Final retirement area

[Badger]

I too am in the PNW and my once sleepy town is now booming huge. I have adjusted fine to the boom part and the massive influx of people to the area and the challenges it presents. For me what really makes a enjoyable place is the people. As long as it’s safe and I live under a roof where I don’t get wet when it rains I am fine.

What makes me sad is the way people treat each other around here now. Arrogant, rich, and entitled. I’ve done reasonably well money wise and I was able to retire early because of it. Does that give me license to behave badly? I think not.

The beauty of USA is that for the most part you can choose to live wherever you like. You are more than welcome here. However, kindly check your attitude at the city limits sign.

+1
I live about as far away from the PNW as you can get and it doesn't sound much different than what you describe. There has been an increase in those that behave badly in the past couple of decades and no relief in sight. "Mayberry" has become an increasingly difficult place to find.


Cheers!

 

[Dtail]

+1
I live about as far away from the PNW as you can get and it doesn't sound much different than what you describe. There has been an increase in those that behave badly in the past couple of decades and no relief in sight. "Mayberry" has become an increasingly difficult place to find.


Cheers!

A lot of former "Mayberry" towns seem to now have drug issues stemming from lack of local job opportunities.

 

[werdone]

Laid off last month (we knew it was coming). We are traveling in an RV since last fall. One of the reasons was to explore areas to retire to. You get a much better picture when you live in an area for more than the "vacation week". Also gives you a chance to make friends with local folks to get the real scoop about the area. Have not found "the one" but have ruled out a few.

 

[ychuck46]

Plateau living is the life for me, land spreading out ...

With apologies to the old "Green Acres" TV show. My wife was already retired when we moved from NY to TN nine years ago; I joined her for the last five years. We purposely moved here knowing it would be a retirement home and we have never regretted our decision. Beautiful state (we are on the Cumberland Plateau with four seasons and nothing extreme), low COL, and if you get out of the big cities, a very conservative area [ mod edit ]. We felt God wanted us to be here and we have been very thankful for that direction for nine years and counting.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Rob, summer is definitely hotter than 22 years ago when I moved here. When we go to a afternoon festival 90 minutes outside is all I can take.

 

[jcgc50]

Still looking! Moved constantly all my life and didn't have a home state to go to when I retired so I went with 'warm, beautiful, scuba diving friendly, tax-friendly, with big city nearby' and ended up in Hawaii. HOA fees went out of control so now I'm selling and pondering where to try next. Since I'm not crazy about condos, and houses on Oahu are a bit out of my price range, I may rent in Florida for a while and see if I can get to like the place. It's only lacking the 'beautiful' part...

If you like bugs and humidity you will enjoy Florida. Then there are the evacuations for hurricanes. You are probably used to humidity though. Seriously though, if you live in a city the bugs are usually controlled. We lived in a suburb across the street from the guy that ran the mosquito control program for the county and still had bug problems. This was in the Florida panhandle.

 

[Dtail]

If you like bugs and humidity you will enjoy Florida. Then there are the evacuations for hurricanes. You are probably used to humidity though. Seriously though, if you live in a city the bugs are usually controlled. We lived in a suburb across the street from the guy that ran the mosquito control program for the county and still had bug problems. This was in the Florida panhandle.

Some large cities have ahem some nastier issues than bugs; called rats.

 

[BeachOrCity]

Some large cities have ahem some nastier issues than bugs; called rats.

We just had the city put rat poison in 34 rat holes along the alley behind our house! Atleast we get something for our high taxes!!!

 

[Bamaman]

Most of the comments seem to separate people into two different groups. Some people couldn't wait to leave to their dream location as soon as they retired and others had built a "home base" among friends and family over the years and had no intention of leaving...other than the usual winter getaways and vacations.

I agree wholeheartedly about the above statement. For so many, home is home--no matter how good a place it is to live. Staying in a familiar place makes so many people feel comfortable, and it's even better if they have family and close friends there.

