To downsize and move or stay put? (75+, pension, beach)

[southernlady5464]

My daddy did the opposite, LOL. He UPSIZED!!! Well, okay, the house was a tad bit smaller when he actually bought it 3 years ago but now he's added a 3 story garage (one floor is storage, one is for the three vehicles, and one is a guest apartment). He also added a stable down in the *bottoms* (for y'all not from the south, that's usually the area down toward a creek).

And he went from 10 acres to 25 acres.

He's 79 years old and acts and looks as if he is 60.

He's not happy if he doesn't have room to putter. Liz

[LittleDolphin]

If you could design a perfect life for yourself, what would it look like?

Would it involve staying in your home of 40 years or making a change?

What gives you joy? What are your hobbies? Do you want to travel? Be closer to family? Do you enjoy working on your current home and land--or has it become burdensome?

Once you know what makes you happiest right now in your life, then the road will become clear. Change is healthy when you enter it with an open heart and mind. Change forced upon you can be less so. What does your heart want?? Then full speed ahead.

Much joy to you.

[NCN]

Originally Posted by jlawson34

I know this is a boring question but has anybody ever regretted selling out and moving? Missed their stuff too much?

I don't think this is a very boring question at all. Actually it is the million dollar question. I went through the same thought processes. We have a huge yard and I am wondering when or if there will be a time that we cannot care for it. My problem is that we have 10 acres in another county that we have been paying taxes on for more than 40 years. I was always thinking that we would move back some day to be with our family there. There used to be five of us and now there are only two of us left.

When we go to any event, there are people we meet that we know. I like that. Yes, we are making new friends every day in our new role as retirees, but I like having those old friends too. I recently went to my sisters funeral in the old town and after greeting about 300 people I realized that I would not like moving back. Everybody was very nice, but we no longer have a lot in common.

My solution is that I am looking for ways to make our yard as maintenance free as possible. I realize that there will come a day when we will have to hire someone to help, but until that time, I am staying where I am. Hopefully there will be a teen in the area who needs a little extra cash, when we need the maintenance help.

We may change our minds next week, but this is where we have built our life and this is where our life is. I have seen too many unhappy displaced retirees and most of them don't even know why. I don't think they miss their stuff, I think they miss their friends and social status.

[Padgett2]

A lot depends on how active you are. My husband just can't stay indoors. Besides golf, he putters and mows the yard. He's 80 but he's still going strong. I think if he didn't have the yard work, he would not be as healthy. When the notion hits him, he even rides his mower across the street and does our son's and his neighbor's. The only time he sits during the day is to read or snooze in the recliner.

[azloafer]

Originally Posted by jlawson34

My husband and I are 70 and 72 and are trying to decide whether to sell our house of 40 years and move into something smaller and easier to take care of or to just stay put. We live way out of town so we don't do much but work on the place. We are considering whether to move to another state in an actual town and try something new, stay where we are but get something smaller with no yard, or just stay here and do the best we can and maybe hire help sometimes. Any opinions from people who have done any of these options would be appreciated.
Thanks

We are in our mid 60's and feel that we would like to stay in our area when we retire. However, we will downsize by buying a condo so there will be no outside maintenance. The condo's that we have checked out have a monthly fee that covers pest control, all outside yard maintenance, exterior walls and roof, garbage, basic cable TV, etc.

[brightdoglover]

"We live way out of town so we don't do much but work on the place."

I had the good fortune (and debts) to build my dream house outside Boston at age 48. My builder, a neighbor, handles all maintenance and gets the lawn done. I personally think I'm a condo person at heart, but had a very bad experience in the city with condo board/city rent control board/psychotic neighbors/deadbeat owners. I know that's not the norm, but I feel like I want total financial control over my home. I also don't have to deal with people when I come home. I have a half-acre in the woods, with great highway access 30 mi. from Boston. I do consider a couple of things for older age- I am car dependent, even though several things I need are within two miles, there is no public transport. Taxes are very high. My house is about 1200 square feet, so downsizing would me a very mundane box condo. I also adopt older dogs, although I might cut back when retired, as I currently have five and am aiming at the #6. No condo ownership there!
If I left the area, I'd sell the house and move to Colorado, I think. I can't stand the summers here- murky and humid.
I also have the option to work as little or as much as I want as long as my health is OK. I have several co-workers (part-time and on-call) who are in their 70s, and one in her 80s. I think it would be a lot easier to go into work now and then or twice a week, knowing I can actually afford not to. (I work in a psychiatric hospital at night, and there are serious downsides to working there. I would happily not work again, believe me). I have no thoughts of eternal travel, although think I might take some trips. I haven't led a life of tromp off to work/raise kids/marriage, for better and worse. I've done most of the things people hope to do "later"- go back to school (three times), Peace Corps, trek in Asia, etc.
Ideally? Besides falling in love with the perfect mountain man in Colorado who also listens to NPR and watches PBS? I'd spend summers in Colorado and live near Boston the rest of the year, picking up some hours at the hospital.
Thinking out loud here. Thanks for listening.

[azloafer]

"If you could design a perfect life for yourself, what would it look like? "

A CABIN ON A LAKE!

[southernlady5464]

"If you could design a perfect life for yourself, what would it look like? "

A 2 story farm house with a wrap around porch in the Appalachian Mtns. Liz

[Northwoods Voyager]

Originally Posted by southernlady5464

A 2 story farm house with a wrap around porch in the Appalachian Mtns. Liz

You just described My dream home. NOt too sure just where to place it, but the mountains would appeal to me.

Have lived in the same house for over 35 years. NOT my dream home either. Love my gardens, but becoming a lot of work, as is the house. 4BR @bath, Split foyer. Try painting the ceiling in the split foyer and the cathedral ceilings

But, again, your description comes very close to what I would like.
This home I saw in Alabama and fell in love with it:


http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb203/northwoodsvoyager/103_0317.jpg (broken link)

[brokencrayola]

Gosh, there are so many things for you to think about. Whether to sell your home or not, to buy another home, rent, buy another smaller home, and where to move to if you do not remain where you are. So much of this is personal choices. Personally I would not want the hassle of mowing the lawn and keeping up a yard. I think I would buy a small condo, maybe in a gated community or with security. That way no yard work and you can come and go and travel and not worry about someone watching your house.