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Where a place is, is not as nearly important as what the people are like.
I agree. Where we are is very different than where we lived before and the main difference is the society as a whole. Fortunately it was nothing my wife and I hadn't experienced before so we were able to become a part of it rather seamlessly and be readily accepted. Not everyone can and some relatively quickly return to an area with and in which they're more comfortable.
So my advice is to spend enough time in an area of potential settlement to see if the society really pleases you and if you get along with the natives.
I was in a city because many decades ago my father moved for a job. Due to family, jobs, homes, and financial limitations I was never able to look across the world and decide where I really wanted to live. At retirement I decided to make my own decision and moved to what I felt was a more desirable location. My only regret is that I was not able to do it sooner.
I thought I would hit the ground running, that my new life would start as soon as I got here. In reality, I have been here three years and I am just now settling in.
I was exhausted from my husband's illness and death, cleaning out two houses, getting rid of junk, selling my house, etc. I tried to be cheerful and active as soon as I moved in, but I had to push myself and I didn't enjoy it. I wasn't disappointed in my chosen location, but I was disappointed because nothing here made me happy.
Three years later and I am content. I know my neighbors and I have a couple of true friends. I have a little dog. My old dogs died before I moved and I thought I would not get another. I have a compost pile, discreetly hidden, and I garden on my deck. I see a small hot tub in my future.
Renting from a good landlord is just as carefree as I hoped it would be.
I think about downsizing farther in the future if my health holds out. I could rent a small studio and travel, or even put my most precious things in storage and snowbird. I think I would like island life.
Or, for example did you discover something new that you like a lot in the retirement relocation spot, that you didn't have/experience before, that now if you moved again, it would definitely factor into your relocation decision?
Yes, everything. Before moving to where I am now I did a lot of research online about amenities to consider. I well remember your excellent lists, Laura, along with LiveContent's, of realistic things to look for in a place to move at our age. If I forgot to thank you, thank you now!
Suburbia to me was beautiful but a no-man's-land. Area after area of homes an occasional convenience store. Boring suburbia to walk through, flat surfaces, nothing to walk to purposely. Nothing to do at night unless getting into a car and driving at least a half hour each way year round in all weather in all seasons (ugh).
Here I have everything at my doorstep, too numerous to mention again. The one thing I have to travel far for (hour round-trip) is organically grown foods; the local supermarkets around me resist stocking them though I'm sure they'd have a great market for them. (In the summer we have a garden and farmers' market up the street.)
I know a couple around age 70–74 who share a vehicle — actually, she quit driving some time ago as her mobility is pretty bad. He's been the driver for some years, driving her everywhere she needs to go. They usually go places together. This past year he developed Parkinson's and the writing is on the wall for how long he is likely to drive. Wisely, they are selling their home and moving into a condo directly on the strip of supermarket and everything else they need. The will likely make use of the great senior van service we have in this area, door to door.
So many elders living in suburbia and rural are going to face this problem sooner or later, so location of residence cannot be overemphasized. Though my taxes are high here, I think I'd be stupid to move; the amenities are a mile long.
My retirement relocation planning was a little unusual. About four years before I was planning to retire from full-time work, I had to move out of my apartment and decided to buy a place, and I realized that whatever place I bought would almost certainly be the last place I would ever live. In other words, I was consciously buying my retirement location at age 57 knowing I had four years of full-time work still to go. Now almost 13 years later I still think I made a good choice. If I should ever have to stop driving (something completely inconceivable to me), I am very well situated. (Sometimes I have thought of the unthinkable just as a scary mental exercise).
We realize we have at least one more move to something closer in as a core place. I know folks who are looking at continuing living down the road as a base place (with health network close by) with a second place and continued traveling etc. They also gave a core place picked out and are on the waiting list. We will evaluate at 70 and periodically after that depending on variables.
We've only been in our retirement location for about 6 months, so far no complaints. I think my biggest worry was that we would be the youngest and wouldn't fit in here. Turns out we have plenty of company here in our age bracket and as the older seniors leave to be closer to family, or to go into a more protected or supportive environment, more people our age move in.
The one thing I wish had been different is having moved my MIL with us, and then having to relocate her into a independent living facility here. In a perfect world, she should have stayed in CA and in a continuing care facility where she could move seamlessly from independent living and eventually to assisted living. Unfortunately that was not financially possible. She was in a catch-22 financially. Made too much for subsidized senior living, but not enough for the high priced unsubsidized. Here she can live in a nice place and stay in budget. She is unhappy here though, I suspect she would be unhappy anywhere, but somewhere farther away (like another state!) would be better.
We realize we have at least one more move to something closer in as a core place. I know folks who are looking at continuing living down the road as a base place (with health network close by) with a second place and continued traveling etc. They also gave a core place picked out and are on the waiting list. We will evaluate at 70 and periodically after that depending on variables.
What is a "core place"? I've never heard of such a thing.
What is a "core place"? I've never heard of such a thing.
I think he means "home base" as opposed to a vacation home, or travel trailer, etc.
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