[parrishpair]

Hello,

My husband and I live in Florida, and are getting sooooo tired of the heat, humidity, and congestion.

I am originally from Idaho, and my husband is originally from North Carolina.

We want to retire to Vermont. People here think we have lost our minds, because of the weather in Vermont. Have we????

I am 59, and my husband is 62. We are active, and don't sit around much. We would be retiring this summer.

We are just nervous about what everyone is saying and the weather reports we read about Vermont.

Would it be toooo much for us???

Also, anyone know of where new homes are being built in Vermont?

Thanks so much.

[vter]

I think you should come up and RENT for a year. That way you will find out if living in a very small, rural state with harsh winters is something you can handle.
What kind of community are you looking for? Vermont is all small towns. Our largest "city" is 40,000 people ("metro" area is 150Kish). Lots of newish subdivisions in the Burlington area.

[flu189]

Ditto, try and spend a year or two renting first. It will give you the flexibility to look around the regions more without being locked down. New construction is very limited at this time which reflects the worsening economy. In fact, even when the economy was chugging along Vermont construction was also low, hence, no glut of new homes, but rather a scarcity in terms of affordability in housing for average Vermonters. There are plenty of existing homes on the market and I would venture to say that the amount will shoot up quite a bit come spring into summer. With job losses and other factors more and more people are being pushed to the decision point on selling and leaving. Regarding economic aspects for retirement here will depend upon your specific financial health and how much you are willing to part with to live here. Has your retirement nest egg taken a serious hit and do you depend on investment and interest income to make ends meet? If the answer is yes then you best very closely do your research and see how it fits into your ability and desires. All retirement income is taxed here and cost of living is relatively high. The climate may be an issue as well. While it is true that summers are very pleasant here you will experience long winters as well. For some this is not a problem, for others it wears on them both physically and mentally. Lots of variables to consider so there is no definitive answer if it will work or not.

[Christophilos]

Hi, parrishpair: It would help to know more about your preferences, your likes & dislikes. The PROS: Every spirng and summer you will fall in love with Vermont once again. It is really picture calendar beautiful. It is a safe place, low crime. The summer is mild and lovely. On balance, Vermonters are quite tolerant, although not outgoing.

The CONS: Every winter you will wonder why you are here. Winter is rigorous, gray and very long Vermont has THE HIGHEST rate of state and local taxation (as a percentage of per capita income) in the entire nation, although in retirement you will see some relief on real estate taxes. In some desireable areas of the state (Burlingon area, Middlebury, the Connecticut River Valley, Arlington-Manchester) housing is rather pricey, altough not compared to Manhattan or Malibu.

PRO or CON (You decide): Vermont is the whitest state in the Union. Not much diversity except in Burlington. It is arguably the most politically liberal state in the Union, a great liberal eho chamber -- nice if you agree, smug self-righteous if you do not.

[GypsySoul22]

If you are retired and don't have to go anywhere, the weather may not be an issue. The weather service is pretty good about telling you when there will be a storm so you can get in groceries.

It doesn't 'snow constantly' in this part of Vermont but winters are LONG and dark and COLD. This year it's much colder than last year, but we are having less snow.

Socially, well, it's rough anywhere....

You would have to join things because meeting people (unless you belong to a club, a retirement community or something social) is very difficult. In winter people tend to cocoon right after work. I live in a complex and see people occasionally but it's 'hi' and 'bye' and nothing more. You could volunteer to meet people.

Prices are on par (to me) with where I lived outside Metro NY for groceries (fruit is even higher), but housing is a lot cheaper. There are fruit stands in spring-late fall with very nice produce but if you are used to cheap oranges/grapefruit/kiwi you are going to be shocked.

If I were you, I would rent a condo or townhouse for a year or two (like others have said) until you decide 'this is the place.' We may not stay here simply because of the weather and economics.

I can't imagine being in my 60s here, unless I have a warmer winter home somewhere else. We're here now but may not be in the future.

[LisaMc46]

Vermont is a great place to retire to if you have a large nest egg and like long, frigid winters. I work in Stowe (one of Vermont's most affluent communities) and there are a lot of retirees here. Many of them have second homes in warmer climates and only spend part of the winter here, but others ski every day and seem quite content with the cold.

I agree with the posters who suggested that you rent for a year first. My dh and I did that when he was transferred here for his job. We built a house after that.

If you aren't well off financially I really wouldn't consider retiring here. Taxes are high and services for the elderly are limited compared to more populated states.

As far as building a house is concerned, you are only limited by what you can spend. Most subdivisions are located near the Burlington area, but you can find parcels of land in any town.

If you are seriously considering this I would suggest coming up for a visit before the end of the winter and traveling around the state to see what areas would appeal to you.

[Ellwood]

We retired 30 miles west of Vermont in NY state (Saratoga area). Although this past winter we had quite a bit of snow, we actually enjoyed it. We have 3 acres and are also active so I doubt if the weather will affect your ability to get out. Our daughter is in VT and we are over there quite frequently so the weather doesn't inhibit travel as far as we have noticed.