Seattleites Where are You Retiring? (Spokane, Bothell: leasing, house, construction)

[Jalhop]

Originally Posted by LaylaM

I'm becoming heat and cold sensitive, so I'll need to pick which pain I can tolerate better.

Same here! Sucks, huh? But I still want a variety of weather so I've got to accept some pain. I'll take too hot over too cold.

Was in the Hilo, Hawaii area last summer. Highs were about 85 with humidity so I felt like taking a few showers a day. My friend who moved there got acclimated fine. Hilo is the most affordable HI area with amenities and an airport. Seattleites can still get their rain fix there. It's a short drive to live at higher elevation, with cheaper housing too. Plus any land you have is livable space.

On Albuquerque, crime and water are also my two biggest issues. Like Tucson there are lots of houses with bars on the windows. Corrales should be fine, along with the other northern parts of the city. In those areas especially I so far have the impression that one could live crime-free for decades by garaging the vehicles and otherwise taking basic precautions. I'd be on city water and use bottled water for drinking. If you used bottled drinking water in Corrales you'd should be okay. I wouldn't buy a place with a well that isn't also on city water, though. My understanding is that Intel uses a few golf courses worth of water. It's smart to be concerned about how they might be harming the aquifer.

I too find Tucson housing highly attractive, both in looks and prices. I love the flora there and the xeriscaping. They get more rain than Albuquerque. Tucson gets much of its water from the Colorado River now, via canal, which is a concern. If I knew I could be gone during the hottest 3 months it might be my #1 choice. But then I'd be a snowbird with all that entails. Maybe the thing to do is visit during the summer and hang out in shady spot, if only in the morning/evening. If it's unbearable even in the shade during those times I'm not sure I could get accustomed to it. Another concern about Tucson for me is that it's further from other stuff I want to explore. It has access to southern CA, especially San Diego, but I'm not too much into that area. I'd rather be closer to CO and UT.

[beautifulseattlehomes]

It is a long way off for us too, but May through Sept here in Seattle and October to April in the foothills of Tucson Arizona...I have spent enough time down there to know that I love it and that the climate, which honestly doesn't start to bother me until it is over 95 degrees, suits me and my health. We have also thought seriously about Bali but I don't know that I would want to be so far away from our children.

My dad retired to Tucson 9 years ago and has never been more vibrant or healthy. He comes and stays with us in the summer : )

[orzo]

Originally Posted by LaylaM

Tucson actually has a rather free-spirited, earthy vibe, especially in certain areas around the city. We found lots of like-minded, progressive folks and it felt very, very different than Phoenix.

I lived in Tucson for 5 years and I've gotta disagree. Sure, there are a couple of very small areas that have a more progressive feel, but 98% of the City is strip malls, chains and 8 lane highway-style roads. I suppose it is a little less conservative than Phoenix and because of the extremely high hispanic population it does lean democrat in some areas. Overall, though, it is anything but progressive and a huge chunk of the population is right-wing libertarian.

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by Jalhop

Same here! Sucks, huh? But I still want a variety of weather so I've got to accept some pain. I'll take too hot over too cold.

I'm the opposite. Besides, you cn always ad another layer of clothes to stay warm, there's only so much you can take off without being arrested.

A bit more heat is OK when I retire as long as the house has AC, and I don't have to go out much.

[LaylaM]

Originally Posted by orzo

I lived in Tucson for 5 years and I've gotta disagree. Sure, there are a couple of very small areas that have a more progressive feel, but 98% of the City is strip malls, chains and 8 lane highway-style roads. I suppose it is a little less conservative than Phoenix and because of the extremely high hispanic population it does lean democrat in some areas. Overall, though, it is anything but progressive and a huge chunk of the population is right-wing libertarian.

Orzo, I totally respect your opinion, since you've lived in Tucson and I haven't. It's interesting, however, that people can all live in the same place, but view it differently.....

//www.city-data.com/forum/gener...ortland-3.html
I know this sounds crazy, but Tucson is trying hard to fit into the Portland/Austin stereotype. There are "bike boulevards" going in like crazy, the modern streetcar system should be up an running soon, Tucson is very liberal, the university has a huge presence, anti-freeway, the city is full of young people, extremely strong independent business/anti-chain atmosphere, very neighborhood/environment oriented.

