do you love where you live? retirement location

[Mulligan]

1) IdaHO
2) Some, but it doesn't usually stay long in the valley
3) I live on a golf course, 4 miles from w*rk, 30 minutes from a ski hill with a killer view of downtown and the valley; very low crime and friendly people; high desert dry climate
4) No

If my GF wasn't so close minded, I would be giving you the opportunity to complain about " two more foreigners" just moved in.


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[Big_Hitter]

Hey I'm a foreigner myself - I've only been in ID about 4 yrs...


As long as ur not from Cali, the natives won't complain...

 

[Mulligan]

Hey I'm a foreigner myself - I've only been in ID about 4 yrs...


As long as ur not from Cali, the natives won't complain...

Nope, from MO. I love that 90 degree dry summer heat. Cant convince her it is nowhere near the north pole. She wont let me move to Nevada because she thinks I will live in the sports-book. She is seeming a bit receptive to St. Georges though. Her geography isn't real good. Not too far from a Mesquite,NV sports-book, but she doesn't know that!


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[Big_Hitter]

One of my good friends reloed from the MO (Trenton) to Boise about the same time I did. He loves it here.

 

[Mulligan]

One of my good friends reloed from the MO (Trenton) to Boise about the same time I did. He loves it here.

That is not a fair comparison, Hitter. Unless you have an affinity to farm or eat some delicious Amish homemade pie Trenton wont compare favorably to Boise.


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[Unpaintedhuffhines]

1. Where are you living? (state)

I live in the middle of Texas (Austin)

2. Is there snow?

Yes! Every 2 or 3 years we get between 1/2" and 2". More likely for us to get ice.

3. why do you love your location?

Because it is beautiful, full of people who accept all lifestyles (remember, I'm in Austin, not the rest of Texas...lol), I can walk to about a dozen restaurants and/or bars, plus it gets nice and hot in the summer.

4. Is it expensive (taxes, etc.) housing costs, etc.

Unfortunately, it is expensive. In central Austin, figure you'll pay $300-$400 s.f., plus property taxes are simply out of control: about $8,500/year for my $450K house. However, we have no state income tax, which is great for those jobs... for us retired folk, not so much.

 

[msrhoda]

Happy

So Cal
No snow
Yes, next to perfect weather, so much to do, community theatre, inexpensive entertainment, some of the best churches in the country, beach and stores within walking distance.
Renting because too expensive to buy at the beach.

 

[aja8888]

1. Where are you living? (state)

The Woodlands, TX (just north of Houston)

2. Is there snow?

Yes! Every 5 years or so we get dusted for a day.

3. why do you love your location?

I'm a Connecticut Yankee and they won't let me back in Connecticut because I have been gone too long, so I am stuck here. I suspect they think I am siding with the Confederate Army now.

It's not beautiful like Yosemite.....it's flat as a pancake and full of big bugs. Otherwise, it works.

4. Is it expensive (taxes, etc.) housing costs, etc.

It's so expensive that we Texans are telling out-of-state people to move to California instead of coming here.

 

[NYEXPAT]

my questions are:

1. Where are you living? (state)
2. Is there snow? lol -- hoping never to see snow again when I retire
3. why do you love your location?
4. Is it expensive (taxes, etc.) housing costs, etc.

1. Pacific coast- a few miles west of downtown Lima,Peru.
2. No snow,ice,hail,rain, basically no weather, other then occasional fog. Winter here just means constant cloud cover.
3. To much to list, Shopping,Healthcare,Nightlife,Pacific Ocean,Security,parks,plaza's,World's best food, Walk-ability, free wi-fi everywhere, Fresh fruit year round.
4. No taxes on retirement income, Vat tax 17%, Real estate taxes about $500.00 for a typical $300K Apt., No AC/heat, Dollar has appreciated about 20% the past few years so almost everything is cheaper. Up until 7 years ago you could buy RE cheap (100k for oceanfront condo) now prices have tripled and are higher than Houston or Atlanta.

 

[Options]

I've posted elsewhere when I leave Lost Angeles in a few years I intend to never again return to Southern California (except to visit friends). Same for the SF Bay Area (except to visit family).

 

[marko]

Where are you living? (state)
Massachusetts (summer) Florida (winter) But legal status is Mass.

