Where is your destination location in retirement?

[Value Buy]

Our was in the Fort Myers area. Very happy so far!

www.msn.com/en-us/money/personalfinance/this-is-the-us-city-that-boomer-homebuyers-are-flocking-to/ss-BB1glGGZ#image=4

[Value Buy]

I was very surprised by some of the locations, but the numbers are the numbers........but Baltimore as your retirement home base?
Why punish yourself?

[bean29]

Sept 9, 2021 9:09:08 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

I was very surprised by some of the locations, but the numbers are the numbers........but Baltimore as your retirement home base?
Why punish yourself?

Exactly my reaction to Las Vegas.  Shudder.  I could think of no place less appealing.

We could move to Georgia - we have other family there, or maybe someplace like North Carolina...but I will not be at all surprised if we just stay put in Wisconsin.  It's not like our kids are going to pick up and move with us.

[Blonde Granny]

Punta Gorda, Fl. was our first choice......and I'd be there again if I had a Genie who had 3 wishes left.

[TheOtherMe]

I question my sanity daily in choosing Iowa.  However, I could no longer afford to live in Colorado.  I am happy that I saw the handwriting on the wall before I was forced out.

I was hoping by the time both parents passed, housing costs out there would have cooled off but it hasn't happened.  

[buystoys]

We're mostly happy here in Texas.  Once in a while it just gets miserably hot for DH, but it's mostly just hot in the summer.    If we had to do it again, we'd probably end up here.

[Tennesseer]

Sept 9, 2021 9:07:42 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Our was in the Fort Myers area. Very happy so far!

www.msn.com/en-us/money/personalfinance/this-is-the-us-city-that-boomer-homebuyers-are-flocking-to/ss-BB1glGGZ#image=4

So you bought a home in Fort Myers but spend most of the year living in Indiana. Do I have that right?

As for Baltimore, maybe folks retiring to the Baltimore area have an interest in living close to ocean but out of most hurricanes' paths. Maybe they are into sailing and other aquatic activities too.  They also might like have four seasons.

[Tiny]

Not "retired" just yet... but almost.

I think I will stay put - I like being surrounded by 6 million other people and being close to a Big City. I also like it that my neices/nephews are putting down roots and staying in the area. My siblings have moved to Florida (the Fort Myers area) and I think they have a little bit of regret - because their kids stayed here and now the grandbabies are here.  (Im the youngest of my sibs - never married, no kids.   I think I may be relying on 2nd or 3rd generation during my old age.  I want to have good relationships with them - besides they are fun and interesting and amazing to hang around with!  

I can see myself trading my SFH for perhaps a townhouse or perhaps a SFH in a community (with an HOA) that handles the lawncare and has other amenities - within a 30 mile radius of where I currently live.   I'd still be close to "family" and friends  and still be able to do the things I like to do.   


I am intrigued by Baltimore (and the other cities/states in the Northeaster US.)


So far my friends who are "retiring" or taking advantage of FI - are moving to where their adult kids have landed. Wisconsin and Kentucky.

I also had friends reach FI, who moved to Tennessee - they didn't have kids to follow - but they did have extended family it the States around and below Tennessee so that is where they landed. I think Tennessee gave them the most "bang" for their FIre bucks. They did not move to Nashville or Memphis.

[Tiny]

I remember 10 to 15 years ago when a sibling was looking for a place to land in "retirement" and he was looking at Las Vegas and Phoenix and thought maybe I'd go in with him on some investment property(s). My reaction was - No Way!!! They have no water! What do you think that's going to be like in 10 to 15 years

I know Las Vegas and Phoenix are small areas of bigger states and that maybe New Mexico and Nevada have other cities/areas that would be good to retire to. (but do they have water)

[sesfw]

Here in the desert water is always a problem. The huge plus is ........ no lawn to mow, mostly desert landscaping.

With DH in memory care, the Phoenix area is where we are in retirement.  We are not in the city proper so we have a lot of the desert wildlife and vegetation.  It gets interesting.

Number 3 on the list.  

[gambler]

I am in lower Alabama, cheap proper taxes good weather for the most part, have a camper to go when gets too hot
Have land in NC, would go there if possible

[Value Buy]

Sept 9, 2021 10:27:53 GMT -5 Blonde Granny said:

Punta Gorda, Fl. was our first choice......and I'd be there again if I had a Genie who had 3 wishes left.

30 minute drive north of us on rt 41! Great place!

[Value Buy]

Sept 9, 2021 9:41:47 GMT -5 bean29 said:

Sept 9, 2021 9:09:08 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

I was very surprised by some of the locations, but the numbers are the numbers........but Baltimore as your retirement home base?
Why punish yourself?

