Did you relocate after FIRE?

[Teacher Terry]

Yes if we left where we are it would be too extra to move back also. I have moved so much that I am happy to have roots and long term friendships.

 

[bbbamI]

No...not yet...

Megacorp relocated us to Texas 25 years ago. I just knew they'd transfer us back to Missouri after a few years, but that didn't happen. We've both been retired for ten years now. We get in a tizzy on occasion wanting to move elsewhere, but keep running out of steam. Like with most, relocating somewhere else is a huge undertaking.

For now, we'll stay where we are and travel more.

 

[RobbieB]

Nope.

 

[MuirWannabe]

No...not yet...

Megacorp relocated us to Texas 25 years ago. I just knew they'd transfer us back to Missouri after a few years, but that didn't happen. We've both been retired for ten years now. We get in a tizzy on occasion wanting to move elsewhere, but keep running out of steam. Like with most, relocating somewhere else is a huge undertaking.

For now, we'll stay where we are and travel more.

Think we can call you a legitimate Texan after all these years. Despite all the horrors of living in Texas (see Rewahoo’s list), would you really want to live anywhere else?

 

[bbbamI]

Think we can call you a legitimate Texan after all these years. Despite all the horrors of living in Texas (see Rewahoo’s list), would you really want to live anywhere else?

Oh...I wish I had read Rewahoo's list right away... For example, when we first moved here, I noticed the cutest little red ant on my arm. Before I knew it, several more joined.




Texas is a nice state (after you learn what to avoid), but it doesn't feel like home.

 

[cyber888]

Yes we did. Very happy too. It did take us ten years of looking to find what we wanted.

Our taxes are 33% of what we paid in the midwest and we absolutely love the climate and all the outdoor activities. We're in a remote area, that's not for everyone, but we love it. There are several million acres of nothing, some of it starts behind our house.

I've watched DW catch her first trout. She was talking to a mule deer she thought was a statue, it was 10' away from her. We've hiked to some incredible falls and rivers. Some are world class fishing. I watched a mountain lion walking through the neighborhood. Fox, bear, coyotes, elk, eagles, herons, and deer are frequent visitors in the area. To me this is paradise.

Next year there are some catch and release rivers I'm going to hit. This is one I plan on fishing.View attachment 30602

Nice where i that area, i yo on mind sharing

 

[Camas Lilly]

When we left MO for a dryer, cooler climate a guy promised me I'd miss the humidity. Been three years, still hasn't happened.

I also don't miss paying as much for AC as heat. We have AC, I turn it on at least once a year to make sure it's working.

Not being from MO, I know what it is like to be out west, so no surprises there although I haven't actually ever had permanent residence in the state of Idaho, I have been going there as a kid, so know what to expect. There is a friend of ours up there who is from the St. Louis area and repeatedly says "I'll never go back! I do not miss that humidity at all. It's awful." Cowboy - spends a lot of time outdoors riding the open range.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I don’t miss the humidity, extreme cold and the bugs.

 

[MarieIG]

Yeah- well the issue will be what will we have left to use to buy something else?


Our home- we put 100's of thousands of dollars into it over the past 31 years. It cost us $208,000 in 1987 and has now only a market value of $266,000 supposedly. Maybe we could get $300,000, but I doubt it- who knows. Out of that has to come realtor and atty fees and all the other stuff. Lord knows what else the buyers or inspector might want us to do. We eve are considering trying to sell it ourselves but it might be too much to take on. Not sure.


10.5 wooded acres with a drive-over bridge and brook that runs through the property. Stone walls throughout the land. House set back 700 feet in- driveway paved (we had it paved twice). Whole house generator and central air we put in. Kitchen and 3 bathrooms remodeled in the past few years. Walk in food pantry or closet. Steam shower we put in master bathroom. Ceiling fans in most of the rooms. 50 year architecture shingle roof put on about 9 years ago. Fireplace and Vermont Castings catalytic porcelain wood stove - which is a replacement for the one we originally put in. All wood floors except the 2 bedrooms. An upstairs bonus room (dormer) with giant skylights. A full length, ground level deck and a screened in side porch. A huge dog pen attached to the back of the garage with a doggy door into the garage. Oil heat and well water. and septic. New hot water tank and water filter put in this week for our 10 year old system 2000 boiler. Very clean and neat home. Lots of windows and views of nature everywhere. (no other homes within view). State forest with trails and hunting down the road. Major fishing kill close by. 6 miles from the highway and 6 miles to town and 2 miles to a small hamlet and 6 miles to a larger hamlet. 15 miles to a city that has everything USA.



