Moving after retirement?

[FDC319]

I moved from LA to a northern New England state to be closer to aging parents(not in the same state) and the fact I like this state and its weather.

Knowing that retirement was coming up, I made trips up in the previous two summers and simply drove around, noting areas I wanted to live and areas I refused to live in. I did, and am still doing, extensive research on the tax structure and COL factors of the individual towns. City Data Forums was a great starting point.

This year before I retired I secured a somewhat pricey rental house to use as a jumping off point for home buying/building and am now casually looking for land to buy and then build on.

*I did have the fortune and cushion of 100 days of paid time off and the fact that I will receive a generous pension.

 

[DrRoy]

Unless you have very specific reasons for the move (job, family etc.) you should do a test run and rent something for at least 3 months - preferably a year. You may be totally fine with the weather and make amazing new friends... But there could be things you can't think of right now that are deal breakers once you discover them (perhaps the area is infested with mosquitos or anacondas

+1

We contemplated moving after retirement. Even bought a plot of land to build on in a particular place that we loved. In the end, we decided it was not a great place to live permanently, and would cost too much to build what we were picturing. We have remodeled our existing house instead and are quite happy here now.

 

[Ronstar]

We are trying to move. Only way DW would move is if her mom moves with us. MIL said ok. Put in an offer for a house in Az. Then MIL changed her mind about moving. We've been non moving since. Someday we'll move maybe. I've narrowed down lots of great places to move to.

 

[Bamaman]

We moved prior to retirement because my company was "consolidating" which meant closing offices and offering transfers to large offices in very undesirable locations. We moved from the traffic hell of Atlanta to where my family had a lake home on the Tennessee River in NW Alabama.

We first downsized to a slightly smaller city home and then bought a huge foreclosure home at a great price. Our lake house was 30 minutes away.

Our daughter brought a criminal element into our lives, and we were burglarized 2x. We also had to take custody of her daughter who's now 9 years old. So we moved 65 miles to the Rocket City where we're establishing a new life.

We love living in an ultra LCOL place with no property taxes since my wife's disabled. And we're centrally located to the rest of our family with 4 major cities within 2 hrs. and the mountains so close. Our local river is #1 in the U.S. for inland cruising, and the lifestyle is magnificent out there.

 

[Alan]

We moved immediately from Louisiana to Texas after retiring back to a place we had been living at for 4 years. I had taken an assignment at Corporate HQ and we found we liked the place.

 

[EastWest Gal]

Reading this thread makes one realize there are many wonderful places to live. We moved from CA 22 years ago, and have gradually made our home the way we want. We will soon need to paint and recarpet the entire upstairs. We never had the friends in Silicon Valley that we do here. Lots of music and theater groups, hiking trails, beautiful hills, and highways to everywhere. We can see the ski resort from our house.

I grew up with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge. I loved the Bay Area. But I like PA better.

It took us years to establish our life here. I have no reason to move.

 

[Indiana Randy]

Instead of Orlando, learn about 'The Villages'. It's an hour away from Orlando, an hour from the Gulf and an hour and a half from the Atlantic. This is the largest 55+ retirement golf cart community in the world. There are three town squares with live music (free) 365 days a year. You can access big box stores, restaurants, movie theaters, bars, Dr offices practically everything you ever need BY GOLF CART. It's so popular with new retirees The Villages is the fastest growing city in the US. You can come on a Stay and Play program for a few days to check it out. The average price home is $280K and if you want to rent first, you can rent Jan/Feb/March for $3500/month. It safe, very clean and you golf free for the rest of your life on over 40 golf courses in the community, or swim in over 80 pools, go to concerts, events at the 12+ country clubs. There are over 3,000 clubs you can join to quickly make friends. Just BEWARE that the developer has their own Salespeople who pretend to be Realtors. They Aren't Realtors, they work for and do exactly what the developer says. You can also and Should have a Realtor assisting you. Feel free to message me if I can be of any help.

 

[Koolau]

It still surprises me that, after living in one spot for 60 years (never more than 10 miles from where I was born AND often in the same house I came home to from the hospital) that I could move 5000 miles away and NOT be home sick AND that I would adjust so quickly. I slept like a baby the first night in the new place. Full disclosure, one of our trial runs was in that spot - though I slept like a baby during the trial run as well. Now, when we CAN return to the mainland, I sleep like a baby - in the old homestead I came home to from being born. Absolute best of both worlds. I am truly blessed. YMMV

 

[BarbWire]

Left TX without looking back four years ago to travel full time, and am now searching for a town on the Colorado Plateau to buy a lock-and-leave home so I can continue to travel domestically and internationally for weeks at a time, but have an anchor. (I'm a native New Mexican, and the geography/geology of the Colorado Plateau screams "home!" each time I go there.)

Looking for a quiet smaller town, rural vibe, four seasons with snow (!), community college for interesting classes, decent access to a regional airport .... and not yet discovered by hipsters! I hope/plan to buy and move-in during 2021.