Is there snow?
REALLY? Yah! There's snow. Wicked lots of snow.

why do you love your location?
We don't get many, but a good summer's day on Boston's North Shore is better than a good day anywhere else. (IMHO) Just something in the air, the way the sun hits you.

Is it expensive (taxes, etc.) housing costs, etc.
Yes. Housing, taxes, general COL. Think: California expensive but with crappy weather 8 months a year. And bad drivers.

 

[Lisa99]

Where are you living? (state)
Nevada, in a suburb of Las Vegas

Is there snow?
Rarely. And when it does snow it's a dusting that melts fast.

why do you love your location?
Tons to do, great food, great shows and lots of outdoor things to do (great hiking is less than 1 mile from us and you can be skiing in under 3 hours). Our community is Active Adult so our $80/month HOA dues gets us more to do than you have time for and it includes two outdoor pools, two indoor pools and 2 hot tubs. Also virtually no bugs and beautiful mild weather 8 months out of the year. No nasty mother nature kind of stuff either. Heavy rain is about it during monsoon season. Most people think of Vegas as "the strip" but once you get away from the craziness there you'd never know you lived in "sin city".

Is it expensive (taxes, etc.) housing costs, etc.
Nope. Housing is higher than average for the area in our community at about $150-$170/sq ft. No state income tax, property taxes are low, property insurance is low. Utilities, food, gas, etc are about the same as Dallas.

 

[papadad111]

Southern Indiana - fly over state

Yes some snow . 4 distinct seasons.

Relatively low cost of living. It's a small Midwest College town - surprisingly tons to see and do. Good restaurant scene. Housing is cheap. Property taxes are cheap. Public Schools seem ok to good. ACA Health insurance is surprisingly expensive. Income tax 4%. Sales tax 7%. Indiana one of the few states where muni bonds from every other state are tax free. Affordable college tuition. Several high quality universities - Norte Dame, Indiana U, Purdue, Ball State, Butler, Indiana State, etc

Beautiful hilly scenery here and Close to DW family.

Our plan is to home base here and spend approx half time abroad once DS2 finishes HS

 

[Brat]

Where are you living? (state)
Portland, Oregon

Is there snow? lol -- hoping never to see snow again when I retire
On rare occassion an inch or two. On very rare occasions 6 inches. The city effectively shuts down, those who go out play bumper cars. The snow typically melts in a day or two.

why do you love your location?
Mid way between the mountains and the ocean in a lush green valley. Moderate climate. Convenient to grandchildren.

Is it expensive (taxes, etc.) housing costs, etc.
Our cost of living is moderate for the west coast. Lots cheaper than the Bay Area, less expensive than Seattle.

 

[bclover]

hi!
I cannot believe the wealth of information I learn from this website. I always thought Florida was the plan for our retirement.....however, you all post amazing things about your location.

my questions are:

1. Where are you living? (state)
2. Is there snow? lol -- hoping never to see snow again when I retire
3. why do you love your location?
4. Is it expensive (taxes, etc.) housing costs, etc.

TN, the Carolinas and Georgia are sounding pretty good right now....

thank you all for your input

1) Philadelphia Pa
2) unfortunately yes lot's of it along with ice. yuck
3) So much to do!!! museums, art, theater, world renowned colleges and hospitals. lots of fun, inexpensive things to do. tons of other vacation options within driving distance. mountains, beaches, cities
4) Philadelphia runs the gamut. housing can be expensive but property taxes are low.

I plan on being a snow bird, I want to stay in philly during the warm weather and get the heck out of dodge during the winter.

 

[Walt34]

my questions are:

1. Where are you living? (state)
2. Is there snow? lol -- hoping never to see snow again when I retire
3. why do you love your location?
4. Is it expensive (taxes, etc.) housing costs, etc.

West Virginia Eastern Panhandle, which is a different world than the rest of the state in that it is far more affluent, (but far from wealthy!) and that is somewhat resented in the state capitol.

Yes, there is snow, but comparable to the DC area. That means generally snowfalls are in the 2" to 6" range but once a decade or so we get a whopper of two feet or a bit more. It can snow as early as late October/November but that is rare, usually we don't see the first snow until late December or early January. By April it is safe to drain the fuel out of the snow thrower and put it away.

