Retirement Relocation Research: How Much -- or Little? (weather, move, friendly)
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Of course it's routinely recommended -- and even expected -- that one will personally visit any destination to which one considers retiring, but that's not always possible or feasible due to limited funds, family responsibilities, time constraints (especially if still working), etc.
How much and what kind of advance preparation did you make, how did you reach your decision, and what steps did you take to ensure that the plan at which you arrived was truly the best one for you -- or has anyone moved more or less "blindly" and just hoped for the best? If so, how did that go???
We spent years researching. Went to quite a few places we found. Ended up with either Sun City Hilton Head or Sun City Summerlin (Las Vegas). We are in Las Vegas because after all that research I had a diaphragm decide it didn't want to work, so I can't breathe so well.
I have not seen any retirees or soon-to-be retirees spending very little time in researching for a relocation place.
Based on my own experience, one can do a lot of online research ahead of time. Of course, it is very time consuming and confusing with many sources, some with conflicting data or outdated information. One just have to be patient and persistent in one quest for the best match.
It is common to start the idea of a perfect or 'dream' location meeting all the criteria or wish list (climate, price, amenities, recreational/hobbies/volunteering/job opportunities etc.). After learning more about several possible relocation places, it's likely that one will have to either scaling down the expectations or redefining the criteria, priorities list (must have vs. nice to have etc).
I have not seen anyone decides to move to a new place without actually visit it first. If possible, one also has to visit a potential place at different times of the year if there are large seasonal changes.
Of course, it's not easy to visit a distance place due to many constraints (jobs, finance, family/pet responsibilities etc.). For me, if I am unable to find the time or afford traveling cost to check out a new place, I will continue to do online searches and postpone making the decision until I could take a trip. There is no way that I would move to a new place, sight unseen.
I would never move to a place sight unseen. However, when you are considering three or four states, and not sure of the areas, you do have to weed some out. What better place to get some advice from those who have been there, done that, then good old City Data
For us, we would pick a few areas for a stay and play type deal and go for a week at a time to see if it is for us
Years looking pre-retirement...every vacation past age 35 included, Could I Retire Here??
Then, post-retirement, we rented (mostly via VRBO) homes in the EXACT neighborhoods we had narrowed down our search to. Each neighborhood, one month.
Retired at age 50. Decided we wanted to live in a series of 5 year plans and we did the above for each and every move (age 65 now). Worked beautifully....always happy with our homes and hoods.
I researched for a couple of years. Checked on Maine (winters too harsh), Ohio, again, winters, Missouri, Arkansas, Florida, Nevada, Tennessee & Arizona.
It came down to finances & allergies in the end & I chose Arizona. A part of me still wants to investigate Tennessee & I will be visiting there in the spring but, I really like where I'm living & it will be dependent on the summer here, whether it will be too hot for me or not.
I have a lease here until the end of August so have time to decide. Awfully glad I am out of Minnesota winters!
I researched for a couple of years. Checked on Maine (winters too harsh), Ohio, again, winters, Missouri, Arkansas, Florida, Nevada, Tennessee & Arizona.
It came down to finances & allergies in the end & I chose Arizona. A part of me still wants to investigate Tennessee & I will be visiting there in the spring but, I really like where I'm living & it will be dependent on the summer here, whether it will be too hot for me or not.
I have a lease here until the end of August so have time to decide. Awfully glad I am out of Minnesota winters!
We bought, then sold, a lot on a small lake in Fairfield Glade, TN. If it would have been closer to Knoxville (40 miles to the edge of the city) we would be there now.
but too isolated for us.
See the new house being built? That's the lot we had. That part of the country is so beautiful.
Some Basic research is highly advisable. Here are a few items that come to mind.
1) Is you income Taxable? Is it SS + your investment returns? If so you may want a state that does not have income tax.
2) Real Estate taxes, are you going to buy or rent? Real Estate prices?
3) Weather (Number 1 on my list) no Snow, no freezing temps?
We had never been here before, did a bit of research - lots of googleing mostly. We had lived on an island before, St Thomas USVI and lived in several resort towns and places. No huge surprises when we arrived and settled in and we are still here, still enjoy the nice parts - scenery, weather, snorkeling, etc and still dislike the not so nice parts - tourist crowds, high col and crime, generally unfriendly atmosphere (unfriendly compared to where we had last lived, the deep South, USA).
We tend not to over-think all of the potential 'what ifs' and have always liked the same things for the most part, married more than 40 years, child free so we have always gone with the flow for the most part. Five years in with no regrets on our choice of retirement place.
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