Anyone Planning to Move/Downsize Soon?

[Bestwifeever]

Lit Gal, so so sorry to hear this news.

 

[iac1003]

LitGal, so sorry for your loss.


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[KB]

I'm so sorry for your loss, LitGal.

 

[powerplay]

I'm very sorry for your loss LitGal and hope you will take some time to heal before making any big decisions. Take care.

 

[LitGal]

Thank you everybody for your kind notes!

I really did not mean to hijack this thread. However, I've been taking your advice and SLOWING DOWN. There's so much paperwork to do that I just want to escape by looking at all the condos available at Trulia.com. So, instead of trying to cram through all the work ASAP, I'm doing several chores a day and THEN allowing myself to condo shop on line, without talking to any realtors who might want to call me back.

The good news about this is that, yesterday, I found about 5 more condos I liked way better than the first couple of them I loved. Lesson learned: if I give this whole downsizing/prepping-the-house-to-sell at least a year, there will probably be some really cute, affordable places available then as well.

Also, by slowing down, have started enjoying Season 5 of Downton Abbey on DVD. Heck, all those stacks and piles are going nowhere. Will just shut the door on them and have some fun. No one has been knocking at the door saying I should move ASAP.

That was just me---- thanks for your wisdom, everybody!

 

[pb4uski]

DW and I have been living in a 1,000 sf 2/2 condo for the last 3 weeks while snowbirding; compared to ~2,300 sf at home. Interestingly, we have hardly stepped into the second bedroom but do store some stuff in the second bedroom closet.

While I can see that we would need more room on a permanent basis for her quilting/sewing/crafting hobbies, I suspect we could do with much less than the 2,300 sf we have at home currently and still be quite comfortable.

 

[ivinsfan]

I really did not mean to hijack this thread. However, I've been taking your advice and SLOWING DOWN. There's so much paperwork to do that I just want to escape by looking at all the condos available at Trulia.com. So, instead of trying to cram through all the work ASAP, I'm doing several chores a day and THEN allowing myself to condo shop on line, without talking to any realtors who might want to call me back.

The good news about this is that, yesterday, I found about 5 more condos I liked way better than the first couple of them I loved. Lesson learned: if I give this whole downsizing/prepping-the-house-to-sell at least a year, there will probably be some really cute, affordable places available then as well.

Also, by slowing down, have started enjoying Season 5 of Downton Abbey on DVD. Heck, all those stacks and piles are going nowhere. Will just shut the door on them and have some fun. No one has been knocking at the door saying I should move ASAP.

That was just me---- thanks for your wisdom, everybody!

I'd love it if you started your own thread where we can give you some special attention. Sometimes it's easier and less stressful to "talk" to on-lines buddies in emotional situations. So sorry for you loss and please stay on-line when you feel like sharing.

 

[freebird5825]

I'd love it if you started your own thread where we can give you some special attention. Sometimes it's easier and less stressful to "talk" to on-lines buddies in emotional situations. So sorry for you loss and please stay on-line when you feel like sharing.

Excellent advice to start a new thread.

This is a tough time for you. Make sure you eat well and rest when your body tells you to, no matter what the time of day. Very important !

 

[LitGal]

Oh--OK. I could start a new thread, but had not thought it necessary, as I was in "condo consideration mode," as per the thread's topic.

I do thank you for your concern, though. It sounds like some of you know a whole lot more (than I do) about this new world I've entered. I could probably learn just as much from everyone-- about that-- as I would about down-sizing.

Good idea. Thanks!

 

[ivinsfan]

Oh--OK. I could start a new thread, but had not thought it necessary, as I was in "condo consideration mode," as per the thread's topic.

I do thank you for your concern, though. It sounds like some of you know a whole lot more (than I do) about this new world I've entered. I could probably learn just as much from everyone-- about that-- as I would about down-sizing.

Good idea. Thanks!

When you are ready and want to share,
fire away. Some of our best and, most compassionate and useful threads have started when someone has a life changing emotional event such as the loss of a spouse or a sudden divorce. The emotional and financial fallout is impossible to deal with alone. We are here 24/7 and don' care if you are in your PJ's and haven't brushed your hair, plus we only speak when spoken to...

Have a good day today....

 

[REWahoo]

When you are ready and want to share,
fire away.

She has - see the thread here: http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/advice-for-a-new-widow-76073.html

 

[SumDay]

I saw this today on Next Avenue, and thought it was relevant. I found the stats about retirement communities particularly interesting

Homes of Retirees: They Want It Their Way | Next Avenue

 

[ERTX]

I was living in a 5500 square foot house and realized I only used 4 rooms (kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and office). Just moved to a 2600 square foot house and only use three rooms (kitchen, bathroom, bedroom/office). One step at a time baby.

