Retirement Relocation Research: How Much -- or Little? (older, travel, college)

[augiedogie]

We faced the same problem as Op. We were also aware that a few days or a week was not sufficient to make a decision. A place that looks great in Fl. in winter could be a living hell in summer. So, we bought an Rv, and have traveled and visited a lot of places that look good on paper. We finally now made a choice, but it took 2 years. So don't rush such a big decision. Some things that don't seem important, you might learn can be very important.

[Melchisedec]

If weather makes a difference in your relocation move, visit that state in the worst month.

We wanted to move south to escape the snow and cold so visited the south in August.
Yes, it was hot.
But it was more bearable than winters up north.

We moved south in 2012 and never regretted it.

[Serious Conversation]

Originally Posted by notsothoreau

To the folks in Eastern TN,

You sound like the people in Oregon, when the Californians were moving in. I keep reading about crime and meth and all these other reasons not to move to TN.

I moved to the Portland OR area back in 1973. It is a much different place now. There are people living in tents off the sides of the I-5 freeway. If you look down any public walkway, you'll see tents. And yes, just like Seattle and SF, people **** in the streets. I saw that when we were at a meeting in the main public library. And there is crime in the city, usually out towards Gresham. Yet all the time, I see people considering a move to Portland and no one mentions these things.

TN is not the only state dealing with drugs and crime. Other states deal with it too. And the only way things will change are jobs and more people in these areas. I won't move out there without looking at the area, but I can guarantee that I've learned how to spot tweakers from my time in this city.

The problem with Tennessee is a lot of out of area prospects think it's something like a post card out of Pigeon Forge, Nashville honky-tonks, or Hee-Haw. None of that is true for people living their daily lives.

I live in Johnson City. It's a city of about 65,000 with a university approaching 15,000 students. You have a surprising amount of ethnically diverse dining for a city of this size, the area's only healthy mall, most of the upscale retail, and it's really the only pocket of "nice" city-wise between Knoxville and Asheville. You have a level 1 trauma center, a medical school, and the university brings in more diversity and activities than you'd expect in a city of this size that is isolated from a major metro.

With that said, the other two significant cities in my immediate area (Kingsport and Bristol) are both dumpy, lower income, and don't have much to offer. The area is too small, isolated, and Kingsport-Bristol are uncooperative in helping JC reach the "next tier" of city. Aside from Johnson City to Asheville, we're two hours from Knoxville, and even farther away from anything else of note. The job market and wages are notoriously weak. Kingsport, in particular, is extremely culturally conservative and averse to any sort of change.

IMO, the worst areas in upper east TN are mostly between the Tri-Cities and Knoxville. Hawkins, Cocke, and Jefferson Counties are all rural drug counties.

You can be in a small town or rural area outside of Knoxville, while still being close to "mainstream American" shopping and medical care. The Tri-Cities are just too small, culturally conservative, and geographically isolated to feel like mainstream America.

[kevxu]

Originally Posted by BellaDL

....
Based on my own experience, one can do a lot of online research ahead of time. Of course, it is very time consuming and confusing with many sources, some with conflicting data or outdated information. One just have to be patient and persistent in one quest for the best match......

I have posted several times in the past about my own hunt/research. I was disabled for a handful of years and, thus, had lots of computer time.

Most of what you would research about places is obvious, and doesn't need my comment. I would bring up only two things I found very helpful.

1.) Read the local paper/s, even the boring parts. I found this was very helpful as it put a lot of the drier statistical stuff from the internet in a real life perspective.

2.) Try to find a local person to ask some email questions. C-D is an obviously good place to start.

[Mikala43]

Once I find a place that I think I'll like, I start looking up the day to day stuff.

What do I like to do? I look up stores, or activities in the area that match. I put the weather app on my phone to that area. I look up things to do, like farmer's markets, annual events, meet-ups. I look up the type of restaurants they have, and that's a big one for me. For some reason, that seems to reflect the area and attitudes a lot. We were looking at Prescott for a short while, and when I saw the type of restaurants it made me rethink it, and we were right, it did not match us.

When we visit the area we try to find a bar or diner, somewhere easy to strike up conversations and ask what they like/dislike about the area and day to day stuff.

