What were / will be your criteria for choosing a location for retirement?

[2LeftCleats]

For those with children and grandkids, there’s a strong pull to be close. But many families are geographically spread so choosing a location is more difficult. Our kids are more mobile than generations past, so moving close—difficult at any age, but harder when older—doesn’t ensure you’ll end up near them. My own kids are thousands of miles apart and none have any interest in returning to where we lived. Our attitude is go where we’re happiest which also turns out to be a place where they’re willing to visit and potentially move.

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

After 20 years in the USN and 17 addresses, we chose a place we had lived or had visited. Nice thing about our 'journey', is that we lived all over the place. Both coasts, even Gulf coast. SOCAL, Northeast, Mid Atlantic, Texas(no thanks), Florida, Virginia, Arizona, Rhode Island, even Japan for 3 years so...

-Family-all my and wife's family were in Colorado
-Job opportunities-I was only 42 when I 'retired'
-Weather
-Politics
No big cities thanks, smallish, close but not same place as parents, or wife's mother.

People's Republic of Boulder..close second was San Diego but no family. Third was down by Ventura CA..we lived in Camarillo...

Politics? Guess that makes sense. Gotta know if it's safe to go out there wearing a MAGA hat. :-)

[dave thompson]

Originally Posted by texbike

I'd love to hear a sales pitch on Spokane. It's been on my list of places to visit, but I haven't made it there yet...

Texbike

Sure, glad to pitch Spokane but not in public. Too many folks will want to move here and drive the property values up.

Drop me an e-mail and I’ll be happy to tell you why I like this place. I’ve lived in many places in the U.S., Europe, Mexico and Hawaii. I settled in Spokane 22 years ago and I’m happy.

[Ralph]

Originally Posted by dave thompson

Sure, glad to pitch Spokane but not in public. Too many folks will want to move here and drive the property values up.

Drop me an e-mail and I’ll be happy to tell you why I like this place. I’ve lived in many places in the U.S., Europe, Mexico and Hawaii. I settled in Spokane 22 years ago and I’m happy.

My wife and I flew in and out of Spokane a few years ago....on a trip to explore around Montana ....that worked out as a place to fly in and out of for us...from Florida, and stayed around Spokane a few days. Really nice city. We especially liked a trip we took over to Cour De A"lene from there, and thought if we ever came back....especially in an RV....would like to ride that trail, or sections of it, over to and around Cour De ALene. Would take several days.

[old_fat_and_slow]

For those of you dreaming of retiring to Central Cali., be aware that many retirees from L.A. target that area as well which drives the demand and cost of real estate higher. Also you should check on the tax ramifications. California has super high income tax rates too, so just be prepared for that. If you live in a state with cheap real estate, you better be prepared for scaling way back on your expectations for how big a place you'll be able to afford in California.

I grew up in the central plains in "Tornado Alley", and moved to Cali. after college for my first job. Been here ever since. I was told several horror stories about the cost of living in So-Cal compared to where I was raised. Guess what? They were all true! Real estate, groceries, insurance, taxes, medical services, restaurants, entertainment, everything way more expensive. Yeah, the weather is pretty sweet, but we live in some of the densest zoned housing in the country. I can here every fart my neighbor feels like ripping. And there is only one weather season here.

I can't wait to retire so I can get the hell out of So-Cal. Following this thread closely, because I want retire anywhere, but California.

If you really want to move to California, my suggestion would be to look into Northern California. Pretty scenic, plenty of water, and waaayyyy fewer people.

[jlwdm]

Originally Posted by benb

I'm amazed this thread seems to have near 0 concern for kids & family.

Perhaps just a generational thing?

You read this thread and it's like no one had any kids or doesn't care to see them more than 1-2x a year.

I'm more like 20-25 years out. A ton depends on where my parents are they'd be in their 90s then. Everything would depend on how much help they needed. My son will be nearing marriage/grandchildren age around that point.

I can't see my wife & I moving to some far away vacationland and ignoring our son + potential grand children just over how good the cycling or other leisure activities were.

Not really trying to call anyone out here.. most of my parents friends are retired, and a very large amount of them have done the "move 2-3000 miles from the children for leisure" stuff. It'll be interesting to see what happens when all of a sudden they need their kids to take care of them. Maybe it's a baby boomer thing. It doesn't seem like it was a thing with the greatest generation.

...

I am a Realtor and being near grandchildren is a huge reason people move these days. The problem these days is everyone is so mobile you can have grandchildren spread all across the country and world.

Jeff

[benb]

Sure we all move around.

But in my family for example (big family) we basically all live in MA. My sister lives in NY, she's the furthest one away.

All my parents friends are moving far away from their kids, my parents got into the idea too and got to the point they actually looked at a place in South Carolina.

They kind of came to their senses and realized it wasn't worth the potential cheap house prices... they'd be > 1000 miles away from the whole family. Culture was weak in the area, not as much stuff to do, not sure if they were going to fit in politically (not at all), etc.. they weren't going to be near a city with the cultural stuff they were interested in, an then it turned out stuff wasn't really going to be that cheap anyway.

My aunt & uncle did move down to VA from VT to retire. But that's a different thing.. over the past 25 years they went ultra conservative evangelical and they're moving down there partly to avoid having to come into contact with anyone who isn't like them, which was near impossible in VT. And their kids had already moved thousands of miles away from VT. They actually moved closer to one of their kids.

