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I lived in Huntsville for many years but have retired to Fort Collins, Colorado, to a condo. Nice view, dry; cost of living is okay. The town has a true downtown with many festivals, events, museum, music, etc. Good place to retire. Good medical. Family is all over the U.S. but the airport is exactly 58 miles from my house with a shuttle service available.
My idea of heaven would be a small place in MI so I can be by my children in the summer months. Then leave MI in October for a coastal area, either Florida panhandle or JX, or AL by the coast, stay there through mid May and head back up north. That is my plan:~)
only 3 to 10 percent of people move out of state when they retire and less the 20% move anywhere at all.
So, the overwhelming majority of people don't move when they retire ...
HA! You reminded my of my parents. When they retired, dad sold his ranch, they bought a fifth wheel trailer with 3 slideouts and planned on traveling the nation looking for the place to retire, giving special attention to the area where they had grown up, but had not lived in for 40 years. They traveled the country for about 4 years and ended up settling...about 100 miles from where they had been living since the late '60s. One of the chief factors in them deciding on settling there were available medical facilities, otherwise they'd have settled even further out.
We "retired" at age 44. Hubby had 24 years in the Army. ( Working again, naturally ). We already have travelled, seen alot, lived alot of places. Settled in Old Decatur. Proximity to Redstone for shopping, medical, jobs, Huntsville, low utilities, taxes, pretty much smack in the middle of the country for us, travelwise ( to visit family ). Low stress area, this Tennessee Valley. Kids are grown and on their own. Own an old house completely renovated, with home gym, home theatre room.....can't complain. Alabama is ALRIGHT. Small town is ALRIGHT. Don't think I'll be moving again
To be 55 or 65 years old and spend $25K, $35K, $50K to move, and completely change your life in that major way seems unusual. I'd bet most people just stay where they are.
Well, I think a lot of people do sell their homes and move, because they do not want to maintain the same kind of home and property they had when they were raising a bunch of kids and needed more rooms, yard, etc. A lot of the times the area where a person raised their family changes over the course of 20, 30 years or more - and not necessarily for the better. Senior communities seem to be an increasingly popular trend, offering a lifestyle that cannot be afforded in the old house and 'hood where the kids were raised. And of course people move to be closer to their kids and grandkids.
I've known a lot of people that up and move - maybe not the same year they retire, but as things change through the years, people's needs & desires change, and many people look for something different and their ideal place to spend their golden years.
Well, I think a lot of people do sell their homes and move, because they do not want to maintain the same kind of home and property they had when they were raising a bunch of kids and needed more rooms, yard, etc. A lot of the times the area where a person raised their family changes over the course of 20, 30 years or more - and not necessarily for the better. Senior communities seem to be an increasingly popular trend, offering a lifestyle that cannot be afforded in the old house and 'hood where the kids were raised. And of course people move to be closer to their kids and grandkids.
I've known a lot of people that up and move - maybe not the same year they retire, but as things change through the years, people's needs & desires change, and many people look for something different and their ideal place to spend their golden years.
Under any circumstances, would you leave a city in which your kids already had families? Say your kids were married and settled, maybe you had a couple of grandkids. I can't think of any scenerio in which I would leave. Related, those of us with daughters, and those daughters who marry, may follow their husbands to the husbands' jobs. With my luck still living in Huntsville, they'll go to Boston, Miami, San Diego and Seattle....which will suck because
I don't see my dd marrying here and raising a family here at all. she's already planning her next move.. far far away.. she is happy here, but it is a temporary stop for sure... we have no family here, no old base, no old boy network, nothing... i see no reason for any of us to stay past retirement.
Come to arizona! I worked for Del Webb from 96 to 06 at Sun City Grand. I sold for Webb and I worked with people that did their homework.. I've seen spread sheets and heard the stories about the other communities from hundreds of active adults. I would have to say that I lost a few to Vegas and a couple to Texas. The majority bought here in az. We were selling 1,200 homes a year and I would have to say that it is one of the best communities in the country! Moderator cut: No advertising
Last edited by vec101; 11-01-2009 at 02:31 PM..
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