Missouri, New Orleans, or Wherever

[REWahoo]

Springfield sounds so antithetical to NOLA that I wondered there wasn't a very natural element of over-compensation to what must have been a deeply unsettling trauma named Katrina (armchair psychologist here ).

Doc, you're suggesting she going from the Big Easy to the Small Hard? Or did I misunderstand you?

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Doc, you're suggesting she going from the Big Easy to the Small Hard? Or did I misunderstand you?

... too easy.

 

[Dawg52]

I have also lived in Meridian, MS back in the 1970's, which was a real eye-opener directly after Honolulu.

I doubt if Tupelo, MS would fit the bill. It's only 140 miles north of your eye-opening experience.

 

[W2R]

I doubt if Tupelo, MS would fit the bill. It's only 140 miles north of your eye-opening experience.

I know. Sorry if I offended, but that was 33 years ago and in some ways it was very different from Honolulu at that time (and probably closer to the "Real America" to which Rich was referring to, and I guess thinking that I was seeking to make acquaintance with). I really do believe that times have changed in Meridian (or else I have changed), but maybe not in Tupelo. According to Census 2000, Tupelo has a population of 34K (MUCH smaller than we were considering). Honestly, I don't see any huge advantages to Tupelo as an ER destination for the two of us, in comparison with Springfield.

In general, I am pretty sure that we have found the right small town for us given the criteria that I listed above. But nothing is final until it is final, for anyone.

 

[2soon2tell]

Want2Retire

I grew up in New Orleans during the 50's and moved away for the last time in 1977. You are making a wise decision to leave. The crime rate has been high forever and is getting worse according to what I read.
Couple the crime with a dysfunctional local government and you have a
not so nice retirement area.

Have you considered Fayettville, AR or Huntsville? I have heard good things about both cities.

2soon2tell

 

[dumpster56]

Its really nice here in southern wake county near Raleigh NC. Not too far from Chapel hill and Durham. Lots of stuff to do beaches 2 hrs away mtns 3 hours away. It works. Weather is good.

 

[haha]

Honestly, I don't see any huge advantages to Tupelo as an ER destination for the two of us, in comparison with Springfield.

You could be called "The Tupelo Honey"?

 

[Twinkle Toes]

DH and I have spent the last several years traveling, with an eye toward finding the perfect place to settle down. I'm convienced that it doesn't exist. There are places where we love to spend summers and other places where we like winters. Before we retired, we used to think we would settle in a cabin in the mountains. Well, it's too cold to stay there all year. I think work caused us to lust after the peace and quiet of a mountain cabin. Having had lots of time to reconsider, we decided we like the community of a city, maybe within walking distance to the store, library, gym, etc. We ruled TX out because of the misery index (for non-Texans, that's the combination of heat and humidity). Actually, we ruled out any where in "tornado alley", having spent most of our lives there! Southern AZ is great in the winter, but too hot in the summer. Guess we are just really picky people...or maybe we are just not ready to settle down yet.

Anyway, I just wanted to take my hat off to you for having your ducks in a row (mainly, at least) before you even retire. We've been looking for 12 years now and still can't decide!

 

[W2R]

Want2Retire

I grew up in New Orleans during the 50's and moved away for the last time in 1977. You are making a wise decision to leave. The crime rate has been high forever and is getting worse according to what I read.
Couple the crime with a dysfunctional local government and you have a
not so nice retirement area.

Have you considered Fayettville, AR or Huntsville? I have heard good things about both cities.

2soon2tell

Like Frank, you probably feel that that you didn't leave New Orleans... the New Orleans you grew up in left you. I never knew that New Orleans other than as a tourist, but the shadows of it are everywhere. As far as crime goes, it is many times worse since the storm, and nobody sane feels comfortable with that. Also, there is the "Sword of Damocles" effect of knowing that the canals/levees/pumps system is so badly damaged and not anywhere near repaired. Then the politicians are not helping. Oh, you forgot to mention Edwin Edwards' wonderful legacy with the nursing home situation here. Plus, living here is still hard for older people.

Yes, have considered both Fayetteville and Huntsville (see prior posts in this thread). Thanks for the suggestions.

Its really nice here in southern wake county near Raleigh NC. Not too far from Chapel hill and Durham. Lots of stuff to do beaches 2 hrs away mtns 3 hours away. It works. Weather is good.

See post #11, this thread, criterion #1. Too close to the Atlantic for us. But thanks anyway!

You could be called "The Tupelo Honey"?

Hmm! Nah, not worth it.

 

[dumpster56]

[quote=Want2retire;620205


See post #11, this thread, criterion #1. Too close to the Atlantic for us. But thanks anyway!


Chapel Hill is 165 miles to the atlantic coast, head a bit further west to greensboro and you are at 200 miles.

