Essential Facts For Low Income Retirees (relation, village, mortgage, problems)

[newenglandgirl]

Originally Posted by SelflessGene

This is incredible news. I was about to give up on retiring abroad solely on the basis of health care. Now you're telling me the grass is greener south of the border. I wasn't really aware of this since so much of the stuff on the foreign websites concentrates on beaches, golf courses, cultural events etc. Much harder to get information on bread and butter issues.

The more I hear from you, the more I'm inclined to reconsider.

How safe is it to be living in parts of Mexico right now? Just read that something like 15 men were spray bulleted (drive by) at a carwash. Not to mention the general rate of crime there. Something to think about....

[Keeper]

Folks.. please get back on topic. Attacking someone because they do not believe the same as you will not be tolerated.

Our opinions on a location or issue are just that, opinions. Highly subjective. Personal preferences. Quirks, even. Leave wiggle room for dialogue, others may not see things the same as you, or been there as long as you, and any one of us can be wrong. Pouncing on someone you disagree with runs contrary to the spirit of this board and its members. We are here to help each other.

[SelflessGene]

Chance the Gardener: As long as the roots are not severed, all is well. And all will be well in the garden. (Peter Sellers in "Being There")

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

How safe is it to be living in parts of Mexico right now? Just read that something like 15 men were spray bulleted (drive by) at a carwash. Not to mention the general rate of crime there. Something to think about....

Yeah, I've heard that something like 50,000 people have died in the drug wars so far (comparable to VietNam). But also I've heard that when you get away from the U.S./Mexico border that it's pretty safe. On one expat site I was reading a post about a Mexican woman who tried living in the U.S. but returned to Mexico City because she felt alot safer there.

Our town right here in the good ole' U.S.A. has just experienced it's first drive-by shooting of a dog!

Sounds like you want to go to Missouri.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

As an aside, I never put anyone on the ignore list (well, one....), as I want to read both the inane and intelligent comments. It helps me to see the larger picture of how people out there think and react. It's been a real education for me.

There are places in Missouri and Arkansas that are both back woods and in-town hip. One of the most prestigious writing programs in the country is in Fayetteville Ark. This area of the country also has many writers and artists, and the country is beautiful. My only tiny objection is my irrational (rational?) fear of tornados. But in 7 years in the college town in mid-Mo., never experienced one. Some of us are saying go to the hidden gems in this country, not just the lifestyle places. and why tolerate a far northern city with brutal winters if you can live cheaply in a lovely place like the middle midwest (beats the deep south in terms of weather, imo).

Picture, cabin for sale in Jaspar Ark.

That cabin sits on four acres, which I think are wooded, and has two bedrooms, one bath. It's 720 sq. ft. and comes with washer, dryer, range and refrigerator. All that for an asking price of $108K. Or, you could get a 2 Bed, 1 Bath, 1,252 Sq Ft right downtown for under $80K.

Hidden gems indeed!

[Escort Rider]

Yes, incredible bargains exist, particularly in rural, semi-rural, and small town environments, and particularly since the real estate bubble burst in 2007. If I didn't love my life in Los Angeles, and if I didn't highly value the cultural advantages here, I would move in a heartbeat. As to the real estate bubble, my understanding from readings on City-Data is that the "bursting" of the bubble varied quite a bit in severity in different areas of the country. So generalizations do not apply everywhere.

[LittleDolphin]

I love armchair shopping for real estate bargains on-line--even though I've no immediate intention of moving...that Arkansas cabin looks like the perfect place to write a novel...

[SelflessGene]

This is the the most relevant distinction to be made: Affordable because no one wants to live there or affordable and desirable.

"To exclude cities that were affordable only because of a depressed economy, we also factored in the unemployment rate (the lower, the better)."

"In compiling our list, we searched for cities that had a balance of cheap living and economic prosperity--places with solid job markets, but where costs aren't prohibitive."

America's Most Affordable Cities - Yahoo! Real Estate

Also: Back To The City--For Retirement

"Extensive mass transit options, an established health care system and an existing structure of social services are among the many factors that can make a city a surprisingly practical choice for retirement."

http://www.forbes.com/2010/09/14/top...nt-places.html

[newenglandgirl]

Originally Posted by SelflessGene

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Sounds like you want to go to Missouri.

Not at this point in my life, but was suggesting it b/c of COL.

I was thinking that a person needs to be in a place that suits his/her personal style. You sound like a gregarious type person (Sag?) who would enjoy intellectual stimulation over a margarita. Nothing wrong with that! Maybe Mexico is "your fit," esp now with the new health insurance info you just got.

Re: the cabin--actually 108K sounds kind of pricey for that area of the country, out in the middle of the woods. I bet you can get a real nice in town place, cabin-type within the town limits, for much less money. I wonder what the prop taxes would be on a $80k place in town. Some states have a reduction in prop taxes for seniors, so it could be affordable for you if you got a 30 yr mortgage with very low interest. Sure beats paying rent to a landlord, and the place will appreciate down the line, so it would be an investment Move to a town near a town that has a Starbucks, then you know you're in the bounds of civilization (no, I don't do Starbucks, too pricey, but it's a lifestyle marker).

[Escort Rider]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

Re: the cabin--actually 108K sounds kind of pricey for that area of the country, out in the middle of the woods. I bet you can get a real nice in town place, cabin-type within the town limits, for much less money. I wonder what the prop taxes would be on a $80k place in town. Some states have a reduction in prop taxes for seniors, so it could be affordable for you if you got a 30 yr mortgage with very low interest. Sure beats paying rent to a landlord, and the place will appreciate down the line, so it would be an investment Move to a town near a town that has a Starbucks, then you know you're in the bounds of civilization (no, I don't do Starbucks, too pricey, but it's a lifestyle marker).

Boy, I sure wish we could all count on that (the place apprciating down the line), but there are so many uncertainties remaining about the real estate market. Many insiders say that there is so much stressed inventory (owners behind on payments) and so much shadow inventory (owners wanting to sell and waiting for higher prices) that real estate prices may continue to be depressed or even go down more for some time to come. Apparently many buyers are convinced of this because they are waiting on the sidelines - visiting homes but not buying - waiting for prices to drop further. Nothing proves these buyers are correct, but a number of experts seem to think they are. Just because home values are way down from their peak doesn't prove, per se, that they won't go down further and/or that recovery will be any time soon. What a time to have to make a decision! I thank my lucky stars I bought in late 2001, just at the beginning of the appreciation frenzy, at least in Los Angeles. And it was pure luck, not smarts; I had no insight into what was going to happen.

[aliveandwellinSA]

Originally Posted by SelflessGene

This is incredible news. I was about to give up on retiring abroad solely on the basis of health care. Now you're telling me the grass is greener south of the border. I wasn't really aware of this since so much of the stuff on the foreign websites concentrates on beaches, golf courses, cultural events etc. Much harder to get information on bread and butter issues.

The more I hear from you, the more I'm inclined to reconsider.

Just thought I would throw in my two cents, maybe only worth one cent.

Of all the places I have talked about, and considering your situation in total, I would probably consider and put towards the top of my list would be Panama.

Reasons,
affordable
health care
mostly english spoken
dollar used as currency
less crime than the others I have mentioned
quick trip across the border, north via Boquette into Costa Rica/San Vito

(20% discount medical discount visits 15 % on hospital bills (if you do not have insurance coverage) 15% reduction in fast food eateries 15% off dental and eye exams10 prescriptions Other% reduction benefits of living in Panama: Panama City is only a flight of 2 hours Miami.The U.S. dollar is the de facto official currency in Panama. Spanish is the official language, but English is widely spoken and understood in major cities.)