Where to retire

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rayinpenn

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Visited relatives in Sarasota recently beautiful, nice weather but pretty crowded. (The mrs inherited with her sisters a nice 2 bedroom townhouse in a gated community) The traffic was pretty terrible too (it was Easter so maybe that was some of it) it got my to thinking about where to retire?

My wish list...
1) I really don't want too much congestion. But 30 min to Home Depot max.
2) We've had it with New England winters - even here in southern Pennsylvania gloomy gray skies for 3 months and 2 degrees - no thank you.
3) single story living
4) love to fish fresh or salt
5) love growing lettuce, tomatoes etc. but I could do it in pots I'm easy
6) hills NC - cool nights? A touch of winter?
7) buy out the relatives and do the summer/winter migration?

So what are/were your priorities? Any suggestions as to where?
As I write this the mrs and I are on our deck enjoying an warm spring morning .. We both are outside when We can be.





Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum
 
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Isn't it very crowded pretty much everywhere that the weather is beautiful year round?
 
I love the 'max 30 minutes to Home Depot'. Definitely this is on my list!
 
utrecht said:
Isn't it very crowded pretty much everywhere that the weather is beautiful year round?
Click to expand...

+1 I think that's the hard reality. One thing DW and I do to avoid the "crowds" at our favorite bike path is get there early in the morning.
 
rayinpenn said:
Visited relatives in Sarasota recently beautiful, nice weather but pretty crowded. The traffic was pretty terrible too (it was Easter so maybe that was some of it) it got my to thinking about where to retire?

My wish list...
1) I really don't want too much congestion. But 30 min to Home Depot max.
2) We've had it with New England winters - even here in southern Pennsylvania gloomy gray skies for 3 months and 2 degrees - no thank you.
3) single story living
4) love to fish fresh or salt
5) love growing lettuce, tomatoes etc. but I could do it in pots I'm easy
6) hills NC - cool nights? A touch of winter?

So what are/were your priorities? Any suggestions as to where?
As I write this the mrs and I are on our deck enjoying an warm spring morning .. We both are outside when We can be.





Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum
Click to expand...
I say Carlsbad, CA despite its high cost of housing. Traffic within the city is not bad but traveling to LA or San Diego could be congested during the commute hours. The weather is normally sunny, warm, cool at nights. The beaches along the Southern Cal coast are beautiful. Don't know much about fishing in that area but deep sea fishing should be available. There are some downsides: drought, high cost of housing, traffic (to the big cities, e.g., LA, San Diego), high taxes.

One more thing that I would consider is health care. I heard that cities in Orange County, e.g., San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Irvine have better health care than those in the San Diego county. These coastal cities in Orange County are worth considering also.
 
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Don't come to NC. It is terrible here.
 
rayinpenn said:
Visited relatives in Sarasota recently beautiful, nice weather but pretty crowded. (The mrs inherited with her sisters a nice 2 bedroom townhouse in a gated community) The traffic was pretty terrible too (it was Easter so maybe that was some of it) it got my to thinking about where to retire?

My wish list...
1) I really don't want too much congestion. But 30 min to Home Depot max.
2) We've had it with New England winters - even here in southern Pennsylvania gloomy gray skies for 3 months and 2 degrees - no thank you.
3) single story living
4) love to fish fresh or salt
5) love growing lettuce, tomatoes etc. but I could do it in pots I'm easy
6) hills NC - cool nights? A touch of winter?
7) buy out the relatives and do the summer/winter migration?

So what are/were your priorities? Any suggestions as to where?
As I write this the mrs and I are on our deck enjoying an warm spring morning .. We both are outside when We can be.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum
Click to expand...

Should no state tax be on the list?
We plan to do extensive travel in our retirement, so we may actually rent for a while after retirement.
 
Do you speak Spanish? There are some very nice places South of the Border. The infrastructure may not be what we are used to, but living in a Honduran condo with a balcony that overlooks the Ocean does sound awesome. Especially if you just do it part of the year.
 
rayinpenn said:
Visited relatives in Sarasota recently beautiful, nice weather but pretty crowded. (The mrs inherited with her sisters a nice 2 bedroom townhouse in a gated community) The traffic was pretty terrible too (it was Easter so maybe that was some of it) it got my to thinking about where to retire?