You move thousands of miles away don't expect the kids to necessarily be able to even afford to fly out to take care of you in old age... it's a weird situation. We've had a little bit of this with my grandparents in Western MA. We can drive out to help them within 2 hours.. but my uncle has to hop on a plane. Luckily money is not an issue for him.

[gasman]

I’m lucky that both my kids live in town. They loved living in Eugene and still do.

[William]

Originally Posted by Louis

Many thanks to all who've shared their thoughts and ideas.

I do have a question for the folks in the PNW who are on the west side of Cascades, and therefore get all the rain in the winter (but thankfully, no snow).

One of the trade-offs between W and E of the mountains, is of course warmer, wetter winters on the W side vs colder, drier winters on the E side. Is the rain and long periods with no sun something you've gotten used to, or is it still a noticeable annoyance that at times really bothers you?

The comparison here, would be, say, Eugene/Corvallis OR vs Pullman WA.

Doesn't bother me at all. It's not as bad as it might seem from the outside, plus things stay green here over the winter months as opposed to other areas with more deciduous plants and trees that are gray and bleak until spring.


Can't speak about Pullman since I've never lived there, but I have lived in Corvallis and have always likee the town and surrounding area. From a cycling perspctive it was great because you have any type of riding right outside your door. Flat ride? Go out onto the valley floor. Climbs? Head into the coast range or even the climb up to Mary's Peak...higest point in the Coast Range. Plus a multitude of routes that mix it all up, many with minimal traffic.



W.

[jlwdm]

One client of mine has all four of his children within 10 miles. Sixth young grandchild on the way. They all work in his business and he is encouraging some of them to move away at least for a while. He thinks they need to take some bigger risks to grow more.

For example the son who does the design work could take ownership of that division and move somewhere else and the main business would contract with the son. The son would be forced to be responsible for a business in a new location. The location is not important.

Jeff

[jlwdm]

Originally Posted by Louis

Many thanks to all who've shared their thoughts and ideas.

I do have a question for the folks in the PNW who are on the west side of Cascades, and therefore get all the rain in the winter (but thankfully, no snow).

One of the trade-offs between W and E of the mountains, is of course warmer, wetter winters on the W side vs colder, drier winters on the E side. Is the rain and long periods with no sun something you've gotten used to, or is it still a noticeable annoyance that at times really bothers you?

The comparison here, would be, say, Eugene/Corvallis OR vs Pullman WA.

As a graduate of the University of Washington and a previous resident of Western Washington for over 40 years, I would feel sorry for anyone who moved to Pullman.

My younger sister graduated from WSU and so did both of her daughters. The black sheep in our family.

In their late 70s my parents would go to AZ for 3-4 months in the winter. My mother would not take a nap the whole time. Back home in Olympia WA the rest of the year she would take a nap every day.

Jeff

[reuben]

Originally Posted by jlwdm

As a graduate of the University of Washington and a previous resident of Western Washington for over 40 years, I would feel sorry for anyone who moved to Pullman.

My younger sister graduated from WSU and so did both of her daughters. The black sheep in our family.

In their late 70s my parents would go to AZ for 3-4 months in the winter. My mother would not take a nap the whole time. Back home in Olympia WA the rest of the year she would take a nap every day.

Jeff

I'm confused as to what point are you trying to make. UW is no good? Pullman is a bad place to live? AZ is high stress or better for insomniacs? Olympia is low stress or better for the somnolent?

[cnighbor1]

NO SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!
DRIVE TO SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!
Walnut Creek, CA

[Louis]

Originally Posted by reuben

Pullman is a bad place to live?

Doesn't look too bad to me:

[old fat man]

Originally Posted by benb

Sure we all move around.

But in my family for example (big family) we basically all live in MA. My sister lives in NY, she's the furthest one away.

All my parents friends are moving far away from their kids, my parents got into the idea too and got to the point they actually looked at a place in South Carolina.

They kind of came to their senses and realized it wasn't worth the potential cheap house prices... they'd be > 1000 miles away from the whole family. Culture was weak in the area, not as much stuff to do, not sure if they were going to fit in politically (not at all), etc.. they weren't going to be near a city with the cultural stuff they were interested in, an then it turned out stuff wasn't really going to be that cheap anyway.

My aunt & uncle did move down to VA from VT to retire. But that's a different thing.. over the past 25 years they went ultra conservative evangelical and they're moving down there partly to avoid having to come into contact with anyone who isn't like them, which was near impossible in VT. And their kids had already moved thousands of miles away from VT. They actually moved closer to one of their kids.

You move thousands of miles away don't expect the kids to necessarily be able to even afford to fly out to take care of you in old age... it's a weird situation. We've had a little bit of this with my grandparents in Western MA. We can drive out to help them within 2 hours.. but my uncle has to hop on a plane. Luckily money is not an issue for him.

Your posts all sound like you expect your kids to take care of you in old age? That's selfish. My parents have been quite clear that they're financially secure enough to avoid being reliant on me. I watched my father spend tens of thousands to keep his elderly mother from being left outside the nursing home. Not cool.

I'm (unfortunately) probably 25 years away from retiring, but I have no intention of requiring assistance from my kids as I approach the grave. Before I get to the grave, I intend to live MY best life wherever I want to. Maybe winters in snow country and the rest of the year in a great riding spot like the Berkshires or Albuquerque.

P.S. I'd retire tomorrow if I could. I get zero pleasure from working.