My parents moved 120 miles after retirement back to the communities where they were raised. We followed when it was obvious my job was going to be "downsiized: and fortunately this is an ultra LCOL place, especially in housing.

We have our granddaughter 100% of the time and a grandson every other weekend which keeps us in close proximity. The other cities within 2 hours away are just so expensive that moving would lower out standard of living substantially.

 

[Kim451]

If you like bugs and humidity you will enjoy Florida. Then there are the evacuations for hurricanes. You are probably used to humidity though..

Not so much! I just spent two weeks in FL looking at 55+ communities - the humidity was nasty! Back in Honolulu now and appreciating the cooler weather (DC was 100+ when I was there) and trade winds. I may have to see if I can just buy another condo here...

 

[Badger]

Looking to retire in Fl? Consider there are only 2 major roads going north out of the state when hurricanes are on the way - I-95 and I-75. If you paid attention to the news reports of all the people "bugging out" over the years you would have seen miles of cars at a stand still on the highway. It was especially bad for anyone living from Orlando and south. Some people even had to ride out the hurricane in their cars the interstates were so crowded. I-10 going west was no better.



Cheers!

 

[Dtail]

Looking to retire in Fl? Consider there are only 2 major roads going north out of the state when hurricanes are on the way - I-95 and I-75. If you paid attention to the news reports of all the people "bugging out" over the years you would have seen miles of cars at a stand still on the highway. It was especially bad for anyone living from Orlando and south. Some people even had to ride out the hurricane in their cars the interstates were so crowded. I-10 going west was no better.



Cheers!

There are alternative decisions.
With Hurricane Irma, we stayed in a local school, which is one story concrete built to survive a Category 4 level.
Additionally not every area especially inland, is typically exposed to the hurricane winds to the same degree as the coastline.

 

[dm]

Looking to retire in Fl? Consider there are only 2 major roads going north out of the state when hurricanes are on the way - I-95 and I-75. If you paid attention to the news reports of all the people "bugging out" over the years you would have seen miles of cars at a stand still on the highway. It was especially bad for anyone living from Orlando and south. Some people even had to ride out the hurricane in their cars the interstates were so crowded. I-10 going west was no better.



Cheers!

When Irma was heading our way we decided it was a good time for a little vacation. The ones that were stuck in traffic were the ones that waited till the last minute to leave. We had no damage to the house that wasn’t self inflicted, but figured why take the chance.

We actually flew out, but it seems that many of our friends that we offered to take with us and declined, are much more worried about their stuff. I have insurance and too much stuff as it is.

 

[Kim451]

I was thinking Naples, Sarasota/Bradenton or St Petersburg. I love the Keys but home prices are too high for me, flood insurance is outrageous, evacuations on a single 2-lane road happen, and storms are expected to get worse... Nice place to visit though!

 

[Badger]

There are alternative decisions.
With Hurricane Irma, we stayed in a local school, which is one story concrete built to survive a Category 4 level.
Additionally not every area especially inland, is typically exposed to the hurricane winds to the same degree as the coastline.

Glad you came out safely. Not every hurricane is the same. I have been through many hurricanes and typhoons (Pacific) and you have to consider the aftermath of no water, no electricity, and the scarcity of food as well.
There have also been quite a few in the past few decades that went across Florida from the Gulf to the Atlantic Ocean.
Here are some pictures and text of Hurricane Irma. You were lucky. https://www.thebalance.com/hurricane-irma-facts-timeline-damage-costs-4150395

Here are some pictures of what Hurricane Andrew did in 1992. https://weather.com/news/news/remember-what-hurricane-andrew-did-to-soflo



Cheers!