I learned TONS of stuff about the Carson area by visiting a cigar bar a few times and just chatting.

[meo92953]

I've been here almost a year now & I still like it. I was & am surprised the heat isn't as bad as I thought it would be, due to the higher elevation. And, I learned quickly that you do things in the morning or evening, when it's cooler. It's only bad for a few hours in the afternoon & even then it's bearable.

I may end up moving to Sierra Vista proper, currently a few miles away, but not for awhile yet. I like the complex & people here. But, if my eyes get bad or I find it difficult to drive, I would move for the transportation issues.

The things I miss about 'home' is my car mechanic & the lakes. I do Not miss snow & ice or the miserable allergies I had. There is a new garage here & they are nice but, it's not the same yet.

Right now my tire symbol is on & I feel so stupid having them check tire pressure because I can't bend since back surgery. My old mechanic knew of my problem & it was no big deal for him to check things out for me. About the only thing I miss is everyone knew me & what I had been through. So they helped me out when I did need help.

[mlb]

I spent the better part of my younger years "exploring" and moving to places I had never been nor had any connections.

Including where we are now which used to be a lower COL and lower housing costs. Not anymore.

I'm ready for FAMILIAR

We did travel - ROAD TRIPS! - to places we were considering - Oregon, AZ, NM, Nevada state line/California and it came down to wanting to be closer to family. I'm tired of being in a place where I have no familial connections.

[Piney Creek]

Originally Posted by mlb

I spent the better part of my younger years "exploring" and moving to places I had never been nor had any connections.

Including where we are now which used to be a lower COL and lower housing costs. Not anymore.

I'm ready for FAMILIAR

We did travel - ROAD TRIPS! - to places we were considering - Oregon, AZ, NM, Nevada state line/California and it came down to wanting to be closer to family. I'm tired of being in a place where I have no familial connections.

Oh, very good point! We traveled to a lot of communities all up and down the east coast (and a few in the west, as well). It was research, but it was also a fun way to take vacations. We explored a lot of interesting places on those trips. Looking back on all the trips we've taking over the years, those were some of our favorites.

[tamaralj]

I have been doing a lot of research of areas to move to. Now for the scouting trips to begin. Trying to get time off work to go do that! It's not easy. 1.5 years till launch date of retirement, and so much to plan and do. Getting our house ready for sale. I told my husband let's just take our time. It makes my stomach hurt thinking of all that needs to be done. If we can take it in stages like we have been doing it is a lot easier. I think the Got Junk company is going to be my best friend soon. LOL Good luck to all of you who plan to retire soon, and looking for places to move! It can be a process, that is for sure.

[tomchard]

I've been wanting us to move away from Silicon Valley ever since I first got here, in 2000. DW is born-and-raised here, so all her Family is here; it's much more difficult for her to think about leaving them and move out of state.

But, we'll have to do something once she gets fully-retired; we're in a downward-spiraling neighborhood of mostly rental homes, and the prospects aren't all that great for the future, here (older neighborhood, house, plumbing, electric, etc.).

I've been actively researching out-of-state locations for over a year, but don't seem to be able to find a suitable (for us) location that makes us both happy, or even complacent. I've spent hours & hours online, looking at photos of different areas, reading what locals have blogged about them; even sent-off for their Chambers-of-Commerce catalogs, to get an idea about what the area holds.
We've traveled-around a small bit, to mostly in-state (CA) locations. And, most of the places we've been to have something really nice about them, but discussions about relocating always come back to "it's still in California", and I lose interest in it, big time.

We've (or should I say "I've") been looking at places like Minden-Gardnerville-Carson-City (NV), Kingman or Prescott (AZ), Albuquerque or Las Cruces (NM), and anywhere in Texas. Thus far, I get no agreement from DW on any of these, but that's because it's not (yet) a priority for her.
Hopefully (fingers-crossed!), once she gets fully-retired, we'll be able to take more time to research and visit some of the places I'm interested in, since we've already pretty-much hit all the ones she's interested in.

THANK YOU to all y'all who contribute to these threads; I read the "Retirement" forum every day with interest ... I'm rarely disappointed with topics-of-discussion on here.