In the middle to southern parts of the state the mountains are seriously steep and snowfalls are higher there. Four-wheel drive is a requirement in winter there, not an option, or you're not going anywhere for quite a while. In the panhandle you can get away without it if you're willing to sit out the first day or two after a snowfall.

We like the location, can't say we love it. My "retirement plan" re location was to put the snow thrower in the back of the pickup and drive south until people started asking what that machine was for, but DW didn't want to go that far from family. In hindsight I have to admit that this was one of those rare occasions when she was right. But the traffic is way better than where we were since we don't have to plan our daily lives around it. Housing prices are less than coastal areas of course but higher than the middle of the country. A lot of people in our area have brutal commutes of over an hour to the DC area. The lucky ones can take an Amtrack commuter train to DC's Union Station but that is still an hour and a half or two hour ride with all the stops.

Taxwise, it is I guess middling to low, but far from lowest. One thing I do like is that the state constitution requires a balanced budget, so while they have to do some serious cost-cutting at times like 2009-2010, going deep in debt is not an option.

 

[doneat54]

1. Where are you living? (state)
2. Is there snow? lol -- hoping never to see snow again when I retire
3. why do you love your location?
4. Is it expensive (taxes, etc.) housing costs, etc.

Interesting topic. I am 1.75 yrs away from ER (but who's counting?) and have been giving thought to where I will live after retirement long term. Near term, no plans to move.


1. Northern MA
2. Oh God yes, too much, and this last winter!!!. My DW and I have been getting worn down by winters last few years and want to have a place in the Caribbean for Jan-Mar. We have some undeveloped land that we bought in NH 20 yrs ago (taxes are $17/yr) and it has never been on the retirement asset radar. If it sells, we can probably get a condo down there, of not.... happy to sit on it for $17/yr.


3. Other 9 months out of the year, yes. Summers and fall here lovely. We run our central AC maybe 2 weeks total out of the year. We have a private home, 1/4 mi off the nearest public road on 3.3 acres (almost no grass though, all woods) and love living in the quiet and nature. I have a vintage car hobby, have 3, and a standalone shop building and am very happy here.


4. It is. Our mortgage is very comfortable thanks to big down payment, some over paying, re-fis and low rates, but taxes are high (~$9k/yr) as are utilities. Home is 3700s.f. and bigger than it needs to be for the 2 of us, but we do like the space for entertaining. At some point however I am not going to be able to justify the cost of ownership and we will consider re-locating. Nature, privacy and quiet are a must, but size is not.

The shop and cars.... uh, ask me in 10 years......!

 

[mpeirce]

1. Central Ohio. I grew up in Ohio, so this is home. Sister and her family lives a mile away. Another sister and her family lives on the other side of town. Old family cottage is up on Lake Erie and all the various siblings bring their families there every summer.

2. Sure. Not enough for me actually. Back in the 70s up by the lake we used to get some real snow! (ah the blizzard of '78!)

And snow is no big deal now that I'm retired. If the roads are bad, I simply stay off them. A snow blower makes quick work of clearing the driveway and walks.

3. I like it a lot. Very family oriented. Decent economy so people are prosperous. It's a good home base for our many travels.

4. Not bad - I lived in Northern California for a while and that was expensive! I sold a house there and with the proceeds bought a nicer, larger house here and had enough left over to pay for DDs college!

 

[WhoDaresWins]

I live in southwestern PA, about a 40 minute drive from Pittsburgh.

Yes, we get snow and ice from as early as the end of Oct. to as late as early April but typically Christmas-the middle of March are the heaviest snows. I think the most snow we got at one time this last year where I live is about 5 inches but in previous years we have gotten as much as a foot or 18 inches. When I was working I drove a 4-wheel drive Land Cruiser in the winter. Unlike some areas of the country the snows here come and then go and we are not socked in all winter with endless snowfall.

I think the people in western PA are friendly salt-of-the earth types. I was born about 60 miles from where I currently live but I have lived in various places like NYC, Tidewater VA, Monterey CA, and Columbus OH. Of all the places I have lived I would pick Monterey over my present abode. Homes here are very affordable I think. I bought a new tract home in 2004 for $225,000 on which I pay $3600/year in property taxes. We do have a state income tax but SS and pensions are not taxed. There is a sales tax on a very limited number of things like cars, furniture, luxury goods (handbags, long evening gowns, jewelry) but not food or most clothing items. PA is one of the few states with an inheritance tax.

