Top Five Places to Retire--Where Would You Go? Stay? (55, weather, moving)

[ionlife]

Just curious about other people here and where they want to be when they retire. We're approaching those days and pondering the thought more and more....

[proudmommy]

California, Nevada, Arizona.

[Elizabeth_G]

Carolina's possibly. Weather, mountains, cost of living, etc. California, Arizona are also considerations. I would even consider the Nashville area

[jkratze1]

Pickwick Lake area of TN. Love the lake and I would love to retire with a nice house on the lake.

[LittleDolphin]

Right where I am...coastal North Carolina. Friendly people, beautiful ocean, reasonable cost of living...but it would be nifty to have a place in the mountains for the summer...

[caution]

In the middle of at least 20 acres with some elevation (800ft or so) and low taxes. So somewhere around here or a bit north of here like TN.

I'd want a house similar to the ones these guys build Hybrid Solar House > Home so I can be off the grid if needed. I'd also want to have a robust rain-water catchment system.

When I'm old, I don't want to depend on one well or one power line. That way I can just say "FTW" and mean it. :-)

[zenjenn]

I've always loved the Pacific Northwest.

[cpg35223]

New Zealand, Costa Rica, the Gulf Coast, Ashville, North Carolina, or Italy.

[Charles]

I'd want to be in the most practical location to be near my kids and grand kids. But, more likely, considering the costs to sell and buy a home, it will most likely be where ever I am living when I retire.

I wonder how many people (as a percentage) actually retire from their jobs, put their house for sale (and pay 8%-10% of the cost of the house in moving expenses), and buy somewhere else. Chances are they have become accustomed to where they are living when they retired, have friends there, have kids and possibly grand kids there, have doctors there, church or other social networks there. To be 55 or 65 years old and spend $25K, $35K, $50K to move, and completely change your life in that major way seems unusual. I'd bet most people just stay where they are.

Finally, the idea of "retiring" as in not working, doesn't sound appealing. I want to be doing something. However, in one sense, I "retired" the day I graduated from college. My current job is a "retirement" job.

WHETHER TO MOVE OR STAY PUT - NY Times

[hey teach]

Somewhere close to the water, but probably not Florida. Maybe South Carolina, southern Georgia, Gulf Coast of Alabama, or maybe Texas. I've also considered New Mexico.