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I never found a place that I felt I could retire to. Im still in Portland. I'll be eligible for early SS next November and Im taking it, since I already receive a pension from my retirement. I have decided if I don't find a place to retire to by then. I will retire to New England where Im originally from. Even though today I read its on the top ten list of worst places to retire due to COL and climate.
I hope there have been people that read the forum, have found their place and are happy there.
Hi Jimrob1,
Did you get down to NM this year? (or did I ask this before?).
I know how you feel, we traveled to Oregon and the Denver area this year, both places were nice but in order to feel like packing up and paying movers and generally disrupting our lives we need a real strong attraction to a place before we commit to moving anywhere. We haven't felt that anywhere. The more we deliberate over it, the more reasons we have for staying in ABQ. I didn't realize when I moved here at age 26 that it would eventually double as my retirement destination. I am feeling like a real stick-in-the-mud. At least it's looking more like a possibility that we will end up staying, as much as I feel ready for a "change"...
Anyway, wherever you end up I hope you can make it work... and remember, there's always someplace worse!
....The more we deliberate over it, the more reasons we have for staying in ABQ. I didn't realize when I moved here at age 26 that it would eventually double as my retirement destination. I am feeling like a real stick-in-the-mud. At least it's looking more like a possibility that we will end up staying, as much as I feel ready for a "change"....
I made a radical change when I retired, and it was not one I had anticipated that I would ever make. That said, I do wonder the more I read retirement forums if perhaps we Americans haven't an obsession about "moving to a better place."
If you're happy overall where you have been living, but feel the need for change - perhaps a change in lifestyle is really the answer. Travel more, learn to paint, take up photography....there is so much out there to do, and most of us had to pass a lot of it by. Perhaps we should just start out by "retiring" from our former lifestyles before getting bitten by the relocation bug.
We Americans have always thought we'd solve our problems and start a new life by moving West. Well, we reached the end of West, and as a nation we still have problems and many of them are the same ol' same ol', so maybe geographical change isn't always the most reasonable solution. Something about wherever you go, there you are.
I made a radical change when I retired, and it was not one I had anticipated that I would ever make. That said, I do wonder the more I read retirement forums if perhaps we Americans haven't an obsession about "moving to a better place."
If you're happy overall where you have been living, but feel the need for change - perhaps a change in lifestyle is really the answer. Travel more, learn to paint, take up photography....there is so much out there to do, and most of us had to pass a lot of it by. Perhaps we should just start out by "retiring" from our former lifestyles before getting bitten by the relocation bug.
We Americans have always thought we'd solve our problems and start a new life by moving West. Well, we reached the end of West, and as a nation we still have problems and many of them are the same ol' same ol', so maybe geographical change isn't always the most reasonable solution. Something about wherever you go, there you are.
Well moving west for me (grew up in the Northeast) was the best move I ever made for numerous reasons I won't get into here. Most of us live somewhere for a job, and then when we retire the whole country opens up and it's daunting to contemplate all the possibilities and think "where would I live if I could live anywhere?" My partner and I have already traveled a lot, between us we've been to over 40 states and more than a dozen countries. Between us we've lived in New York, Boston, San Francisco, L.A., Mexico, Brazil, Peru, and France. We've never lived in the Pacific Northwest (where we might consider) and never lived in the South (where we would not consider).
I also have been thinking whether we want to live in a state where we could be married. Mass. and Vt. come to mind but going from a dry climate back to a sticky one is not so attractive, plus the cost of living in those places can be prohibitive. And moving in reverse from the West back East just seems so wrong psychologically and spiritually.
We love New Mexico for loads of reasons but I think after a certain length of time anywhere (21 years and counting, for me) one gets the "itch". My partner is already retired, I have 4 more years before I can, and I'm obsessed (more than my partner) about where our next nest might be, a place that would be easy to live in as we get older, that has a good arts community (we are both musicians) and plenty of recreational and continuing education opportunities. And we have all that in abundance here, so I know, why upset the apple cart? We have this feeling, though, that it "would be nice" to be someplace with less sunshine, more snow, less sprawl, etc., etc. A place to start over and maybe rekindle the relationship a little more, too, you know?
Did you get down to NM this year? (or did I ask this before?).
