Moving to NC from Fl (Des Moines, Iowa City: sublets, rent, home)

[Jerseyboy1948]

Hello, I live near Tampa and can't stand the heat or city life anymore. Need suggestions about where I can find a more Country setting, Senior friendly, of course safe. I like to come home to peace and quite with good neighbors. Don't mind driving to get food and things to do. Parks would be nice near by. Thanks

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by Jerseyboy1948

Hello, I live near Tampa and can't stand the heat or city life anymore.
Need suggestions about where...

You'll have to go LOT farther north than NC (or Iowa) to get away from summer heat.
And when you do get there you'll soon decide the winters are too cold and snow a PITA.

I'd suggest you try to find a way to reverse "snow bird" to upstate NY or Vermont etc
for the summer months. Short term sublets, furnished rooms, maybe even RV'ing.

hth

[fezzador]

Try Montana.

[ION1010]

A lot of New Yorkers retire to Florida and decide they can't stand the weather, then move to the Carolinas. The locals call the "Half-backs". You may want to consider that.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by ION1010

A lot of New Yorkers retire to Florida and decide they can't stand the weather, then move to the Carolinas. The locals call the "Half-backs". You may want to consider that.

Frankly it's not much of a solution.
Sorta like the worst of all worlds.

Nearly as hot/sticky in summer as FL (unless well up in the mountains)
Almost as much winter PITA factor (more so up in the mountains).
Too brief a spring & fall.

[Meemur]

I don't blame you: I didn't like the humidity in Tampa, either. However, most of the Midwest is fairly humid from about mid-July to mid-August. If you can stand about six or so weeks of heat and humidity, and it can get over 100 degrees for several days at a time out here, longer during droughts, then Iowa has some nice rural settings, affordable small towns, and good people in general.

You didn't ask, but there are some good hospitals in Des Moines and Iowa City. You could live in a small town nearby and be close decent hospitals if anything happens, which as an older person is important to me. Senior life here is what you make it. I like being in Des Moines because there's a lot to do.

One other warning: winters in the Midwest can be brutal. I can't take the heat for months on end, so Iowa works for me, but if you haven't been through one of our winters, you really should rent for a year before buying. A number of folks are ready to move out by February.

But if you can deal with the cold and wind, there's a lot to like about this area of the country. I love wind! but I'm told I'm weird in a lot of ways.