# Where to retire



## rkd (Jan 13, 2007)

Well, we are turning into our parents and starting to talk where to live when we retire. Who me?  Old enough to talk about retirement??  Yep.

We will be using our RCI to stay weeks at different locations (during slow seasons of course).  We live on Florida's west coast and while I wanna stay here, my husband is thinking Tenn. or Arkansas.  

Any suggestions on resorts in these areas? (or ones to avoid)

Anyone like another area for retirement?

Certainly renting weeks at non-rci resorts is a possiblity, so again we are open for suggestions.

Anyone traveling the USA and living Timeshare full time?? 

There are so many smart folks on this board I will truly value the input.

Regina


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## JoAnn (Jan 13, 2007)

One place we seriously considered, (before all our kids moved to SW Florida, and we followed them) was Fairfield Glade TN.  We own a t/s (Oak Knoll)there and spent quite a few exchanges there.  It is one of the largest retirement 'towns' in the country (so we were told).  They have Timeshares, condos and single family homes.  It's half way between Nashville & Knoxville on the Cumberland Plateau.  There are several golf courses and lakes, lots of hiking trails and other things to do and volunteer for!  If you've never been there, I suggest you do an exchange there and see if you like it.


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## rkd (Jan 13, 2007)

Thanks JoAnn. I've made a note of this and will do an exchange there.  I am going to take all suggestions seriously.

Regina


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## pcgirl54 (Jan 13, 2007)

Regina,
A lot of Tug members travel along the same lines. Checking out the places we book to see if we want to relocate there. I have done this for the last 5 yrs or so even though we are 12-15 years away from this. Lots of great advice on this board and lots of info on the internet. There is Where to Retire Magazine,Retirement Living magazine,relocation info on Chamber of Commerce sites and CNN Money Magazine online has many interesting articles on what you are looking for. Here are a few links.
http://www.findyourspot.com

http://www.retirementliving.com/RLtaxes.html

http://www.bestplaces.net/


http://money.cnn.com/news/specials/ultimate_retire/



We live in the Northeast and prefer to skip the winter. Many people like North and South Carolina for it's milder weather and affordable living. A lot of my husband's sisters who moved to Florida 15 yrs ago are now living in the central Carolinas. 

   There were some areas that we were sure were perfect from our extensive research about weather,healthcare and lifestyle.Then we got there ,toured homes and experienced daily congested traffic . The same traffic congestion that we deal with everyday as harried commuters and sadly knew that this was not the place we wanted to be.

   Since you already live in a warm climate you can ask yourself if you want to continue living near the oceans or prefer a mild climate change in the mountain or coastal regions of the Carolinas. 
   Asheville NC is an area to explore,beautiful mountains ,noted for UNC's quality college classes designed for senior learners ,top healthcare near a small city that has arts and things to do so one is not totally secluded. A cooler version of Sarasota noted for similar things minus the beaches. Myrtle Beach and the Carolina lowlands are another option if you gravitate toward the ocean like we do. However you are only 4-5 hours away from the coastal regions. Carey NC is another area that has been in articles near the Raleigh Winston Salem triangle.


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## Carol C (Jan 13, 2007)

I already live where it's warm...Atlanta...so when I retire I'll probably travel for a month or two at a time using timeshares (if I can find a house/dogsitter)!

P.S.  This topic should probably be in TUG Lounge.


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## grest (Jan 13, 2007)

Have you been reading Where To Retire magazine?  Lots of interesting articles about the issue..
Connie


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## ttt (Jan 13, 2007)

I chose SC(near Charleston) to retire to & bought(28 acres) property there. I retire in November 2007. I origonally bought acreage in Western NC, but after watching the weather there for several years, I concluded that the climate wasn't any better in the winter then NJ.  I also bought lakefront property in Cape Coral, but decided we did not want to live in a regular neighborhood with neighbors all around. I'm looking to sell the acreage in NC......


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## Fern Modena (Jan 13, 2007)

Regina,
If you aren't sure what area you might want to live in, you may want to get some ideas from http://www.findyourspot.com which was mentioned above.  When I take that quiz, it works out to exactly where we chose to retire, so it must be pretty accurate!

Next, go to a local bookstore and get a copy of the magazine Where to Retire.  The current issue is huge, lots of ads (with website URLs so you can get in depth online looks at places), and the "Top 100" places to retire.

Consider what you want in a retirement home.  Do you want to live out in the country, with land?  I'm guessing the answer is "No," because you mentioned "resort" in your message.  Does that mean you want to live in an "Active Adult Community," like a Sun City or Solera by Del Webb, a WCI Community, etc?  There are plenty of those around the country, and many of those still in development will allow you to stay for about three days for low cost.  There are also built-out ones of these where there are established communities and prices are lower.  If you choose this type of living, don't forget to add in HOA fees, and to see how the reserves are and how much the dues have gone up over the years.

If you decide to take a week to look over a place, and you are staying at a timeshare, leave the timeshare in the morning.  Leave the resort area and "get out amongst them," in the area you want to see.  Ask around here, and I'm sure you'll find people in just about every area who would love to show you where they live.  I'd be glad to show you the Las Vegas/Henderson area.

Another thing to think about...if you will have a substantial retirement income, think about a state with no state income taxes.  And you should check into the cost of real estate taxes as well.