 

[Bamaman]

We've been working on a plan to downsize and relo since I RE'd end of 2013. The de-cluttering effort has turned into a much larger project than expected. Only thing slowing me down there is my new found laziness developed after RE.

The real dilemma is we can't come close to selecting our next location. First it was move east a bit to the Smokey Mtns, then it was SW Florida, maybe back to Texas, then it was the front range in Colorado, and then back to a smaller spread in middle Tennessee.


Since we're about to get the place on the market in mid-March, we'll need to make a decision soon. The fallback plan is to make a temporary move to a home my DW inherited recently in Southern Indiana. Not on any of our many and ever changing short lists, but may have to do until we can decide.

Anybody struggle with this before? Seems like a couple grown adults would be able to make an intelligent decision without all the heartache!

From someone that lived in Southern Indiana, Middle Tennessee and Atlanta before moving to my dream lake house 2 hrs. south of Nashville:

Move to a smaller place in Middle Tennessee. You have no state income taxes, you live in a very interesting region (music, etc.) and housing prices are very reasonable. You also live within 1 day drive of 50% of the U.S. population. You can be at the beach in 7 hrs. and in the mountains in 3 hours. It's simply one of the most livable places in the country.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Another retirement factor to consider is ideology, if that is important to you:

How liberal or conservative are America’s cities?
http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2014/08/daily-chart-0/

The more we consider other cities to live, the more we remember why we personally moved to where we did. Living in a compatible political climate was an important factor for us.

 

[6miths]

That link doesn't take me to The Economist.

 

[gretah]

I want to downsize, DW does not. I'm closing in on 60, and the constant work to maintain a 3800 sf house and workshop on 5 acres is taking its toll on me. I would like a 1300 sf place in town. And have a workshop - 2 car detached garage would be enough.

My strategy would be to stop all maintenance work that is above what a townhouse/condo would entail. No yardwork, no cleaning beyond rooms you really use.

Tell spouse that excess is now HIS job. You are done and on strike.

A better strategy I would use is to hire a financial planner to review our portfolio and expenses. Let her/hi be the messenger of bad news ir why downsizing is the perfect solution.

 

[LitGal]

Update on My Down-Sizing

Been at it now for two and a half years. But when DH passed away in Jan., I began to ramp up the process: hired wallpaper stripped in three rooms and five rooms painted; gave away his ShopSmith (to a most grateful, self-employed, Millennial handyman); have been doing battle with the weeds overtaking the mulch beds, and now the house exterior is getting painted.

At this steady pace, I hope to have the house on the market next spring. I've already found several condos I'd be happy to move into. They are good motivators!

My closets and the basement are slowly getting emptier......

I've built in rewards for 2015: 2 trips to CA to visit family and friends; 3 weeks in the British Isles, and one week in Maine. With every chore completed, I remind myself that there are rewards (and escape) ahead.

Plus if I can unload more junk at the neighborhood garage sale, there will be extra spending $ to take along.

 

[photoguy]

The more we consider other cities to live, the more we remember why we personally moved to where we did. Living in a compatible political climate was an important factor for us.

Thanks for posting the link. Political climate (and everything correlated with that) is an important factor for DW and I as well. Not surprisingly, everyplace we're considering is in the bottom half.

 

[Bamaman]

Thanks for posting the link. Political climate (and everything correlated with that) is an important factor for DW and I as well. Not surprisingly, everyplace we're considering is in the bottom half.

Too bad they don't have condo rocks. I've been thinking about crawling under one.

 

[haha]

Thanks for posting the link. Political climate (and everything correlated with that) is an important factor for DW and I as well. Not surprisingly, everyplace we're considering is in the bottom half.

What is the bottom half?

Ha

 

[daylatedollarshort]

What is the bottom half?

Ha

More liberal cities, at least relatively liberal within the U.S. Seattle is number 3 most liberal, after Washington which follows.... drumroll please.... San Francisco, topping our charts at #1.

 

[Mulligan]

More liberal cities, at least relatively liberal within the U.S. Seattle is number 3 most liberal, after Washington which follows.... drumroll please.... San Francisco, topping our charts at #1.

At least you have a list to choose from. Try finding a conservative/libertarian metro city. I imagine these lists are as general as real estate though. I noticed they listed St. Louis as a major liberal city. You can go just a few miles from the proper city core and be in Barry Goldwater country.


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[DEC-1982]

We plan to downsize either summer 2016 or summer 2017. We are just beginning to throw things out, once per weekend.

I am beginning to see many new building communities targeted to people age 55 and up. But they are not exactly cheap.

 

[photoguy]

More liberal cities, at least relatively liberal within the U.S.

Yes that is what I meant. Although I probably care less about the liberal part than some of the correlations (i.e., educated area, diversity, etc.).