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Ridiculous. The active meth labs & covid deniers/super-spreaders I didn't count as "civilization" during that era in some of the rural areas. Many of the misguided who moved out of the city during covid are now trying to return once they realized they are isolated in 'burbs and totally dependent on a vehicle for every minor thing. But the price of housing has continued to rise for those short-sighted enough to even sell then.
Living around nature in one's senior years is okay if you like driving for everything & isolation, particularly keeping in mind if one experiences a sudden physical emergency. I know some people prefer that to city streets... vive la difference!
That is why I decided to stay in Queens, NY rather than moving to Ithaca. I've never driven and, after further research, found that Ithaca is very isolated (even from the next nearest town) plus there is only one hospital and, again, would require a car to get to in an emergency.
I would not live in a building where I have to walk up three fights of stairs to my apartment, so that's not something to worry about. Forty years ago, maybe, to live in a cool neighborhood with brownstones. Not at 65, which I am as of today.
Yes, that area north of Westchester is beautiful, but that's not the city, so I might as well stay here in New Jersey, which has a gorgeous autumn. Or move upstate and never live in the city, which may well happen. I was in Ontario for the last two autumns, which was even better, but alas, Canada does not want retirees and my reason for moving there died in March.
Would be lovely to live around Central Park, but I'd have to hit the lottery for that, and I rarely play.
Third place is Pittsburgh, where my daughter moved to last year and where she would like me to live, but I don't know about that. It IS on one of those lists of good retirement places for its public transit system.
Pittsburgh was one of the places on my list of possible retirement places but I don't know much about it, neighborhood-wise. I guess it all comes down to I curently live in a rent-stabilized building in NYC and anywhere else I moved to would have no rent regulations whatsoever. Rents in Pittsburgh, though, were reasonable so if and when I get priced out of my rent-stabilized apartment, I'm not writing Pittsburgh off entirely. For the moment, though, I'm staying put.
Honestly, the bolded is true for almost all of Manhattan south of 125 Street. I suggest to newbies/returnees to be checking out neighborhoods in Queens or Brooklyn instead, not LIC/Williamsburg unless one is quite well off (and even that isn't going to stop the future street flooding there due to our climate changes, by the time they figure out solutions most of us will be gone from this earth).
Interesting, safe neighborhoods not very costly with water views: Bay Terrace, Bayside, Spuyten Duyvil, Hudson Heights... there are more but maybe too far from Manhattan for most. Honestly after a while I only go there for the occasional show/concert/Dr's visit... a month or two between visits. Most of Manhattan now consists of corporate pharmacies, banks, mediocre "delis", young people on their first job & swarms of tourists.
Like anyplace else you list all amenities you want, add what you will need in future years & prepare to sacrifice 1-2 when you decide.
ETA: And as to the bolded I realize that any generation could've said that at any time. You know the old saying "NYC will be nice once they finish building it."
Ha, love it. And the building will be what enables me to keep working part-time as long as I want to. The Gateway Project, JFK Redevelopment, the new PABT, Second Avenue Subway second phase, lots of work coming up in the next few years.
Third place is Pittsburgh, where my daughter moved to last year and where she would like me to live, but I don't know about that. It IS on one of those lists of good retirement places for its public transit system.
I have friends who are 60 and moving to Pittsburgh next year, based on exhaustive research and many visits. They love the affordable housing, great transit, beautiful hills and urban hiking in neighborhoods. They lost interest in Boston the way it's developed, too, and the expense. They live in NH right now and are itching to go for a real urban place.
Pittsburgh was one of the places on my list of possible retirement places but I don't know much about it, neighborhood-wise. I guess it all comes down to I curently live in a rent-stabilized building in NYC and anywhere else I moved to would have no rent regulations whatsoever. Rents in Pittsburgh, though, were reasonable so if and when I get priced out of my rent-stabilized apartment, I'm not writing Pittsburgh off entirely. For the moment, though, I'm staying put.
I find it amazing that someone is talking about retirement and still does not own a home. Maybe you need to check into other places to retire. We haven't had a house payment since 1993. Of course our taxes and insurance are about what we used to pay for our house payment, taxes and insurance. Three bedrooms, 2 baths, a garage, and 1.25 acres that is for us only. Expenses are groceries, cable, electricity, aquatic center, and lawn care and medical. I am trying to get rid of the too many clothes in my closet as they wear out so spend very little on that.
I have friends who are 60 and moving to Pittsburgh next year, based on exhaustive research and many visits. They love the affordable housing, great transit, beautiful hills and urban hiking in neighborhoods. They lost interest in Boston the way it's developed, too, and the expense. They live in NH right now and are itching to go for a real urban place.
Add: I was messaged to check out PA's inheritance tax. My friends have no heirs and are each other's heirs. How does that work?
In my dream world, I wish I could retire in BC, Canada. Wish I'd realized that when I was much younger, it might have been doable. But who thinks about retirement in their 20s? Maybe in my next life...
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