My wish list...
1) I really don't want too much congestion. But 30 min to Home Depot max. It's not very congested here in suburban New Orleans, at all. I do avoid driving much from 4-5 PM although it really isn't very bad. Five minutes to either Home Depot or Lowe's from my house.
2) We've had it with New England winters - even here in southern Pennsylvania gloomy gray skies for 3 months and 2 degrees - no thank you. Winter is a welcome respite from summertime here. We almost never have snow or ice.
3) single story living Most houses in my suburb (including mine) are single story.
4) love to fish fresh or salt You could do both, here. Louisiana prides itself on being the "Sportsman's Paradise", and fishing is the main sport here. Plus, we have a thriving commercial fishing industry.
5) love growing lettuce, tomatoes etc. but I could do it in pots I'm easy Everything grows like crazy here due to the subtropical climate and rainfall. Local Creole tomatoes are some of the best I have ever tasted.
6) hills NC - cool nights? A touch of winter? It is cool here from about December to March and we welcome it. Some years I even turn on the central heat. :LOL:
7) buy out the relatives and do the summer/winter migration? I can't understand why anybody would be a snowbird, although many love it. Twice the cost, three times the hassle. To me it is much nicer to make up my mind about where I want to live, and then settle in. Each to his own.

So what are/were your priorities? Any suggestions as to where?
As I write this the mrs and I are on our deck enjoying an warm spring morning .. We both are outside when We can be.
Click to expand...

Oh! You are making me feel great about our current location here in New Orleans. I added my comments in blue within the quote of your post, above.

My priorities would certainly include crime, which to me is the biggest disadvantage of living in New Orleans. If it gets any worse, we still might move away even though we love this area. Hurricanes are a disadvantage here too, but one I have begrudgingly decided I can bear. Insurance is high here, which kind of absorbs all the savings from our outstandingly low property taxes.

I think anyplace might have seemed crowded over Easter. Here, it always seems more crowded over Mardi Gras or when a Saints game is going on (due to all the football parties that people have here).
 
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rayinpenn said:
Visited relatives in Sarasota recently beautiful, nice weather but pretty crowded. (The mrs inherited with her sisters a nice 2 bedroom townhouse in a gated community) The traffic was pretty terrible too (it was Easter so maybe that was some of it) it got my to thinking about where to retire?

My wish list...
1) I really don't want too much congestion. But 30 min to Home Depot max.
2) We've had it with New England winters - even here in southern Pennsylvania gloomy gray skies for 3 months and 2 degrees - no thank you.
3) single story living
4) love to fish fresh or salt
5) love growing lettuce, tomatoes etc. but I could do it in pots I'm easy
6) hills NC - cool nights? A touch of winter?
7) buy out the relatives and do the summer/winter migration?

So what are/were your priorities? Any suggestions as to where?
As I write this the mrs and I are on our deck enjoying an warm spring morning .. We both are outside when We can be.
Click to expand...

I've been in the Ft. Lauderdale area for 16 years and started looking for a place to finish raising my kids. I agree on Sarasota - in addition to the traffic near the beach, it's not cheap (unless you're 5+ miles inland) and I didn't find it kid-friendly.

I settled on Northwest Florida (AKA - Gulf Coast/Panhandle/Redneck Riviera), specifically the area between Panama City Beach and Destin.

Great salt water fishing, plenty to catch in the huge bays just inland and many fresh water lakes within 100 miles. Housing prices and styles range from stupidly expensive on the beach to very affordable as you move inland just a few miles.

Shopping and services including health care are adequate, but don't have the range of choices I've been accustomed to.

Once you're 5-10 miles north of the beach, you're in the rural South, and that won't be to everyone's liking. Fine for me, though.

The major downside I found is the summers are crazy with tourists. Traffic moves slowly on the weekends and beach parking can be difficult. Both are manageable if you plan ahead though.

