Men and Women retiring alone to a new city/state -- where will you go and why? (taxes, Mexico)

[covhome]

Originally Posted by plantlover

The area of TrC looks too desolate for me. I need trees, trees, trees!

Hi. I know this is a late reply, but...I just got back from visiting my sister. I loved it. I thought I wouldn't like the 'no trees'. But, I was wrong.

From the minute we left the airport, the views were breathtaking! Mountains surrounding, in every direction. So majestic. As we got to her home, and walked to the door, the fragrance of lavendar and different sage plants was great. Everything smelled so fresh. This fragrance was everywhere we went. (1st week in July) We sat on her patio in the mornings and evenings, watching clouds roll over the top of the mountains. The windows were kept open and fresh breezes blowing. It rained pretty often. Just nice showers, some thunder. You could see it lightening and raining miles away though.

I met a girl who had grown up there, and when she found out I was from the South/North Carolina area, her question to me was, "how do you stand all those trees?" I was like, 'huh'? She said that she felt closed in a got claustophobic when ever she traveled to places with not a lot of open views, like Albuquerque! How about that? Everyone is different.

Anyway, I saw 'orange' trees? NOt sure, but they were packed with fruit. And lots of trees in established neighborhoods. Just not huge, old oaks, pines, etc. Mostly smaller, ornamental. But still green enough for me.

I did change my mind though, about thinking I would never want to move there. It was so clean, and the interstates, and roads were easy to get around on. It was easy to follow directions to and from locations. Grid maps basically.

Lots of artists and creative types. Lots of new commercial going up still.
New residences. Don't know about public school for kids. My sister's daughter goes to a Jewish pre-school, and is going to a Montesouri school this fall for 5 year olds.

And Santa Fe was awesome too.

[DubbleT]

Originally Posted by Ucandoit

I relocated and TN, and unfortunately as much as I looked into real estate beforehand I realize that I still cannot afford this area.
Sadly enough the inexpensive places I have found also offer nothing as far as cultural, or abundances of activities for me......such as bookstores, coffeeshops, a rather nice downtown and such. In order to have one, you can't have the other!

Ucandoit-
I'm sorry to hear that it didn't work out for you. May I ask what it is about your area of TN that makes it not as affordable as you had hoped? Is it the housing, is it something else, or is it a combination of things? In the area of TN that I live in now, decent housing is out of my price range, as 100k won't buy much here. The cost of an evening's entertainment is prohibitive for me. Driving to and from work in rush hour traffic is also getting crazy expensive for gasoline. I can sympathize with you.

I am hoping to lower my cost of living by moving to northeast TN, in the tri-cities area. I have looked online and found many houses in that area for under 100K, but I find myself wondering about these houses, if they are in need of repair, or in undesirable areas, or if the cost of heating and cooling is outrageously un-affordable. etc? This area sounds affordable but is that the reality? I am afraid of making this move and finding out, as you did, that the area I choose doesn't quite live up to my hopes and needs.

The housing market being what it is, right now will probably be my one and only opportunity to be able to afford to buy a house of my own. Because of that I think I will find myself living out my retirement (in ten years or so) in whatever place I buy now. I really want to make the right choice, it's going to be the most important decision I make for the rest of my life I think. Gosh, there is so much to think about and research and consider! Have you got any advice for me? What sort of things do you wish you had known more about before you made your move?

Best wishes to you on finding a great town to fulfill your dreams.

[nancy thereader]

Interesting, I basically think the rest of the world is all taller than me. ( I'm 5'1".)


Nope. We're twins !

We'll have to make sure that whoever builds our houses takes our small sizes into account . That way we won't have to stand on chairs to reach things. We could have cute little pathways with low lying trellises and archways and all (lol).

When I put up my bulletin board in my class room, I had to stand on a chair on top of a TABLE in order to do that one that goes over the blackboard. Very dangerous.

