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

[Tesaje]

Originally Posted by emilybh

I hired an ABS truck and two different movers at both ends to load and unload my furniture. While the loading experience was stressful --as it was the day after a snow storm --I later found out there wasn't as much space in my car I thought there'd be for stuff the movers didn't take so, I was forced to pull and allnighter--- bringing loads of stuff I wanted to keep to the Salvation ARmy at night to an icy parking lot. This was even more stressful.

I finally got rid of what I needed to and packed what I could. Then I got myself and my Norwegian Forest Cat and his litter in the car which was packed to the brim and headed down to Charleston, SC to a place I'd rented sight unseen over the internet --after the agent who had shown me three rentals on an earlier trip I took to Charleston that weren't suitable stopped returning my calls ---when I really NEEDED her help and a place to live!

Thanks for telling us your experience with this. This is what I thought made the most sense when I was looking at moving options. I'm glad your rental worked out for you. That is a big risk to take. I too intend on weeding out the decades long accumulation of detritus that I have before I make any moves. With the high cost of moving, I intend only on taking those things that are either really valuable or mean a lot to me. The rest can go.

But who knows if or when that might happen now? Real estate just seems to be stuck everywhere now. Between people not able to get loans to sellers hanging onto the bubble prices, it doesn't look good for anybody now.

Please jump in with your thoughts and ideas. The more the merrier! This has been a great thread.

[Wisteria]

Tesaje: Thanks and welcome to our long lasting thread. For me, I want to go back west more than I want anything else. The South is not for me. I really dislike hot humid summers. But then again, I'm starting to think more about what it will be like to retire right here where I am. If this economy is as bad as I fear, I won't be able to sell my house. And if I can't sell my house, I'm not moving anywhere.

Hi Tesaje. I, too, am in a holding pattern. I forgot, where in the west are you from originally? Everything on your list is just what I am looking for, too!

I keep flip-flopping on where to go. Although I am more inclined toward New Mexico or California. Of course, I'd have to move from the Santa Cruz area, but I'd prefer to stay in California because I'd be closer to my daughter. However, if it wasn't an option, I'd go elsewhere.

I did live in Seattle for five years (my daughter was born there), and the first year was great, it was the accumulative effect after I'd been there awhile and realized that the drizzle did not stop (except for in August, which was beautiful).

When you realize you're on a fixed income, it changes the picture. If I had the income I have now when I retired, I'd do okay. But it will drop dramatically once I retire.....so I have no choice but to make other arrangements. And, unfortunately, I cannot live in this area unless I have that income....so I can't retire here, and I can't quit work because nothing is selling -- Catch 22.

I still think that getting groups of 4-5 women each -- maybe divided by regions (northeast, south, west, etc.) that we could create a good supportive, fun situation! This housing crisis can't last forever! At least I hope not!

Which places in California would you consider, Tesaje? I have a friend in New York who also wants to come back here. She lived in the Bay Area, but can't afford to move back here. She has suggested Palm Springs, but I'm not sure about the air conditioning bills...seems like they could get quite high there. I am going back to re-check out Chico. I know it gets hot and foggy there, but it is reasonably priced, has lots of hiking areas, is close to Sacramento, and is walkable -- plus the university has special low Senior rates for classes, which is a plus for me. Affordability is the key, plus staying out of high-crime areas! It's a fine balance.

Now, that we're in a holding pattern, we can sort out more of what we are looking for. This is a great group!

[Wisteria]

emilybh :

Sorry for not first introducing myself before interjecting at places in this thread. I'm a 51 yr. old Leo female (Moon in Gemini; Taurus rising; stellium of 6 planets in Leo mostly in the 5th house with two in the 4th-- since you all gave your astrological info). Good combination!

The problem is, being downtown in the historic section is not affordable but not too far away they have built in some areas these same style homes. A few of them are under forclosure and I'm tempted to try to take advantage but would prefer to not go it alone. Are any of you interested in coming here? It would be neat if several of us moved into the same neighborhood.

Welcome to our friendly group, Emilybh!! I'm glad you found us!

Well, as many have followed in these threads, the main question is: Are you short, or tall??? Hahahahaha A running joke, as you will see! Many of us have to carry stools around to reach our cupboards! We'll have to divy up the groups so that we have short and tall together so that the tall women can reach the higher cupboards, and the short ones more easily bend to get things down low!!

