Culture
Recycles dryer sheets
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2007
- Messages
- 491
After 25 years of saving, my wife and I are starting our search for a retirement home (we are shutting down our business in 1.0 to 2.0 years). We are finding it much more difficult than we expected, possibly because this will only be the second home we have ever purchased. What lessons have you learned from purchasing a retirement home, both positive (we did this right) and negative (we did this wrong)? We are stuck on the normal issues, but I am sure there are others were have not even though about:
What is your lesson? Please no comments regarding HOAs (pro or con), that just seems to cause problems.
Thanks!
- Do we stay near family, if we do, does this mean in the same county or same state?
- New or used?
- Big, medium or small?
- If new, tract or custom?
- If used, remodeled or do-it-ourselves?
- Pool or no pool?
- Urban or suburban or rural?
- Acreage, normal lot or zero lot-line?
- On the fringes of the greater Houston area (25-35 miles to the city center).
- Large lot but not acreage (0.5 to 1.0 acres). I want a three car garage, separate shop building (600-1200 SF) and on-site RV storage, and that is the only way I can get these items.
- 2500-3000 SF. I would guess the average Houston residence is 2000 to 2250 SF in size.
- $300,000 - $400,000 budget, about double the average house cost in Houston.
- We are agnostic to new or used and are hoping looking at used homes will help us make a decision on this issue.
What is your lesson? Please no comments regarding HOAs (pro or con), that just seems to cause problems.
Thanks!