Hope that helps.

Fern


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## Kauai Kid (Jan 13, 2007)

Fern Modena said:


> Regina,
> If you aren't sure what area you might want to live in, you may want to get some ideas from http://www.findyourspot.com which was mentioned above.  When I take that quiz, it works out to exactly where we chose to retire, so it must be pretty accurate!
> 
> Next, go to a local bookstore and get a copy of the magazine Where to Retire.  The current issue is huge, lots of ads (with website URLs so you can get in depth online looks at places), and the "Top 100" places to retire.
> ...



One thing to watch out for in states with no income tax.  They generally have very high property taxes and sales taxes.  Texas doesn't have any income tax but property tax is about 3% of the value of a home every year.  Sales tax 8.25%

We stayed at Sun Bay Club in Hot Springs.  Left 3 days early.  Very unimpressed with that time share.

After going through Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans we have no desire to live on any of the three coasts of the US anymore.  Life is too precious especially when you retire cause you ain't got that long left.  Enjoy it.

Sterling


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## DeniseM (Jan 13, 2007)

If you go to the TUG Lounge board and search for "retire" and "retirement" you will find lots of threads on this topic.  

retire- http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/search.php?searchid=482987
retirement- http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/search.php?searchid=482995

This board (General) is actually for discussions about TUG itself - maybe an Admin. can move it for you.


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## Pat H (Jan 14, 2007)

Depends on what you want in retirement. Whereas ttt wants acreage, I don't. I want a lot of activiites like a Sun City has to offer. I also want warmer winters than PA has to offer. Right now, Sun City Carolina Lakes in Northern SC looks very attractive to me.


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## Janette (Jan 14, 2007)

We moved to Sun City HHI from Georgia so we weren't running from cold weather or high taxes. We just wanted to be near the ocean. We had no idea of the activities and friends that we would find here. We knew no one and now after almost three years we find that our neighbors seems like life long friends. We have to really plan on a time when we can get out to the beach because we have so much to do here in the neighborhood. We did ride out yesterday and walked on the beach. We aren't as hot as Florida and have a lot of folks who moved to Florida moving here now. We say we have all the seasons but today it is a beautiful 76 degrees. We know several folks who have moved out here from the island just for the activities. Somedays, we want a free calendar and mark the day off for just relaxation. I also would look for good medical facilities. We have Savannah within 17 miles if we have a serious illness. Nothing could be finer than our present life styles.


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## falmouth3 (Jan 14, 2007)

*We know where we don't want to live*

We've been discussing this issue for years, although we still have a number of years to go before retirement.  We just moved to the Boston area about 5 years ago and we love it here.  We're also thinking of all of the top notch medical facilities here that we hopefully won't need to use. 

The only places in the country that we've ruled out is any desert area.  And my husband begs me not to make him move to Florida.  We went to Williamsburg, VA last year and we loved it there.

Since we don't need to make any plans for 5 years or more, my thought is Virginia or North Carolina for the winter and Boston or Maine for the summer.


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## taffy19 (Jan 14, 2007)

It was our dream to retire in Florence, OR but the more we think about it, the more southern CA it will be.  We already live here.     You can't beat the weather except this last week or so.  It is freezing but still very sunny.

The Florence, OR area is beautiful and such nice clean air but it doesn't have the weather, otherwise it would be crowded too.


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## Rose Pink (Jan 14, 2007)

Janette said:


> . . . We knew no one . . . .


 
I wonder how many people retire to a place where they have no family, friends or other connections. I hear about people moving closer to family so they can see grandchildren. We have had several neighbors who go south for the winter but usually end up moving permanantly back north when they get too frail to travel because that is where their children are. So I wonder how many people relocate away from family. (guess it would depend on your family  ) 

I am also thinking about an aunt of mine who retired with her husband about two thousand miles away from her children. Aunt and Uncle made new friends and had a great retirement but then he died. She has a group of lady friends but on holidays she gets lonely for family.


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## Pat H (Jan 14, 2007)

My kids are spread all over - PA, OH and England. When the one in England comes back home, they will most likely be living in NM, AZ or FLA. I figure I can always fly to see one of them or my siblings for Christmas.


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## spike (Jan 14, 2007)

Does anyone snowbird for retirement?? My model is to live the summer in Alberta, CA (Banff?) and then drive to Tucson (perhaps Yuma) for the winter. The home in Banff is rented out in the winter to ski bums and, well, the house in Tucson will sit empty as I can't see anyone wanting to live there in the summer.


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## Fern Modena (Jan 14, 2007)

Rose,
I know many people like your Aunt.  They have a good life in their new home, with their girlfriends.  They belong to clubs, play cards, socialize, and are involved in good works in their community.  Chances are if they moved to where their children were they'd be very lonely.  The children work, and there wouldn't be many people for them to socialize with who were their age, had the free time, etc.  The children might be very well meaning, but they can't be auntie's *everything.*

Fern



Rose Pink said:


> I wonder how many people retire to a place where they have no family, friends or other connections. ---stuff deleted to save bandwidth---
> 
> I am also thinking about an aunt of mine who retired with her husband about two thousand miles away from her children. Aunt and Uncle made new friends and had a great retirement but then he died. She has a group of lady friends but on holidays she gets lonely for family.


