Maybe you can help a little by telling us what you would like to have in a retirement location and why those towns.This is where I want to live when I retire. Any ideas? We've been looking at Asheville, NC, Santa Fe, NM, Maui - big reach.
Where do you recommend?
I thought you lived in Mexico? Why did you decide to move back to the US?We live in Silver City, New Mexico.
I thought you lived in Mexico? Why did you decide to move back to the US?
Silver City is a very nice town. We were there for a few days last month and really enjoyed our visit.
Quite a change - from expat to repat and also back to work. Are you at least finding housing more affordable than when you left?Thanks for asking. We still love Mexico and plan on frequent visits but have some part time w@!k opportunities here.
My SIL (DW sister & BIL) lived in Mexico for 5 years, thought they might like to retire there, so before leaving (moving back to China) they bought a house. They rent it now and haven't made a decision where they will settle. After a short trip late last year to do some paperwork she complained to DW that the cost of living there had appreciated substantially. They are euro based and that is Mexico City. I'm wondering if the people in the Lake Chapala area, being more US$ based, are also seeing the cost of living rise due to local inflation and exchange rate.Housing prices here in Silver City NM haven't taken a big hit - I'd say they're about where they were at the peak of the most recent run-up in 2005-2006, so no appreciation for 5 years but no depreciation either. You can buy a nice small Craftsman-style place in downtown for ~160K, a nicer Santa Fe-style faux adobe with views for 200-250.
Housing costs in the gringo-ized parts of highland Mexico we prefer (Lake Chapala, San Miguel de Allende) are at least as much as here but utilities are less due to the perfect climate, food is 30-40% less and of better quality for the same reason. Biggest wild card for us is health care and insurance costs - it's the $20 doctor and dentist visits and $300 a year for full coverage we really miss, and that may eventually drive us back to Mexico full time.
Another vote for the St George, Utah area, the town of Ivins is a real jewel. The people in Utah are very friendly..we have made a few friends there in our stays over the years.
I second that vote! We must be neighbors.
Have you been to these places yourself? Might be easier to start from your observations...This is where I want to live when I retire. Any ideas? We've been looking at Asheville, NC, Santa Fe, NM, Maui - big reach.
Where do you recommend?
If you're seriously committed to ignoring the first factor in exchange for being satisfied with the other three, then Pittsburgh PA area might work out.We're sort of dealing with this too, as we've decided we don't want to take any more hellish Texas summers than we have to. I work from home completely, and can go wherever there is a telephone and broadband Internet, but the problem I'm running into is the following:
Mild climate (with 4 seasons, a little snow is okay but no heavy snow or 100+ weather), moderate tax burden, scenic, affordable housing prices -- pick any three.
I've never lived in an area with brutal winters. I *know* I want to get away an area with brutal summers. At one point I was looking at some of those "choose your place" calculators based on our priorities, and the Johnstown/Altoona/State College area was high on the list -- the winters there are the main question mark.If you're seriously committed to ignoring the first factor in exchange for being satisfied with the other three, then Pittsburgh PA area might work out.
But ignoring the "mild climate" criteria might prove painful.
I've never lived in an area with brutal winters. I *know* I want to get away an area with brutal summers. At one point I was looking at some of those "choose your place" calculators based on our priorities, and the Johnstown/Altoona/State College area was high on the list -- the winters there are the main question mark.