Where to live???

[Deleted]

Okay, disclaimer here, this is not about politics! It's about finding a place to live in one's old age.

My community of choice is not in a good place; future is unsure because no zoning + no mandatory HOA dues = declining community.

My city is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.  Not panic news, just too much debt (especially pension obligations) vs. income. Google "revenue cap".  Sort of a Detroit thing.

My state is leaning further and further towards restrictive legislation that denies protections and opportunities to groups we value, i.e., minorities and the LGBT community.  Not optimistic about results of November election.

I am not sure of the national election but no outcome seems positive.

We are having increasingly serious talks about moving. The city bankruptcy issue is already being felt in increased fees but that's not my #1 issue at this time.  Bottom line is, where would you live instead of where you are now?  Info:  annual income around $100,000 and outcome of house sale maybe $150,000.  Much of annual is guaranteed pension.  Not sure how to translate SS and Medicare into another nation.  Healthcare costs are obviously a big part of the equation.  

I know there's no perfect place but would like to find somewhere we can live in civility and without fear.  All info appreciated.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Burlington, Vermont.

You get mountains, Lake Champlain (120 miles long, 12 miles wide), 4 seasons, progressive attitudes, access to good medical care, several area colleges keep the population from getting old in its ways, lots to do, close to Canada (if necessary, LOL).  

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Northampton, Massachusetts -- fun, funky, progressive old New England town in the Pioneer Valley (a/k/a the "Alternative Valley").  

[gregintenn]

I don't think you'd be happy here.

Perhaps Cuba?

[Deleted]

I'd like to see Boulder and Portland. My sister lives in Seattle which is great.

[haapai]

What's your timeline?  Is the pension from the bankruptish city?  Why haven't you done the medical math yet? 

There are probably lots of places to choose from.  Do the math and figure out what you value. 

I think that your impulse to find the young people is pretty good.  I'm not sure that relocating to another country necessarily is a good idea.  The expat retiree bubble can be kinda icky. 

Do you have kids who will help you do some of the scouting or play into this somehow?

[tallguy]

Apr 8, 2016 21:55:21 GMT -5 oped said:

I'd like to see Boulder and Portland. My sister lives in Seattle which is great.

It can be expensive, but I ain't leavin'.   

[cronewitch]

I am just south of Seattle and thinking more Lacey, WA but for all around great Vancouver WA. It is just north of Portland and WA has no income tax and OR has no sales tax so if you buy something in OR and bring it home you need to pay USE tax like you had bought it here, many skip paying the tax. Vancouver isn't far from the Columbia river and not to far to Long Beach WA for clam digging and near hunting and mountains, it even has a volcano you can probably see from there at Mt St Helens. If my family was there I would go but they are Seattle. You want cheaper than Vancouver go to small WA towns like Vader or Toledo. You need city stay in Vancouver. Longview and Olympia are smaller towns.

[zibazinski]

Too cold, too rainy, too liberal. Anyplace warm instead?

[mroped]

Apr 9, 2016 5:53:36 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

Too cold, too rainy, too liberal. Anyplace warm instead?

In old(er) age or as you progress towards retirement, a place can be too cold or too rainy but never- never too liberal!

[giramomma]

Minnesota. Twin Cities. I think leadership is reasonable there at the state and local level.

Otherwise you get pockets, like where I live, where leadership at the local level is OK, and leadership at the state level makes you wake up and say WTF every day. I've heard some of the college towns in Texas are the same. (I'm guessing many southern college towns are like that.)

If you had more money, I'd say San Fran.

If DH and I did not have kids, I'd lobby hard to live in San Fran at some point. Even with our lower incomes now, we'd be able to put away enough to live there comfortably (in a studio apt) for a while.  Wouldn't need a car. I'd be happy having a modest retirement in a place like that.

[zibazinski]

Apr 9, 2016 7:07:36 GMT -5 mroped said:

Apr 9, 2016 5:53:36 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

Too cold, too rainy, too liberal. Anyplace warm instead?

In old(er) age or as you progress towards retirement, a place can be too cold or too rainy but never- never too liberal!

I know my family hates living in Oregon only because it's gone liberal thanks to all the Californians moving there.

[Tennesseer]

Apr 8, 2016 21:38:53 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Burlington, Vermont.