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## mamiecarter (Jan 14, 2007)

*Go Where You Know!*

Think how bored and lonely you would be if you leave your friends and family behind. Go where they are. Check out the health care system where you want to move. Don't finalise it right away. Try it out with a rental or spend some weeks there. Don't buy untill you are sure you like living there.


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## Gramma5 (Jan 14, 2007)

Spike.
My husband and I plan to be "snowbirds". We will probably retire within the next year. Our children and grandchildren all live in the Minneapolis suburbs and we plan on living (for 7 months a year) in our Englewood townhome and then being up in Minneapolis from  mid June to Sept.(when the grandkids are out of school.) We will also spend from Thanksgiving  thru Christmas up there. Presently we rent our TH out Jan.thru March to cover our expenses annually. We are looking at buying an RV or 5th wheel (I'm not crazy about the pick up idea!) to drive to and live in when we are up north in the summers. At the holidays we wil probably rent our good friends townhome 'cause they spend the winter in Phoenix and don't come home for the holidays.  
Lots can change those plans but for now we are working and planning in that direction..........
We have owned our TH for over 3 yrs and have already gotten to know people in the community and church, so hopefully the transition will go well.


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## rkd (Jan 14, 2007)

Folks mention retiring near the children......well, what about if you are "child free"?  Are we the only ones?

If staying near the kids and grandkids were not factored in, where would  you choose to live?

Regina


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## bobcat (Jan 14, 2007)

rkd said:


> Folks mention retiring near the children......well, what about if you are "child free"?  Are we the only ones?
> 
> If staying near the kids and grandkids were not factored in, where would  you choose to live?
> 
> Regina



The best place for us is N C. On the coast between Wilmington N C and Mytle Beach SC.


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## PStreet1 (Jan 15, 2007)

We moved from Denver to Phoenix.  Turns out we spend more than half the year in Mexico, just south of San Diego.  I don't know if that makes us snow birds or not.  I do know I didn't mind Denver's cold half as much as I mind Phoenix's heat.

Before we moved, after searching for 5 years everywhere south of the Mason Dixon Line, we seriously considered Fairfield Glade, Tennessee.  I have a cousin who has lived there for years and loves it.  We have good friends who absolutely love Hot Springs, Arkansas--great town, lots to do, very "resortish."


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## anne1125 (Jan 15, 2007)

Personally, it's Florida (SW) for us someday.

My brother in law has said he wants to retire in Delaware.  Has anyone done this?  I saw it listed on a retirement website as one of the best for low taxes.

Just wonder.


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## Glynda (Jan 15, 2007)

*For us it will be...*

...Charleston, SC!  Fortunately, we bought a kitchen house in the historic district four years ago when prices were still somewhat reasonable and have completely redone it inside.  Now we're hoping to add on as the prices of homes downtown that we could live in permanently have skyrocketed.

There is just no place like Charleston!


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## Cathy in Boston (Jan 15, 2007)

If money were no object, my husband and I totally agree, San Diego, or more specifically, Coronado, is where we would live.  Such a gorgeous area.  

He wants to retire to Nevada, but I don't think he understands how difficult it will be for me to leave Boston, even with the snow and cold weather.  Only a native Bostonian would understand (he's from NJ)...

And of course, we plan on looooonger visits to Aruba, lol.


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## Rose Pink (Jan 15, 2007)

Cathy in Boston said:


> If money were no object, my husband and I totally agree, San Diego, or more specifically, Coronado, is where we would live. Such a gorgeous area.
> 
> He wants to retire to Nevada, but I don't think he understands how difficult it will be for me to leave Boston, even with the snow and cold weather. Only a native Bostonian would understand (he's from NJ)...
> 
> And of course, we plan on looooonger visits to Aruba, lol.


 
Am wondering how many people relocate to opposite sides of the country?  Do east coasters usually relocate to Florida and the westerners relocate to southern parts of western states?  Would like to hear from other tuggers who have relocated more than 2000 miles.  How has your experience been?

Dear Aunt that I previously referred to relocated from Chicago to Arizona.  She has friends in both places.  

When I was just a young 'un, I met a couple who had moved to Chubbuck, Idaho for their retirement.  They were from one of the southern states if I remember correctly.  I never quite figured that one out.


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## irish (Jan 15, 2007)

glynda, what is a kitchen house?


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## jtridle (Jan 15, 2007)

Keep in mind that just because you go where your kids are doesn't mean they are going to stay there.  Today's young people are so mobile with job changes, transfers, etc.  Better factor in the odds that your childen will move - after you move to where they are.  I know retirees to whom that happened to.  She wishes they would have stayed put rather than move to where their kids were.


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## breezylawn (Jan 15, 2007)

We've toyed with this issue now that my hubby is nearing 60 yrs old and we feel it's right around the corner.  I know this may sound silly to some people but every time we take a vacation, we play a game we invented called "Can we live here"????  We tour model homes and different areas of wherever we are be it California, Las Vegas, New Mexico, Arizona, Florida, Colorado, etc....
And after several years of playing this game and doing some research on all the area that were possibilities we finally made our decision...........we love the Midwest and want to stay in our area............but we hate the winter.....so with that being said, for us we have decided to stay in the Midwest during the summer, close to family and friends......and spend the winter months in Florida!  We love Florida and always find it a 'second home' feel when we go there.  But could never tolerate the heat and humidity in the summer months........and yes, we've tried it........twice.  So, for starters we purchased a condo in Florida with the hopes of purchasing a home in the near future............we feel this is an exciting time in our lives and a new chapter!  Good luck in your decision!  Take your time and one day you will find exactly what you want!  Breezy


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## Glynda (Jan 15, 2007)

*Kitchen House*



irish said:


> glynda, what is a kitchen house?