I know how you feel, we traveled to Oregon and the Denver area this year, both places were nice but in order to feel like packing up and paying movers and generally disrupting our lives we need a real strong attraction to a place before we commit to moving anywhere. We haven't felt that anywhere. The more we deliberate over it, the more reasons we have for staying in ABQ. I didn't realize when I moved here at age 26 that it would eventually double as my retirement destination. I am feeling like a real stick-in-the-mud. At least it's looking more like a possibility that we will end up staying, as much as I feel ready for a "change"...
Anyway, wherever you end up I hope you can make it work... and remember, there's always someplace worse!
No I never did get to NM this year. You did mention you had visited Eugene and that you were going up to Denver. Since Denver didn't appeal to you enough, I guess you can cross it off your list.
As you say you may just end up retiring in Albuquerque. Time will tell. If you do maybe thats for the best. Your settled there and use to the region after so many years there. Or perhaps you need to make a move for awhile to experience something new, a change. You may find a new place is what you should do for your retirement. Or you might find you should return to Albuquerque and that was your spot after all.
I also have been thinking whether we want to live in a state where we could be married. Mass. and Vt. come to mind but going from a dry climate back to a sticky one is not so attractive, plus the cost of living in those places can be prohibitive. And moving in reverse from the West back East just seems so wrong psychologically and spiritually.
Northampton, Mass. has to be one of the most nationally well-known gay-friendly (for people of all ages, young to old) college towns in New England. Pricey for some (like me) but not others. Depends on your style, if you like a concentrated population of (notable) artists and writers and intellectuals, Northampton could be your place. Not sure but the mayor could be lesbian (?). I wouldn't call this part of NE "sticky" (it is pleasant most of the year but does get some doozy winters). It is "sticky" in the sense that graduates tend to stay, do not want to leave. A lifestyle place like Portland, OR and Portsmouth NH.
To live in a decent area of VT is generally more expensive than Mass.
You could try the Denver area. Or maybe the Northwest. There are a number of areas in New England but that is a brutally cold and expensive region. Coastal Calif is another area, but again is usually cost prohibitive for many. Let us know if you find any areas that appeal to you. Its always nice to know what others find with their research.
New England is not brutally cold, unless you go very far north (toward Canada). In Southern/Western New England we've had some of the mildest winters lately (comparatively) while other areas that typically got mild winters were in a deep freeze. I would rather be in a place where there is everything I need and where I'm accepted for who I am rather than be driven to a certain kind of climate. And there are ways of getting to warmer destinations in February.
I never found a place that I felt I could retire to. Im still in Portland. I'll be eligible for early SS next November and Im taking it, since I already receive a pension from my retirement. I have decided if I don't find a place to retire to by then. I will retire to New England where Im originally from. Even though today I read its on the top ten list of worst places to retire due to COL and climate.
I hope there have been people that read the forum, have found their place and are happy there.
I searched for two years for a place to move with "warmer winters." I drove quite a bit through VA, NC, SC (not the priciest places, but nice small towns) and I did this in summer. Talk about heat and humidity, I nearly died. I was so happy to come home to the cool summer breezes (okay, an occasional humid day) of New England. Our climate here seems to be adjusting somewhat. Yes winter is winter but it's not as brutal as in past decades. I need the intellectual/artistic atmosphere of college areas in New England, plus the familiarity of having grown up here. I finally abandoned my out of state search and decided to stay here, for better or worse. And compared to what I saw elsewhere, there's a lot of better.
Guide yourself to lifestyle factors more than climate. With indoor heating and a.c., no one suffers. Plus, you're retired, so you can stay indoors in any weather you don't like. It's much harder to find a way to be "with your own kind of people" (for better or worse ) than it is to adjust to any brief extremes in weather.
I searched for two years for a place to move with "warmer winters." I drove quite a bit through VA, NC, SC (not the priciest places, but nice small towns) and I did this in summer. Talk about heat and humidity, I nearly died. I was so happy to come home to the cool summer breezes (okay, an occasional humid day) of New England. Our climate here seems to be adjusting somewhat. Yes winter is winter but it's not as brutal as in past decades. I need the intellectual/artistic atmosphere of college areas in New England, plus the familiarity of having grown up here. I finally abandoned my out of state search and decided to stay here, for better or worse. And compared to what I saw elsewhere, there's a lot of better.