//www.city-data.com/forum/city-...leaning-7.html
"I'm not sure it's small enough, but Tucson is progressive. Far more than Flagstaff or Prescott, it's the liberal city of AZ."

//www.city-data.com/forum/gener...th-west-3.html
"If you want a city larger than Tucson in the Sun Belt that's both liberal and affordable, I'm afraid you're SOL. At some point, you're either going to have to go smaller, colder, less liberal or more expensive."

[jamesbndgrl123]

I have read all the posts on this entire thread. Just my opinion, take it for what it's worth. I have lived in AZ all my life(51 years) and would love to escape the heat (I hate it,sick of it).My mom lives in Tucson and there is almost no difference at all between Tucson and Chandler, AZ summers! If they get snow, it is a freak thing and is very rare and would only stick for two seconds. Funny, we sold are house with a pool and bought a new one without because our family wouldn't even use it in the hottest part of the summer, the water becomes like a warm bath and the upkeep and costs wasn't worth having one. We hit a 100 degree day in March this year, and will go on till September with the AC running.

You mentioned Fort Collins, CO. Beautiful place our family has been trying to relocate to Fort Collins for the past two years. Trying to get it to come together has been difficult, due to the tight job market in the Fort. We are not retired yet. I can say so many positive things about this CO town! It too is a Platinum biking community with low crime and a University and "endless" outdoor recreation. Many of my friends there don't even own snow blowers! I went for a short trip in February and it was 63 sunny and gorgeous and no snow on the ground. It snows it melts,sunny, snows melts,sunny etc.

I have also done a lot of research on relocation, I won't go east of the rockies because I don't like humidity! I wouldn't like Oregon or WA because of the rain and overcast weather. California has awesome weather but way to crowded and expensive. So for me it would be the Western Mountain Region, primarily North of AZ up to Montana.

Good Luck

[509]

Originally Posted by jamesbndgrl123

I wouldn't like Oregon or WA because of the rain and overcast weather.

Wenatchee gets less rain than Tucson. Overcast is an issue from Thanksgiving to President's Day.

[Jalhop]

Originally Posted by jamesbndgrl123

You mentioned Fort Collins, CO. Beautiful place our family has been trying to relocate to Fort Collins for the past two years. Trying to get it to come together has been difficult, due to the tight job market in the Fort.

This summer I'll check out the Fort. It sure looks nice in Google street view. Have you checked around Louisville, CO? It looks like you get more for your money there, including better job opportunities.

[Jalhop]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

I'm the opposite. Besides, you cn always ad another layer of clothes to stay warm, there's only so much you can take off without being arrested.

It's a lot of layers though, including gloves! I like the feel of 90s dry heat, in the shade.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Jalhop

This summer I'll check out the Fort. It sure looks nice in Google street view. Have you checked around Louisville, CO? It looks like you get more for your money there, including better job opportunities.

Jobs? on a 'retiree' subject thread

I spent my first 30 yrs in Ft Collins / Estes Park Region. - nice and lots of opportunities for active retirees. But... Water deprived and FULL of growth. Louisville... I have 3 retired friends there, they get by fine, but not what I would find as a good community for retirement pleasure. (I really prefer Loveland, CO for retirement centric, with access to Ft Collins and DEN.

This winter I did buy a place between San Antonio and Austin for a winter home (when I am not in Asia or San Diego). It is quite nice in TX hill country, and I can fly into AUS or SAT quite cheap. I am also considering NE TN. Lots of PNW folks there as well. I don't do humidity, so I won't be there in summer.

There are many nice places for winter...Since I miss POWDER... I will also keep a place in Colorado.

PNW is ok July 5 - Oct 10 (when I prefer to be in New England). From there I venture down to GA over the next 2 months. Dec - Jan is nice in Thailand and Malaysia (where USA folks will be needing to go for Medical after 2014) GET in line... Europe has been doing this for DECADES.

Uruguay and Ecuador is sounding nice and has attractive Health Care and low property taxes (important for those of us with 50+ yrs of retirement planned.