Homes in Charleston (and other areas) had outbuildings which served the main house.  There were carriage houses, slave/servant quarters, and kitchen houses, as well as others.  Separating the kitchen from the house kept the house cooler and was also a fire prevention measure.

Our kitchen house began on a dirt floor with a loft for the servants to live in. It was built in 1875 after the Civil War and after The Great Fire of 1861 destroyed a former house on the property.  Over the years, the main house was added on to until it now joins our kitchen house.  The kitchen house was floored and added on to at some point also.  We've pretty much taken it down to the studs and rebuilt the interior, saving the heart pine floors and original fireplaces, and staircase.  One can crawl under the house and see the original fireplace.

We can walk to all the shops and restaurants and just love it there.


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## Hawaiibarb (Jan 15, 2007)

Well, I plan to be a snow bird.  My sister is just soutside Denver, and I love Colorado, but my master plan was always to "have my cake and eat it, too" if I could find a way to make that happen.  I have lived in Hawaii a long time, and love it, so I didn't want to give up my condo here.  So I worked with a realtor in Colorado, found a townhouse at a good price, and I did it!  I got it a little sooner than I planned, since I'm not quite ready to retire, but it was too good to pass up.  I expect I'll get tired of winter about January 2, and then I'll head back here, enjoy timeshares on Kauai.....sounds good to me!


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## Rose Pink (Jan 15, 2007)

Sounds like being mobile (as in snowbirding for example or timesharing) may be the most workable solution for many people.  You have the benefit of keeping in touch with old friends/neighbors and meeting new ones, too.  Keep your roots and spread your wings.  You can try out different places if/when what you've chosen doesn't work out.  As has been pointed out, children move, friends and spouses may die.  Circumstances change.  The perfect retirement spot may not continue to be perfect.

My next question--since tuggers are people who like to travel, do you anticipate a time when you just don't want to "go" anymore?  My father, may he rest in peace, was a homebody.  Growing up, I thought vacations were weekend car trips to visit the relatives.  Vacation activities were swimming in the motel pool (if it had one) or watching tv in the motel room (hey--it wasn't at home  ).  My mother enjoyed traveling but finally gave up when it became too physically exhausting for her.  She says she just doesn't want to go anywhere any longer.  Do you foresee this happening to you?


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## sandcastles (Jan 15, 2007)

Rose Pink,
I think this is happening to us right now.  We have been retired for 6 years and I didn't think I would ever tire of traveling.  We were gone for 5 to 6 months a year at first (mainly to Sanibel).

We have cut down to about 2 months and are thinking about cutting down more.  We own at least 10 weeks of TS (more if we want to stay in smaller units).  We sold 1 last year and have 1 up for sale now.  We rent a cottage for the month of Feb. on Sanibel.

We've found that even though we enjoy ourselves, we look forward to going home.  Our house is more comfortable than most TS and we're getting older and more set in our ways.  I think we'll enjoy taking trips closer to home and just lasting a week or so at a time.


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## Janette (Jan 16, 2007)

We are in our early 60's and still like to travel a couple of weeks a year for enjoyment, but if given a choice of where to travel, it would be to see our grandchildren. Living in an active adult community, we miss too many fun things when we are gone. We still have timeshares but we find that we are renting more of them plus we can always use our accomodation certificates to travel 13 miles out to HHI if we want to "get away" for a week.


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## JoAnn (Jan 16, 2007)

We are at that point of not traveling as much. We haven't done a t/s exchange in a couple of years (and those followed an organized tour). Age and health problems are the main reasons.  And the cost of airfare from RSW. Very few good deals from here.

 We've taken organized tours each year over the past 4...I don't have to plan where to go, where to stay, or do any planning, I don't have to do most of the driving, and I don't have to sit and try to find an exchange on short notice.  I would like to sell all of our t/s, but DH says no...but we are in the process of selling one of our weeks, and the buyer may want our other week, and that would cut down on the fees. It was fun while it lasted, but not any more, sad to say.


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## bluehende (Jan 17, 2007)

anne1125 said:


> Personally, it's Florida (SW) for us someday.
> 
> My brother in law has said he wants to retire in Delaware.  Has anyone done this?  I saw it listed on a retirement website as one of the best for low taxes.
> 
> Just wonder.




I live in Wilmington and have a mother who lives at the shore resorts.

Taxes

We have an income tax that excludes some for pensions.  Our real estate taxes are low...especially in the resort area....and no sales tax.  I believe this would make our taxes very low for retirees.

Area 

Most retire to the beach areas which are now active all year long.  The summers are very hot and CROWDED.  The locals don't move around much.  If you boat or fish it is a great location.  The beaches are crowded and not real nice.  The off season is real nice.  Fall and spring are beautiful, uncrowded, and all the area is up and running with the exception of oceanfront restaurants which may or may not be open.  Winters are dreary but usually nearly snowless.  There are very active local senior groups as the retiree population is big and growing.  

