Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
After a lot of talking, comparing, head banging, etc we decided to stay where we are. We're not moving to Sun City Anthem (Las Vegas) or Sun City Hilton Head.
Why? Well, there are a number of reasons, one of which is the obvious - money. But it's not just that or at least not directly. We calculated how much it would cost to buy a house that would satisfy us, move, furnish it, the higher cost of living, etc.
Then we figured out how much in the way of improvements we could make to this house, how much we could spend on travel, building a woodworking shop for me , doing the Townhouse Our House bit, and other projects. It turns out we can remodel the entire house, including Hardiplank siding. Replace all the carpeting with wood and tile (bye, bye carpet!), remodel kitchen and bathrooms, 3 season porch, heated steps down to the front sidewalk (steep driveway!), and still have money left over - unless we really get into the travel gig, which might just happen.
In 8-10 years we'll look into it again. By then we will be slowing down a bit, the house will be in salable condition, and things just might fall right. If not we stay here.
Feels food to have the decision made and we're looking forward to some trips. A couple of those extended cruises, a long European trip, and driving around the U.S. Costa Rica is a trip we keep wanting to do, as is Puerto Rico, among others.
I also stayed put because I like the place where I was already living before retirement and I liked my life here, so I can relate to your decision. However, I have one question. From everything I have read, Las Vegas offers a lower cost of living than most major cities, yet you wrote of a "higher cost of living" there. Does that mean where you are now is a relatively low cost of living location? Many folks could sell their house, move to a place such as Vegas, buy a new house and have considerable money left over out of their equity.
Lifestyle and contentment will usually trump money issues, so I am not arguing that. Just curious about the specific issue with that specific city (Las Vegas).
Sounds like your remodeling will be quite extensive. I hope it will not involve too many headaches or too much inconvenience. You are probably good at rolling with the punches on stuff like that or you wouldn't have made the decision you made.
Always nice to come to a decision and move on in life. Not wasted time because you worked on it and came to a decision rather than not doing the work and regretting later.
I also stayed put because I like the place where I was already living before retirement and I liked my life here, so I can relate to your decision. However, I have one question. From everything I have read, Las Vegas offers a lower cost of living than most major cities, yet you wrote of a "higher cost of living" there. Does that mean where you are now is a relatively low cost of living location? Many folks could sell their house, move to a place such as Vegas, buy a new house and have considerable money left over out of their equity.
Lifestyle and contentment will usually trump money issues, so I am not arguing that. Just curious about the specific issue with that specific city (Las Vegas).
Sounds like your remodeling will be quite extensive. I hope it will not involve too many headaches or too much inconvenience. You are probably good at rolling with the punches on stuff like that or you wouldn't have made the decision you made.
Housing prices in LV have gone up about 20% since January. The cost of living there is higher than here.
Funny to read this this morning. I relate completely.
This past weekend we traveled from Mass to Vermont through New Hampshire into Southern Maine. It was one long trip with two dogs, though they behaved wonderfully. I discovered suddenly (did not feel this way before) that I detest long car rides, I felt so awful on the way back. I realized I would NOT want to make a trip from a new home out of state back here to see the grandkids, even once a year, whereas up until they were born we were so sure we could do it. I have maps, folders of info, website bookmarks, contacts in the state we were thinking about. I said on the way home yesterday that I'm dumping everything, and it about broke my heart to say it. We both actually agreed.
Somehow between "then" and "now" I've lost not only the rationale for a move but the energy and desire for one. Any final move we make will be from here to here, to a smaller property.
It's always a big decision to relocate. I snow bird and I had reservations about it, but I found after doing it, I am glad I did. Eventually I will make the Florida home my full time residence. Just can't stand the winters anymore.
This past weekend we traveled from Mass to Vermont through New Hampshire into Southern Maine. It was one long trip with two dogs, though they behaved wonderfully. I discovered suddenly (did not feel this way before) that I detest long car rides, I felt so awful on the wayback. I realized I would NOT want to make a trip from a new home out of state back here to see the grandkids, even once a year, whereas up until they were born we were so sure we could do it.
Are you pretty sure that it was the ride in the car which made you feel so awful, or could it have been simply that, by chance, you happened to be feeling bad (headache, upset stomach, or whatever it was)? It doesn't make sense that a car ride could make a person feel bad.
Somehow between "then" and "now" I've lost not only the rationale for a move but the energy and desire for one. Any final move we make will be from here to here, to a smaller property.
I understand how you feel. I think you're lucky in that you are in an area where you could go from 'here to here'...;-)...With me every blade of grass within 100 miles has a charge that I can't 'afford' for my new chapter. As Bruce Hornsby said, 'That's the Way it Is'.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
, doing the Townhouse Our House bit, and other projects. It turns out we can remodel the entire house, including Hardiplank siding. Replace all the carpeting with wood and tile (bye, bye carpet!), remodel kitchen and bathrooms, 3 season porch, heated steps down to the front sidewalk (steep driveway!), and still have money left over - unless we really get into the travel gig, which might just happen.