That's the gist of it. So what should we sell it for? Not going to give it away- that we know.

It sounds like our dream home; except the high taxes you mentioned earlier would make it a no go.

 

[DeborahB]

Yeah- well the issue will be what will we have left to use to buy something else?


Our home- we put 100's of thousands of dollars into it over the past 31 years. It cost us $208,000 in 1987 and has now only a market value of $266,000 supposedly. Maybe we could get $300,000, but I doubt it- who knows. Out of that has to come realtor and atty fees and all the other stuff. Lord knows what else the buyers or inspector might want us to do. We eve are considering trying to sell it ourselves but it might be too much to take on. Not sure.


10.5 wooded acres with a drive-over bridge and brook that runs through the property. Stone walls throughout the land. House set back 700 feet in- driveway paved (we had it paved twice). Whole house generator and central air we put in. Kitchen and 3 bathrooms remodeled in the past few years. Walk in food pantry or closet. Steam shower we put in master bathroom. Ceiling fans in most of the rooms. 50 year architecture shingle roof put on about 9 years ago. Fireplace and Vermont Castings catalytic porcelain wood stove - which is a replacement for the one we originally put in. All wood floors except the 2 bedrooms. An upstairs bonus room (dormer) with giant skylights. A full length, ground level deck and a screened in side porch. A huge dog pen attached to the back of the garage with a doggy door into the garage. Oil heat and well water. and septic. New hot water tank and water filter put in this week for our 10 year old system 2000 boiler. Very clean and neat home. Lots of windows and views of nature everywhere. (no other homes within view). State forest with trails and hunting down the road. Major fishing kill close by. 6 miles from the highway and 6 miles to town and 2 miles to a small hamlet and 6 miles to a larger hamlet. 15 miles to a city that has everything USA.

That's the gist of it. So what should we sell it for? Not going to give it away- that we know.

Is what you did to it out of line for the area? Are other houses less fixed up? I think if you have to sell, and you’re sure $300K is all you can get, that will in no way recoup your costs. But... if you don’t think of it as an investment... you’ve had the pleasure of living in a house you loved. You can sell it for whatever and just have good memories of your time there. If you put all of that money into it with the idea of getting it back, it sounds like it will take a long time.

 

[meleana]

Is what you did to it out of line for the area? Are other houses less fixed up? I think if you have to sell, and you’re sure $300K is all you can get, that will in no way recoup your costs. But... if you don’t think of it as an investment... you’ve had the pleasure of living in a house you loved. You can sell it for whatever and just have good memories of your time there. If you put all of that money into it with the idea of getting it back, it sounds like it will take a long time.

A long time? We have lived here 31 years already! When would it ever appreciate if not by now? LOL!


No- the work we did is not out of line. Here there is a mishmash of different types of homes- some modest and some McMansions. I don't even think we will get $300,000 because a lot of the newer bigger homes are going for that or a bit over that. But I can only hope/



I don't think of it as an investment per se but I do think of it's sale price as the only way we will be able to buy something else and everything else that we see where we want to move is going for $350,000 plus. Unless we want to go backwards and live in a stuck in the 80's worn out place with no updates or a trailer or a tent..

 

[timo2]

I just saw this article that may be pertinent to this discussion. One of my brothers did move from Chicago to St. Louis upon retirement, and that matches a couple data points on this map. My recent move only shows up leaving Denver, not my destination city. " How migration of millennials and seniors has shifted since the Great Recession" https://www.brookings.edu/research/how-migration-of-millennials-and-seniors-has-shifted-since-the-great-recession/?utm_campaign=Brookings%20Brief&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=69499878

 

[Joggernot]

When I was last laid off, we realized we could live anywhere. So DW started looking and found Rockport, TX near the ocean with fishing and good seafood along with many things to do all year long. We haven't regretted the effort of making the move.

 

[Koolau]

Shortly after ER, we moved from the midwest to Honolulu. It's much more expensive in total though there are bright spots (lower "sales tax", RE tax and effective state income tax.) We're very happy with the move. We also admit that there is no perfect place on the planet so YMMV.

 

[Shabby]

from Alabama to the French Alps.

That is so incredibly bad ass I can hardly stand it. Congrats!

 

[Shabby]

10.5 wooded acres with a drive-over bridge and brook that runs through the property. Stone walls throughout the land. House set back 700 feet in- driveway paved (we had it paved twice). Whole house generator and central air we put in. Major fishing kill close by. 6 miles from the highway and 6 miles to town and 2 miles to a small hamlet and 6 miles to a larger hamlet. 15 miles to a city that has everything USA.