If you have any specific questions post or PM me.  I am very familiar with the resort areas and Wilmington.

wayne


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## donnaval (Jan 17, 2007)

No kids, and although we've traveled a good bit we've never found a place that called "home" to us.  And yet we know we are tired of the Western PA winters...our plan for now is to spend a few years doing some heavy-duty time-sharing during the winter months.  We're only able to do a couple weeks at a time right now, but hope to increase that to a month next year, and a little longer the year after that.  We hope that we'll find the right place during those travels.  We'd like to be snowbirds, with summers in PA and winters somewhere warmer.

We have FF and RCI points which give us more weeks than we can use if we split them up.  With the FF points we can book far in advance; with the RCI points, take advantage of last-minute bargains.

Next visit on the travel-and-test agenda--two weeks in Southeast FL starting on Friday!


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## jlr10 (Jan 18, 2007)

If cost of living were no consideration we would stay in San Diego.  But that, combined with the increased congestion and traffic, has pretty much convinced us we need to sell our house and go move someplace less expensive.  Also we are hoping the equity in our current home will help fund our vacation. We are thinking about the southern part of the country.  We still have a ways to go so we still need to make the fact finding trips.

Although I did take the find your spot test and it kept referring me to places with snow.  I may not know where we want to go, but I do know it is not where there is snow.  This California girl moved away from snow in 1968 and has no plans to ever live it in again.  burrrrrr.


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## Don (Jan 18, 2007)

The first thing you need to do is make a list of things you want in the area you choose.  For example, no state income tax knocks out 46 (I believe) of the fifty states. Adding little or no cold weather leaves you with parts of Texas and Florida.  You have to prioritize you desires and go for the area which meets most of your wants.


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## Carol C (Jan 18, 2007)

rkd said:


> Folks mention retiring near the children......well, what about if you are "child free"?  Are we the only ones?
> 
> If staying near the kids and grandkids were not factored in, where would  you choose to live?
> 
> Regina



Regina, happily child free here!  

I'm curious about why you want to leave Florida? Is it the hurricane factor or the escalating cost of insurance? You mentioned TN or Arkansas, so I'm guessing you want to be somewhere inland that's got a mild climate. Do you like action and city life? Or do you want to be out in the country? Me, I hated the 'burbs of Atlanta but love being in the city just a short distance from  museums and live music/theater. During the colder months of the year in retirement, I hope to travel further south...to south Florida or Mexico/Central America. I wouldn't rule out the warmer countries of Europe if I could find a way to get there cheap (of course I'd be competing with retiring northern Europeans for good timeshare resort stays !) 

I'm enjoying reading this topic you started, btw!


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## Emily (Jan 18, 2007)

anne1125 said:


> Personally, it's Florida (SW) for us someday.
> 
> My brother in law has said he wants to retire in Delaware.  Has anyone done this?  I saw it listed on a retirement website as one of the best for low taxes.
> 
> Just wonder.



I live in Southern Delaware on the east coast side.  Delaware taxes ie;  low property tax, no sales tax and income tax break to seniors is very friendly, . .  .now.  

Sussex County triples in population every 2 years and the infrustructure, schools and medical facilities are in a constant state of upgrade & construction trying to catch up.  I wouldn't expect the property taxes to stay low.

Insurance is expensive compared to other states, especially car insurance.  

As far as location, you couldn't get better.  Close to the beach, a couple hours to the mountains, 1-2 hours from large cities - Phil, Balt, DC.  

With that said, we are considering moving to southeast Indiana.  We really like the people and they live at a different pace. Were not ready to retire for another 15 years. Then I'm not sure how we will define retirement.


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## PStreet1 (Jan 18, 2007)

We looked at Texas (property tax is 3% per year of sales value of house--and unfortunately, climbing) and Florida (also high property taxes).  Even with no state income tax, you are looking at a considerably higher yearly tax bill than you'll see in lots and lots of states with both property tax and income tax.  Our current property tax in Arizona is about 1% and the income tax is low--in Mexico, 30 miles from San Diego, our property tax is $200.00 a year.


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## rkd (Jan 19, 2007)

Can you really own property in Mexico?  I thought it had to be a "trust".

Regina


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## PStreet1 (Jan 19, 2007)

It is a 50 year trust which is re-newable for 50 years--that will be more than enough time for us, children, and grandchildren, and probably great grandchildren.    The trust holder is a bank, and they are authorized to act only on the owner's behalf.  The trust fee is a couple of hundred a year, so that should be considered along with our $200.00 tax per year.  We own the property, just as a Mexican national owns the property, but the bank holds the document for us.  When we sell, the bank simply terminates the trust or keeps it in effect for the new buyer.  The fact that we can get a trust (which we have on each of our properties) means that the title is clear and we can do with the property whatever we want.

There is currently legislation afoot to terminate the need for trusts; it seems that it is costing the government more to keep track of them, etc., than they bring in.  If that happens, foreigners will be able to hold simple title and not need to bother with a trust (getting the trust is expensive, about $8,000 added to the purchase price of the property--unless you assume a trust--but maintaining it isn't.)  The trust is necessary only for coastal property; buying in the interior of Mexico, foreighners buy just like Mexican citizens.

