Men and Women retiring alone to a new city/state -- where will you go and why? (55, moving)

[loveautumn]

I frequent the NC board and the Triangle area has experienced tremendous growing pains with the influx of so many people. Schools are very overcrowded, roads need expanding, that sort of stuff that is affecting taxes there. Someone told me that they don't even have street lights on the roads at night in alot of areas which makes for very difficult for driving (esp for us seniors). My hang-ups about NC are heat/humidity for so many months (I hate hot weather) and I just don't picture myself living in the south.

[dc2512235]

I've been doing my due diligence and fell in love with a house in Nacogdoches ( also a college town ) its also an Amtrak stopping point - and of course the realtor jerked me around until I got the proof of funds and by then it was already pending - so I submitted a bid anyway. It was $575 too low ! She wouldnt tell me that but thank heavens for the inet and the Hudvalue website.

I've been checking out the houses that have an acre or two on the FTM or CR roads ( like you suggested ) and have found 4 or 5 interesting prospects - Thank you ! In the meantime, keep on keepin on...

[MagnoliaThunder]

Originally Posted by anomoly

I just came back to city data and this group, remembering how much it added to my life. Im in a very bad placein life right now, and it feels good to come back to this group, whether anyone remembers, or whether you,re a whole new group of ladies!
Anomoly

I just came back to this group and city-data too, Anomoly, and agree: I forgot how good it is to be among such a wonderful group of kindred-spirits. I think we can all relate to being in a bad place -- growing older ain't for sissies, as Bette Davis once said. But there seems to be a sense of strength, empathy and community here on this board and to be amongst these wonderful women has definitely helped me to feel less alone in the path I am going down...please stay here with everyone and hopefully things will get better for you again.

[Tondra]

I did that very thing almost 8 years ago. I moved from Michigan to NC in 2005, sold most of my possessions, bought a single wide trailer in a retirement park and began working at an entry level job (very low pay). I will admit; it has been a struggle, but I don't regret it. I feel it would have been a struggle for me financially no matter where I chose to live.

Biggest challenges--maintaining finances, creating a network of natural supports, learning the area and different lifestyles of its inhabitants

Benefits--taxes and insurances cheaper, at the time I moved there were more jobs here (not now), daily views of the mountains from my front porch, distance from toxic people

My biggest suggestion is to do lots of research before choosing a place. Once you have chosen a place, research that area well and then make an extended visit. Places are always different when you visit as a tourist rather than living there as a local.

If you are interested, I am putting together a website and Ebook to address these concerns for single women over 50. Feel free to contact me with any other questions you may have.

Good luck!

[Umbria]

Originally Posted by PhxBarb

I just found a terrific resource that is going to help me alot. Its a paperback (2012) just out and its called "The Single Woman's Guide to Retirement" by Jan Cullinane. Its got so many resources about places to settle, things to think about, and where a single woman over 50 can get help with her choices. And there are so many choices. Explains all the different types of options for living, reinventing oneself, and choices on how to spend your retirement days, either alone or with another person, man or woman. I will be spending my weekend trying to read the whole book, 300 pages, unless I can find someplace to buy it, since its from the library.

I just picked this up at the library today so stay tuned~~~~~

Did you know that there are 25 million single/unmarried/widowed women over the age of 45 in the US - a little over 50%. Yep, I'm going to bug you all with lots of facts from this book

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

oh, my... I had no idea that Ocean was keen to you

Thus Colorado might NOT be your BEST spot (time is short for all of us...)

Corvallis, OR or McMinnville should be on your short list. <1 hr to Ocean or Portland 4 seasons with occasional snow (more in higher elevations near towns). Close enough to beach to go there for weather changes, but far enough to avoid coastal issues. They are both NICE college towns with plenty going on. Hatfield Marine Science Center is in Newport. GREAT volunteer place. (I taught / attended many classes there for our homeschool teams in PNW). Hatfield Marine Science Center of Oregon State University

Really, I think you might LOVE it in PNW (or Colorado). I sure do (excluding my frequent rendevous to sunshine... $38 flights to Sacramento or San Diego). I love MSP too, but life is too short to ONLY do potluck church dinners for fun. Portland / west coast gives me LOTS of diverse activites and people to chum with.

Come on out and give 'er a whirl. SWA is having another sale today !!! I just booked 3 more trips and people bring their dogs! (not me... mine is a FARM dog... no flying, he might get SPOILED). NICE thing about SWA, is you can cancel your trip and rebook a different destination FOR FREE (just did that tonight also). I LUV SWA .