What made you choose South Carolina -- had you been there a lot before? I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of the south. I am sure there are tolerant, accepting people there, however, it seems like if you're a Yankee by birth, then you're kind of marked. I can fit into the west, but the south gave me a hard time, and I hear it has changed somewhat, although people I work with who are from the south, originally, tell me it's still the same in many ways.... it seems kind of scary to me -- I don't want to be ostracized just because of where I was born. I know it sounds so archaic, but it is how I feel. I'm also not into the bugs and humidity -- I had enough of that back east.

However....I do love the idea of going in with some women on a bigger house, starting a venture, being a built-in support group, and all of that!

Originally, I didn't feel that way. I thought just my little place of my own would be fine -- and I'm sure it would still work. But...now that I am 60, I already see changes in myself, and as much as I have an independent spirit, I am not so sure it is wise to do everything alone anymore. I also thought that owning something with someone else might not be too appealing, however, once I die, it won't make any difference in the long-run. If I were tenants in common with 2-5 other people, it would still go to my daughter, eventually. The upside would be that there would be a built-in network of women with similar values, ideas, and a sense of adventure.

Emilybh, I don't know if you read through this long thread, but there are some pretty cool women on this board!! Seriously! I just wish we all lived near each other now!

Let's keep this going. I hope that Anomoly will check in -- she should be back in the Portland area by now.

Thanks!! Have a good day, folks!

[Tesaje]

Originally Posted by Wisteria

Hi Tesaje. I, too, am in a holding pattern. I forgot, where in the west are you from originally? Everything on your list is just what I am looking for, too!

I keep flip-flopping on where to go. Although I am more inclined toward New Mexico or California. Of course, I'd have to move from the Santa Cruz area, but I'd prefer to stay in California because I'd be closer to my daughter. However, if it wasn't an option, I'd go elsewhere.

I did live in Seattle for five years (my daughter was born there), and the first year was great, it was the accumulative effect after I'd been there awhile and realized that the drizzle did not stop (except for in August, which was beautiful).

When you realize you're on a fixed income, it changes the picture. If I had the income I have now when I retired, I'd do okay. But it will drop dramatically once I retire.....so I have no choice but to make other arrangements. And, unfortunately, I cannot live in this area unless I have that income....so I can't retire here, and I can't quit work because nothing is selling -- Catch 22.

I still think that getting groups of 4-5 women each -- maybe divided by regions (northeast, south, west, etc.) that we could create a good supportive, fun situation! This housing crisis can't last forever! At least I hope not!

Which places in California would you consider, Tesaje? I have a friend in New York who also wants to come back here. She lived in the Bay Area, but can't afford to move back here. She has suggested Palm Springs, but I'm not sure about the air conditioning bills...seems like they could get quite high there. I am going back to re-check out Chico. I know it gets hot and foggy there, but it is reasonably priced, has lots of hiking areas, is close to Sacramento, and is walkable -- plus the university has special low Senior rates for classes, which is a plus for me. Affordability is the key, plus staying out of high-crime areas! It's a fine balance.

Now, that we're in a holding pattern, we can sort out more of what we are looking for. This is a great group!

Hi Wisteria,

I went to High School in Redding - don't want to go back there - and college in Davis (Sacramento) - not there either. I lived in Redwood City in the Bay area for a couple of years and liked it pretty well, but couldn't afford a one room hovel there now. I'm not really looking to come back to CA. Taxes are very high and the places I like are pretty expensive. I've still got a year before I qualify for retirement, but I don't have much hope that this economic crisis will be much better by then. Palm Springs is much too hot for me to consider. I think Chico is too hot too. Not quite as bad as Redding, but it is hot there and summer lasts a long time.

I have an old friend who settled in Seattle. She still loves it after 30 years but then she's not a sun lover either and likes it cool, not hot, as do I. Seattle would be too expensive for me, I think. Her house is a third smaller than mine but worth more than a third more than mine is. That's not an equation that computes!

I think I will be able to retire on time and won't need to sell to be able to afford to do so. I just can't relocate unless I can sell my house and I will need to be able to buy another house for the same money I get out of this house. With the sinking property values, my property tax should be falling as well and I don't have a mortgage on it anymore either - that is key to my retirement planning. That makes living here more doable if I have to for awhile. It just isn't where I want to live when I have no job to keep me here.

But then again, I don't have to make any decisions for another year.

[Wisteria]

Thanks, Tesaje. That's right -- Redding. I was thinking that was it, but wasn't sure.

Some people can handle Seattle, but I couldn't -- not long-term. It IS a beautiful city, though, and I often wished it were located just a little south or north of where it is, so there wasn't that constant cloud cover.

I am open, though, to all options at this point. I, too, am looking for all those variables you listed: walkable, affordable, hiking, healthy food options, etc. I know it has to be out there!