The "new office" structure for post-Covid will make this harder as companies move to hub-and-spoke models or continue allowing 100% remote working. Folks are fleeing CA and NY for smaller towns in NM, UT, AZ, CO. :-(

 

[tb001]

We moved from the Bay Area ahead of a planned ER. We had the option to work remotely, so could have theoretically relocated anywhere. I was partial to the southeast—South Carolina and Georgia were high on the list for me. But as we were looking DH realized he wanted to stay in CA, so we moved to SoCA instead.

Despite still being in CA, the housing is much cheaper than the Bay Area. Labor is also much less expensive. It feels like a win win for us, though I still love some areas in the southern US. That said, the last year has made me appreciate that the politics of my neighbors matters more to me than I realized it might. I’m glad we landed where we did.

 

[anothercog]

It still surprises me that, after living in one spot for 60 years (never more than 10 miles from where I was born AND often in the same house I came home to from the hospital) that I could move 5000 miles away and NOT be home sick AND that I would adjust so quickly. I slept like a baby the first night in the new place. Full disclosure, one of our trial runs was in that spot - though I slept like a baby during the trial run as well. Now, when we CAN return to the mainland, I sleep like a baby - in the old homestead I came home to from being born. Absolute best of both worlds. I am truly blessed. YMMV

That is pretty impressive. I grew up in New England but have also lived in the Northwest, Southwest and mid-Atlantic before settling in the SF Bay Area for the past 20 years. I still miss New England and usually visit once year but I don't miss the cold winters, muggy summers or muddy springs. So basically I miss about two weeks of late September.

 

[RobbieB]

Make sure you spend a week in Florida in July to contrast the bliss of January.

 

[wmc1000]

It's been 4 years since retirement and we just moved in August. Moved about 55 miles, closer to one DD but away from 2 others. Wanted a front porch to sit on which or previous house did not have and couldn't be added plus a bigger than 1/3 acre subdivision lot.

Now we have a 2.5 acre subdivision lot and a house with a large front porch. Just finished remodeling the master bath to get a huge walk-in shower,v added a custom pantry in kitchen and signed a contract for an 1800 sq ft pole barn.

While our 2 other DD's are an hour away we see them about as much as when we were 15 minutes away and the DD now 15 minutes away we see much more often as she works from home.

Did far it has been a win win for us and it is much more peaceful than living in a suburb like we were in before.

 

[Huston55]

Well, upon retirement, we moved from wonderful downtown Knoxville, TN (LCOL, no income tax state) BACK to the SF Bay Area. So, you may want to take my advice with a [-]grain[/-] block of salt. In all seriousness, I'm very happy with the choice and would make it again. Here's what we considered, and some things we've learned.

1. Don't be seduced by LCOL alone. It's a factor but, we found friends/family much more important so, we moved back to SF. [Note: my philosophy was, "I can't control how much a SF of house costs to buy or rent but, I CAN control how many of those SF I live in."]
2. Do not buy a house in a place you've never lived; it's rarely a good move. Test out the location for a year by renting. You may even find that you agree with JLCollins and rent forever!
3. Be sure to consider the long haul. One example would be medical care. With all due respect to the Hawaiian residents/transplants, I know several 70+ yo friends here in Cali who left Hawaii due to lack/scarcity of specialty care.
4. If you do change states, pay close attention to your estate planning details. I'm learning some lessons in that area now, and the wrong decision can have tremendous tax consequences.

 

[SnowballCamper]

Moved one year before retirement (last change of station for military service). We live about a mile from the bar where we met, and the reception location from our wedding (not in the bar). We lived in about four other states after we met, and knew we wanted to come back to the terribly rainy gloomy Pacific Northwest.

 

[big-papa]

I didn't move, but I think one key recommendation in these threads is not to move right before, or right after, retiring. Give it a year. Travel, maybe test run the areas with an AirBnB or extended hotel stay.

The greener pasture, viewed when still working, might not be the same one you want after you've retired.

Exactly our plan! We're about 2 years away from retiring and we're starting to throw around ideas about where retirement might be - and one of the first things we though of was to test-drive different areas via AirBnB/VRBO/Homeaway/etc. and live sort-of like a local for an extended period first.

 

[trirod]

Part of the reason we retired early was so we could move away from the city where we lived. It was a mid-sized, Midwestern city with nothing much to recommend it. The only thing keeping us there was our jobs. We were originally planning on moving out West - maybe Colorado or Oregon - but we found it hard to make a decision with so many options on the table. So instead we ended up buying a house less than 300 miles away in an area we knew well from many long weekends away and it was one of the best things we ever did. We like the outdoors and there is much more to do here than in our previous location (spent this afternoon cross country skiing, for example). We have made good friends here since we have more in common with the people in this area than we ever did in our previous place. I still work 400 hours or so for my long time employer (so technically I am only 80% retired�&#56833, but I do that completely remotely.