You get mountains, Lake Champlain (120 miles long, 12 miles wide), 4 seasons, progressive attitudes, access to good medical care, several area colleges keep the population from getting old in its ways, lots to do, close to Canada (if necessary, LOL).  

If one is a history buff, plenty of American Revolutionary War sites in the Burlington, Hudson, and Connecticut River Valley areas.

[olderburgher]

Pittsburgh, Pa. excellent medical, relatively low cost housing, lots of old and young people (Pitt, Chatham, Carlow, CMU, Google etc.) much in culture offerings, excellent restaurants, a city putting its finances in order, a liberal city, good sports teams, wonderful outdoor activity opportunities and in 45 minutes from center city you can be in the woods.

[Bonny]

If it weren't for those darn high housing prices the SF peninsula is a lovely place to live. The $150k sales proceeds isn't even a 20% down payment anymore.

We did like living in AZ but as I warn my friends who are complaining about how expensive it is to live in (Southern) CA you better pick a place your kids will visit. We had trouble getting some of our friends to visit us in AZ. Everybody is convinced that AZ is the Grand Canyon and a desert wasteland until they visit and see how diverse it really is.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Apr 8, 2016 21:38:53 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Burlington, Vermont.

You get mountains, Lake Champlain (120 miles long, 12 miles wide), 4 seasons, progressive attitudes, access to good medical care, several area colleges keep the population from getting old in its ways, lots to do, close to Canada (if necessary, LOL).  

This area is very hard to get old in.  I grew up about 20 miles from Burlington, and the winters are hard....and they are even harder on the elderly.  Even my cohorts are moving south, at least for the winter.

About medical care, I begged my dad to come out to Seattle for treatment.  From what I have seen, it's not great and when I got sick, it would have been my absolute last choice of where to go.

Even where I live now, I won't stick in town if I need anything.  But Seattle isn't that far away.

[Happy prose]

I plan to move to a retirement community at the Jersey shore. Very affordable. Short ride to beaches, but on the other side of the bridge, so you don't have to evacuate when the big storms come. Granted, winters are cold, but you could always travel.

[Tennesseer]

One plus about living in Burlington, is it's a little less than a 100 mile drive to Montreal, Canada.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Apr 9, 2016 10:02:32 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

One plus about living in Burlington, is it's a little less than a 100 mile drive to Montreal, Canada.

As I pointed out in my post.

Good for lots of reasons, including getting the hell out of dodge when the poop hits the fan. :-)

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Well, if one is seeking good medical care, vibrant and varied city life, a relatively progressive state, I'd recommend Boston EXCEPT that it is so f'n expensive to live here.  MAYBE a guaranteed pension can soften the VHCOL (I.e., you won't run out of money), but even so, the prices for subsistence level needs would leave the vast majority of people without any fun money.  

And why bother retiring if you won't have any fun money?  

[sesfw]

Everybody is convinced that AZ is the Grand Canyon and a desert wasteland until they visit and see how diverse it really is. 



We live NE of Phoenix ...... a small town but within commute distance of the city if we really want to go there.  As you get older your needs change, so look for what your health insurance will cover and get within a reasonable distance of care.

While I love the changing seasons I don't like driving on ice.  If I ever move from here I would choose either Prescott or Kingman.

[Bonny]

Apr 9, 2016 11:35:15 GMT -5 sesfw said:

Everybody is convinced that AZ is the Grand Canyon and a desert wasteland until they visit and see how diverse it really is. 



We live NE of Phoenix ...... a small town but within commute distance of the city if we really want to go there.  As you get older your needs change, so look for what your health insurance will cover and get within a reasonable distance of care.

While I love the changing seasons I don't like driving on ice.  If I ever move from here I would choose either Prescott or Kingman.

Well at 5500' Prescott gets some snow (and presumably ice).

I was just reflecting on how in 13 years or so DH will be 70 and how we should probably think about moving to our single level AZ house, sell the SF Bay Area house and mountain cabin and just split time between AZ and the condo at the beach in San Diego.  That was part of my thinking when I decided to keep my mom's place. 

[DagnyT]

I would suggest my home state of North Carolina, but since we are being accused of "being intolerant of the LGBT community" you would not want to move here.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Most of what you want is north of Seattle, where I live.  The town is very liberal and has decent financial footing.  The weather's moderate year round - winter doesn't get horribly cold, and summers don't get horribly hot.

