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Speaking of Retirement...


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Since we started talking about retirement, let me tap your collective experiences on making the transition:

 

1. Did you stay in your home or move elsewhere? Why?

 

2. Did you buy/build a smaller house? How has that worked out?

 

3. Are you a snowbird? How do you make that work?

 

4. What would you do differently?

 

5. What was your biggest mistake?

 

Very subjective, I know; but I'm just looking for your best thoughts.

 

Much appreciated.

 

LL

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We knew we wouldn't stay in Southern California, even tho my wife and I were both born there. Spent 20 years looking west of the Rockies and settled on rural SW Colorado. Bought 6 acres 5 years before I retires. We designed (with a contractor) our dream home and built it new. Our home of 30 years in Ca was 1970 sqft. Our new home is 38oo+/-. I have a 50'x50 garage with RV parking inside. I also have a 15x30 reloading, gun room on the garage. We have a 2 acre pond with bass, channel cats, crappie & bluegill in it. Also have covered storage for my pontoon boat.

 

Love everything, wouldn't change much. We do travel some to get away from the snow, spend 3 weeks to a month in Az shooting.

 

Being very rural (800 people in our town and only about 20k in the whole county), we do travel for shopping. Cortez is about 8 miles away, but still small. About every other month we go to Farmington, NM to shop (70 miles). The other thing that is a little difficult is flying out of here, Usually drive to Albq. NM (250 miles) and leave from there.

 

Would I do it all over again...you bet. Love it here!

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I had 15 years left on my mortgage, so refinanced for 15 years at 2.8% and got Home equity line of credit in case of emergency.

No plans to ever move, love it here and what we've built.

Started SS this month @ 62yrs. old.

No regrets, lovn' it so far, but it's only been 6 months.

Only mistake was hanging in at the old job as long as I did, should have started taking my career job pension a year ago and quit the fill in job!

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I gave notice yesterday (Yippee!)... three months "lead time" and I'm gone. Intend to file for SS in September, when I hit the magic 66... and hopefully find a FUN part-time job.

 

As nuts as California has become, I'll probably stay here for a while at least, with the hope that things may turn around... actually, I'd love to pull up stakes, but would sorely miss family and friends.

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Got out of the big city and moved to the country. Love it. New home twice as large as what we moved out of. Wood working shop and gun room for me, sewing room for her. Wish we were snowbirds, maybe someday. Missouri weather, 0 degrees this week but 60 next week. Only thing I did wrong was volunteer way too much. 12 more months and that will all end and more time for shooting.

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Since we started talking about retirement, let me tap your collective experiences on making the transition:

 

1. Did you stay in your home or move elsewhere? Why?

We had been wanting to move to the country for years. We lived six blocks from the Capitol in downtown Sacramento and I could walk to work Basically we wanted a change of pace and some quiet.. We closed escrow Christmas Eve 2003 and I retired July 2004. Then we tore down a "house" and built a "home."

 

2. Did you buy/build a smaller house? How has that worked out?

Yes, we built a smaller house. We went from a three-story to a one-story. With Hubby's peripheral neuropathy, the stairs were a killer. Then, I tore my meniscus twice while we were building and during three recoveries (two from tears and one from surgery), I had to slide down the old house stairs on my butt. I'm happy with one story. I wish the guest bedroom and my office/sewing/second guest room were larger. They are only 10 x 12. All of the other rooms and closets are large. After living in a Victorian, we did require 9' minimum ceilings in the new house. There are so many things to think about when building a new house. Basically, I think we got it right.

 

3. Are you a snowbird? How do you make that work?

No. When you live in CA, that isn't necessary.

 

4. What would you do differently?

Maybe build closer to a hospital.

 

5. What was your biggest mistake?

Not putting in the swimming pool sooner. Then, maybe I wouldn't have gained 30 pounds after retiring. :o

 

Very subjective, I know; but I'm just looking for your best thoughts.

 

Much appreciated.

 

LL

Best wishes for a happy retirement!

 

AM

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PS We managed our money well. We had no payments. Owned our Victorian outright (purchased in 1973) and all of our vehicles were paid for.We bought the property, tore down a house, and built another without loans. One thing that really helped us was a Lowe's special offer. Buy so much and pay in full in 24 months without interest. Also, due to the cabinet price we got a Lowe's certificate that paid for the majority of our lighting.

