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yeah, I've been researching places to retire for a good 10+ years now. When I started I was sure I would retire to New England area (which I love) but now that I've aged, I have to accept that I doubt I could handle those brutal winters as I get older. And the COL isn't all that attrative anyway.
Once of the things I need to decide is mountains vs. ocean (or neither), but I know I need to be near water of some kind. My biggest issue is housing costs. But it's been an interesting process and with the rents rising so drastically in SoCal, I'll probably need to make a decision within the next year or so.
Well, it is possible to live in New England on a "shoestring." There are so many multicultural things to do that don't cost much compared with CA. Housing cost will vary, but it is nothing like in CA. No getting away from the winters though, as in much/most of the country. Have you considered Oregon? One of my sons lives there and loves it, and it seems affordable in general. At least that would keep you on the West Coast.
Have no interest in Oregon, not my cup of tea, probably except for Portland, but that's a very expensive city to live in too and rental availabilities are very low. Surprisingly, I can entertain myself here in SoCal for not much money at all, there's lots of free stuff here too and I enjoy just exploring all the different towns especially the beach towns. It's the rents that are going crazy right now and I see no end to it anytime soon. Oh well, the adventure continues!
Location: On the "Left Coast", somewhere in "the Land of Fruits & Nuts"
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Quote:
Originally Posted by newenglandgirl
Well, it is possible to live in New England on a "shoestring." There are so many multicultural things to do that don't cost much compared with CA. Housing cost will vary, but it is nothing like in CA. No getting away from the winters though, as in much/most of the country. Have you considered Oregon? One of my sons lives there and loves it, and it seems affordable in general. At least that would keep you on the West Coast.
From this and previous posts, it kinda sounds like all you really know about CA is from what you see on the "interwebs". So care to give us some specific 'comparisons'?
From this and previous posts, it kinda sounds like all you really know about CA is from what you see on the "interwebs". So care to give us some specific 'comparisons'?
Are you talking a "new to CA home buyer" purchasing a similarly sized home in an equivalently safe neighborhood? CA vs NE ?
Don't forget comparing sales tax, water fees/tax, tax on pension and utility costs. This is going to be fun! Popcorn ready.
Location: On the "Left Coast", somewhere in "the Land of Fruits & Nuts"
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^ ^ Oh gawd, not another one who's probably never even set foot in this state (and BTW, I don't see you making any 'suggestions' either…lol)!
So when we say "housing", what are we talking about anyway, renting apartments or only owning a house (let alone whether Baltimore even has 'safe' neighborhoods to begin with, much less qualify as "New England")?
I was born and raised on the East Coast, and there are (still) some very good reasons I don't choose to live there anymore!
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed
For Baltimore, we found that the violent crime rate is one of the highest in the nation, across communities of all sizes (both large and small). Violent offenses tracked included forcible rape, murder and non-negligent manslaughter, armed robbery, and aggravated assault, including assault with a deadly weapon.
Last edited by Yac; 04-14-2015 at 07:40 AM..
Reason: link..
From this and previous posts, it kinda sounds like all you really know about CA is from what you see on the "interwebs". So care to give us some specific 'comparisons'?
No need to roll eyes. 3/4 of my relatives live in CA.
My sister's tiny house with no yard is worth $800K. The same house here would be maybe $250K, unless you're talking Boston or DC. If you're already "in," you're good, as CA property taxes seem reasonable.
^ ^ Oh gawd, not another one who's probably never even set foot in this state (and BTW, I don't see you making any 'suggestions' either…lol)!
So when we say "housing", what are we talking about anyway, renting apartments or only owning a house (let alone whether Baltimore even has 'safe' neighborhoods to begin with, much less qualify as "New England")?
I was born and raised on the East Coast, and there are (still) some very good reasons I don't choose to live there anymore!
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed
For Baltimore, we found that the violent crime rate is one of the highest in the nation, across communities of all sizes (both large and small). Violent offenses tracked included forcible rape, murder and non-negligent manslaughter, armed robbery, and aggravated assault, including assault with a deadly weapon.
Geez, why are Californians so defensive about their state? Did I say that California was unsafe or not as safe as Maryland? Did I even mention Baltimore or Maryland? I grabbed the popcorn - I was happily waiting for NEG's response.
NEG mentioned COL in CA. You replied to her post asking her for comparisons. I wanted to clarify which costs could be included in the comparison. I really thought it would be interesting to read.
So, does this mean you're not going to compare costs with NEG? Dang it. I was really looking forward to seeing a true, direct comparison of costs between CA and NE. (Or at least parts of CA and parts of NE)
Oh, well. I guess my daughter and I can compare the COL in her part of CA to the COL in my part of Maryland. Not quite as interesting though.
No need to roll eyes. 3/4 of my relatives live in CA.
My sister's tiny house with no yard is worth $800K. The same house here would be maybe $250K, unless you're talking Boston or DC. If you're already "in," you're good, as CA property taxes seem reasonable.
Yes, we hear of cases like that (small house, staggering worth). And I believe your sister is probably telling the truth. But for that information to be worthwhile we need to know which city she is in. Here in Los Angeles (and neighboring cities such as Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank, Santa Monica, and many others) such values prevail only in certain neighborhoods. Just twenty miles away the values can be radically different, and the area just as safe. (Santa Monica would be one the very pricey places because of its close proximity to the ocean.)
I own a two-bedroom plus loft, two and a half bath townhouse with two-car garage which is worth about $340K. Of course it has no yard - just flower beds in front of each unit, but it does have a pool (not a pool for each unit, of course, but a pool shared by 26 units).
My point is that your sister's case is an extreme. When people read such examples, they may falsely conclude that the example simply represents what it costs to live in urban areas of California, whereas the correct conclusion is that's what it costs to live in some urban areas of California, namely the most expensive ones.
I would rather imagine that making valid generalizations about "New England" is equally impossible. New England comprises several states and there must be wide variations in property values across the region. That's why comparing "California" with "New England" is painting with too broad a brush to be meaningful, in my opinion.
Sure, a balanced analysis has to include all sorts of costs and different kinds of taxation. I started a separate thread about taxes a month or so back, so I won't get into that here. But let's take utilities. A huge percent of the Calif. population lives within about 50 miles of the ocean, where temperatures are mild enough to require very little heating in the winter and relatively little air conditioning in the summer. Sure, people further inland experience hotter temps in summer, and people in the mountains experience very cold temps in the winter. But my electric bills run between $19 and $25 a month, and my natural gas bills come in about $10. This past winter I only ran the heat about 8 to 10 days total; the outside overnight lows never dropped below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, although that does happen some winters. What did you spend heating your house this past winter?
I was simply stating what an $800K home would go for in New England in similar socioeconomic community. In my own state there are plenty of $800K homes, generally around Boston. But hers translates to about $250—$300K here; I've done the research because she keeps trying to talk us into moving out there.
But as you say, these comparisons mean little. Those who want to move to CA today to a mid- to up-scale community may find it quite expensive, coming from many other areas of the country. It all depends on how much money one has; some may find it doable.
That is only about housing, however. It would take an analysis to prove COL (outside of buying a home) in CA is any higher; it may not be. There's many other costs to consider and many other lifestyles.
Any way, this is a bit off track, as this thread is "Men and women retiring alone" so maybe this discussion should move to Chat (?)
It would take an analysis to prove COL (outside of buying a home) in CA is any higher; it may not be. There's many other costs to consider and many other lifestyles.
I was relocated by my job from San Francisco to Nashville. Aside from housing, it has NOT been oh so much cheaper (like everyone said). That is my personal situation. Others situations may vary.
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