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Old 02-01-2011, 03:20 AM
 
18,671 posts, read 33,286,569 times
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I'm 35 miles from the coast.
But over the most-of-36-years that I've been here, I do think the summers have gotten increasingly humid and not even that hot- but 100 percent humidity without rain. The dewpoint is often higher in the summer than New Orleans!
The summer I lived on the coast of Maine (Bath, Westport) I remember maybe two weeks where you'd roll your sleeves up during the day. Fantastic weather, and there was always Reid State Park.
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Old 02-01-2011, 08:39 PM
 
5,097 posts, read 6,333,694 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by newenglandgirl View Post
I explored (and know) Maine quite a bit (not the far northern reaches though). Be prepared for a lot of in the car trips to wherever you need to go. If you haven't done so yet, spend a week in your possible destination and see what it's like (now and when you're 80) to go to the grocery, doctor, library, stores, etc. Is there any senior transport? How close is the nearest hospital? I found that what I wanted in Maine in my 30s and 40s did not hold up practically in my sixties. Now there's others like Forest Beekeeper who have made Maine work just fine. This was just my own personal realization based on my own needs as I age.
newenglandgirl... can I ask what areas in Maine you looked at? What changed for you in your search that made you change your mind?
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Old 02-01-2011, 10:54 PM
 
4,246 posts, read 12,002,869 times
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I'm no where near retiring but the wife and I know where we're retiring and will be hopefully buying a home there as a vacation home in hopes of moving into it full time once we get old enough or tired of living in Houston. I don't plan to stop working until I can't anymore. But the place we'll be spending the rest of our lives at is Cloudcroft or Ruidoso, NM. The summers are mild and dry. Highs in the summer are low 80's to high 70's. Winters are dry and get little snow fall. Low property taxes help considering how high they are here. I just love the mountains and greenery of the area.
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Old 02-02-2011, 12:23 AM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,660 posts, read 57,778,624 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by danieloneil01 View Post
.... But the place we'll be spending the rest of our lives at is Cloudcroft or Ruidoso, NM. The summers are mild and dry. Highs in the summer are low 80's to high 70's. Winters are dry and get little snow fall. Low property taxes help considering how high they are here. I just love the mountains and greenery of the area.
My mom took her MH from LC to Ruidoso, NM for summer enjoyment (we had lived near Estes Park, CO as a young family, so very similar). Eventually she encountered health problems that keeps her in LC, but I sure enjoyed the long beautiful sunsets and sunrises there (LC) last month (Jan/2011). She can clearly see 3 mtn ranges + the lights of the city from her 'in-town' home. The well educated and engaged retirement society in LC is enlightening (likely the case in Cloudcroft or Ruidoso, NM. too)

stop working a bit before this ...
I don't plan to stop working until I can't anymore.
The sooner the better I know far too many who worked too long to enjoy some good (healthy) yrs, I highly recommend retiring as soon as kids leave home, then working LATER if need be.

One of my friends had to return to work at age 68 (after retiring at age 52 and skiing / adventuring until age 67). He was a Madoff victim (unbeknown to himself, due to 'trusting' his broker). @ age 68 he is doing fine with the work duty (self employed), tho it was not by choice. And he and spouse are SUPER happy they took those 15 yrs to enjoy life to the fullest. (they were quite conservative with spending, tho had a great time). They are a bit injured / sore / old to do what they did during those healthy yrs of retirement.
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Old 02-02-2011, 12:34 PM
 
Location: Sequim, WA
801 posts, read 2,208,013 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by danieloneil01 View Post
I'm no where near retiring but the wife and I know where we're retiring and will be hopefully buying a home there as a vacation home in hopes of moving into it full time once we get old enough or tired of living in Houston. I don't plan to stop working until I can't anymore. But the place we'll be spending the rest of our lives at is Cloudcroft or Ruidoso, NM. The summers are mild and dry. Highs in the summer are low 80's to high 70's. Winters are dry and get little snow fall. Low property taxes help considering how high they are here. I just love the mountains and greenery of the area.
That sounds like a nice goal and I hope you're able to do it. However, I'll tell you that I bought a very nice 5 acre lot in a new subdivision near Ruidoso over 15 years ago. My wife and I would have loved to build a retirement home on it, but medical changes over the past 5 years have completely ruled out living there as medical care in that area is very limited and virtually nonexistent for what we need. We're still in our 50s but know that we'll never build on the 5 acres.

As Stealth suggests, if you wait till you CAN'T work, you may find that is getting really late to move to that area.

Preferred climate is a personal thing, but, IMO...Ruidoso has a great climate. As you know, summer is really nice with highs around 80 and lows near 50.
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Old 02-02-2011, 12:50 PM
 
Location: Mammoth Lakes, CA
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My thoughts on retirement are radically different from what they were in my 20's and 30's. Then I was was convinced I would retire to Vermont... then Montana...

