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We were 99% sure we were retiring in Oregon this summer.. We even took a week out there few months ago and drove all over to see what towns we liked..
My husbands kids live in Portland and Medford and we were going to live around Eugene/ Cottage Grove.
However they both said they will be moving back towards Seattle soon.. Both are expecting their first kids and their mom lives near Seattle so they want to live closer to her..
We can't afford Seattle or Portland area..
So I decide to so some more research and came across Coeur d'Alene, Idaho area.
I guess it is ranked high place to retire to.. Low cost of living and the homes are very affordable..We would be about 4.5 hours away from Seattle.
But my husband can work couple days a week at his company that they have in Spokane that is 30 min drive..
Wish list is to be near lots of lakes and rivers, foresty and nice home for less than 275K
Now my biggest issue is the SNOW.. never lived in it.. ( I am 56 and lived in So Ca my whole life)
So it weather wise, it would be snow and cold vs lots of rain and more grey sky ..
My husband is making me take a trip there in Jan ( CDA ) to stay a week just to get a feel for it..
Then we will take a 2 week trip this summer to stay a week in Oregon and one in CDA..
Oregon is just so beautiful but from the looks of it, so is CDA and the lakes..
I also have been a life-long resident of SoCal and when I retire this upcoming March, will be moving to NID. Not CdA specifically, but one of the smaller town a few miles away. At first, the winter snow bothered me, but I've visited the past three winters to get a feel for life in snow. Keeping in mind that the past few winters have been historically mild, I found that I had no problem adjusting. Ice is more a concern, but you learn real quick how to drive on it. The winters are quite cloudy, but that has never bothered me personally. 275K will get you a nice house in a nice area. You may consider Spokane and surrounding suburbs also. Housing is even less expensive.
The natural beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities of the area is what made me want to take a much closer look at making it my retirement home. The friendliness of the people and how they instantly accepted me made me want to be a part of their family. The way people interact with bicyclists and treat them with consideration and respect is what told me that I found my home.
...
So I decide to so some more research and came across Coeur d'Alene, Idaho area.
I guess it is ranked high place to retire to.. Low cost of living and the homes are very affordable..We would be about 4.5 hours away from Seattle.
But my husband can work couple days a week at his company that they have in Spokane that is 30 min drive..
Wish list is to be near lots of lakes and rivers, foresty and nice home for less than 275K
Now my biggest issue is the SNOW.. never lived in it..
...
Coeur d'Alene is a beautiful area but I have met a couple of natives that left their family just to get away from the snow. One settled NE of Woodland WA saying it was remote enough but still gave him easy access to Portland and Seattle.
Since you've never lived in a snowy area, I suggest you go to Coeur d'Alene in January or February to check it out. Ditto Oregon during whatever its cloudiest season is. Spend as much time in each place as you can during the lousiest weather season, and see how well you cope with it BEFORE you make a big move you might later regret. Ideally, rent your current place out and then rent a place in Couer d'Alene so you can live there for a full year before you make a final decision. That way if you find the winter too much to handle, you can still move back to So Cal and revise your plans.
If you've lived in a place that is sunny and warm all year around, you may find endless grey days psychologically tough to cope with. Ditto real cold and snow.
We looked long and hard at CDA but decided against it because of the snow, trouble coming over the state line from WA, and the good, but limited health care. Read all the threads on CD as there is wealth of information about CDA but I grew up NE Ohio and didn't want the snow. When you visit any place pay attention to traffic density, distance to shopping, and the crime maps. No place is perfect so set your priorities and really think about what you need. At my age, the cold and snow doesn't work for my bones anymore but if I were younger I would move to CDA.
There are also some great posters on CDA threads which are worth the read just for their historical value. The people seemed to be genuine which is a treat from the California attitude.
It is not just the snow, it is the cold. It can get really cold in E Washington / Idaho area. Like in the teens. It wears on you, or at least it did on us when we lived in E Washington. You will get a taste of snow visiting there in winter but you won't really experience what it is like living there. And there is a big difference between fresh fluffy white snow everywhere and snow that has been around for a couple of weeks and turns into muddy slush in the day and becomes ice at night.
My wife and I grew up in So Cal, spent 30+ years in the PNW but retired back to sunnier climes. We loved the PNW, especially the summers, but got sick of the cold and the gray.
You should look at taxes: real estate, sales, income.
You should look at hospital availability and quality.
You should consider what it will mean when you cannot drive.
I think you have to postpone the decision.
Can you stay put as the first part of retirement?
If not then I would rent where you move too. After a year move again or buy in the area.
It is not just the snow, it is the cold. It can get really cold in E Washington / Idaho area. Like in the teens. It wears on you, or at least it did on us when we lived in E Washington. You will get a taste of snow visiting there in winter but you won't really experience what it is like living there. And there is a big difference between fresh fluffy white snow everywhere and snow that has been around for a couple of weeks and turns into muddy slush in the day and becomes ice at night.
The critical thing is that you have to move to a location and spend a year before you decide to move cross country.
In the past year, we have had a couple of neighbors move into Arizona from Montana and Idaho only to discover (surprise!) that it gets pretty hot down here.
One other thing. These moving decisions are VERY EXPENSIVE. if you get a moving van, that is a MINIMUM of $5k. Start selling real estate and you pay a nice commission to get out and a lot of fees to get the next place. It is better to take the time and actually get them right!
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