 

PPS I love my cabinets. They are Schuler Knotty Alder. Here is a sample.f6ec0d94a2f23289bd3a0ee37b4ec2d9.jpg

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Pretty much what Big Sage said.

House is about the same size but wilth 40 acres. It's paid off now.

Not snowbirds but my wife occasionally hints AZ would be nice for the winter. ;)

Only mistake I made was not moving here sooner.

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My wife retired a couple months ago and I'm only a couple months away from doing the same thing. We bought a waterfront home just off the Chesapeake Bay, and have been spending weekends and time off there for several years. Built my dream workshop there, and moved most stuff from our home of 35 years down there. Our old homestead is currently for sale, and our plan, once this place sells, is to keep a smaller home in the Richmond area. We will split our time between the two places (approx 100 miles apart) as our mood suits us. Between CAS, woodworking, boating, fishing and a grandchild, we are very busy. The job is beginning to get in the way...8^)

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I retired a little over 11 years ago. It took a few months to get used to it, but I sure like it now! If you do it right you will not believer how busy you can be. Our house was paid off a couple of years ago and we have and will probably will not move out until they carry use out. I wouldn't mind moving to someplace like Idaho, but my wife does not want to move away from the grand kids. One lives 20 minutes ways and the others 45 minutes away.

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Since we started talking about retirement, let me tap your collective experiences on making the transition:

 

1. Did you stay in your home or move elsewhere? Why? Stayed there for 11 years until my retired, then escaped to Arizona.

 

2. Did you buy/build a smaller house? How has that worked out? Bought a larger house with much larger lot. So far so good.

 

3. Are you a snowbird? How do you make that work? No!

 

4. What would you do differently? Gotten out of California much sooner. Planned my finances better.

 

5. What was your biggest mistake? Not leaving California 13 years ago.

 

Very subjective, I know; but I'm just looking for your best thoughts.

 

Much appreciated.

 

LL

%3
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Since we started talking about retirement, let me tap your collective experiences on making the transition:

 

1. Did you stay in your home or move elsewhere? Why?

We're shopping for a new house for several reasons.

1) We want a bigger house and less yard, as we want room for kids and other guests to stay when they come out to where we are.

2) We do not want to take care of an acre of yard and gardens anymore, however if it's all natural we can live with it! No mowing or weeding!

3) We live in the highest taxed portion of our state, and want out of it, both for cost and political reasons.

 

We're looking at moving to a less densely populated area - out near Spokane or eastern Oregon near Baker City, as both the costs of living and amount of daylight are better than near Seattle. If the cost of living and taxes weren't so high here we could tolerate staying, but frankly they're not, so once we accept that part, then it's time to move, in spite of the fact that we have friends and family in the area. As we are both in our early 60's we are desirous of having a home within 20 minutes of a hospital or major medical clinic and 1-1.5 hour to an international airport. We do want grocery shopping and supplies (crafting and clothing and such) within 30 minutes, and I do NOT want to drive 15 minutes just to get a gallon of milk or a cup of coffee!

 

2. Did you buy/build a smaller house? How has that worked out?

 

As I indicated above, we actually want a larger house (4-5 Br's) and heated garage space for a shop as well as vehicle parking. My wife does crafting and wants a room for that, I do digital photography and want an office for my computer, my printers, my stereo and library; basically my 'Library" (I don't do man-caves - I do library or reading room!).

 

I need a garage big enough for at least my wife's car (mine is rain proof), and also a reloading bench, and workout area, and a small shop for simple repairs and projects, one more car bay will suffice for all that, but it has to be attached and heated.

 

3. Are you a snowbird? How do you make that work?

N/A

 

4. What would you do differently?

 

5. What was your biggest mistake?

Combining 4&5 - I'd start the search earlier and spend more time checking into specific locations, to eliminate the crunch when the property does sell.

We listed in December and didn't expect to get an offer so fast (two weeks), so now we are spending mid winter traveling to eastern Wa and Oregon to look towns over and decide which place to commit to.

 

If I'd known how fast we would get an offer, I'd have spent all last fall traveling and have that part sorted out already.

 

The best solution we have is to eliminate the places you wouldn't want to live - that creates a boundary around where you will want to live - then search there.

 

Very subjective, I know; but I'm just looking for your best thoughts.

