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We belong to that small percentage of unusal people. Our children and grandchildren live in CA and CT. Our friends and extended family live in CA. After retirement, we moved 6500 miles away from all. And still moving. Our children are always happy that we follow our dream.
Our top 5, some are already checked off:
-Italy (done, loved it, stayed for 7 years)
-Coastal South Carolina (done, liked it, but only enough for 2 years)
-Gulf Coast Florida (presently, love it, but 2 years is just about enough)
-Denver (starting this time next year, already picked out the place, planning to stay 3 years)
-Napa/Sonoma (final destination, because no matter where we are, we will always be Californians at heart)
Wow, you must've retired young! So far, I've counted 11 years of various locations, with three more planned for Denver, and whatever's left in CA. I would love to do that kind of exploring too....but unfortunately don't have the energy, physical ability, or money for it....and I'm only 61!
BTW, what's your reason for only two years on the Gulf coast? That might be my one last hurrah, as the cold weather (I mean, in the winter) is really bothering me physically. My mother lives in Bradenton and I really love that area.
Last edited by Avalon08; 07-21-2011 at 11:21 PM..
Reason: Added something
Wow, you must've retired young! So far, I've counted 11 years of various locations, with three more planned for Denver, and whatever's left in CA. I would love to do that kind of exploring too....but unfortunately don't have the energy, physical ability, or money for it....and I'm only 61!
BTW, what's your reason for only two years on the Gulf coast? That might be my one last hurrah, as the cold weather (I mean, in the winter) is really bothering me physically. My mother lives in Bradenton and I really love that area.
My wife retired at 48 and went to Italy before I did, to set up our new life there. All I had to do was following her when I retired at 54. With 11 months of accrued sick leave added to the end, I put in 30.5 consecutive years with one company, although I started working full-time in various other places 7 years before that.
I counted the years we lived in Italy as when my wife received the residency there, but during the first 3 years, I only lived there part-time. She lived there full-time for the entire 7 years.
We love where we are now on the Gulf coast, but the tranquility and beauty we find in this small city also means the shortage of two things that my wife loves: ethnic food supplies and large libraries. In addition, we treat moving as an extended method of traveling, so two years in Southwest FL is enough for us. We also know that when we truly settle down, it will be in the wine country of Northern CA, so the move across the country, one state at a time, is part of that process.
Last edited by Ol' Wanderer; 07-21-2011 at 11:56 PM..
We love where we are now on the Gulf coast, but the tranquility and beauty we find in this small city also means the shortage of two things that my wife loves: ethnic food supplies and large libraries. In addition, we treat moving as an extended method of traveling, so two years in Southwest FL is enough for us. We also know that when we truly settle down, it will be in the wine country of Northern CA, so the move across the country, one state at a time, is part of that process.
Are you buying property each time you move, or renting? If buying, how do you manage to sell when you want to?
Also--curious, being half Italian and loving my one trip to Italy, what part you lived in and, if you loved it, why didn't you stay?
Are you buying property each time you move, or renting? If buying, how do you manage to sell when you want to?
Also--curious, being half Italian and loving my one trip to Italy, what part you lived in and, if you loved it, why didn't you stay?
We bought our home in Northern Umbria, 15 km from the border of Tuscany. The 12th century house is behind the walls of a medieval city. We brought the interior closer to modern time without changing the integrity of its ancient history. We sold it fully furnished; the selling was much easier and more fruitful than the purchasing 7 years earlier.
Our plan was to live in Europe for another 15 years (three more years in Italy before we could apply for EU citizenship, then we thought we would live in Madrid for a few years, and 5 to 10 years in Bordeaux. I can take or leave Bordeaux, but my wife had her heart set on speaking French on a daily basis for part of her life!) After the first grandchild made his arrival in the world, we decided to change the direction of our wandering path.
In SC, we bought a new condo, lost 15% of equity two years later and decided renting would suit us better from there on.
Last edited by Ol' Wanderer; 07-22-2011 at 08:00 AM..