We have many friends who live here full time, and we're strongly considering it.  San Diego is easy to get to, and property RIGHT on the ocean is 1/10th the price it would be in San Diego.


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## PStreet1 (Jan 19, 2007)

It is a 50 year trust which is re-newable for 50 years--that will be more than enough time for us, children, and grandchildren, and probably great grandchildren.  The trust holder is a bank, and they are authorized to act only on the owner's behalf. The trust fee is a couple of hundred a year, so that should be considered along with our $200.00 tax per year. We own the property, just as a Mexican national owns the property, but the bank holds the document for us. When we sell, the bank simply terminates the trust or keeps it in effect for the new buyer. The fact that we can get a trust (which we have on each of our properties) means that the title is clear and we can do with the property whatever we want.

There is currently legislation afoot to terminate the need for trusts; it seems that it is costing the government more to keep track of them, etc., than they bring in. If that happens, foreigners will be able to hold simple title and not need to bother with a trust (getting the trust is expensive, about $8,000 added to the purchase price of the property--unless you assume a trust--but maintaining it isn't.) The trust is necessary only for coastal property; buying in the interior of Mexico, foreighners buy just like Mexican citizens.

We have many friends who live here full time, and we're strongly considering it. San Diego is easy to get to, and property RIGHT on the ocean is 1/10th the price it would be in San Diego.

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## John Cummings (Jan 21, 2007)

I retired in 2002. My wife and I researched different areas to retire in for 10 years and ended up retiring just 45 miles from where we were living. I am not going to suggest what area is best because that is a matter of personal preference. For us, California is the only place we will live though we did look at many areas in the US and Mexico. We lived in Florida for 8 years.

One thing that you need to consider is what your situation will be when you get up in years. Spending winters in one place and summers in another may not be so appealing when you get older. My mother and father did that for about 15 years but it was getting harder and harder to travel around as they got older. Having good access to medical care will become more important in your later years. The main thing is to consider your situation, your preferences. No book, magazine or other person can tell where is the best place for you. That you need to determine yourself. I have read all the retirement stuff and their recommended areas and quite frankly I wouldn't live in any of them however that is just my personal opinion.

When you narrow it down to a place or places then spend some time there at various times of the year to get to know the area.


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## Steamboat Bill (Jan 21, 2007)

PStreet1 said:


> We looked at Texas (property tax is 3% per year of sales value of house--and unfortunately, climbing) and Florida (also high property taxes).  Even with no state income tax, you are looking at a considerably higher yearly tax bill than you'll see in lots and lots of states with both property tax and income tax.  Our current property tax in Arizona is about 1% and the income tax is low--in Mexico, 30 miles from San Diego, our property tax is $200.00 a year.



I live in Florida and my property taxes are over $20,000 per year, my electricity bill averages $600 per month and my house insurance will probably rise to over $10,000 this year. But at least I don't pay any state taxes like California or NY.


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Jan 21, 2007)

I'm looking at where Southwest flies, for price and convenience. Looking at Portland, Oklahoma, Raleigh/Durham and Albuquerque. I enjoyed my visit to Memphis, but I don't like heat and humidity together (except by the ocean in Hawaii). How is the humidity in North Carolina? Oklahoma? I know it rains a lot in Portland, but it is supposed to be a beautiful well laid out city.
Thanks,
Liz


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## PStreet1 (Jan 21, 2007)

I absolutely love Albuquerque, and it was my first choice for retirement--until I discovered that there is a significant water problem there.  I've been told, by a water specialist at the university, that he plans to sell his home and leave New Mexico in 10 years because he believes that will be just before people realize how bad the problem is.  I'm hoping to live longer than 10 years and I don't want to need to sell at that point.

I did considerable water research on the Southwest, and while no where has a lot of water, some have more trouble than others.  Cities with Colorado River water are in better shape (as long as the river continues to get sufficient water) than those without it.  I was told by a water specialist in Arizona that Phoenix and Tucson will continue to have water, though the cost may eventually be staggering, but small communities in the mountains or out from Phoenix and Tucson will be in real trouble.

Anyway, just one more thing to consider.......


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## Laurie (Jan 21, 2007)

Liz, summers in RDU area of NC can have periods of hot and humid (May-Sept), but everywhere is air-conditioned, and the other 7 months of the year are great weather-wise IMO - plus, beautiful country, plenty of green in the winter landscapes, and autumn and spring are outstanding. Not to mention, relatively low housing costs compared to most of the country. 

Many retirees are moving to the NC mountains for lower summer temps and fairly comparable winter ones in some areas/elevations of the mountains (not all) but prices there have become much steeper.

(Also, both the Chapel Hill-Durham areas and the Asheville areas are pockets of "blue" in a "red" state, if that matters to you - hope I'm not treading on forbidden territory by stating that.)

I'm partial to Orange county, Hillsborough and Chapel Hill, slightly west of Raleigh and Durham. Cary & Raleigh have had too much development and too much traffic for me. We're within a few hours drive of ocean and mountains to cool off in the summer. 

That said, NC air doesn't compare with the air in the sunny parts of CA. I do breathe better out there!


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## PStreet1 (Jan 21, 2007)

I live in Florida and my property taxes are over $20,000 per year, my electricity bill averages $600 per month and my house insurance will probably rise to over $10,000 this year. But at least I don't pay any state taxes like California or NY.