 

[Dtail]

Glad you came out safely. Not every hurricane is the same. I have been through many hurricanes and typhoons (Pacific) and you have to consider the aftermath of no water, no electricity, and the scarcity of food as well.
There have also been quite a few in the past few decades that went across Florida from the Gulf to the Atlantic Ocean.
Here are some pictures and text of Hurricane Irma. You were lucky. https://www.thebalance.com/hurricane-irma-facts-timeline-damage-costs-4150395

Here are some pictures of what Hurricane Andrew did in 1992. https://weather.com/news/news/remember-what-hurricane-andrew-did-to-soflo


Cheers!

Well so far, I was working 10 blocks away when 9/11 happened.
Lived by the Hudson River when Sandy struck and then Irma 2 weeks after I moved down.
Maybe 9 lives or I am attracting them to me.

 

[RobLJ]

Laid off last month (we knew it was coming). We are traveling in an RV since last fall. One of the reasons was to explore areas to retire to. You get a much better picture when you live in an area for more than the "vacation week". Also gives you a chance to make friends with local folks to get the real scoop about the area. Have not found "the one" but have ruled out a few.

I've been a bit busy and missed your response, but the research/data is clear that Reno is among the cities most affected by rising temps. The snow line used to be at Galena 15 years ago and now is 1000 feet higher.

It may well be that when I'm 80/85 and can no longer ski is when the ski resorts will finally go belly up (except maybe for Squaw Valley).
I'm not sure about the pine forests in the Sierras, though, which--when/if gone--will be a sad, sad, sad day. Or at least it makes me sad.

 

[Teacher Terry]

My husband tried to hike MT. Rose a week ago and had to turn around pretty quick because the snow was so deep.

 

[PawPrint53]

We bought what we thought was our forever home in the Willamette valley in Oregon. Ended up back in the intermountain west because of a variety of reasons. Now we just beat that desert heat by going to Bellingham WA in the hottest part of the summer. The winter, well, it's okay, but Tucson might be nice.

 

[PartIrish]

Rob, summer is definitely hotter than 22 years ago when I moved here. When we go to a afternoon festival 90 minutes outside is all I can take.

Teacher Terry, Reno made my short list, but then I researched the number of days over 90 degrees each year and was surprised that it was >50. My ideal temp range is 55 - 75, and after spending decades baking in the desert southwest, even 90 degrees is now too hot for me.

The proximity to Lake Tahoe is certainly a plus, however.

 

[Souschef]

Still looking! Moved constantly all my life and didn't have a home state to go to when I retired so I went with 'warm, beautiful, scuba diving friendly, tax-friendly, with big city nearby' and ended up in Hawaii. HOA fees went out of control so now I'm selling and pondering where to try next. Since I'm not crazy about condos, and houses on Oahu are a bit out of my price range, I may rent in Florida for a while and see if I can get to like the place. It's only lacking the 'beautiful' part...

Kim, why travel an extra 3000 miles? Come to Ventura County, the best kept secret in Southern California. We live in a +55 MHP. The new homes got for about 220K, older ones less. Space rent is in the $500's and we have rent control.

 

[cyber888]

Im looking at Mountain homes with a view like this pic here. 2,079 sq.ft but this cost $780,000 ... overpriced. Anyone know where I can find one for $300k - $400k

 

[Teacher Terry]

Part, it has gotten hotter in 22 years but really a mild 4 seasons. The last 4 days we didn’t use the air and I am a sissy.

 

[Mark1]

Im looking at Mountain homes with a view like this pic here. 2,079 sq.ft but this cost $780,000 ... overpriced. Anyone know where I can find one for $300k - $400k View attachment 32392

To meet this requirement, I would recommend that you look at more remote locations. For example, in my area of western CO the further you get "outside of town", the less expensive houses become. I suspect it is due to the limited number of folks willing to live so remote which drives down the sale price and not necessarily the original construction cost, etc. Not sure how remote you are willing to live, but for DW and myself we wanted to be closer to friends, shopping, medical care, etc.

 

[MRG]

Try 2010.

Im looking at Mountain homes with a view like this pic here. 2,079 sq.ft but this cost $780,000 ... overpriced. Anyone know where I can find one for $300k - $400k View attachment 32392