What is your current or ideal retirement environment?
I'm currently in a medium city and was thinking that when I retire, I will be buying a condo in a resort type gated community in the blueridge mountains. DW and I always favor the mountains over the seas. For those of you who already retired or near retirement and planning your retirement location, I was wondering what the PROS and CONS are with these various environment. What is your paradise? Please share. I'll also do a survey of preference
1) Mountain Living- view of the mountains & forest, clean air, tons of nature trail, has some lakes and waterfalls, lots of outdoor activity (for hiking, climbing, kayaking, boating), maybe a little bit away from the city, maybe further from the airport.
2) Sea/Ocean Living - view of the ocean, sea air, boardwalks or miles of sand, seafood restaurants, maybe pack with tourist during summer, maybe high cost of insurance (hurricane prone). But you've got activities like fishing, boating, sea sports (surfing), running and walking on the beach in the morning or at night.
3) Big City Living - all the amenities of a big city, museums, art, fine dining, theater, top notch 5-star shopping stores, airport and train stations, high rise building, tons of people. (This could be New York, San Francisco, Chicago).
4) Medium Size City - a lot of urban amenities, not crowded like big cities and not much traffic, good quality of life and services like healthcare/hospital, shopping and malls. The best of both worlds (big city vs. rural towns)
5) Small/Rural City/Town/Farm - quiet small city or town with good amenities. Friendly people. May have some exclusive resort type community focusing on golf, lake fishing, but may not really have much activity. Cheap cost of living.
6) RV and Mobile Living - Nomad living everywhere in the USA. Traveling everywhere across inter-state. Exploring the beauty of various States and getting a taste of life in various areas - staying as long as you like in one area and moving on when you feel like its time to move on.
7) Foreign Living - Living retirement in a cheaper location (Asia/Latin America/cheaper Europe) or in more expensive location (Western Europe). Lots of travel and adventure in foreign places - learning new culture, new language, and new exotic things.
8) Others - Living in an Island? Living off the grid? Living in a Buddhist Monastery? I just want to live near my kid/kids - I don't have any preference except to be near them.
NOTE: I know we spend time in several of these places - mountain, ocean, abroad, or even RVing a month or two. But the real question is - which of these environment do you spend the "most time". If you spend 60% of your time near the Ocean, and 30% in the city, and 10% abroad, then your choice should be 'Ocean'. Thanks!
I'm currently in a medium city and was thinking that when I retire, I will be buying a condo in a resort type gated community in the blueridge mountains. DW and I always favor the mountains over the seas. For those of you who already retired or near retirement and planning your retirement location, I was wondering what the PROS and CONS are with these various environment. What is your paradise? Please share. I'll also do a survey of preference
1) Mountain Living- view of the mountains & forest, clean air, tons of nature trail, has some lakes and waterfalls, lots of outdoor activity (for hiking, climbing, kayaking, boating), maybe a little bit away from the city, maybe further from the airport.
2) Sea/Ocean Living - view of the ocean, sea air, boardwalks or miles of sand, seafood restaurants, maybe pack with tourist during summer, maybe high cost of insurance (hurricane prone). But you've got activities like fishing, boating, sea sports (surfing), running and walking on the beach in the morning or at night.
3) Big City Living - all the amenities of a big city, museums, art, fine dining, theater, top notch 5-star shopping stores, airport and train stations, high rise building, tons of people. (This could be New York, San Francisco, Chicago).
4) Medium Size City - a lot of urban amenities, not crowded like big cities and not much traffic, good quality of life and services like healthcare/hospital, shopping and malls. The best of both worlds (big city vs. rural towns)
5) Small/Rural City/Town/Farm - quiet small city or town with good amenities. Friendly people. May have some exclusive resort type community focusing on golf, lake fishing, but may not really have much activity. Cheap cost of living.
6) RV and Mobile Living - Nomad living everywhere in the USA. Traveling everywhere across inter-state. Exploring the beauty of various States and getting a taste of life in various areas - staying as long as you like in one area and moving on when you feel like its time to move on.
7) Foreign Living - Living retirement in a cheaper location (Asia/Latin America/cheaper Europe) or in more expensive location (Western Europe). Lots of travel and adventure in foreign places - learning new culture, new language, and new exotic things.
8) Others - Living in an Island? Living off the grid? Living in a Buddhist Monastery? I just want to live near my kid/kids - I don't have any preference except to be near them.
NOTE: I know we spend time in several of these places - mountain, ocean, abroad, or even RVing a month or two. But the real question is - which of these environment do you spend the "most time". If you spend 60% of your time near the Ocean, and 30% in the city, and 10% abroad, then your choice should be 'Ocean'. Thanks!
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