[paintdog52]

Hi Everyone
It's been fun reading this thread as I have been going thru the "how and where do I want to spend the rest of my life" phase that so many of you are going through. I got a wild hair and flew from SE Ohio (where I live now) to Portland and rented a car for 10 days and drove down the coast to Florence, Oregon which was very nice and then up to Bellingham and Anacortes, WA. It was just so nice to have so many different options of things to do. It was great to experience some different ways of thinking and talk/make friends with other travelers that had similar mindsets. Of course the weather is beautiful now and I plan to go back when it's not so nice and get my reality check. I'm like many of you. I love to paint, love the outdoors, hiking, LOVE animals (got a dog and 4 adopted cats). I retired from the Air Force and have traveled around a good bit. I swore I'd eat beans and live in a shack before I'd work for another bonehead (lol). I feel it's time for me to downsize from this big old farmhouse but I'm having trouble giving up the great privacy and elbow room. I've decided that it's going to take some time to find the right place for me. I'm divorced, have no family around the area and feel that the journey in finding the next place is half the fun and makes you think about things a bit. Kudos to fearless women everywhere.

[nancy thereader]

Kudos to fearless women everywhere.
.... and welcome to our site , paintdog. Take a little while to read through this thread and see how we have progressed .

[Umbria]

Welome Paintdog - lots of us are in the same boat - it's very comforting to know - lots of support. And yes, "Kudos to fearless women everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[Dancingearth]

Originally Posted by MN2CO

Welome Paintdog - lots of us are in the same boat - it's very comforting to know - lots of support. And yes, "Kudos to fearless women everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And to fearful women who do it anyway and get past and sometimes get rid of the fear! Welcome Paintdog! I was telling friends tonight I miss the smell of sea air--always something to miss. I use to miss the smell of New Mexico rain when I lived in WA. Summer in western WA is wonderful--stays light until 10 pm! I lived in Olympia for the last five years and recently moved back to NM. Lots to like about the Pacific NW. The rain did get on my nerves--I think you need to live in the right space to live there. I didn't--too small and confined.

If you're interested in living in a place where artist are, there's a couple of threads on Artist Towns--one is under NM and I don't remember where the other one was.

I'm giving the bonehead I'm working for two years and it better settle down or I'll look for work elsewhere. LOL--I'll check out where Wisteria lands. Unfortunately it seems like those boneheads are everywhere and I like the actual work I do.

Have fun exploring and let us know where your adventures take you.

[paintdog52]

Thanks for the welcome and replies. I agree Dancing earth, you need to be in a good place. I was stationed at McChord AFB, by Tacoma eons ago. The drizzle never bothered me and the winters were mild. I used to dream about the wonderful smell from the trees there after I left. Everything is so built up now -- glad I experienced it before too many others "discovered" it. I live in the foothills of the appalachians now and while it is very beautiful, there is not that much to do. Thanks for the tip on artists towns. I will check in this. I remember traveling to Santa Fe a few years ago and was just floored by the artwork there. Thought I'd died and gone to heaven.

[nancy thereader]

Greetings from the Land of Enchantment-Las Cruces, New Mexico!!

Hey, anomoly. I was just looking at the Las Cruces Forum (is that new btw?) and who did I see there but YOU. I said, "Hey... that's anomoly. I know her." It's like meeting someone that you are used to seeing in one place and there they are somewhere else . These posts were older, before you had moved there, however.

Let us know how things are going . It sounds wonderful.

[Wisteria]

DancingEarth: Lots to like about the Pacific NW. The rain did get on my nerves--I think you need to live in the right space to live there. I didn't--too small and confined.
I'm giving the bonehead I'm working for two years and it better settle down or I'll look for work elsewhere. LOL--I'll check out where Wisteria lands. Unfortunately it seems like those boneheads are everywhere and I like the actual work I do.

Hi Folks! I got my daughter into the college dorms, and did my bit of "daughter withdrawal." Who knew Empty Nest Syndrome could be so intense?? Now, I will be able to focus better on getting out of here, and getting "there...." -- the proverbial greener grass! (In this case, it might appear brown, but with mountains in the background! )

I, too, lived in the PNW, and the rain is a drain....unlike Spain, where it falls mainly on the plain....oh, dear, I think it's a bit too early for me!

So, I'm just checking in. Yes, where IS Anomoly???
Need some updates on Las Cruces!! "Hello, Anomoly .... can you hear us???"

DancingEarth, it sounds like you're settling into your home, but the job is a bit strained -- fortunately, you are creating your own peaceful space at home to get away from it all. Do you plan to have a wheel and kiln on your property?? That would be so cool.

And, Nancy, how IS retirement now that school has started?? Must be strange to see kids and teachers off to school, and you can be sitting at the window having a hot cup of coffee or tea, waving them off! It must be a relief not having to do all that prep work now! Enjoy your days off!!

I wanted to see how everyone is doing. Just saying "Hi!"