And 2 hours from Cooperstown, one of the most magical places here in the US. I love the area you are in and grew up in upstate NY. The challenge is those winters. Your house sounds like a dream home to me.

 

[Teacher Terry]

My husband is gone for 2 weeks and I fell and broke my right wrist. My friends are taking turns coming over every day to help as I have 4 dogs. It got me thinking about leaving this type of support would be hard.

 

[W2R]

My husband is gone for 2 weeks and I fell and broke my right wrist. My friends are taking turns coming over every day to help as I have 4 dogs. It got me thinking about leaving this type of support would be hard.

Oh my!!! I hope your wrist is heals quickly. Sounds very painful. Good thing you have friends nearby to take care of you while your DH is gone.

 

[Sunset]

Yeah- well the issue will be what will we have left to use to buy something else?


Our home- we put 100's of thousands of dollars into it over the past 31 years. It cost us $208,000 in 1987 and has now only a market value of $266,000 supposedly. Maybe we could get $300,000, but I doubt it- who knows. Out of that has to come realtor and atty fees and all the other stuff. Lord knows what else the buyers or inspector might want us to do. We eve are considering trying to sell it ourselves but it might be too much to take on. Not sure.


10.5 wooded acres with a drive-over bridge and brook that runs through the property. Stone walls throughout the land. House set back 700 feet in- driveway paved (we had it paved twice). Whole house generator and central air we put in. Kitchen and 3 bathrooms remodeled in the past few years. Walk in food pantry or closet. Steam shower we put in master bathroom. Ceiling fans in most of the rooms. 50 year architecture shingle roof put on about 9 years ago. Fireplace and Vermont Castings catalytic porcelain wood stove - which is a replacement for the one we originally put in. All wood floors except the 2 bedrooms. An upstairs bonus room (dormer) with giant skylights. A full length, ground level deck and a screened in side porch. A huge dog pen attached to the back of the garage with a doggy door into the garage. Oil heat and well water. and septic. New hot water tank and water filter put in this week for our 10 year old system 2000 boiler. Very clean and neat home. Lots of windows and views of nature everywhere. (no other homes within view). State forest with trails and hunting down the road. Major fishing kill close by. 6 miles from the highway and 6 miles to town and 2 miles to a small hamlet and 6 miles to a larger hamlet. 15 miles to a city that has everything USA.

That's the gist of it. So what should we sell it for? Not going to give it away- that we know.

Your place sounds very very nice.
Honestly you might just be an enthusiastic person, or a little panicked, it's hard to tell.
Regardless, I'm glad you realized country homes often take a long time to sell and it could be on the market for a year or two.
You can still live in it when it's on the market, so it doesn't cost extra that way.

Where you want to move to, are you sure your child will be staying there, a terrible thing I've heard happening sometimes (not to cause more worries) is a person moves to be close to the children/grandchildren, and a couple of years later due to job change, the children are gone, and so is the reason to be there.

Where would you want to move to, if the child said they were looking for a job in other States ?

Have you looked at your house on Zillow (as a rough estimate), and compared it to others you know have sold around you? . You can invite realtors to come and give you a comparative estimate of the house, even if you are not listing immediately. Just tell them you are thinking about selling, so just want to get an idea. They will be happy to do it, as even if it's a couple of years from now, when/if you decide to use an agent, it's just natural you will pick someone you already know.

 

[Rosie]

It takes me longer to drive 35 miles from Pleasanton to Palo Alto than it takes to drive 100 miles from Auburn to Reno.

Commuting from Pleasanton to Palo Alto?!? Oh my gosh you poor man.

Interesting thread.

DH & I relocated from the Bay Area to Folsom (NE Sac county) a couple of years after we FIREd. We love it up here. Many people we know around here are considering relocating to the Reno or the Minden/Gardnerville NV areas when they retire. From the posts here, I can see why.

 

[WestUniversity]

Not yet. Just retired in December. Our 3-5 year plan involves moving to a smaller town...

 

[MichaelL]

Commuting from Pleasanton to Palo Alto?!? Oh my gosh you poor man.

Interesting thread.

DH & I relocated from the Bay Area to Folsom (NE Sac county) a couple of years after we FIREd. We love it up here. Many people we know around here are considering relocating to the Reno or the Minden/Gardnerville NV areas when they retire. From the posts here, I can see why.

Fortunately I only go 1 or 2 days a week. I'm working part time while I wait for my condo in Reno to get built.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Minden/G are more rural and very small.