Anyone ever over move "down when retired? (moving, communities, state)
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.
Our oldest is only fifteen, but yesterday my husband and I were talking about where we are headed when the youngest is done with high school or college. We currently have the big woodsy house on two hilly acres in a small rural/suburban town. It's great, but we don't see ourselves taking care of this property as we age...it's hard enough to do it now chauffering four active kids! The kids do well here, but occasionally I wish they were in a bigger school system where they could interact with more people and have a little more diverse experience.
So when hubby asked where we are going, I named two nearby cities that many people consider dumps. Both have some struggles but things I like too. I told him I wanted a postage stamp sized level lot and while the taxes might be high there, the amenities and services would work for me. He knows I'm tired of living without sidewalks and having to drive fifteen minutes for take out or groceries.
I'm curious if anyone ever moved to a small city or a starter neighborhood when they retired.
I'm curious if anyone ever moved to a small city or a starter neighborhood when they retired.
Of course. The happy among them will have a SOLID reason for choosing a different city.
The happy generally will move to SMALLer homes at retirement, on small lots or apartments
but still in the same suburban communities they've been living in for X decades..
places where they know their way around, have friends, family, doctors, and all the rest.
I think it differs with different people; We actually moved outward and love it. Still within easy reach of everything we need and certainly not such a hassle to do them. In fact we are closer than when we were central to city as best shopping has moved outward. At this point I would just talk about has things can change a lot over time your talking about. We thought at about your age our second home was where we would retire. Also your thinking may change as its more likely now days kids move off from local area in work. The most important is to make sure you financially plan as best you can to give you options;IMO.
....I'm curious if anyone ever moved to a small city or a starter neighborhood when they retired.
I lived all my adult working life in Manhattan (NYC), pop. about 8 million. I moved to reduce my expenses and to have more spacious living quarters for considerably less money.
First I lived in a city of 100,000, but it was so cut up by mountains that its various parts were considered by the locals as separate small towns...and that was how I experienced the section in which I lived.
Since then I have lived in a city of 37,000 and longest in one of 20,000. And I have lived in the countryside with only a very small village nearby for supplies and medical assistance.
Where I live now is on the seacoast with thinly populated hilly countryside behind it. There are supermarkets, pharmacies and two hospitals. I am happy with having tried out various places, and like the place that I finally settled in.
I think it differs with different people; We actually moved outward and love it. Still within easy reach of everything we need and certainly not such a hassle to do them. In fact we are closer than when we were central to city as best shopping has moved outward. At this point I would just talk about has things can change a lot over time your talking about. We thought at about your age our second home was where we would retire. Also your thinking may change as its more likely now days kids move off from local area in work. The most important is to make sure you financially plan as best you can to give you options;IMO.
Thanks for the great replies everyone. The financial planning is necessary, but it also made me laugh...how we will have anything left after putting four through college is beyond me. Then again, everyone who has done it has said they didn't know how they did, they JUST did.
We're moving from SoCal where we have about an acre, to north Idaho where we have 20 acres. There will be some work involved, but it's mostly 20 acres of forest, so most will just be left in it's natural state. We enjoy doing that sort of work outdoors, look at it as good exercise, and plan to keep on doing that for as long we we are able.
We're realistic enough to recognize that there may come a time when we won't be able to handle the outdoor work, and we'll deal with that when it happens. Most likely there will be a kid in the neighborhood who would be interested in mowing the lawn and clearing snow to earn some money. There may even come a time when we'll decide to move into town, but hopefully that's after we've enjoyed many long years of living there.
We're going from ten acres on a hill and a two story that is not manageable anymore in a rural setting that is twenty minutes from a convenience store and forty five minutes away from the big box stores and hospital to five level acres and a one story that ten minutes away from everything.
We had our fun in the country but realize we're not getting any younger and it's getting to be too much now.
If my husband has his way, we'll be moving from our sleepy southern state suburb back to Manhattan metro madness when we retire. I've told him he's crazy and it'll never happen - but he doesn't believe me. Even though we aren't retiring for 15-18 more years, he still occasionally emails me listings for apartments in NYC that he likes that are (currently) in our price range.
If my husband has his way, we'll be moving from our sleepy southern state suburb back to Manhattan metro madness when we retire. I've told him he's crazy and it'll never happen - but he doesn't believe me. Even though we aren't retiring for 15-18 more years, he still occasionally emails me listings for apartments in NYC that he likes that are (currently) in our price range.
Give him 18 more years, I bet he will change his mind.
Interesting reading. We have friends who have lived in Manhatten, NYC off and on due to work. This last time they bought into a coop figuring this is his last assignment and where they want to retire. Love visiting them, can't imagine living there. We moved last year from a half acre suburban lot in the middle of everything, anything withing walking or 5-10 min drive, to rural one acre 30 minutes from everything. Parts of this place I love, especially being out of the crazy metro traffic we had, but I am still getting use to being so far out. We don't see this as a forever home but who knows. My ideal someday will be closer to shopping, medical and no upkeep outside. We shall see.
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.
Then again, everyone who has done it has said they didn't know how they did, they JUST did.