Plus - no state income tax:)
 
Spanky said:
Are you just kidding or is it really terrible? If it is, why? Which part of NC?
Click to expand...
There's a tradition I've noticed on this site to declare where you live terrible when you don't want to be overrun by newbies. :)

Of course it is not terrible. We get a little winter, a lot of summer, and tons of glorious in between.

People are a mix of american cultures in many respects. State vacillates the line politically through the years, etc. Nothing too extreme.

Mountains, coast, cities in between.

This is my adopted state. My one gripe IS the migration. (Yeah, and I'm one of them, but I was here first!) Central NC has been on a rocketship of growth since 1993 Money Mag declared us #1 place to live. In just the past year, my commute has deteriorated by 20% due to growing traffic congestion. Thank goodness I'm in OMY and ER is soon. I plan to retire here, but may have to amend plans (or at least move within the state) if this incredible crush of growth continues.

OP mentioned "NC hills". That's a lot of territory, but there are some gems that I'm considering to slow down, yet still not be too far away from services such as health care. I am afraid that Asheville is being lost to the influx, however. Might be a lost cause of congestion and cost at the rate it is going.
 
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I'd encourage you to take a look at the Santa Rosa, CA, area, about 60 miles north of San Fran. It meets all your priorities, but I would especially mention its proximity to great fishing area - lakes, rivers, and just 30 miles from the Bodega Bay / Jenner coast. Oh, and Santa Rosa has three Home Depots within 25 miles. I, also a former PA guy, love it here.
Traffic can become congested, but typically only during commuting hours on the main thoroughfares (US 101), which a retired person can avoid!
 
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Look at central Florida for less traffic. Leesburg, Mt. Dora,Eustis, Tavares or The Villages. Chain of lakes for boating fishing. Not much in the way of hills in Florida.
For permanent living vs snobird, try a few weeks in the summer before taking the big step of permanent relocation.
We did the snowbird 6 and 6 for 24 years, but decided against year round becuase we're not happy with the heat, and would miss the changing seasons.
A neighbor just bought a year round home in Hot Springs Village Arkansas. Might be worth a look.
 
TimSF said:
I'd encourage you to take a look at the Santa Rosa, CA, area, about 60 miles north of San Fran. It meets all your priorities, but I would especially mention its proximity to great fishing area - lakes, rivers, and just 30 miles from the Bodega Bay / Jenner coast. Oh, and Santa Rosa has three Home Depots within 25 miles. I, also a former PA guy, love it here.
Traffic can become congested, but typically only during commuting hours on the main thoroughfares (US 101), which a retired person can avoid!
Click to expand...

Agree with this-there are also some smaller towns north of Santa Rosa, like Cloverdale, and Ukiah. Ukiah has a Home Depot and another great home improvement store as well. Plus, Ukiah is getting a Costco soon. Climate is fabulous for gardening, boating, and about an hour to the coast. Good luck in the search for your forever after place!
 
OMY = One More Year -- As in waiting just one more year before feeling really comfortable enough (often financially) to retire.
 
Yea I know some very nice places that will make your list. But they are very expensive.

Like Mill Valley CA
 
Good question. I actually grew up not far from New Orleans near the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Still have family there and have often thought it might be a place to retire. DW is from Mississippi and doesn't really want to move back to that part of the U.S., however, for lots of reasons so probably not in the cards. Anyway, outside of that, it has what I'd be looking for
- low cost of living
- medical care in abundance
- N.O. Airport is about 30-40 minutes away
- good food and access to culture
- far enough inland that you don't get the brunt of the occasional Hurricane


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum
 
rayinpenn said:
Visited relatives in Sarasota recently beautiful, nice weather but pretty crowded.
2) We've had it with New England winters - even here in southern Pennsylvania gloomy gray skies for 3 months and 2 degrees - no thank you.
Click to expand...

Yea but come to Boston now. We have fantastic spring and lovely fall.

Winter can be long but living in high humidity mosquito infested Florida in summer is no fun.

We always want what we do not have. It is not easy to find nice place...at the end being close to your family, friends and kids may matter the most.
 
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