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1. cost of living - home prices less than half of what they were in CA, WAY lower property taxes, no income tax on our pension.
2. friendlier people/more relaxed atmosphere - yes, it's slower here, but I've found that people aren't nearly as stressed/irritable as they were in SoCal. They don't tailgate you or flip you off for driving the speed limit, for one.
3. more places to go/see within a day's drive - When we lived in a "corner" of the U.S., there were only so many places we could drive for a short trip. Here, we can go to a wider choice of cities (e.g., Nashville, Atlanta, Louisville, Memphis, Chattanooga) or historical sites or just the countryside to see pretty scenery.
4. socio/political factors - as conservatives, we didn't like the direction in which CA is headed. The fiscal irresponsibility we witnessed was enough to scare us into not wanting to retire there and risk losing our retirement money to higher and higher taxes.
In short, it was a quality of life decision. It's certainly not perfect here, but I think in the long run we will have a better retirement here than we ever could have in SoCal.
In one month you pay about nine times more than what we have been paying annually.
I see houses that sell for $40k to $60k, and you say that down South they are a lot cheaper?
Where down South are homes cheaper than they are up here in New England?
Face it Beekeeper you are different from most folks and made that decision at like 42. Most don't even want to really reitre at that age. There are people who want to retire to the alaska 's wilderness too but that is not most peoples cup of tea. Same as 100 acres in west texas isn't many's but there are a few.Heck I have a friend who live on a lake in alaska and flys people inot his lounge during the summer which is abut teh only people he sees. great for him but I would go nuts that isolated.
We moved to NC 18 months ago as sort of "pre-retirement" as we'll be working for another 10-12 years (economic reasons). We decided to leave New England, wanted a more temperate climate, slower pace of life and great healthcare (for us and also to work in!!). We love it down here. We still have a distinct change of season - Autumn is heavenly, winter mild. The summers are not as severe as we anticipated and everything is air conditioned. We're 2 hrs from the coast, 3 hrs from the mountains. Housing, property taxes, utilities and car insurance much less expensive.
We also semi-retired to NC a couple of years ago from SO. CA. We wanted a slower pace of life which is definately true here and the price of living was much less. CA was so expensive and the crime was getting worse every year. It is taking time for me to get use to the humidity and rain so much but it's not as bad as many make it out to be. It is beautiful here.....
Cost of living is a huge issue. Taxes on pensions, etc.
I lived in a horrid place where it could be winter 1/2 the year. I was so sick of shoveling snow. Then as soon as that was over there was mowing, raking, and then back to snow again. It was awful. Summers were so humid and full of bugs you couldn't ever enjoy outside. I was happy to move to some place warm and dry.
People just tire of the rat race and want to live someplace more comfortable.
Dave - give your parents a break and table your preconceived generalizations and stereotypes - you need to open your mind to new ideas and new places and stop being so selfish.
Our children were not happy about us moving, although they all live in different states or countries (we have allowed them to make choices about where they want to live - without any disparaging words or critcism). One by one they have visited us in KY and each fell instantly in love with KY....it was not what they were expecting at all. One son has visited 3 times, our oldest will be here in less than 3 weeks with 3 of his children. They love it here as do we.
It is an adjustment for adult children to realize that their parents have desires and dreams beyond being a parent and grandparent. We love our family very much and see them as often as we can and as their busy schedules permit, but we have worked hard for our family all of our lives and considered our children's feelings, needs and wellbeing always before our own....it is now our time to think of ourselves just a bit. Please try to not be so selfish. Allow your parents the freedom to live their own dreams in their retirement years.
We moved to NC 18 months ago as sort of "pre-retirement" as we'll be working for another 10-12 years (economic reasons). We decided to leave New England, wanted a more temperate climate, slower pace of life and great healthcare (for us and also to work in!!). We love it down here. We still have a distinct change of season - Autumn is heavenly, winter mild. The summers are not as severe as we anticipated and everything is air conditioned. We're 2 hrs from the coast, 3 hrs from the mountains. Housing, property taxes, utilities and car insurance much less expensive.
Yup, yup and a triple yup. Hey Cary is Cary and is that what you stereotype the South as? People move to locations and in some cases they happen to be in the South. What is the South other than a section of the country. The areas within are very different.
Lots of reasons to head south. We jusy landed in SW Missouri in the Tri-Lakes area which is a lovely mixture of Southern and Mid-Western.
Our reasons were many and chief among them was/is liveability. We have come from the two season, Northern California area to a land of four distinct seasons, none of them particularly harsh. Wildlife abounds. The people are friendly, hospitable and welcoming. There's a true sense of history and tradition and God and Country are concepts that aren't merely accepted but freely expressed and celebrated. The area is readily and handily affordable. It's not crowded and I'm beginning to forget what traffic is like. The air is clean and the stars shine brightly with minimal ambient light to obscure the view of the night sky. Patriotism and appreciation for veterans predominates. People wave when they pass by and you can wave back without fear of negative consequences. No one appears to be in a rush and I have yet to observe one instance of road rage. Drivers are considerate. Youth are not apparently tattooed and pierced and are polite. Hometown pride and loyalty are evident. Children actually play outside and do so safely and without fear. I could go on.
In short, we've returned to America, and we love it!
We came for the civility, the history, the friendliness, the warm, almost tropical summer nights, mild winters, and of course, hush puppies. Fresh shrimp help, too.
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