That's huge!  In Arizona, which is after all known for heat, we get very agitated if the electric bill goes over $200.00 a month; the house insurance is a fraction of $10,000, and income tax really is much, much less than your property taxes.  When I lived in Colorado, the same was true--homeowners insurance less than $2,000 a year, heat/cooling bill under $200.00 a month (except for one extra cold month a year and possibly one extra hot month, and even then, considerably less than $300.00); and state income taxes really weren't much.  Lots and lots of things to think about in choosing a retirement location.


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## Steamboat Bill (Jan 21, 2007)

PStreet1 said:


> I live in Florida and my property taxes are over $20,000 per year, my electricity bill averages $600 per month and my house insurance will probably rise to over $10,000 this year. But at least I don't pay any state taxes like California or NY.
> 
> That's huge!  In Arizona, which is after all known for heat, we get very agitated if the electric bill goes over $200.00 a month; the house insurance is a fraction of $10,000, and income tax really is much, much less than your property taxes.  When I lived in Colorado, the same was true--homeowners insurance less than $2,000 a year, heat/cooling bill under $200.00 a month (except for one extra cold month a year and possibly one extra hot month, and even then, considerably less than $300.00); and state income taxes really weren't much.  Lots and lots of things to think about in choosing a retirement location.




Can you feel my pain????....I will definately downsize in 10 years when the kids are off to college. Hopefullt my house will appreciate by $1m or more so these current expenses will be recouped.


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## Don (Jan 21, 2007)

My God!! Just your HO insurance is more than my mort., taxes, and insurance combined and I thought I was paying a lot.
BTW, the insurance company I went with after getting a non renewal notice last year, has non renewed me this year since they went into receivership a month after I signed up with them.  I am looking for a new policy and in Particular a new agent.  I feel she should have told me of my company's difficulity when they filed their paperwork.  She had to have been aware, she couldn't have sold any more policies from them.


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## Floridaski (Jan 21, 2007)

I have to share with all of you about my concerns with dreams of Florida.  With the insurance crisis and the high real estate taxes - everyone except the very wealthy can afford a decent house in Florida.  I have lived in South Florida for 20 years and our Home insurance is going up faster then we can make payments.  Our insurance and taxes are higher then our mortgage.  We will more then likely keep our home in Florida for the long term.  Due partly to the fact that it would cost close to 800K to 1.1 to replace the home.  We live on a ocean access and the lot is worth double the home.  So, unless you have an unlimited income - I would have to advise everyone to be cautious with Florida.  We actually hope to spend part of the year in Colorado and the remaining time in Florida.  We have not determined where in Colorado - but fairly certain that is the state.  We love the mountains and actually like the winters there also.  The only season we are not wild about in Colorado is the mud season.  The summers are so hot in Florida, that it would be nice to enjoy the mountains.  

But, if we do follow this plan - we will keep our Homestead on Florida in order to maintain a hold on the taxes.  If we changed our domicile, our tax's would soar to 3% of 800,000.  If you do that math, it is very clear that we could not maintain the home in Florida.  So, anyway - Florida is wonderful, but do not let the insurance and property taxes escape your formulas.  When you purchase a new home, the taxes recalculate to the actual sales prices that you paid.


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## Pat H (Jan 21, 2007)

Steamboat Bill said:


> I live in Florida and my property taxes are over $20,000 per year, my electricity bill averages $600 per month and my house insurance will probably rise to over $10,000 this year. But at least I don't pay any state taxes like California or NY.



I thought you were just being facetious. Are those figures for real? I'm upset because my house insurance went up to $600. I won't even tell you what my taxes and electric bill are.


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## John Cummings (Jan 22, 2007)

Steamboat Bill said:


> I live in Florida and my property taxes are over $20,000 per year, my electricity bill averages $600 per month and my house insurance will probably rise to over $10,000 this year. But at least I don't pay any state taxes like California or NY.



The extra that you are paying in Florida for property taxes, electricity, and homeowner's insurance is at least 10 times greater than what I pay for California State income tax.


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## Steamboat Bill (Jan 22, 2007)

Pat H said:


> I thought you were just being facetious. Are those figures for real? I'm upset because my house insurance went up to $600. I won't even tell you what my taxes and electric bill are.



I actually rounded for easy calculations...my real property tax for 2006 was $21,567.59 because I paid it early in November in full. If I waited until April 2007, I would have to pay $23,146.23. Taxes here are 2.13% of the assessed value of the house.

My insurance was $7,438.52 and had a hurricane deductible of $43,100.00 but we all expect that figure to rise this year by 15% or more.

I have never had an electricty bill below $500 per month and during the summer it is about $650.

But hey, I don't have to pay for snow removal.


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## PStreet1 (Jan 22, 2007)

I agree; state income tax has never been anything like that kind of a burden--and I've never lived in a state with property taxes in that realm.  We loved what we could build in Texas, but I wasn't willing to pay the property tax each year on the house--that's traveling money!


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## Rose Pink (Jan 22, 2007)

Steamboat Bill said:


> I have never had an electricty bill below $500 per month and during the summer it is about $650.
> 
> But hey, I don't have to pay for snow removal.