 

My biggest concern is the same one I always have when I've relocated (and I've lived in NY, Texas, Arizona, Bremerton, Seattle, Fall City, England (2x) and back) is what am I getting into? Am I going to like the people I live near - the neighbors, am I going to have more house work and repairs than I do now or will it be better, and how hard will it be to keep up friendships and family time when I add new distance?

 

I love my kids and grand-kids, and this will increase the distance, and I really appreciate my friends as well, so moving is a bitter-sweet experience, however I've never had a bad move - they always turn out well in the long run - so I am optimistic as well.

 

Much appreciated.

 

LL

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Loophole,

 

I moved from Alabama to Arizona after I retired for three reasons.

1. Love the southwestern desert.

2. Both the wife's and my families live in California. Arizona isn't California, but it's closer to California than Alabama.

3. My wife wanted to move there. My lady had followed me all over the world during my military career and the following civilian career. I told her when we retired, I'd follow her wherever she wanted to go. And I did. After all, I do live in Sharon's house. :ph34r:

 

The house we moved to was the one my wife chose. After our house in Alabama sold, I told Sharon to go to Arizona and find the house she wanted. I stayed in Alabama and worked on the punch list. She picked one a little smaller, but just the one she liked...and, I must say I like it too! ^_^

 

We don't snowbird.

 

What could go wrong if the wife is happy? I determined I'd be happy whatever we did.

 

Hope all your retirement dreams come true. Mine have. :)

Edited by Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663
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Since we started talking about retirement, let me tap your collective experiences on making the transition:

 

1. Did you stay in your home or move elsewhere? Why?

I retired from working corrections in 1995 and SWMBO retired from teaching in 2010. We're still here in our original house, since I'm going to quit my present part-time job in the D.C. metro area at the end of this year, and perhaps get something closer to home. SWMBO's Social Security also kicks in then.

2. Did you buy/build a smaller house? How has that worked out?

We are in the process of buying a condo overlooking Pamlico Sound on Hatteras Island, NC which we will spend time at mostly off-season, and rent it out to vacationers the rest of the year. We will likely sell the house we have now and perhaps move down to the Lake Anna area and get a bigger house, one story with NO STAIRS, and I also gotta have a model train room, space for the gun safes, a reloading room, and a garage/workshop. Plus a few acres of land with it.

3. Are you a snowbird? How do you make that work?

It snows on Hatteras Island too.

 

4. What would you do differently?

Do it sooner.

5. What was your biggest mistake?

Not doing it sooner.

 

Very subjective, I know; but I'm just looking for your best thoughts.

 

Much appreciated.

 

LL

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Since we started talking about retirement, let me tap your collective experiences on making the transition:

 

1. Did you stay in your home or move elsewhere? Why?

 

When I retired, I was in Texas. I remarried and my wife had a job in Lexington, Ky. so I moved there. When she retired, we moved to East Tennessee to be near her grandchildren and the VA Hospital in Johnson City. Property taxes are much lower here, which is a nice bonus.

 

2. Did you buy/build a smaller house? How has that worked out?

 

We built a house which is about 20% smaller than the one we had in Kentucky and almost twice the size that I had in Texas. We expected to have six months to downsize when we put our house on the market, sold it within a week, so we lived in a travel trailer while our house was being built.

 

3. Are you a snowbird? How do you make that work?

 

No, the climate in Tennessee is mild the year round.

 

4. What would you do differently?

 

Build bigger closets!

 

5. What was your biggest mistake?

 

We should have bought a completed house before we put our Kentucky house on the market, but we didn't believe it would sell so quickly. All those HGTV tips on prepping the home for sale paid off, but this forced us to move before we were really ready, and it is hard to find a temporary rental when you have two big dogs and four cats.

 

Very subjective, I know; but I'm just looking for your best thoughts.

 

Much appreciated.

 

LL

 

I left a lot of good friends in Texas, and some in Kentucky. I have been blessed by having good friends and good neighbors everywhere I have lived, and that continues to hold true in Tennessee. Our Scottish Rite club provides shoes for children who would otherwise be wearing flip-flops to school, and out American Legion Honor Guard wears full Dress uniform to the funerals and functions that we attend. We are happy here, but if we had moved to Wyoming I am sure that we would have found a home there.

 

Good luck!

Duffield

Edited by Duffield, SASS #23454
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