 

[W2R]

DH and I have spent the last several years traveling, with an eye toward finding the perfect place to settle down. I'm convienced that it doesn't exist.

Oh my, I would definitely say you are right about that. It always surprises me when people think one place or another is perfect. All places have their plusses and minuses, which each of us needs to evaluate within our own framework of selection criteria.

Guess we are just really picky people...or maybe we are just not ready to settle down yet.

Could it be that you are meant to be an RV'er, perhaps? Then you wouldn't have to choose and settle down anywhere yet.

Anyway, I just wanted to take my hat off to you for having your ducks in a row (mainly, at least) before you even retire. We've been looking for 12 years now and still can't decide!

Thanks. We don't feel we have much choice. Katrina was sort of a boot in the rear and forced us to at least start thinking about where we might be able to enjoy a reasonably peaceful, relatively safe retirement.

 

[W2R]

Chapel Hill is 165 miles to the atlantic coast, head a bit further west to greensboro and you are at 200 miles.

Now that I am at home with Streets and Trips, I can provide better numbers and can tell you that Huntsville is about 300 miles from the coast. That is the closest to the Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico that we care to consider.

Southern Wake county near Raleigh, which was your suggestion, is about 100-125 miles from the coast. That is not acceptable to us.

The other towns you just suggested do not meet our criteria either (listed in post #11). Neither does Asheville, which you hadn't got to, yet, but which people often suggest.

 

[dumpster56]

Now that I am at home with Streets and Trips, I can provide better numbers and can tell you that Huntsville is about 300 miles from the coast. That is the closest to the Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico that we care to consider.

Southern Wake county near Raleigh, which was your suggestion, is about 100-125 miles from the coast. That is not acceptable to us.

The other towns you just suggested do not meet our criteria either (listed in post #11). Neither does Asheville, which you hadn't got to, yet, but which people often suggest.

Tornados scare the begeezus out of me, Huntsville is in that area no?

 

[W2R]

Tornados scare the begeezus out of me, Huntsville is in that area no?

You are STILL not bothering to read post #11, criterion #1. Check it out! No need to repeat the same old stuff over and over. Also check the thread for the discussion on Huntsville. Do you know how to find the post numbers on a thread? Look on the upper right corner of the post, and on the blue bar you will see a #39 for this post. See? You learned something.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

DH and I have spent the last several years traveling, with an eye toward finding the perfect place to settle down. I'm convienced that it doesn't exist. There are places where we love to spend summers and other places where we like winters. Before we retired, we used to think we would settle in a cabin in the mountains. Well, it's too cold to stay there all year. I think work caused us to lust after the peace and quiet of a mountain cabin. Having had lots of time to reconsider, we decided we like the community of a city, maybe within walking distance to the store, library, gym, etc. We ruled TX out because of the misery index (for non-Texans, that's the combination of heat and humidity). Actually, we ruled out any where in "tornado alley", having spent most of our lives there! Southern AZ is great in the winter, but too hot in the summer. Guess we are just really picky people...or maybe we are just not ready to settle down yet.

Wise counsel. Makes RVing sound even better (especially, for us at least, with a home base some place you like in season).

 

[growing_older]

Oh I kind of like the image of the RV solution. You and Frank could be a convoy talking on the CB while you each drive your own. Lol. (I think there are some aspiring RV racers who might even want to join the fleet.)

 

[W2R]

Wise counsel. Makes RVing sound even better (especially, for us at least, with a home base some place you like in season).

For me, even a house at the base of the 17th St. Canal would be better than an RV because it's a house. But many others do enjoy RV'ing!

I am hoping for a new ER home with some stability and safety. Home base is a great name for it, though in my case I probably wouldn't travel too far away. Guess I am just a homebody at heart.

Oh I kind of like the image of the RV solution. You and Frank could be a convoy talking on the CB while you each drive your own. Lol. (I think there are some aspiring RV racers who might even want to join the fleet.)

Sorry to bust anyone's bubble, but I hate to travel! An RV life would be absolute h*ll for me. Sounds like something that TwinkleToes might like, though, since she and her DH have had such a hard time finding anywhere that they might like as an ER location. Frank and I haven't had any trouble finding a place we might like as an ER location, though I guess we haven't found a place that others on the board think is worthy of us. And also, we don't want to close our minds to other places until the time comes. Who knows? Life is so full of surprises.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Want2, I am fascinated that the hurricane would be such a strong influence to your leaving the coast. When Hugo hit here in 1989, I think many newer residents relocated away from the coast, but very few long-time folks left.
So I wondered....does NOLA get more hurricanes than us, statistically speaking?