Guide yourself to lifestyle factors more than climate. With indoor heating and a.c., no one suffers. Plus, you're retired, so you can stay indoors in any weather you don't like. It's much harder to find a way to be "with your own kind of people" (for better or worse ) than it is to adjust to any brief extremes in weather.
Did you look at or go thru the SW Virginia Roanoke area or the Raleigh Durham NC area? If so what did you think? I notice alot of retirees from the Northeast are choosing these regions.
Did you look at or go thru the SW Virginia Roanoke area or the Raleigh Durham NC area? If so what did you think? I notice alot of retirees from the Northeast are choosing these regions.
Roanoke was my first destination. I really liked the feel of the downtown, all arts and farmers markets. The city is too big for me. I came near to settling on Salem VA (very close to Roanoke) but to get into Roanoke meant traveling through, shall we say, not too inspiring areas. Salem as a small town is nice, though, good college and public library there. Good scale for a retiree.
I didn't get to Abingdon VA but that is one place you should check out. The famous Barter Theatre and of course all the charm.
Charlottesville is vibrant but overrun with U-VA students. The town really loves its senior cits, though--their "senior center" is amazing, like a college in an of itself. But the driving around town there is too complicated for me. I wanted an easy, simple, vibrant small town.
Durham was a frontrunner for a while as I have a son in Raleigh. I think North Durham is better (check the crime rates). Duke, where I know some music faculty, is a big draw. Nice homes (check realtor.com) that seem quite affordable, and lots of nice condos.
The Triangle area is too big for me. Lovely area, great for young folks and those on the rise (Research Park). Seems like I was continually on a highway while there. Chapel Hill really fine but pricey. I didn't want suburbs, and those go for miles. Higher prices for real estate.
Carrboro, Hillsboro, Apex and Cary are the up and coming places. Liberal feel, lifestyle kind of places. All in all, too much summer heat for me and too much travel to get from one place to another. I think you could live in Carrboro and have what you need.
The best thing is to hit the ground and get around down there in the spring, and then again in mddle of summer to check out your tolerance level for heat. I found out that the Northeast summers are as hot as I can stand, and the winters, well I will just have to get through them somehow. I like where I am but am happy that I toured parts of VA and NC, it opened my mind to other possible ways to live.
P.S.--in terms of gay-friendly places with not too high heat, I'd suggest checking out Northampton, Mass., home of Smith College and thousands of artists and writers, theater, galleries, etc. It is the Eastcoast lifestyle place. I think the mayor is lesbian, and the acceptance of gays is very open and "normal." They have a huge Gay Pride parade every year.
Last edited by RiverBird; 02-24-2011 at 06:02 PM..
Sounds like you had a nice trip and then when you got home, you were able to put things into perspective. Evidently New England is your place and thats a good place to be.
Im originally from SE Mass and that is why I have been looking into the Mid Atlantic region. Not to far away yet out of the high cost and major snow belt region. Definitely can drive up in one day. A long days drive but it is doable. Much better than the 3000 miles distance I live now, with the costly plane tickets that are getting much worse each year. My relatives in Mass told me this year to please move closer for retirement, as they have no plans to travel all the way out to Oregon any longer.
I have really been considering the Raleigh Durham area, but truthfully I hesitate on areas that are attracting tons of younger people. I live in Portland, Or and it is one of my main reasons for wanting to leave for retirement. It focuses so much on the throngs of young people that flock here and strickly caters to them. Its not much of a place to retire. So I am cautious with the Raleigh area and I think I may want a smaller city that is self sufficient. That is why I mentioned the Roanoke area. I think Im getting to the point in life, that big cities and their high crime and cost are turning me off. Roanoke Im also told is not nearly as conservative as people would think it is. A rather varied mixture of people and alot of transplants and retirees. There is excellent medical care there also. The heat doesn't really bother me. In fact I prefer it to the cold but I don't think the climate of South Fla would be appealing to me. That is way to much and for the majority of the year. I prefer some 4 seasons but a milder version of winter. Hence the Mid Atlantic region.
Thanks for your help and information and good luck to you.
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I am feeling like a real stick-in-the-mud. At least it's looking more like a possibility that we will end up staying, as much as I feel ready for a "change"...
