Will you move when you retire???

I know many are already retired, but feel free to chime in anyway. Why did you decide to move/stay where you are?

What factors will you consider as you approach retirement? Obviously, cost will be a major factor, but what else? Proximity to family? (Good or bad. ^_^) Culture? Activities? Gardening?

I definitely cannot see staying in NY. Way too expensive. Taxes too high. Getting more intolerant of cold and snow as I age. And the house will just be too big.

I have thought about NC. We really liked the Asheville area when we vacationed there one year. But I would consider lots of other places. I want the change of seasons - just want a much shorter winter. Would be nice to garden in zone 7 or 8!! Hopefully my joints will allow me to continue to garden.

The kids will definitely factor in. We do want to be close to them. So they'll have to follow us!

What about you?

Hmmm. That is a good question. Probably they will have to move me bodily away from New England. Other parts of the country are nice and many are warmer with less snow, but I think I am a born and bred New Englander 'till the finish, just like the generations before me didn't move too far away over the last four plus centuries. Can't take places without a lot of trees or too far from the ocean or as you say without the seasons. New Englanders stay married, eat way too much ice cream and very seldom move away for good. Don't know if any of that is related but there it is. The only move I am likely to make eventually is in with one of the kids. You know what they say about payback. ^_^

staying put here too - would be nice to spend a couple months in warm weather - besides i love snow.

victor when you move can i take your trees?

Home is where the heart is, I made 3 big moves and ended up back in NY, my heart never left. There’s just no place like home…
But I’ve noticed that anywhere you decide to retire is not necessarily where you finally end up. Property taxes, medical care, unexpected illnesses, disabilities all take their toll throughout life and “The Best Made Plans of Mice and Men Often Go Awry”.

One thing is for sure, what may seem like a utopia today can turn into a hell tomorrow by the smallest random circumstance. – There is no sure thing, so it’s always good to be able to come back if you find out you made a big mistake, otherwise you’ll end up trapped in another dimension. …forever (lol)

I lived in FL for 7 years and loved it. I do not want to stay where I am. My whole family (except sister - House is now up for sale) has or is moving to NC or SC.

Everybody in small towns knows what everybody is doing, who they are with, talked to and basically everytime you pass gas. I dont want to live in Stinking New Hampshire.

I hope in 3 years I will be outta here!

Wow - didn't think we'd get into the cosmic stuff, WC! ^_^

Ha ha - if you can move them, Bill.

I've been told my weeping beech is worth tens of thousands! Crazy. Whenever someone (usually an arborist) tells me that, I tell them to send over the sucker.

Maybe NH stinks because everyone's passing gas??

Your so close you cant get away from it...........

I would soooo LOVE to get out of NJ, tomorrow if I could. The taxes are just CRAZY. Since we started the biz, hubby says we're stuck here at least 15 more years. NUTS.
One thing I do know from the experience with my mom and dad, have to live close to really good medical care when you get older. You may never get really sick but would want to plan just in case. My mom said they never even thought about that when moving to the boonies of GA.

I like to vacation in FL, but I could never live there full time---when we were staying there 3 months, I would get off I-84 in Southbury & take route 6 home so I could see the old colonial houses, the stone walls, the misty hills. Florida is flat & the light is glaring---the light here is soft, easy on the eyes. And I probably would be crippled trying to garden 12 months of the year---even if the weather is harsh, spring is just so much more enjoyable---and I could never leave the grandkids until they've grown up---if I'm around that long.

Way too humid in FL for me.

Live near the ocean and you dont feel it. Own a boat and go deep sea fishing. Oh yea those were the days. I like to go deap sea fishing up here but good grief if the boat capsized I wouldnt live 3 minutes in the water. Even if its summer time!

No way! It's too humid and disgusting even when there is a breeze. Fl is hell from May through September.

... actually in S. Florida hell starts in February. (lol)
Boats are money holes, and Ive seen 12' hammerheads and many other types of smaller sharks within 100' ft from shore there, so if you fall in when they're hungry you're fish bait.

We ARE retired. Good medical facilities in the area. If moved to 'be near children' would we chose OH, MN or WA. 3 months in each place? Very annoying , would probably leave books in the wrong place.

I would rather try to cool off then try to get warm.

when the time comes i will check out moving van rental costs and bring a shovel and burlap - you think i am kidding!

I miss NE, but northern OH isn't bad. We're staying as far as I know. Kids are planning their lives now, so who knows where they will end up.

every time I try and find a nice place to go... I find something I don't want to live with.. Carolinas hurricanes.. cali earthquakes, mudslides, and wildfires.. guess there is no making me happy.. would like to go warmer though.. but not FL humid

I'll move to the field outback into something like this ........
http://www.honestabe.com/homecenter/images/floorplans/30_big.jpg

DH wants to put a pond in, ect.... starting by putting a road in this spring hopefully. ^_^

that's a nice house!!!

Thanks Allison, I love it because it looks like an old fashioned log home. There is one about 7-10 mile from here that im in love with. Have driven by many times...want to take a picture but im not sure how the occupants of the house would take it.^_^

the more and more I see shows about how prefabs are done now.. I would def go that way.. lumber not exposed out in the elements... better construction since they have to be transported .. doesn't take years to get it done.. if I was building from ground up I would do that for sure

If you put a pond in make sure you know the state laws. NH is very tough and they fine you very very heavily if you dont go by their codes.

My neighbor has a pond, he's 2 houses to the left of me....my BIL has a pond, he's 4 house's to the right of me. I hope with their help we should get it right the first time without any fines. ^_^

Wow - big move, Celeste! ^_^ I like log homes.

Allison, inland NC rarely gets hurricanes.

ok one point for NC

:)

Loverly, Pixie.

Good luck in getting the kids to follow you, Victor. Ours are all spread out. My in-laws moved to Lynchburg, VA from Syracuse, NY so they could be halfway between NJ and GA. I think they regretted it because none of their kids were close enough to just drop in. It was always a major vacation to go down there, so you only got to see them about twice a year. I would rather move closer to one of the kids, but who knows how long they'll stay where they are. Most likely the one in Oregon is there to stay, so that would be an option.

We don't see us staying here forever, but don't know what we will do. Our hearts are in the Adirondacks, but we can't afford that. Don't think we'd want to be there in the winter either.

I will definitely follow this thread with great interest.

celeste does it come with the mtn. view! My sister has a log home like that.

I will have my fieldstone fireplace again too....will never be without another one i don't care how messy there are! In this one we have now, there are stones/rocks in the stonework that Brian and I picked up on various mountains and carried home. Quartz~pink & white, we have a fossil of a fish, and a heart shape stone made out of a pinkish colored granite.

very nice celeste - my sister homes is like that with the fieldstone fireplace. very open floor plan. which gives here 5 springer spaniels lots of running room to meet you at the door.

5? Hoy cow, I thought 4 was bad!! lol

that is when there is not a litter of puppy's, not counting the cat, and two birds. i call it the kennel or a petting zoo depending on my mood.

sounds like a fun place!!!

2 adults and 1 puppy is bad enough.

It does sound like a happy home! I'd have another dog, but Suey would be jealous. The log home is a beauty, & low maintenance. I guess there is no perfect place, no Eden---that's why I'll probably stay here---my friends & family are here. But I do need some time away from winter---those 5 weeks in FL were just about right.

I like Virginia's west side.

Mountains?

Yes, definitely

That whole area - Blue Ridge from VA to NC is very nice.