Now I am convinced I will remain in California, even with the outrageous taxes. Why? I can't take a brutal winter and am wise enough not to retire to a cold state. As you age, you can't take what you did in your youth!
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Old 02-02-2011, 01:26 PM
 
Location: Sequim, WA
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I'll confess that when I was in my 20s and early 30s, I really never even THOUGHT about retirement! I figured that was something for old folks. In my mid 30s, after bicycling all over Vermont with my wife a few late Septembers when the leaves were in full color, I began to think about retirement and Vermont seemed to be a possibility. Now...in my late 50s, I don't even like the cold of Albuquerque, and my feet seem to be frozen all winter. Although the sun is shining brightly today, my patio thermometer is showing 4 degrees at 1:30 in the afternoon (admittedly, a very abnormally cold day for Albuquerque).
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Old 02-02-2011, 01:54 PM
 
Location: Near a river
16,042 posts, read 21,937,686 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brava4 View Post
newenglandgirl... can I ask what areas in Maine you looked at? What changed for you in your search that made you change your mind?
My situation is different than for many. Although active I have mobility problems that could worsen as I age. So my explorations of Maine, Virginia, North and South Carolina were important--for me to find out that no town that I visited filled my needs to be able to get around when I'm 75 or 80 (I'm now 62). In looking to move, easy access to the essentials is of utmost importance. Even though I hope to be able to drive for many more years, the economy could drive gas prices way high and my driving ability may decline, so senior transport (aka the "senior van") that can zip me around town is important (Bus may be OK, but not in all seasons/weather).

As for Maine, I explored with my daughter and her SO the lower Downeast area (Ellsworth), also Portland, all the coastal towns above Portland, Camden (upscale but low taxes), and the small river towns around Waterville (loved Gardiner and Hallowell). If I were hale and hearty and with a partner, I'd move to any of these Maine places -- in spring, summer and fall it's to die for (I adore the ocean). Winters are quite another matter, and would have made my New England winters here even worse (there's folks who love it in Maine in winter, though).

Everywhere I went, as in my Southern stops, I encountered nice towns miles from each other, or cities too big for me to handle in older age, and amenities (natural foods store, medical, cultural, etc) too spread out from each other. My ideal place was a small town inside which I could get most of what I need for the rest of my life (tall order, I know).

My daughter decided not to move to Maine and I was relieved as I knew that wasn't really for me. If I were to reconsider I might go take another look at Damariscotta area.

Again, my criteria is for 10 years down the road, as those years fly by fast. I opted to stay put (one town over) in favor of closeness to family.

Today (with mountains of snow surrounding) I'm dreaming of AZ or CA. Will never happen though
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Old 02-02-2011, 02:05 PM
 
Location: near bears but at least no snakes
26,650 posts, read 28,557,937 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StealthRabbit View Post
I'd look into Co-op housing in New England areas, there are some affordable options, or a spot in a ROC (resident owned community Mobile Home Park) ROC USA : Home

Get to England while you still have health and greenback is of some value. There are affordable places to rent on the outskirts of cities, and lots of folks have rooms to rent. Probably cheaper than staying in USA. Spend $500 on a ticket and GO
Thank you, stealth. I've spend the last few days looking............those ROC cooperatives-only ONE in all of Massachusetts and it happens to be in a town I lived in once and would never live in again. All of Connecticut has only ONE also--down by NY.

When I remarried two years ago we had thought of buying a mobile home in an adult park in either CT or MA but the prices are out of sight for us. Price of the home + buying a share ($30,000) plus $500 HOA, plus taxes and other expenses.

So we are stuck in "elderly housing" which 100% totally sucks. Two small rooms, no storage, no yard, (not even a balcony or deck or even a cement slab to put a chair on & sit your coffee). You go to a community laundromat--OUTDOORS!!!!!!!! (Yes, even in the winter). You cannot plant a flower or a tomato plant.

Apparently you are expected to sit inside all year round and watch tv. There isn't enough room for a table and chairs so you have to eat off trays. There isn't enough room to invite your neighbor over. A chair and a tv, that's all that fits in the living room.

I've spent several years checking out housing in other towns and it's the same story everywhere, and worse in many cases. There's a real lack of affordable housing around here.

(That's why I am thinking--England.) There is one more housing list that I am waiting for -- tiny apartments, as usual, but they allow gardening!!!! They also realize that people want to get outside of their own apartment! And get some exercise!

But when I get to the top of this last list (4 years of waiting now...) IF it isn't that great either, then I want to go with my British husband and live in England. They have very nice housing--free--a real house, a real yard, England is beautiful, lots of history, cost of living is no worse than New England, cheap package trips to Europe, a milder year round climate, and I already have a National Health Service number, so free health care.

I just worry. Should I put my furniture into storage? And if I ever did want to come back, I would be homeless. Would I be stupid to sit here, depressed by this hopeless housing situation, trying to make the best of it because I love New England.????
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Old 02-02-2011, 02:20 PM
 
Location: Near a river
16,042 posts, read 21,937,686 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by in_newengland View Post

I've spent several years checking out housing in other towns and it's the same story everywhere, and worse in many cases. There's a real lack of affordable housing around here.
I assume from your posts you live around Boston but once lived in WMass and hated it?

What is it you like about New England---and if you can't enjoy it due to cramped living quarters, why stay here? What's so special about it?

I'm born and bred New Englander but have lived in Missouri twice and really liked it. If I had no family here I'd go back. New England isn't the end-all.

There are many wonderful places to live and many senior housing (both subsidized and not) in many parts of the country You shouldn't have to settle for two people in a tiny apartment!! I suggest you spend the rest of this looooong winter googling places to go! England sounds nice but if you need or want to get back, can you afford to do so?
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