Although I crossed Boulder off my list, maybe I should put it back on....I don't know. It's so confusing. MN2CO is thinking about Colorado Springs -- it's a pretty area, and has Garden of the Gods there. There's snow, but it melts fast. If MN2CO and others went there, I'd put it back on my list, too.

It's so confusing.

[popcorn247]

I would love to live in Colorado. We may need to find ways to make an income. What sort of ventures.........? What will people buy or need or service they want? A B &B for seniors? With organic food served, food grown in the back yard..... Just some ideas

[Wisteria]

Plantlover -- which part of Colorado? Most of it is very expensive, however, Colorado Springs is really inexpensive compared to the rest of the country. For what you are suggesting, I would think Manitou Springs would be the best location. The Springs is pretty conservative, however, Manitou Springs, only a couple of miles away (just on the other side of Garden of the Gods) is very progressive and more into organic foods and holistic living. I've thought of Manitou Springs -- or Old Colorado City in Colorado Springs (that is the more liberal area).

The nice thing about Manitou Springs is that it is a small town, but only a few minutes drive to Colorado Springs. Manitou Springs also has "springs," only they are not hot springs, they are cold mineral springs (thus, the name).

I know that the growing season in Colorado is not as long as in some lower elevation states, however, I have friends in Boulder who do have a small garden in their yard, and when I was there last summer, they had some good-sized zuchinnis, and tomatoes, and all sorts of veggies. It was so nice to see!

If there was a ready-made support group of us, yes, I would definitely put Colorado back on my list!

[Tesaje]

I used to live in Colorado as a kid and still have a lot of family there so I go back fairly frequently. I lived in the Black Forest across from the Air Academy for 3 years. It is a beautiful area. Unfortunately, the mega evangelical churches have a strong influence in Colo Spgs. I would not willingly live in any area where they have a big influence on the local govt, so I would not go back there. Boulder is more appealing to me.

Both places are fairly high elevation and that presents a lot of gardening challenges. We had a lot of trouble getting tomatoes to go to fruit. In the higher elevations, the freezes are late in the spring and early in the fall so getting a long enough growing season can be challenging, plus you can often get morning temps below 55 in summer and that prevents tomatoes from flowering. It is easier in Denver - it is 1000+ ft lower in most places. In addition, at the high elevation, the air is thin and the sun is very strong. Combined with the dry air, a lot of plants have trouble or stay stunted. Things that are weeds in my garden stay small and struggle in my mother's garden. On the other hand, they don't have squash borers which destroy my attempts at zucchini. Fleas are not a problem there either. My mother has a great grape vine and used to have a productive garden.

The weather ranges from blistering to really frigid. I've been there at 20 below and 100+. Most of the time it is much more moderate but big temperature swings are common. You can have 70 degrees in the middle of winter and well below freezing in the same week. It is Ag zone 5 and at higher elevations it is a 4. There can also be really high winds - especially Boulder.

Boulder is getting to be a suburb of Denver now - there is very little open space now between Denver-Boulder-Golden.

There was a a time when all I ever wanted to do was go back to Colorado but now that it is near the time when I could choose to do that, I don't really want to. It has changed a lot. The whole front range is heavily polluted in winter when the temperature inversion caps all the smog. I have asthma and don't need the extra stress on my lungs. You pretty much have to use your car - very spread out areas. And the killer is that I am more allergic to something only in Colorado than any other place.

So, I am looking for other places to roost, but I expect to make frequent trips to CO.

[ConeyIsBabe]

If y'all don't mind six months of cold winters with almost a daily piddle rain...... occasional snow that melts off in a day or two...... you might consider the Rogue Valley Oregon. I moved to the Grants Pass area 5 years ago because of its very low stress lifestyle / lots of retirees / very friendly people / economically affordable / beautiful summers, spring and fall.

Considering all the good things about living here..... I don't dislike it, it's only the bleak winters that get me down. In the mornings there is FROST on everything (sometimes black ice) and I usually wait until the sun melts if off my car before I venture out into town. Afternoons, the sun might come out and I love to walk around GP downtown. There are about 4 great thrift shops within walking distance and I'm a obsessive thrift-shopper! I don't dare drive at night for fear of hitting Bambi. I live 8 miles outside GP in a tiny town of 2k but only 1 mile from its city services. The CA border is about 1 hr drive south.

There is a local computer club called the RASCALs that meets every week, with about 100 people in attendance. I belong to a fabulous gym that has everything..... 3 indoor pools and daily pool exercise classes.

Shucks.... I'm stuck here and might as well like it

[popcorn247]

Grants Pass sounds pretty good to me.