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Retirement is near. I want warm and think Sc would be good....Hubbie wants the Berkshires in Massachusetts. What do you think?
We are liberal but don't announce it, we like everyone and we're friendly. We want decent shopping and supermarkets. Lots of things to do. Good restaurants.
But most important as we get older is medical care and hospitals. Hubbie says medical care is not that good in the south. We both have some health issues.
We also want a lower COL, and even Massachusetts is better than NY, where we live now.
We both have pensions (tho mine is very small) and both will have SS...combined maybe $90- $100K. Some but not great savings (lost most in a failed business).
We only want a tiny house or even a condo or 55+ condo (however we will have 4 or 5 dogs- 1 is old and blind, so we don't know how long he has). The other dogs are young.
All and any ideas are welcome.
BTW- I miss the water (we both grew up on Long Island and now live upstate NY), but Hubbie worries about hurricanes if near the water. Thoughts.......
We only want a tiny house or even a condo or 55+ condo
(however we will have 4 or 5 dogs- 1 is old and blind, so we don't know how long he has).
The other dogs are young.
You still need a 3BR house with a fenced yard.
No Condo's. No HOA's. No tiny.
Look at Del Web in the north west (mountains) part of SC. It is called Caroline lakes and is just below Charlette NC. Not sure why lakes is in the name but their is a river and I think you can use small boats on it.
I think it is built out by now so you might also get some good deals.
Be sure to talk to a few residences and make sur they do not have any HOA problems and maintenance is good.
I hear there is a lot more retail now. When I was there you had to drive a few miles to find anything.
I think you do get 3 seasons and can have hail (ask about it).
Massachusetts like New York has excellent medical care. Massachusetts has a reciprocal law with New York State in regard to government pensions. So you won't pay state income tax on your pension. The Berkshires are pretty much if Massachusetts is nice. The buzzard bay area may remind you of those sleepy towns of long Islands north fork.
I am curious as to why you want to leave New York? I too will have my pension in a few years and have looked at Massachusetts and the south. I really like Fourseasons.
Massachusetts like New York has excellent medical care. Massachusetts has a reciprocal law with New York State in regard to government pensions. So you won't pay state income tax on your pension. The Berkshires are pretty much if Massachusetts is nice. The buzzard bay area may remind you of those sleepy towns of long Islands north fork.
I am curious as to why you want to leave New York? I too will have my pension in a few years and have looked at Massachusetts and the south. I really like Fourseasons.
Unless we do a "real" retirement and leave to go far away, we will still be working for a couple years in Albany, NY (Hubbie and I are 65 and 66, and he has 42 yrs in with NYS Gov.), hence the Berkshires.
We are leaving because twice we sold homes and lost money on both- tho we lowered our price both times by $60K -and our current house had been on the market 3 yrs, the 1 before took 1 yr (and glad to get anything for it- tho we put in $200K for new windows, doors, HW heater, roof, siding, etc.). Plus we also have the privilege of paying $8K in taxes for something we can't sell.
So basically it all comes down to money.....we don't want to work forever, nor do we want to buy another place and AGAIN can't sell or give it away if there is ever a need to move. For t
his house we will get less than what we paid for it, just to get out.
Just reading your thread, and I must say that it is so strange about your real estate experience. On the positive side though I think you have a good retirement income so you that should be a plus. I almost wonder if it would make sense for you to rent and not buy- depending on what you do get out of selling your home?
Just reading your thread, and I must say that it is so strange about your real estate experience. On the positive side though I think you have a good retirement income so you that should be a plus. I almost wonder if it would make sense for you to rent and not buy- depending on what you do get out of selling your home?
We bought in 2007 and will never get the price we paid for it. We are renting our next house.
Personally, I love the Berkshires. However, it has a depressed economy and a serious drug problem. I doubt houses are flying off the market there. As a result, there should be a healthy rental market for you to chose from.
Small towns in New England are dying. Vermont, New Hampshire, and Berkshires are all places which depended on manufacturing which is gone. Outside of tourists and colleges, there isn't a way to make a living there.
I will say this though. You can have the hills/mountains and still be a few hours from the water in Virginia. Charlottesville Va., and the surrounding areas. It's a liberal town, you can live 20 minutes west, and be in the hills there. Very pretty country down that way. Then you are only 2 hours to the Chesapeake Bay, and 3 from Virginia Beach. Very affordable compared to the north east.
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