The ocean? The mountains? Downsize? Upsize? Near the grandkids? With other retirees? Seek peace, quiet and solitude? Get closer to the action? So many choices are available to us and we have the freedom to move anywhere we like – or nowhere at all. How should you make this huge decision?
Help is Everywhere
There are loads of websites and paper publications that might help you. AARP magazine is always loaded with great ideas and advertisements for retirement locales, International Living Magazine is a print and online publication that is full of stories of exotic retirement choices beyond the borders of the U.S., and Where to Retire Magazine, also a print and online resource, claims to be “the authority on retirement relocation.”
It’s important to understand that there is no one right answer to this question. It’s a very personal choice and one that bears some serious thought, discussion and planning. If you are single, you have only yourself to argue with. If you are married, it’s more complicated. Congratulations if you are in total accord with one another; you are part of a very small minority.
Five key considerations in deciding where to live:
- Money. Take a close and realistic look at where you are, financially, at this point in your life. Talk with your financial advisor and get a sense of how much you should be allocating to housing. If you are fortunate enough to live in one of the “hot” areas of the country, you may have considerable equity in your current home. The opposite may be true if you are in an area that has been slow to recover from the recession. What will a move mean for your future financial viability?
- How do you want to spend your time in the next few decades of your life? If you want to do a lot of traveling, you will probably want to be near a major airport and if, like some retirees, you want to be on the road more than at home, your house could be quite modest and it could be anywhere. If, on the other hand, you see yourself continuing to work and/or be active in your community in your 60s, 70s and 80s, you may want to stay where you are geographically, maybe downsize, but have a home you will be proud of and enjoy full-time.
- Location of family members. People in mid-life tend to be quite mobile these days, so use caution when relocating to be near the grandkids. One couple I know has a son who is a professional chef. Now in his early 40s, he moved himself and his young family across country to take a job in California. Once he had been there for a couple of years and his job seemed solid, his parents sold the family home in Pennsylvania and followed him, taking the 94-year-old grandmother with them and relocating her in a new assisted living community. So far, so good, but chefs tend to move around with their jobs. So do many other professionals. Be careful on this one.
- How about one of those attractive 55+ communities that are so prevalent the southwest? No more urban blight to contend with, lots of planned activities. Many people are attracted to these communities and you may well be too. Here is the cautionary note on this one: be sure to visit for an extended period of time before you make a commitment. Stay for a month or two and go in different seasons.
- Consider weather. The California desert and Phoenix areas are gorgeous from October to April. One hundred and ten degrees is the norm between May and September. Be sure that suits you. Checking out a destination in all seasons and for an extended length of time applies to any new community you’re considering. The coast can be beautiful some months of the year and bitterly cold at others. True for California and Oregon as well as for Maine and New Hampshire––it’s just that the seasons are reversed!
Don’t forget about friendship!
Of great importance in the ultimate level of satisfaction for any retiree or couple is the relationships you have and those you build. If you are outgoing, in relatively good health and have learned to roll easily with change, you will most likely be happy wherever you go. Just know that you will need to seek out like-minded people in the much the same way you did when you were young. Join a church or synagogue early, sign up for interesting-sounding Meetups in your new community, check out the senior center activities, join a health club, take classes at the nearest college, talk to people wherever you go and you will quickly form a new community.
Transitions get harder as you get older. If you are still reading this, you are probably someone who is considering a move, as opposed to staying put. If you are thinking of making a move, don’t wait too long. You want to move while you are still healthy and strong enough to endure the stress and form the new relationships you will need to truly thrive.
