How much buy in are we talking about? Taxes? Cost of living? I may be wrong, but I don't have SoCal on my list of affordable places to move to on a fixed income.

Myself, I don't like Florida, and I don't want to be surrounded by old people. Certainly, the Villages is very popular. To each their own.

In western North Carolina, we are full of people called half backs. They are folks that moved from the NE to retire to Florida, got sick of Florida, and ended up moving "half way" back.

I live in a great small town (~10,000 people), live downtown (3 blocks from Main Street). I wish the winters were milder. I lived in the PNW, SE, NE, MW, we have ended up in the mountains of NC.

We have toyed with Sequim, WA (recommended earlier) and St George, UT. Summers in St George are hot, really hot. And winters are just as cold as here, but usually dry (nice plus). But we like to stay rooted in western NC, so the travel time to the west is just too much. Note, I go to southern Utah at least once per year, usually more. Great area for sure. St George would probably be my choice if we left the east.

But in the end, we really like the feel of a small, vibrant town. Waynesville it is for us.

What I'm planning for retirement is to buy two small houses, one for winter and one for summer. The winter will be Moab, UT. Nice size, sunny and warm and beautiful. Summer will be on the Oregon Coast, I'm thinking Yachats or Newport area, maybe Bandon. I'd love to have Santa Rosa / Sebastopol area on that list, but can't see how that would be affordable with high taxes and cost of living.

But it smells like the paper mill over there. Almost every time I go over to the gym at the hospital it really stinks. They say the locals are used to it and don't notice the stench but I can't stand it.

The hospital is basically in Clyde, which is next to Canton (land of the stink). It would take me a long time to get used to that odor too, if I lived in that area.

Take a look at Chattanooga. Tennessee has no state income tax and a low cost of living in general. We are getting more and more retirees who like seasons, but want a milder climate. There are about 300,000 people here, and the city is located on the Tennessee River. Urban planners are coming from all over the US to study what Chattanooga accomplished transforming the city from one of the dirtiest in the country to a vibrant city with parks, bike trails, urban residential, etc. You can be in the mountains in 45 minutes, Atlanta in 1.5 hrs, Nashville in 2. I've been hear 13 years, and whenever we have out of town guests, they all just say "Wow, what a great city".

I do like Chattanooga. I go over for the 3 State 3 Mountain ride and my wife and daughter visit the Aquarium and the Children's Museum while I ride.

Ghetto: Any section of a city in which many members of some minority group live, or to which they are restricted as by economic pressure or social discrimination

We often think of a ghetto in terms of gang banger localities. Or, the failed housing projects. In fact, as the definition points out, it is any gathering of a minority group. In this context we old folks are a minority group. We face discrimination in many areas. Some react by retreating to a self segregated community. The Villages is such a community but not the only one.

In addition to the social concerns there is a very real economic concern. That is whether the residents will be able to maintain all the amenities that make places like it so attractive when the developer turns it over to the residents. During my visits I got a whiff of doubt that the luxury amenities stand a good chance of going away.

BUT, we can not move right now so all this is, like this thread, discussion. I never make up my mind until time to do so. After all until then I don't have all the facts available.

OK guys. I have colleagues who have been to Sri Lanka a number of times. A colleague who worked in Sri Lanka for 3 or 4 years had a great time there.

As a expat you would have incredible life style as compated to the locals. The issue would be busy roads. However, like India, you make do with what you have. CGOAB has lots of stories of folks bicycle touring in nearby countries. In addition, medical treatment is certainly less expensive than in the USA. Many physicians are UK-trained and certified. With money, treatment is quite good. For example, in Calcutta a couple of years ago I busted a knee cap and an ankle - orthopedic surgeons operated successfully and I had no major issues with recovery. I would suggest the same would be true of Sri Lanka.

Oh, by the way, the former colleague who lived in Sri lanka was successfully treated for cancer there, and he had no issues with treatment, etc..

I live near the Villages, I have friends that live in the Villages and have been to the village centers for dining/drinking etc.

You need to go there before you make any decisions. Some folks like it, I would rather stay away. It's a personal decision.
I have seldom seen so many houses in one place.

Of course I live on 32 acres with my house and barn the only structures around..you see my bias.

Mike

I bought an apartment in Bogota Colombia. It is currently leased to the US Embassy there. We may spend part of the year there after we retire. It is a 4.5 hr flight from Houston and we fly free. Climate is good. At 9000 ft it will be a challenge to ride.

Chattanooga is nice but Nashville is better. It is on my list for places to retire. I can be close to Vanderbilt University, my Alma Mater, where I stay involved. The bicycling is really nice there on good weather days. Sometimes it gets a bit gloomy.

Like Texas there is no income tax in Tennessee. Nashville is fairly progressive. It was the first to combine city and county governments.

I may just retire here in Houston and ride almost every day. Air travel is also great from Houston.

