Dec

26

Where to Retire

Posted by cameron

December 26, 2006 |

We have been wrestling with the question of where to retire for a while now. Even though we are five years away from retirement, we must get prepared. This decision is probably one of the most difficult decisions we will ever make, primarily because it doesn’t just affect us. At the same time it can be truly liberating. There are a few questions you must answer, the toughest one being “how far from your children will you live?” This question has special meaning to me because my parent’s kids are spread all around the globe. I’m in the USA, my oldest sister is in New Zealand and my youngest sister lives on the south coast of England and will be leaving for Australia soon. The world has become smaller. For the first time in my life we will not have our location defined by proximity to work. Everything is open, within the limits we set for ourselves. That is a very liberating thought. “Live where we really want to”. How exciting is that. It sure does take some getting used to though. I don’t know why, but it almost feels selfish to ‘live where I want to”. There are surprisingly few questions that need to be answered to start the search:

  • Proximity to children

Once upon a time, people stayed in the same village they grew up in. The whole family was there, forever. Today, they move around in the pursuit of careers. This is the age of cut-rate airlines, vans with DVD players and instant communications to anywhere. Distances have shrunk and people’s willingness to travel has increased. Children spread their wings and may end up anywhere in the world and so can you. So where do you really want to live?

  • Weather

This is a big factor and the reason for so many retiring to Florida. Truth is that the older we get the more problematic winter becomes. The concept of exchanging cold, snowy winters for extreme summer heat and humidity is not for me. Every one will have a different answer on this one.

  • Affordability

The majority of people retire in their family homes. This is the single most affordable place to live, especially if you own your own home. The cost of living on the U.S. coasts is very high in comparison to the heartland so affordability will prove to be a major limiting factor.

  • Environment

Do you like desert or mountains? Small towns or cities? The open plains or forests? Proximity to the amenities and environment you love will be high on your list. Remember that vacation you loved? Do you want to live there? Intriguing opportunities are ahead if you let them.

  • Medical Amenities

The life you take for granted will not be the same in the future. Even now, your physical condition is not what it once was. You do not get younger so available medical facilities are important whether you like it or not.

Once you can answer the “where” question down to an area of the country then details become important. What kind of house will you live in? Which town exactly? But that’s the next step in this journey.


Comments

2 Comments so far

  1. Retirement Planning - Where to Live · Empty Nest on December 28, 2006 7:19 am

    […] In a previous post I discussed a high level guide for deciding where to retire. It’s purpose was to narrow the search down to an area probably a few counties in size. You can read the major issues here. They are: proximity to your children, the weather, affordability, environment and medical amenities. Following is the process I am following to determine some of the livability issues such as; crime rate, will I like living there and what is the weather really like: […]

  2. 2007 and Network Notables at Content Quake on January 2, 2007 10:23 am

    […] Empty Nest, our original blogger, has been trucking along.  No, it’s more like jetting along.  They have been super busy lately.  They have been involved in blog carnivals, link exchange, cross promotion, etc.  And all the while, they have been churning out great content!  The latest posts include “Where to Retire,” “Weight Loss,” and “Free Genealogy on the Web.”  Keep up the great work! […]

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