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I never gave any thought whatsoever to moving away. I bought my present townhouse three and a half years before my planned retirement date with the thought in mind that I would die here. Now 14 years later nothing has happened to change my mind - I will die here.
I liked my life in the greater Los Angeles area, and I still do. I have friends here, I know the area, I like the world class culture and the cosmopolitan nature of the area, the weather suits me, and I can afford my place and my lifestyle. My property taxes for 2014 were $2,850.
There is but one single significant downside - the traffic. But as a retiree I have greater choice as to the times of the day and the days of the week I will go places.
I often wonder why people spend their entire working lives living somewhere they don't like. I bought my place 18 years before I retired, on a 15 year mortgage. It was a lovely place to live, and still is, 93 acres with a creek in the back yard, hills, forest and meadows. The next time I move it's going to be to a little assisted living apartment because I'm too feeble to cook my own meals or do my own laundry.
I think it's more that sometimes it's not where they want to retire, not that they don't like it. Or in weighing everything, a move makes sense...not that they hate where they live.
On the other hand, if they absolutely HATE where they live, it makes no sense unless it's just for a short time. Life is too short to be miserable for your whole working life in a place you don't want to be even if the pay is good. I'd have to assume in this situation that one could generally find a more suitable place to live without taking an extreme pay cut, but maybe not. If not, then decide if you want to be financially better off, but miserable...or take a chance on living where you want to live and hope you can find a suitable job...or just live with the best job you can find. Choices. Life is about choices.
I never gave any thought whatsoever to moving away. I bought my present townhouse three and a half years before my planned retirement date with the thought in mind that I would die here. Now 14 years later nothing has happened to change my mind - I will die here.
I liked my life in the greater Los Angeles area, and I still do. I have friends here, I know the area, I like the world class culture and the cosmopolitan nature of the area, the weather suits me, and I can afford my place and my lifestyle. My property taxes for 2014 were $2,850.
There is but one single significant downside - the traffic. But as a retiree I have greater choice as to the times of the day and the days of the week I will go places.
we moved to our present location 13 years ago. I plan retire in a year or two. We have no intention to move out of this area. We love here! Our part of CA is quite Affordable. Property taxes are $150 a month.
It is a real plus to be established in an area and not have to start over as a retiree.
5 kids and all but one scattered to other states.
My brother has remained in the same place and wants to retire in place but costs overshadow that.
I tend to stay in a place for about 20 years and then get the hankering to "move on".
... That sounds so familiar ...
One of my brothers just retired from Upstate Delaware to South Flah-rih-DUH. He's happy; his wife is happy, so they won't get anyone to listen if they start complaining about their choice of retirement spots.
The youngest brother is still living & working - in Upstate NY . He's been single-again a couple of times, and after each separation, I urged him to "get-th'-heck outta there"! He didn't, citing one excuse after another. He'll probably be the one to "retire-in-place" up there.
Another brother has put down roots in Upstate South Carolina. His wife's Family also put down roots there, so the whole-fam-damily lives about 1/4 mile from each other, and they're not movin'.
I've been the vagabond-gypsy in the Family, though. I've lived in TEXAS, NY, Flah-rih-DUH, and most-recently, California. When I (finally) get to retire, we're going to have to sell-out and move-out. We can barely afford to live here now, with both of us working; trying to live decently after we retire will be worse than impossible, so we'll be gone. (Don't tell anyone, tho! )
...
Now having young grandchildren not far from here, I am coming to peace with staying here. The big change may be that we will sell this large-ish property and buy much smaller or into a condo. The amenities here are nice. What is hard to reconcile with are property tax and winter, but I suppose those are the prices we pay for being near the kids. It would cost so much more to come back from afar for visits. When I see the positives for us, it's impressive. Good health is all I wish for.
I would imagine if you are living in a place dictated by your job and you want to find a more compatible location, then go for it. Or, if your neighborhood has changed, property tax and other COLA skyrocketed, then you may find a haven in a less expensive locale.
We were fortunate to be born in a lovely area where we have remained. We have acreage outside the city limits but five miles to town. Big trees, a creek, ponds and 52 miles of walking trails just out the door (and up the dead end road a bit). If life gets stressed (and don't fool yourself thinking all our troubles dissipate after the golden handshake), I head for the creek where a cedar stretches out over the water where I calm down.
I love the southwest and all the colorful geology and would consider moving there especially during our long rainy overcast winters, but it gets too hot, too cold and they have rattlesnakes.
They say that all of New England is about the size of one state somewhere else. If that's true, I haven't moved around at all!
I arrived in Rhode Island from Maine, in utero. It was never my choice to move there. After 67 years, I moved back to Maine. My wife was born and raised in Fall River, MA. My brother, brought up in RI as I was, moved to Braintree MA. Then my wife's brother moved to RI to live near her (he never married).
Now by some strange quirk of fate, all four of us live on the same 33 acres in Maine! I have two daughters and 6 grandchildren, all still living in RI, and all of them will be up here on the same 33 acres this weekend, so we can have a big cookout for Father's Day!
There is some hope, however...we just bought a vacation property in Tennessee! It's not in New England!
I am in-between in my thoughts. One part says to get away from snow & cold, another part wants to stay because
I'm only paying $325 for a nice 1 bedroom apt in a senior builing, 1st apt which also enables me to park in the first tenant parking spot.
But the most important is getting close to my nephew. He calls me a couple times a week to see if I need anything done. Refuses to take money so I make sure he gets a good meal, high speed internet & put gas in his car.
I'm waiting to see how I take this winter, being in my own space. Last winted I was still staying with my sister, who did everything for me until I told her I had to start doing things for myself. She also did all the grocery shopping, etc.
So I will have to see how it goes. I'm in a SMALL town, 14 miles from any shopping. It's been tough enough to get things in my apt during good weather. If I decide to stay, I can ask my nephew to go with me to shop. We'll see.
I have to add that my nephew said he wants to move with me if I leave. I chuckled & told him I would always be living in Senior buildings & he would not be able to stay with me.
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. He's been single-again a couple of times, and after each separation, I urged him to "get-th'-heck outta there"! He didn't, citing one excuse after another. He'll probably be the one to "retire-in-place" up there.
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