My SW WA home is available while I'm in San Diego and San Antonio, + I need to be in Thailand and Singapore the month of April. (my house is in Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area, 20 min to PDX, and 30 min to downtown and 1.2 hrs to Coast) crown point vista house - Google Search If you come in spring, you can mow my 5 acre lawn 2x/ week

If I were to CHOOSE an ideal time to come visit PNW / Portland (besides August - Oct), it would be the weeks slightly ahead of Mother's day . Full Bloom Rhodies, WONDERFUL, but potential wet... REAL wet on occasion. Come and stay for a few weeks, you will be bound to find some nice days too. Portland Parks & Recreation :: Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
another GREAT time to come is during late portion of Portland Rose Fest and Early portion of Chamber Music NW fest. (Late Jun, early July) still rainy till July 5th... so you can wear longjohns and raingear to LARGEST 4th of July Celebration west of Mississippi.! Sun comes on July 5th and stays for 80 days in a row. DRY, SUNNY, daylight 4AM till 10PM

Hi,
just read your post, the day I joined this forum. I will retire in one year (hopefully...) and I will be 61. I live in a condo in Los Angeles. My view is the building a few feet away from my windows. I have to deal with rude neighbors who think they live out in the country or maybe everyone else is totally deaf. It is very expensive to live here... and the traffic, pollution and rudeness has really gotten to me. I would like to move, but where? And what about your friends (no family here, they are all in Italy)? Yes, I am Italian and I have lived here for over 30 years. I would not go back to Italy permanently because the economy is a mess, health system even worse... country, food, people.. well that is very good. Also here I have developed strong long term relationships that I would not want to abandon. I don't live very close to any of my friends, Los Angeles is so big and so congested that it could take more than an hour to go visit any of my friends. I have no clue where I could move so that I would not have to deal with all this stress. Maybe it is just wishful thinking.... I am very glad I ran across this forum and I will keep reading hoping for clues.... thanks for listening. ciao ciao

[artangel]

Welcome Dali! This is a great group!
I made one very big move by myself about 3 yrs ago (cross county) and am now looking to move again. I guess where I settled was right for that time in my life but now need a community around me that I just can't find here in the sub-division boonies....lots of nice young families, but nothing to do for an older single lady in poor health. I can't drive as much as I'd hoped, health didn't improve enough as I'd hoped, so am facing what I'm assuming will be my last move....unless, of course I either find another mate (fat chance!) or turn up on my kids' doorstep begging to be taken in (not!).....we just don't know what will happen, even though we try so carefully to research and consider all options. I'm still trying to find a retirement community that I can afford, so looking at Sun City in Az. at this point, as I do well out here with my fibromyalgia and arthritis. I get pretty discouraged sometimes, but hope to get settled again within the year.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by artangel

... now looking to move again. I guess where I settled was right for that time in my life but now need a community around me that I just can't find here in the sub-division boonies....... I'm still trying to find a retirement community that I can afford, so looking at Sun City in Az. at this point, as I do well out here with my fibromyalgia and arthritis. I get pretty discouraged sometimes, but hope to get settled again within the year.

I am impressed with this Sun City (Oro Valley / Tucson) Sun City Oro Valley Tucson AZ - Del Webb Sun City Oro Valley Arizona. You can get some distressed homes near $100k. I would not be happy in Phoenix area. I need SPACE.

[artangel]

Thanks, StealthRabbit! I looked at the link...unfortunately my budget is $60,000....so am very limited as to where I can go.

[loveautumn]

Portion of an article I ran across from AARP...


"Chances are, you will be hearing more about pocket neighborhoods. This increasingly popular housing option generally consists of a dozen or so compact houses or apartments that share common or green space. That might be a pedestrian walkway, garden, courtyard or shared backyard or alley. Central mailboxes give neighbors even more opportunities to interact.
Backyards are typically small, with the focus on the front especially those porches. Usually, pocket homes have an open floor plan and are newly constructed, but could also be in an existing enclave. Regardless, they are tucked into "pockets" of a neighborhood or part of a larger new development, often near walkable destinations like shops and restaurants.
Parking, you ask? Pockets may have a separate parking area or attached garages, but they deemphasize the automobile mentality, where drivers pull into garages and disappear into houses until it's time to hop back into the car. Instead, the architecture emphasizes forming relationships with neighbors."




One of the women interviewed was living in one of these in Carmel Indiana. Just like what some of us are looking for!