My apt. lease is up in So. Cal. in 2 mos. Due to COL, etc. I am considering moving to the Hilton Head/Bluffton area where my sister lives. I am very familiar with the area. How to manage this? Put my belongings in storage and go rent there for awhile to try it on? If I find I don't want to stay there what I am coming back to? I would need to get another rental. I'm at a point where I want to buy and no longer rent. Thoughts? TY.
How to manage trying out a new retirement area
- Thread starter msrhoda
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dirtbiker
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How long would you need to stay there to know whether or not you would want to settle there? If it were me, I'd find a fairly long term AirBnB and be out on the next flight before my lease was up.
Bamaman
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Given the choice of coastal SC and Southern California, I'd make my plane reservations and be outta there.
Hilton Head and Beaufort are simply wonderful places to live. And Bluffton specifically is the fastest growing place in the region with population almost doubling in the last 8 years. Lifestyle is obviously the reason.
You'll be like a bird let out of a cage.
Hilton Head and Beaufort are simply wonderful places to live. And Bluffton specifically is the fastest growing place in the region with population almost doubling in the last 8 years. Lifestyle is obviously the reason.
You'll be like a bird let out of a cage.
Red Badger
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If you still have 1-2 months left in your lease (year end ?), take 2 weeks of vacation right now to get a feel for the area, and get established with a realtor who could show you potential properties to either rent, or buy...Tempus Fugit !
My landlord surprised me with 60 day move out notice. He is selling. I asked for an extension to the end of Feb. He said end of Jan and maybe Feb. He needs to remodel. I'm having a hard time deciding to make a complete break from CA. But I know I need to buy and it doesn't make sense to buy here for the long term. I just want to be sure of SC before buying. I can stay with my sister for a few months. She lives in a Del Webb 55 and over place. This is stressful.
Red Badger
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Also, Hilton Head is nested between Savannah and Charleston. Both beautiful towns with great history, sightseeing, dining, etc. Things HH is also famous for. The summers can be hot, but that's what the NE is for (if needed). IMHO, it's and easy area to fall in love with.
RunningBum
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You say you are very familiar with the area, but aren't sure you want to live there. What do you need to know to decide whether you want to move there?
What I try to do when evaluating a place is take a trip there but try to live like a local. If there are hobbies or activities you like to do regularly, check them out there.
As far as your stuff goes, you might find it cheaper to get rid of most things and buy new in SC, rather than move it across country. Keep just personal/favorite things.
What I try to do when evaluating a place is take a trip there but try to live like a local. If there are hobbies or activities you like to do regularly, check them out there.
As far as your stuff goes, you might find it cheaper to get rid of most things and buy new in SC, rather than move it across country. Keep just personal/favorite things.
Midpack
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
These two statements seem a little contradictory?
In moving anywhere, I'd want several visits, with at least one during the coldest months and another during the hottest months. For HH, maybe one during the busiest (tourist) months and another during the low season. If you're "very familiar" with those aspects, what are your remaining questions.
But putting your belongings in storage and renting for a while is a smart approach. Or better yet, go now and let your belongings sit in the SoCal apartment while you rent in HH. You might be able to move to HH when your lease runs out.
I gather you can't go month to month in your SoCal apartment? That might be another play.
IME leaving friends, family and familiarity are the hardest parts, but I'm not sure any number of visits will answer that. Establishing a new network of friends takes years for most people.
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This is a different angle to the discussion and involves tax returns. I recently read (and looked for, but couldn't find) an interesting article about how aggressive California is re: people leaving (I live there and am seriously considering leaving once I retire). The article indicated that one of the factors California takes into account (among many) is whether you have items in storage there, to show you're really still a resident.
I don't any advice on this, just wanted to give a heads-up since you were thinking of early next year, which would point to a tax return in SC. Watch your wallet -- California needs to pay for that train to nowhere and all those social services!!!
I don't any advice on this, just wanted to give a heads-up since you were thinking of early next year, which would point to a tax return in SC. Watch your wallet -- California needs to pay for that train to nowhere and all those social services!!!