How often New Orleans gets affected?
brushed or hit every 3.80 years

Average years between direct hurricane hits.(usually within 40 miles to include small hurricanes)
(11h)once every 12.45 years
How often Charleston gets affected?
brushed or hit every 4.42 years

Average years between direct hurricane hits.(usually within 40 miles to include small hurricanes)
(12h)once every 11.42 years

So it would seem that you do have a somewhat greater likelihood of a hit than us. I agree that crime would be a huge motivator to move, but I wouldn't be able to move that far away from the coast, even to get the novelty of some other weather catastrophe!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us; I am always interested in learning about these sorts of motivations for those who plan to relocate after retirement--and I surely recognize how hard it must be (especially for Frank) to contemplate moving.

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Having the chance to get my home flooded every 3.8 years would be enough for me. That is a pure pain the in the ass to rebuild. Plenty of places in the USA that meet my needs that I do not need to subject myself to those kinds of things. Then again I guess that depends on how much you love Orleans Cripes our vacation home in Tahoe almost burned down. Didnt really want to deal with that either during the big fire.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Notmuch, our house is built on pilings, not in a flood zone, and no big trees nearby--risk we'll take to live here. Like Want2, I wouldn't want to face the prospect of a flooded house--been there, did that! We had 5 1/2 feet of water in our home on Sullivans Island when Hugo came through in 1989. Plus the roof peeled up on the second floor. Not a single room left without damage--and that was back when no one had flood coverage! It sucked, I promise.

 

[W2R]

Want2, I am fascinated that the hurricane would be such a strong influence to your leaving the coast. When Hugo hit here in 1989, I think many newer residents relocated away from the coast, but very few long-time folks left.
So I wondered....does NOLA get more hurricanes than us, statistically speaking?

So it would seem that you do have a somewhat greater likelihood of a hit than us. I agree that crime would be a huge motivator to move, but I wouldn't be able to move that far away from the coast, even to get the novelty of some other weather catastrophe!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us; I am always interested in learning about these sorts of motivations for those who plan to relocate after retirement--and I surely recognize how hard it must be (especially for Frank) to contemplate moving.

Caroline, I have been through other hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes, not to mention post-tsunami devastation so basically Katrina was not "my first rodeo", as they say. It is not the difference in frequency of hurricanes here that is inspiring me to leave New Orleans. It is the fact that almost three years later, the city is still not a safe place to live. Perhaps what has confused you is that I have decided that the frequency of hurricanes in potential ER locations is going to be zero and that is simply because I have had enough.

My friends, co-workers, and other living here for the most part feel as I do and even those like Frank, whose family has been here for over 6 generations, are making their plans as well. What we have been through changes a person for life. Until you have "walked in my moccasins", as the Indians used to say, I wouldn't say things such as

I wouldn't be able to move that far away from the coast

. You don't know what you would be able to do until you must.

UncleMick seems to be doing just fine, and I'm sure I will manage to survive moving away just as well as he has. He was smart to get out when he did. I would have gone then too, but I have these golden handcuffs (retirement package, lifetime health coverage, by 2009)

 

[Sarah in SC]

Makes perfect sense to me in your situation. Thanks for the enlightenment! As I said it is all so interesting to see the motivations for ER moves and may well prepare me for that day if I must. Thanks again for your candor.

 

[W2R]

Makes perfect sense to me in your situation. Thanks for the enlightenment! As I said it is all so interesting to see the motivations for ER moves and may well prepare me for that day if I must. Thanks again for your candor.

Thanks. I guess what confuses the issue is that this move is not due to ER, but actually is just being delayed because ER hasn't happened yet, if that makes sense? So, it probably seems a little different since my motivations are a little different; I'm not looking for golf or nightlife or whatever, so much as simply a home.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

So, just how much of a selling price hit can you expect on your house? Sounds like it may be one of those sales where you just price it as low as you have to, take whatever you can get, and get on with your life. What's the selling price environment where you are?

By the way you house looks very nice in the picture you uploaded.

 

[W2R]

So, just how much of a selling price hit can you expect on your house? Sounds like it may be one of those sales where you just price it as low as you have to, take whatever you can get, and get on with your life. What's the selling price environment where you are?

By the way you house looks very nice in the picture you uploaded.

Thanks! I really do like it a lot. I guess everybody feels that way about their own house.

Right now, the market here is kind of crummy as it is in a lot of places, I suppose. The number of houses selling has gone way, way down, and that is the worst part of it. If mine were to sell today, I could probably get 90%-100% of what I could have got just prior to Katrina. 93% of the pre-Katrina value would seem fair to me. Like the situation LG4NB describes in Ft. Lauderdale, here houses are just sitting and not selling.

We are thinking that maybe the housing market here will improve by the time we retire (in late 2009). A second possibility is that prices could remain the same, and if so then I think we could probably sell and move on. There is always the third possibility, that prices could get much, much worse by that time. We don't expect that but we could always wait a year or two if we had to. So, we are in a pretty good position because we can sell or not at any given time.