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We had the same budget, but dh was a sales rep for the SE and a son lived in Savannah, so there you go. We live in Savannah.
Now, we are retired and rather happy with the area and proximity to the beach, but we'd sooner live closer to one of the children than be near the beach. Son now gives in NC, so if we move again it will be there. Family trumps weather.
I agree, quality of life is my goal. I ask what place considering everything both the good and bad, gives me the best quality of life. For me the answer is Southern California.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gentlearts
We had the same budget, but dh was a sales rep for the SE and a son lived in Savannah, so there you go. We live in Savannah.
Now, we are retired and rather happy with the area and proximity to the beach, but we'd sooner live closer to one of the children than be near the beach. Son now gives in NC, so if we move again it will be there. Family trumps weather.
That brings up a very interesting point and age consideration. We have adult child and grandchild around Orlando and second adult child and grandchild around Chicago. As we age, we want to be around our children and a good support system. We can't afford to live in two different locations.
Does one retire and move away from family, children and support system?
Illinois is too high a cost of living and yes Centeal Florida is very hot and humid.
I bought my retirement home when I was 48 years old, paid it off before retirement, and have no intention of going anywhere until failing health makes me move into assisted living. I always wonder at people who have to pick up and move when they retire. If you didn't want to live there, what were you thinking? You can make a living anywhere.
I bought my retirement home when I was 48 years old, paid it off before retirement, and have no intention of going anywhere until failing health makes me move into assisted living. I always wonder at people who have to pick up and move when they retire. If you didn't want to live there, what were you thinking? You can make a living anywhere.
Well, this is my first house and I bought it when I was 24; that's half your age when you bought your "retirement house". It was supposed to be "the starter home."
I don't want to downsize from this house. I want to live in a larger house at least somewhat resembling my idea of a "dream home" at least once.
That brings up a very interesting point and age consideration. We have adult child and grandchild around Orlando and second adult child and grandchild around Chicago. As we age, we want to be around our children and a good support system. We can't afford to live in two different locations.
Does one retire and move away from family, children and support system?
Illinois is too high a cost of living and yes Centeal Florida is very hot and humid.
Several points:
1) If you cannot afford to maintain two residents, you have to make a choice. But remember, there is no guarantee whether you decide to stay in Chicago or to move to Florida that your children will still live there after you retire. Jobs are very fluid. I have seen several older couples who at age 75 are on their third move chasing the children.
My 94 year old aunt thought she was pretty set with a support structure as her two daughters and five grandchildren lived in town. One daughter died and three of the grandchildren have moved 1000 miles away due to medical school or spouse's jobs. Where there were six people available to help out, there are now two.
2) What a lot of friends have done is to seriously DOWNSIZE at two locations and to maintain two residents. That means that you find an affordable location near Chicago and a small apartment in Florida. When he retired, he sold his main home in the Detroit suburbs but kept his cottage upstate. He bought a small place in Arizona and splits his time in both locations.
Thanks , great points. But really to retire and am in sixties.
Totally agree that you can't chase your kids. Although, It is very nice to have help and support system.
Chicago folks will probably move one day but Florida will always be in central Florida. I wish we could financially afford two small full time residences. Two sets of rents, utility bills, two rents, two sets of medical care, two sets of various expenses and two vacant homes for long terms.
The central Fla. is so hot and humid around Orlando , housing is more expensive, insurance higher, traffic bad , weather concerns, and many reports are ratings crime and health care are issues in Florida. Fla. Has no state income tax but they make it up more in many other areas.
I was lucky. I didn't have a choice. My wife won't move.
I like your way of looking at this. Eternal optimism.
And you may well already be in one of the nicest places. Sounds like your wife has a good head on her shoulders. The grass actually isn't always greener on the other side of the fence. :-)
Wow. Envious. Amazing how much it varies. Been a while since ours were on the lower end, probably $2800 in CO. In TX ours were 9K and here in northern NJ they are 12K. Having grown up in both northern and southern CA and lived/worked there and knowing all that CA has to offer, property taxes seems more than reasonable to us. All depends on your benchmark though and in contrast to where else you've lived, especially if you've not lived in very many states.
If it were me, I'd look into the Sierras for decent COL, quiet, lakes and beauty but incredible access when needed but it sounds like you just want to get out. My parents say now they should have done that from the start but they wanted to leave for retirement for the precise reasons you state. They went through three states before winding up back in CA, unhappy with each and feeling like they wasted some good years, time and a lot of money.
... Does one retire and move away from family, children and support system?
When I was 18 I enlisted and moved away from my family. We get along okay with my family, but in the years that followed we were never stationed near my family.
When I retired we still had two children living with us. They soon came of age, and they went out to build their futures. Our children do not see any location as the 'family home', they were free to seek their own futures.
My Dw and I are glad to finally be rooted somewhere. We have no desire to chase our children around the world to follow their careers.
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