The biggest problem is that the COL, while it's not as high as Seattle, it's still pretty high in comparison to other parts of the US.  The second problem I have with it is that the only local hospital sucks. I won't go back there.  For the most part, my basic healthcare needs are dealt with locally but I see my specialists in Seattle. 

[Tennesseer]

Apr 9, 2016 17:07:23 GMT -5 DagnyT said:

I would suggest my home state of North Carolina, but since we are being accused of "being intolerant of the LGBT community" you would not want to move here.

Wilmington, NC and that little town south of it, Southport, is a very nice area. But there is that troublesome little law. So wait a while before considering it. It could be found to be unconstitutional. Or not. Time will tell.

[Deleted]

Thanks, everyone, for your great input.  I am just frustrated and fearful at this point.  My city is struggling with incredibly underfunded pension liabilities because all prior administrations just kicked that can right on down the road.  At the state level we are going from conservative leaning and slightly deranged to totally bat-shit crazy with good chance of a bathroom ordinance or its ilk passing in the next session.

DH's pension is not tied to any vulnerable entity so it's not about the $$.  I guess it's more about wanting to live somewhere civilized and intelligent.  I go back and forth-I spent the morning with amazing, open, intelligent people and so I want to stay. Tomorrow I may encounter bigoted haters and I'll want to leave.  I realize that the problem is at least half me.  I am in a position (president of my HOA) where I have to interact with a lot of people.  My cell # and email are printed in the community newsletter that goes to 6800 homes every other month, plus I see every complaint received by our office and private security patrol.  Yesterday someone actually filed a complaint on another homeowner because English was not their native language! And someone else called the security patrol because of large white bucket trucks with hardhat wearing personnel.   When informed that these were employees of the local electric utility replacing street light bulbs, the complainant said that wasn't true because the employees were non-white so they must be deemed "suspicious".  Dear God!  Some days I feel like I'm trapped in the set of a "Deliverance" remake.

We don't have any family so the choice is totally ours.  I really don't want snow/ice because I'm the primary driver in the family and definitely not up to that challenge.  Seattle and Philadelphia sound interesting.

[mamasita99]

I don't have any real suggestions, just wanted to add that I am keeping up with what others respond. I am also looking at relocation possibilities in another year or so. I will still need to work, so career opportunities is also a factor for me, but I will at least be able to have some kind of choice.  

[Deleted]

Apr 9, 2016 18:12:38 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Apr 9, 2016 17:07:23 GMT -5 DagnyT said:

I would suggest my home state of North Carolina, but since we are being accused of "being intolerant of the LGBT community" you would not want to move here.

Wilmington, NC and that little town south of it, Southport, is a very nice area. But there is that troublesome little law. So wait a while before considering it. It could be found to be unconstitutional. Or not. Time will tell.

Love NC and have vacationed there numerous times with my BFF.  But now that little law is a problem in both a philosophical and financial sense.  Definitely not starting a discussion on the merits of the law, but don't want to settle in any area that may experience a downturn of revenue because of political actions and therefore implement heavy new fees and taxes.  Already looking at radical changes in COL if and when my current locale faces up to economic reality (aka "Holy Crap, we have no money).  Don't want to move across the country and have a Groundhog Day experience.

[haapai]

I'd suggest doing the math before doing the shopping.  There's quite a bit of math to be done and it would be a shame to fall in love with a city or state only to discover that the home that you can afford near that city means living ten miles from anything or surrounded by folks who are older, or less educated, or less prosperous and hopeful than the neighbors that you seem to hope to find.  In other words, you're scaring me when you mention Seattle. 

I'm also suggesting doing the math first because you should do it in triplicate.  The new life somewhere else has to be something that the two of you can afford, and you can afford as a widow, and something that wouldn't be a disaster if you predeceased your husband. 

[DagnyT]

Don't worry. That law won't be on the books long. I'm sure in November when Master Cooper defeats Governor McCrory that law will be overturned. We will also integrate all bathrooms and locker rooms in the entire state. Little girls can watch grown men change clothes at the local YMCA. Maybe they can even shower together.

Now the really important part to that law is that no employee in the state can sue their employer in state court for discrimination. They must do it in federal court, and apparently this law is targeted at the LGBT community. I don't understand that assumption because the law, which I admit is not a great law, does not say that only LGBT cannot sue their employers for discrimination, it says that no one in North Carolina can, so this law is not targeted at the LGBT community. It is targeted at all North Carolinians.