I think utilities are quite low compared to other areas of the country, and we have excellent healthcare/hospitals, schools, universities, cultural activities and sports teams. Lots of recreational things, too, like skiing, bike trails, lakes and rivers, and mountains.

 

[Nodak]

1. Where are you living? (state) North Dakota
2. Is there snow? lol -- Yes a normal winter is maybe 30 inches of snow. It just doesn't melt until April. Now that I'm retired it's not a problem since I don't have to be anywhere and the guy I pay to clean driveway and sidewalk does a great job.
3. why do you love your location? Very low crime rate; the town I live in has had one murder in 140 years. There is the occasional burglary of a business. In winter it is commonn to see cars running and no owner in sight. I have gone months without locking a door. It's home and I have spent 58 of my 68 years here.
4. Is it expensive (taxes, etc.) housing costs, etc. No; State taxes are reasonable and housing is cheap. When I bought my house it was $40,000 and is now only worth $50,000. It's 1700 square feet built in the 50s. Rent for an apartment is generally in the $500 to $600 per month range.

 

[pb4uski]

1. We live in Vermont.
2. Snow? Wadda ya think? But we stay away.. spend January and February and will likely become snowbirds in the near future... getting sick of cold and snow. OTOH, we still like to downhill ski and college hockey games which is why we have yet to become snowbirds.
3. We love the spring, summer and fall here, especially the summers. Summer is our dividend for putting up with winter. We live on a lake. My Mom is just down the road in the summer and DW has some siblings nearby.
4. Our property taxes are over $7k a year but most other costs are modest. For example, our local movie theater is only $4 if you buy tickets 10 at a time and a local college hockey game is $9.

 

[Big_Hitter]

^ dig Vermont. Stayed in Newfane one October.

 

[martyp]

hi!
I cannot believe the wealth of information I learn from this website. I always thought Florida was the plan for our retirement.....however, you all post amazing things about your location.

my questions are:

1. Where are you living? (state)
2. Is there snow? lol -- hoping never to see snow again when I retire
3. why do you love your location?
4. Is it expensive (taxes, etc.) housing costs, etc.

TN, the Carolinas and Georgia are sounding pretty good right now....

thank you all for your input

Where are you living?

San Francisco Bay Area, CA

Is there snow?

No. Maybe once every couple of years in the high elevations. Snow is about 5 hrs away in the Sierra's when we are not having a drought. Otherwise we have seasonal rain. It is supposed to rain between Oct - April.

why do you love your location?

It is physically beautiful. You can choose your climate from cool summers to blistering hot summers. Tons of cultural activities. Great restaurants. Wine country, etc. Great universities and all the activities they support. Easy to get to parks near and far.

Is it expensive (taxes, etc.) housing costs, etc.

Yes. It is very expensive to move here from somewhere else. One of the highest housing costs in the nation. It only works for me because I've lived here all my adult life and my finances and retirement were built around this cost of living.

 

[Silver]

We live in central Florida just outside of Orlando, 20 minutes from Walt Disney World.
I would prefer Georgia or South Carolina, but DH grew up in this area and has family here, so we plan to stay.

No snow...ever. But summers are long and brutal if you need to be outdoors.

What I do like is that there is lots of fun stuff to do very close by, and the ocean and gulf are each about an hour away.

I would say this area is pricey, and housing costs are increasing. Not sure how property taxes compare, but we own a 1800 sf house on a small lot, and taxes are about $2000/yr. Home owners insurance is very high and can be difficult to get if you live close to the coasts.

There is no state income tax. Sales taxes are 7%.

I have lived in 3 other states, and in general, wages are much lower than those other states.

 

[cathy63]

Where are you living? (state)

Coronado, CA (near San Diego)

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Is there snow? lol -- hoping never to see snow again when I retire

Only if you want to get in the car and drive to visit it

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why do you love your location?

The small town that's a 10 minute drive from the big city over a beautiful bridge. Great climate year round. Incredible environmental variety -- it takes about 90 minutes to drive from the beach, through the inland valleys, over the mountains and into the desert.

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Is it expensive (taxes, etc.) housing costs, etc.

So they say. We've had a pretty good life here, and earned enough to retire in our early 50's and keep on living here, so it's worked out for us.

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