I'll be happy if we can manage to keep our little house out in the sticks after I retire and do some traveling around to see lots of nice places.

It has always amazed me how many people retire to somewhere else, somewhere warm and then return after a few years to where they spent most of their lives. So, a couple years ago I started asking some of these folks questions. Also, I asked snowbirds where they were going to live when they got too infirm to snowbird.

Bottom line: There is no place like home. Home being the place where their lives and aqaintances have been.

Some people can move and be happy. Most I know cannot. So, be very, very sure of your decision; especially in an economy that may very well make the decision permanent.

This area would be on my list also. We are about 11 years out, and my priorities are as follows:

1. Closer to my son - currently in KY.

2. Longer cycling season than Central Iowa.

3. Availability of good cycling.

4. Low overall tax burden/cost of living.

Isn't Chattanooga where my new Lynskey was built? I assume I'll still be riding it.

When I retire in 5 more years I plan on visiting Fiji with an eye on moving there. With an average temp of 74-76 degrees year round, it sounds like the perfect place for me. I hate shoveling snow, and I hear they have good water.

If that doesn't work out maybe Tucson, after I get a consealed carry permit.

Moab, Utah is a beautiful place but think about Jeep Safari, this morning it was -2 degrees.

We lived in Boston all of our lives but decided that the city was not for us in retirement, however access to it was. Second criteria was some proximity to the ocean. We thought about moving out of state but grandchildren here are a magnet.
Ultimately we bought a house in an active 55 community in Plymouth, Mass. (aka America's home town). About 50 miles to the city, accessible by car or train within an hour. Close to Plymouth harbor and beaches. Good restaurants etc nearby. The community offers the opportunity to be involved in as much or as little as you desire. The downside remains the weather.
So for two years we have traveled to warmer climes for month or so in the winter, 30 days in Aruba last year, and 30 days in Florida starting next week for 2011 and maybe another couple of weeks in the Carribean in Dec.
We decided against buying in a warmer climate so that we could try different places, if we really fall in love with some area then we might buy. We are also fortunate to have a place on Cape Cod (Truro) and spend time there as well. But highly recommend this area.

Hey - there were several mentions of "The Villages" in Florida.

It was feature on a segment on the Daily Show last night:

https://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mo...y-bird-special

I'd say this is relevant no matter where you retire...

I am coming to the same conclusion as you. I am not interested in the desert in the summer nor the bitter cold of the NE in the winter but I don't want to give up the summers or the brilliant colors of the fall in the Adirondacks. We may end up with two places.

I found the references to thinking about sex among seniors making him gag very bigoted. He may have meant it to be funny. But, it wasn't,

But, as I was told when I visited The Villages, sex and STDs are a reality among residents just as they are a reality among the general population. What is new is awareness of it. I guess young folks, which from your posts I gather are most of you, somehow don't wish to be reminded where they came from and that their parents are human too.


By the way; is there are pharmacist in the crowd who can tell what age group buys most of the Viagra style drugs? Since I ask you can assume I've been told it isn't the elder generation.

We just made a pre-retirement move to Taos, NM. My wife works there full time, and I'm bouncing between there and the east coast. We really like Taos, Santa Fe is a little over an hour to the south, and Colorado an hour north. Views to infinity everywhere, and the Milky Way within our grasp every night.

I'm a little surprised that so many of my age peers express such an obsession with avoiding taxes in retirement. When we were young and our nation was an economic leader, the top marginal federal income tax rate was something like 80-90% (under Ike). It is now in the mid 30s, and is functionally less since capital gains are taxed at half that rate. Are we really such a selfish generation that we resent paying anywhere near our fair share?

I am disturbed that state and local tax rates are a concern at all when one is choosing a place to retire. I want an educated citizenry, worthwhile cultural events, enjoyable places to ride, space to garden (even if I don't own it), young people who have plans and the means to at least have a shot at achieving them. clean water and air and reasonable public transit. I know these things aren't free and I expect to pay taxes so that they can exist.

I'll get off my soapbox now. Sorry if I offended anyone but I couldn't let only the one side be heard.

I personally think it is patriotic to pay taxes. I pay a significant sum currently. When I retire my income stream will decrease, and I will obviously pay less taxes.

Many in this forum group have to consider how to live with a fixed or diminished income. I could not judge their motivation as selfishness.

I am more dismayed by people with significant wealth decrying our tax rates. I wish more people realize that tax cuts are service reductions.

I was totally impressed last night with Tuscon. I think the atmosphere in that community was so fantastic. I think living there could be a great experience.

I have been disappointed with the AZ Governor, but she rose to the occasion last night.

An issue in retirement is a connection with people. I consider Nashville because my late wife's family is there and I maintain a close relationship with them. Houston is under consideration because I am building friendships here.

It seems it would be easy to build friendships in Tuscon.