don't mean to beat a dead horse but I suggest traveling to your ideal spot during the season you feel you may dislike the most just to get a taste.  Also consider moving away from important social networks.  If you can find new ones then it doesn't matter but it is not the case for some. 

This is a good post. I lived year round in the specific area in Texas where
we bought. Sure the summers were hot, but I liked it and never even noticed the humidity. Now, summers in Florida..........that's a horse of a different color.

JG

 

[uncleharley]

So far all we have done is a lot of driving thru potential area's, trying to eliminate places we don't want. Next spring we will take a third trip with the intention of being more specific and more critical about some places that might fit the bill. After that it will be decision time. I think in less than 2 years my wife and I will have decided where we want to live and it may very well be where we are now.

The social networks will be an important consideration. I am not sure how we will check out that aspect before we move, I suppose we'll just have to meet some people and see how it shakes out.

Thanks again for the responses.

 

[haha]

Not uncommon for folks to come to Puget Sound on an August vacation, and move here without further ado. Many stay; but some find that a long, wet, dark winter is more than they bargained for. That, and often only 6 weeks of summer.

For me, though, I could not survive Florida. Ideal climate is Reno, NV. The town is so-so, but the climate great. Many nice places in New Mexico- again the climate is great, but not exactly cultural Meccas.

I grew up in the Southeast, and no way am I going back there, even if it were free. I spent too many years with heat rash on my butt to try that again.

Ha

 

[wildcat]

I grew up in the Southeast, and no way am I going back there, even if it were free. I spent too many years with heat rash on my butt to try that again

I can relate to the first part

 

[uncledrz]

I grew up in the Southeast, and no way am I going back there, even if it were free. I spent too many years with heat rash on my butt to try that again.

Ha

As good a reason as any, and better than most.

 

[uncleharley]

Well, I've done a bit of searching and have found that South Dakota is an option for relocating to when I retire. More specifically, Lawrence County, S Dakota. Lawrence county is in the SW corner of the state and includes the towns of Deadwood, Whitewood, & Spearfish. Has anyone been there or better yet, lived there? We will be visiting the county in mid october and it would be great to hear from someone who has had some first hand experiances there.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Well, I've done a bit of searching and have found that South Dakota is an option for relocating to when I retire.   More specifically, Lawrence County, S Dakota.  Lawrence county is in the SW corner of the state and includes the towns of Deadwood, Whitewood, & Spearfish.  Has anyone been there or better yet, lived there?  We will be visiting the county in mid october and it would be great to hear from someone who has had some first hand experiances there.

I've been there (more than once). I like it just fine, but never did
any in depth research as the area didn't have my main requirements
and was too far north to suit us.

JG

 

[JPatrick]

Well, I've done a bit of searching and have found that South Dakota is an option for relocating to when I retire.   More specifically, Lawrence County, S Dakota.  Lawrence county is in the SW corner of the state and includes the towns of Deadwood, Whitewood, & Spearfish.  Has anyone been there or better yet, lived there?  We will be visiting the county in mid october and it would be great to hear from someone who has had some first hand experiances there.

Spent mucho time there due to growing up in ND and having relatives in the area.
Everyone, and I mean everyone I know goes south for the winter.  Then they return for a few 100 degree days, relentless winds, periodic drought conditions, occasionally broken by violent hailstorms all followed by more winter.
We thought about living there, but could not get by the weather card and despite the recreation available, we figured we'd run out of new things to do after a year or so. Real state of the art health care is not close to the places you've mentioned if that is important to you.  No state tax, but real estate taxes can be on the steep side and IMO most every thing else you buy will be higher than the median for the country.

The things we considered positive were the great people, the nice fall weather, and the wide open spaces.
All in all, for us this area in general fell to the bottom of our list. 

 

[SteveR]

I agree with JPatrick.
Winter there is a long and serious event. It is typical of the "Western US" in that everything you want or need is a day's travel away. You measure distance by time not miles.

Things to consider:

What do you want to do in retirement? Are these things available in this area?

How is your health? Do you anticipate needing advanced care or emergency services? How far away from these things would you want to be?

How do you feel about long cold windy winters? Below zero for days is common.

How do you feel about short very hot and dry summers? Days above 100 are common.

How is your tolerance for dust and wind?

It is said that most towns in the west are not really at "ends of the earth" .....but you can see it from there.

I like being out west but I also like to have things I want nearby. That is why I am in a major western city. It has most of what I need but I can get away from the city in less than 10 minutes and I have a cabin in the mountains 45 minutes from my house.

There is more to life than low income taxes; choose where you what to retire but choose wisely.

 

[JPatrick]

I agree with JPatrick.
Winter there is a long and serious event.  It is typical of the "Western US" in that everything you want or need is a day's travel away.  You measure distance by time not miles. 

Things to consider:

What do you want to do in retirement?  Are these things available in this area?

How is your health?  Do you anticipate needing advanced care or emergency services?  How far away from these things would you want to be?

How do you feel about long cold windy winters? Below zero for days is common.

How do you feel about short very hot and dry summers? Days above 100 are common.

How is your tolerance for dust and wind? 

It is said that most towns in the west are not really at "ends of the earth" .....but you can see it from there. 

I like being out west but I also like to have things I want nearby.  That is why I am in a major western city.  It has most of what I need but I can get away from the city in less than 10 minutes and I have a cabin in the mountains 45 minutes from my house. 

There is more to life than low income taxes; choose where you what to retire but choose wisely.

Some excellent points Steve, I can tell you have "been there, done that."

 

[P.S.]

How about the Appalachian mountains? West Virginia RE is pretty cheap!

Absolutely kidding..
How about hills? Hear N.C. is very nice. Parents have a house that they're currently renting out. They're thinking to live there for a couple of years in retirement and figure if they like it, to keep for second home. If not, then sell without capital gains.

 

[Dreamer]

Some WV RE is pretty cheap, some is selling for a million+. Also, in a different thread, JG stated that he used to think that it was only ignorant people that thought he was from Chicago, when he said he was from IL and that he now thinks differently. I feel the same way when you tell someone that you live in WV and they state that they have a relative that lives in whatever city,VA. We are a separate state. It makes me wonder about the quality of education throughout the US!

Dreamer