The only real downside is we are further away from a major airport so that makes trips a little less convenient - but it’s a small price to pay. Cost of living is similar so that wasn’t really a concern.

 

[W2R]

If you moved just before or after retirement, why did you move and how has it worked out for you?

In 2006 we decided to move to Springfield, Missouri right after our late 2009 retirements. During 2010 we fixed up our houses to sell, put them on the market, and then changed our minds and took them back off the market.

We never moved. Here are our reasons, and why we didn't move after all:

(1) I think that subconsciously, a big part of our motivation to move was a desire to get away from the workplace and those we worked with. After we retired that motivation vanished.

(2) Another reason to move was bad hurricanes (like Katrina), but we have had none since we retired. Meanwhile Springfield had a bad ice storm and Joplin (near Springfield) had an awful tornado, illustrating to us that no place is free of natural disasters. So this motivation isn't as strong now as it was.

(3) And finally, another reason to get out of New Orleans was the crime here, which still is not great, but at least it does not seem to be any worse in our neighborhood.

I was still ready to move in 2010 but Frank changed his mind and said he thought we'd be happier here. He was right! Springfield is a lovely town (for us), but we are happy right where we are so there really is no reason to move.

About a year after we decided to stay, I realized that I was feeling wistful about not moving, because I was not getting to look for and move into my Dream Home for retirement. So, I did that right here in New Orleans. I spent a few years looking for that Dream Home, and in 2015 I found and bought it in cash. It is everything I always wanted, and right next door to Frank as well. Dreams really can come true.

 

[boilerman]

We moved from Colorado to Florida less than 3 weeks after my last day on the job. We had visited our new location several times before the move so it was not impulsive at all.

One thing I will say about Florida summers. Yes it’s hot and humid, but I adjusted my hours a bit and play golf, pickleball, or softball 7 days a week during the morning hours. I’m home by around 11am, have lunch, maybe go to the pool in the afternoon if it’s not raining. And it cools off some later in the evenings for a nice walk.

All told, I’m WAY more active in Florida during summer than I could be in Colorado during winter. So no regrets here about moving right after FIRE or for moving cross country to Florida.

 

[ohyes]

Eight years after my retirement, we moved from central AR to NW AR--150 miles. We had talked about retiring to this area for years.

Our daughter called while we were visiting youngest son in San Francisco and announced she was taking a job in NW Arkansas. I remember saying, If you're going, we're going. That was the motivation we needed to start the pain-in-the-neck moving/selling/buying thing.

Although we settled in just before COVID restrictions began and we have yet to join in the old folks opportunities that abound, we love it here. The only people we visit with regularly are the couple next door.

It is great living in the beautiful Ozarks -- no regrets.

 

[dm]

We moved a couple of years after retirement. We took several vacations in Texas and Florida trying to decide where to go. We ended up in Florida due to the milder winters. We moved from The St. Louis area as I just didn’t like the cold. I can take the heat. We do try and vacation up north around July and August.

We moved down in 2014, I’m afraid it’s about full down here now.

 

[Green Papaya]

Our three kids have already left the nest and are scattered all over, i.e Seattle, Phoenix, and DC. We are considering a move from Houston to CA mainly to be near family/nice weather/more outdoor activities. I know about HCOL and CA taxes, but I want to live where I can enjoy this new phase instead of just saving up more money. Have been there many times but will rent before we buy.

 

[Souschef]

Our three kids have already left the nest and are scattered all over, i.e Seattle, Phoenix, and DC. We are considering a move from Houston to CA mainly to be near family/nice weather/more outdoor activities. I know about HCOL and CA taxes, but I want to live where I can enjoy this new phase instead of just saving up more money. Have been there many times but will rent before we buy.

Consider Ventura County, the best kept secret in So Cal. It is out of the LA/ Orange County orbit. The climate is mild, and I have been living here for 13 years and love it.

 

[Green Papaya]

Thanks. Will check it out.

 

[Koolau]

3. Be sure to consider the long haul. One example would be medical care. With all due respect to the Hawaiian residents/transplants, I know several 70+ yo friends here in Cali who left Hawaii due to lack/scarcity of specialty care.

On Oahu, we haven't experienced issues with specialty care, but do know a couple of folks who decided to seek treatment options on the mainland. Having said that, the outer Islands do have relatively limited care options. Many folks have to travel to Oahu for their care. Options are improving on other islands, but Oahu is still the go-to Island for more complete care.

We have made "peace" with the possibility that we might have to return to the mainland under very specific situations of health care. The good news for us is that we can do that relatively easily as we have maintained one foot on the mainland.

Additionally, we have done some looking on the mainland in case we would ever need long-term care. Such care in the Islands is even more expensive than in many mainland areas. We sort of joke about "once you're stuck in a care home, who cares if it's in Hawaii or North Dakota" (no offense to ND!!) YMMV