Exactly my reaction to Las Vegas.  Shudder.  I could think of no place less appealing.

We could move to Georgia - we have other family there, or maybe someplace like North Carolina...but I will not be at all surprised if we just stay put in Wisconsin.  It's not like our kids are going to pick up and move with us.

I think the article just lists the number of people financing a home that are babyboomers. Might include refinancing of their present home who are not interested in moving?

[wvugurl26]

I don't how why on Earth you'd want to retire to Baltimore. The crime is out of control and the taxes are high. And winter can suck. No thank you!

[Tiny]

The Google says Baltimore is 92 square miles and has a population of 585K. I'm sure some parts of it are not crime ridden.    How close is too close to live to a "crime ridden" area?  10 miles? 20?      How close does everyone else live to places with high crime for their area?    damn rabbit hole of questions.... 

[Tennesseer]

Sept 10, 2021 9:10:10 GMT -5 Tiny said:

The Google says Baltimore is 92 square miles and has a population of 585K. I'm sure some parts of it are not crime ridden.

Ya think? According to a poster or two it's because of the brown people.

[thyme4change]

I'm already in Phoenix - but it doesn't seem like a viable place to live. The city's entire existence is an affront to nature and/or God - a monument to the audacity and arrogance of man.

That said - I will probably stay here until I die. If I am lucky, I might get a house in Prescott and spend the summers up there.

[sesfw]

That's where DD and DSIL want to retire.  I like Prescott but it's out of the question for us.

[Artemis Windsong]

We are snowbird. ND/AZ.

We are very happy except for the monsoon damage this year.

[alabamagal]

Maybe FL. I am from FL, and most of my family has lived there all there lives, but most that I am close with are already older generation and may not be there when I retire (target is 10 years from now). Probably head to west coast of FL, I have a few areas that I like.

When we moved to KY 2 years ago DH said he was not moving again, so we will see when time comes.

I may also consider where kids and grandkids are. Oldest is military family (in Hawaii for 2 more years) with 2grandkids. Second is in Phoenix with 2 grandkid so far. Phoenix was interesting idea for retirement. Youngest is in Atlanta.

[Lizard Queen]

With covid highlighting political divides, a lot of places I used to consider are out of the question. More palatable places remaining are likely too expensive. I actually really like where I live, just not the cold. If global warming progresses, maybe people will start flocking here. We already have some Chicagoans.

[plugginaway22]

Will say that we have friends who live in Baltimore city and Baltimore county, and we have traveled to Baltimore for many events over the years...I understand how it is on the list, not the horrible place many think!

[empress of self-improvement]

Under a rock in a warm place. Preferably with no other people around. I've had my fill of the human race for the most part.

[Value Buy]

By the way, we are in Florida until week of Thanksgiving when we go back north for family and holidays.
FYI, we see way more people wearing masks in Florida than we did in Indiana. Most are permanent residents. The vacationers from up north, not so much......
A neighbor of ours who is a yr round resident here went back north to Long Island for two weeks with family, etc, and said mask use is less up there than down here also.
Sort of funny how mass media covers Florida versus blue states up north.

[Tennesseer]

Sept 24, 2021 9:53:37 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

By the way, we are in Florida until week of Thanksgiving when we go back north for family and holidays.
FYI, we see way more people wearing masks in Florida than we did in Indiana. Most are permanent residents. The vacationers from up north, not so much......
A neighbor of ours who is a yr round resident here went back north to Long Island for two weeks with family, etc, and said mask use is less up there than down here also.
Sort of funny how mass media covers Florida versus blue states up north.

Gee-one (possibly made up) anecdotal story means everyone is not wearing masks in New York.

[Value Buy]

Sept 24, 2021 9:59:21 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Sept 24, 2021 9:53:37 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

By the way, we are in Florida until week of Thanksgiving when we go back north for family and holidays.
FYI, we see way more people wearing masks in Florida than we did in Indiana. Most are permanent residents. The vacationers from up north, not so much......
A neighbor of ours who is a yr round resident here went back north to Long Island for two weeks with family, etc, and said mask use is less up there than down here also.
Sort of funny how mass media covers Florida versus blue states up north.

Gee-one (possibly made up) anecdotal story means everyone is not wearing masks in New York.

That did not take you long!
Yes anecdotal, but I assure you Indiana has been way under masked in buildings whether I was in my county or other counties.........and being here in Florida for a week, I was shocked how many people are masked, even walking on sidewalks outside in residential areas, where we are told it is not necessary. Many more than last spring before masks became mandatory or after the restriction was lifted.
To answer your next question before you ask, yes we still wear a mask in all retail settings, as well as inside restaurants until seated, or leaving. Not that I really am concerned about covid (fully vaccinated) but more as a shout out to others in the setting, I understand the concerns staff and patrons may have. 

