Retirement in California (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Long Beach: sales, real estate, houses) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

Charles · 12-26-2009, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve97415

They do, but this seems terribly risky and puts a lot of pressure on the kids to stay put for the foreseeable future. Most mid-career professionals move around quite a bit. I know of someone right now who has the opportunity to take a significant career promotion that would require moving from Phoenix to Silicon Valley. But his parents pulled up stakes to move to Arizona last year so they could "watch their grandchildren grow up." So now he feels stymied in his options and will pass on the job opportunity even though both he and his wife feel ready for something different. But for his parents moving in to town, they would have moved to northern California.

This is exactly what my parents said to me when we moved to Colorado. Now we're in Alabama.

Curmudgeon · 12-26-2009, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve97415

They do, but this seems terribly risky and puts a lot of pressure on the kids to stay put for the foreseeable future. Most mid-career professionals move around quite a bit. I know of someone right now who has the opportunity to take a significant career promotion that would require moving from Phoenix to Silicon Valley. But his parents pulled up stakes to move to Arizona last year so they could "watch their grandchildren grow up." So now he feels stymied in his options and will pass on the job opportunity even though both he and his wife feel ready for something different. But for his parents moving in to town, they would have moved to northern California.

I have to laugh. When we planned our retirement move we had children and grandchildren literally from coast to coast. We were landing someplace kind of in the middle. We moved then some of them moved. Now, of our combined seven children, six of them and their children live in the state we left while the seventh and his family, thankfully, just moved to a closer state.

Both my wife and I grew up in the military with many, many moves. We learned, early-on, to live where we want to, not where friends and family may be, for the moment.

Clarks · 12-26-2009, 04:58 PM

Quote:

My parents moved from Carmel Valley to Reno to be close to my siblngs. I thought they were out of their minds

I agree. Reno is a fine town to live in, and a good town to have a job in, but, if they are retired, Carmel Valley would be hard to beat.
My father in law in Reno is 83 he just bought himself a new snow blower, Electric start I hope.

ExNooYawk · 12-26-2009, 08:02 PM

We retired in 2006 and promptly moved from CA to Oregon. I still miss CA. Unfortunately, it is not a very retiree-friendly place to be. They tax anything that moves and most things that don't too. Pensions, Social Security; nothing is exempt from the tax-man. It's too bad because we brought a considerable amount of money to OR. We like it here and I don't see us moving anywhere else but if I had my druthers, I'd have found another place in CA.

Oregon LOVES us retirees. We love them back. We pay property taxes, support our local libraries and schools, do volunteer work and shop. CA's loss is OR's gain.

msgsing · 12-26-2009, 08:29 PM

I retired from the Midwest and moved to San Diego. Yes COLA is much higher here but the weather is better and there is more to do.

Clarks · 12-26-2009, 08:38 PM

Quote:

We retired in 2006 and promptly moved from CA to Oregon. I still miss CA. Unfortunately, it is not a very retiree-friendly place to be. They tax anything that moves and most things that don't too. Pensions, Social Security; nothing is exempt from the tax-man. It's too bad because we brought a considerable amount of money to OR. We like it here and I don't see us moving anywhere else but if I had my druthers, I'd have found another place in CA.

Oregon LOVES us retirees. We love them back. We pay property taxes, support our local libraries and schools, do volunteer work and shop. CA's loss is OR's gain.

People don't get old in Oregon, they rust

CA4Now · 12-28-2009, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ndfmnlf

Has anyone here tried to do the opposite, i.e., moved to California from other states to retire? Where in California did you move to, and did it go as smoothly as you planned?

My aunt and uncle moved from Colorado to Laguna Woods; they're in their early seventies. (They had spent their child rearing years in Orange County, however.) They came out several times to look at different areas, and just as they moved here, the recession hit. Still, they say they're glad to be out of the snow and that it was worth it, reduced stock portfolio or not.

mlb · 01-01-2010, 03:43 PM

Just after we married 20 years ago - we moved FROM Los Angeles - to Utah. We wanted a slower, more affordable pace of life, the mountains and outdoors - and never having to commute on a freeway again. Utah has been good to us.

In 10 years, we will retire....and we're starting to wonder if we can find someplace - with moderate temps (yes, the snow thing does become old - I'd rather DRIVE to it) - within driving distance of the ocean - that we can afford. I'm thinking we won't find it.

I don't want to be taxed at every move and I can't even contemplate what housing/property tax costs will be).... but my spouse wants to be near old friends (we have no children) and in a community that is retiree friendly but diverse in age and ethnicity. I will have family in northern CA - but that's not a necessity for me to be near them. I want to be able to visit - not live ontop of them.

Our home here will be paid off - and in 10 years will probably be valued at $300-$350K. This area is becoming VERY built up (thanks to California escapees like ourselves) and the locals will ALWAYS want to come home to "Zion" so I have no fear we will be able to sell our home.

Is there ANYWHERE in California that's affordable and not so rural it rolls up the sidewalks at 6PM? Somewhere halfway between the outskirts and the cities?

Charles · 01-01-2010, 03:49 PM

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Originally Posted by mlb

Is there ANYWHERE in California that's affordable

What is your budget? (What does "affordable" mean?)

Dean Trails · 01-01-2010, 03:58 PM

Finally, for Medicaid planning, it's best to have nearly all of your net worth in your primary residence because your primary residence isn't a countable asset for medicaid eligibility when nursing home time comes around. That's why a guy with a $1.7M home has the government pay for his nursing home and the guy with a $150K home (and $350K in IRAs and 401Ks) spends his own money.[/quote]

Good Point, Charles! But, maybe you can have those IRA's cashed out into concrete assets such as precious metals that are not traceable but still liquid.
A friend is from Hong Kong and has all their assets overseas away from the prying eyes of the government. I am not sure how he does it but all he has n the US is his primary residence.