 
I pay $20 to $30 to have my driveway, etc shoveled after each snow storm.  We'd have to have a lot of storms to come up to $500/mo that you are paying for electricity.  My power bill averages $86 a month with about the same amount for natural gas.  So, with elec, gas and snow removal, I still pay far less than you do for power alone.  I can't even fathom paying that much for insurance (ours is about $500).  After reading about your situation, I will for sure count my blessings!

I've been interested in your posts since DS and DIL are moving to Florida this year and want to buy a home.  Ouch.


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## pwrshift (Jan 22, 2007)

I live in Toronto, and as I get older I like snow less.  Last year I had to pay $152 for a guy to clean the driveway any day there's more than 2 inches of snow...that's $152 for the whole winter season btw.  

Those FL (and other states) prices for electricity and taxes are excessive.  I don't pay anything like that for gas or taxes.

Fern -- I tried that link to the survey and the top three for me were Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Richmond, VA.  No wonder I liked Marriott Manor Club so much!

Brian



Steamboat Bill said:


> ...I have never had an electricty bill below $500 per month and during the summer it is about $650.
> 
> But hey, I don't have to pay for snow removal.


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## Don (Jan 23, 2007)

pwrshift said:


> I live in Toronto, and as I get older I like snow less.
> 
> Those FL (and other states) prices for electricity and taxes are excessive.  I don't pay anything like that for gas or taxes.
> 
> ...



That's interesting.  I moved from the Norfolk area to FL for much the same reason - to get away from the cold.  Even though the area doesn't get much snow, every once in a while a storm will sneak around the southern end of the Appalachians and come up the coast.  That's when the area gets dumped on.  The "Blizzard of 1980" put about 18" of snow on the ground with 4' drifts in places.
As for electricity, if you do move down, brace yourself for your VA Power bill.  Years ago they were called VEPCO (Va Electrical Power Co.).  they changed their name when people started making their checks out to *V*ery *E*xpensive *P*ower *Co*mpany.  My electric bill is more down here, but I have a total electric house now.  In VA I had electric and gas.  My bill here is not much more than the total of the two up there.


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## gnipgnop (Feb 7, 2007)

What's wrong with retiring right where your at???  We built a new home on one acre 4 years ago right in the town where we have lived for 40 or more years.  It was built to be as maintenance free as possible.  We have a great room with a fireplace extending all the way to the cathedral ceiling.  The area is open to the kitchen and dining area.  One large master BR and two smaller BR's.  Large bath in the MBR with a jacuzzi tub.  What more could I want?  We are in Pennsylvania and have four beautiful seasons.  I wouldn't move unless I had to.  

My husband and I will both retire Sept. 1, 2007 and we travel every chance we get.  We love to go....we love to visit....but there's NO PLACE LIKE HOME!  

Good luck to you in what ever you decide to do.


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## Icc5 (Feb 7, 2007)

*California*

We live and have always lived in/near the San Jose area and I can't imagine living anywhere else.  Yes, everything is high and lots of traffic but I have never been anywhere else with our weather.  It is not very often when it is too hot, too cold, too rainy, snow (what's that)?  We have looked at other places but never found anything weather wise as nice.  
Brothers and sisters nearby for both of us and no house payments left.  Our biggest bummer is property tax.  If the 2 kids move we will have another place to go visit and they can always come visit us here.
bart


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## myhottoddy (Feb 7, 2007)

*Why not Knoxville,TN or Spokane*

Single Income No Kids (SINK).  We presently live in Los Alamos,NM, elevation 6,800 ft, great weather with mild summers and winters, lots of federal land to hike, XC ski, etc. Housing prices are high with moderate taxes, virtually no shopping unless you drive 35 miles to Santa Fe.  We are considering both Knoxville, TN area and Spokane, WA. Both have no income tax.  Spokane has somewhat similar weather as Los Alamos with less sunshine while Knowville has fantastic homes for $300 to $400,000 with lower property tax than Spokane.

Both locations are close to lakes, mountains, medical, etc.

Which would you chose?  I plan to retire Dec 2007 with a meager income.

Tom


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## rkd (Feb 7, 2007)

I am so glad this thread stays active.  I refer back to it often as I have come to respect the ideas and opinions of Tuggers.

Regina


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## John Cummings (Feb 8, 2007)

myhottoddy said:


> Single Income No Kids (SINK).  We presently live in Los Alamos,NM, elevation 6,800 ft, great weather with mild summers and winters, lots of federal land to hike, XC ski, etc. Housing prices are high with moderate taxes, virtually no shopping unless you drive 35 miles to Santa Fe.  We are considering both Knoxville, TN area and Spokane, WA. Both have no income tax.  Spokane has somewhat similar weather as Los Alamos with less sunshine while Knowville has fantastic homes for $300 to $400,000 with lower property tax than Spokane.
> 
> Both locations are close to lakes, mountains, medical, etc.
> 
> ...



It depends on what part of the country you wish to live in. Knoxville is not as cold as Spokane but gets a lot more precipitation. I have lived in Spokane, and spent some time in Tennessee though not Knoxville. I have a friend that lives in Knoxville and likes it very much. I like Spokane a lot but it is much too cold for us. I haven't been in Spokane for a few years but when I was there, housing was pretty cheap. I expect it is still pretty reasonable. The overall cost of living is lower in Knoxville than Spokane. It would be hard for me to choose because I wouldn't consider living anywhere else but California.


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