[Tiny]

Sept 24, 2021 9:53:37 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Sort of funny how mass media covers Florida versus blue states up north.

It goes both ways - sort of funny how mass media in Florida covers blue states. 

My family in Fort Myers called/texted in a panic because they saw the news last year because they thought my suburb was being over run with looters and rioters and that building were being burned down in mass and that the citizens were taking to barracading their streets/alleys and patroling with their guns to keep their loved ones safe.    The messages were like - if  you can leave you can got to X's house in ABC suburb where it's safe...   

The calls/texts happened in the early evening (I assume they were watching their nightly news) and I was like "What??  Is this a joke?? - yes there is stuff happening but where are you getting this info from - nothing here is on fire, the police have closed off a couple of key major streets around a major intersection/shopping area - which has 3 entrances/exits, and no one is barracading their homes or nieghborhoods.   What the heck are you watching" 

 
My Florida family is also often afraid I will be shot by "gang bangers" because I live in such a crime filled area.    My response is "YAWN! so how about that Sportsball team you watch!"  

My Florida Family knows more about how astronomical my property taxes and utilities and gas prices are (I'm not sure where they get the crazy info they have) than I do.  I have no idea of who is paying the costs they say - cause it isn't me.      

I made the mistake of pointing out all the stuff they now pay for in Florida (that would normally be covered by property taxes.) and they get all huffy.    I suspect they "saved" a couple thousand in yearly expenses (everything they spend on) to live in "low tax Florida" - and they have to travel up here to see their grandbabies...  yeah, totally less expensive and wonderful.   

[Value Buy]

Sept 24, 2021 10:13:40 GMT -5 Tiny said:

Sept 24, 2021 9:53:37 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Sort of funny how mass media covers Florida versus blue states up north.

It goes both ways - sort of funny how mass media in Florida covers blue states. 

My family in Fort Myers called/texted in a panic because they saw the news last year because they thought my suburb was being over run with looters and rioters and that building were being burned down in mass and that the citizens were taking to barracading their streets/alleys and patroling with their guns to keep their loved ones safe.    The messages were like - if  you can leave you can got to X's house in ABC suburb where it's safe...   

The calls/texts happened in the early evening (I assume they were watching their nightly news) and I was like "What??  Is this a joke?? - yes there is stuff happening but where are you getting this info from - nothing here is on fire, the police have closed off a couple of key major streets around a major intersection/shopping area - which has 3 entrances/exits, and no one is barracading their homes or nieghborhoods.   What the heck are you watching" 

 
My Florida family is also often afraid I will be shot by "gang bangers" because I live in such a crime filled area.    My response is "YAWN! so how about that Sportsball team you watch!"  

My Florida Family knows more about how astronomical my property taxes and utilities and gas prices are (I'm not sure where they get the crazy info they have) than I do.  I have no idea of who is paying the costs they say - cause it isn't me.      

I made the mistake of pointing out all the stuff they now pay for in Florida (that would normally be covered by property taxes.) and they get all huffy.    I suspect they "saved" a couple thousand in yearly expenses (everything they spend on) to live in "low tax Florida" - and they have to travel up here to see their grandbabies...  yeah, totally less expensive and wonderful.   

As if there are no gang bangers in Ft Myers, Cape Coral or Miami.........just sayin'
local news outlets all carry the shootings and arsons ocurring around the area, just like up north. They just do not shoot as many kids down here as up north on a weekly basis.

[Tiny]

I've had my sibling here visiting for the month of August from Florida - and all he did was rant about how "Why do I have to wear a mask - no one in Florida is wearing a mask!" -"Why is everyone here wearing a mask? No one in Florida is wearing a Mask!"
"only 3 people died from Covid last week in Lee County - the pandemic is over... why do i have to wear a mask!". and on and on and on....

I was "put the damn mask on - or stay here at home. We are NOT seeing our pregnant niece and her two year old son - with wearing masks and keeping some distant." with a "you are an idiot" under my breath.


He was back in September and NOW he's all "I like wearing a mask - everyone in Florida is wearing a mask!"

(it could be because his son and spouse both got Covid19 at the end of August and and the In-Law was sick at home for 2 weeks (as in SICK - too sick to do much of anything other than be in bed or on the couch - sucks when it's hard to breach and you think you might die during the night. )


I guess it is really all fun and games until someone you know gets really sick or dies.

[Value Buy]

Anyway, back to the thread........lots of good areas to migrate to!