San Francisco (if I had the money)
Sierra Vista AZ(where I am)
Ohio(family)
Phoenix(centrally located for great travel)
Philadelphia(grew up there)
I too, have moved 4 times since I retired and can see another in my future
At one point I asked each member of the family to make a list of 5 places they wanted to live. I totalled it up and took out the duplicates then we passed it around each crossing off one at a time until there was only one left
San Francisco (if I had the money)
Sierra Vista AZ(where I am)
Ohio(family)
Phoenix(centrally located for great travel)
Philadelphia(grew up there)
I too, have moved 4 times since I retired and can see another in my future
At one point I asked each member of the family to make a list of 5 places they wanted to live. I totalled it up and took out the duplicates then we passed it around each crossing off one at a time until there was only one left
haha this is a riot...a totally democratic decision! Where are you headed next and why? How many in the family are going with you? Do you have to sell a house each time you move?
We bought our home in Northern Umbria, 15 km from the border of Tuscany. The 12th century house is behind the walls of a medieval city. We brought the interior closer to modern time without changing the integrity of its ancient history. We sold it fully furnished; the selling was much easier and more fruitful than the purchasing 7 years earlier.
Our plan was to live in Europe for another 15 years (three more years in Italy before we could apply for EU citizenship, then we thought we would live in Madrid for a few years, and 5 to 10 years in Bordeaux. I can take or leave Bordeaux, but my wife had her heart set on speaking French on a daily basis for part of her life!) After the first grandchild made his arrival in the world, we decided to change the direction of our wandering path.
In SC, we bought a new condo, lost 15% of equity two years later and decided renting would suit us better from there on.
I would have kept the Tuscany place and had the rest of the family come to me! What was Italian culture like on a day-to-day basis, and how were you treated as an American? Was it pricey to live there?
Yes, I had a house in Skippack (PA) and sold it 7 years later (1992) at a profit to move to a yuppie townhouse in a neighboring area. Sold the townhouse in 1999 years (broke even) to relocate to CA. Moved back in 2001, I think I broke even. Bought a townhouse in Newtown Square, PA. Sold it in 2006 to live full-time to my tiny shore condo -- made a bit on the townhouse, not much. In '07 I sold the tiny condo -- just about broke even -- to buy a bigger condo. In '09 I could see the market was tanking and I wanted to get out of that "resort market", so I sold for a slight loss and rented in PA for a year, then bought a single last year. The point is , after all these commissions, and places that I've sold fully furnished, I've lost a ton of money. I can't help it though -- I'm a rolling stone! I'd still like to give SoCal one more shot before I die, and maybe my Mom's condo in FL if she still owns it. It's just the darn commissions and down payments aren't in the mix anymore.
Yes, I had a house in Skippack (PA) and sold it 7 years later (1992) at a profit to move to a yuppie townhouse in a neighboring area. Sold the townhouse in 1999 years (broke even) to relocate to CA. Moved back in 2001, I think I broke even. Bought a townhouse in Newtown Square, PA. Sold it in 2006 to live full-time to my tiny shore condo -- made a bit on the townhouse, not much. In '07 I sold the tiny condo -- just about broke even -- to buy a bigger condo. In '09 I could see the market was tanking and I wanted to get out of that "resort market", so I sold for a slight loss and rented in PA for a year, then bought a single last year. The point is , after all these commissions, and places that I've sold fully furnished, I've lost a ton of money. I can't help it though -- I'm a rolling stone! I'd still like to give SoCal one more shot before I die, and maybe my Mom's condo in FL if she still owns it. It's just the darn commissions and down payments aren't in the mix anymore.
I'm curious about capital gains when you sell before the two-year period of owning a place. Did you have to pay that?
San Francisco (if I had the money)
Sierra Vista AZ(where I am)
Ohio(family)
Phoenix(centrally located for great travel)
Philadelphia(grew up there)
I too, have moved 4 times since I retired and can see another in my future
At one point I asked each member of the family to make a list of 5 places they wanted to live. I totalled it up and took out the duplicates then we passed it around each crossing off one at a time until there was only one left
And Sierra Vista came out the winner????? Not that I have anything against Sierra Vista, but I gotta ask: WHY?
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this is a riot...a totally democratic decision! Where are you headed next and why? How many in the family are going with you? Do you have to sell a house each time you move?
