Retirement options

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Wife and I are in the same boat only from Tax York. We have been taking trips down to Smoky Mountain area of TN and NC. Also southern Va. Next on list is NW Georgia and SC. Tennessee is a tax friendly state as well as Georgia. North Carolina not so much. For reference use BestPlaces, City-data and Zillow. I have taken several motorcycle trips down to that area as well and I have found that Southerner's are very friendly, polite people and we love the slower pace of life. Good luck.

http://www.city-data.com/
Best Places to Live | Compare cost of living, crime, cities, schools and more. Sperling's BestPlaces
https://www.zillow.com/
 
I retire in less than 3 years. I'm fortunate to have rental property here in San Jose. I live in one unit and rent out the rest. I have a basement here, which is a rarity in California, and plan to build myself a studio down there and rent out the place I'm in now.

My plan is to rent a furnished apartment somewhere in the world every other 2 months, and then return here to enjoy my cars and family.

I spent a month in Thailand last December and love the people and culture. I'll likely live there for 2 months and return home for two. That will be my winter home. The cost of living is around .12 cents a dollar compared to here.

In the spring, I'll go to western Colorado to dirt bike ride and fish, before returning home in 2 months. I love the American west.

In summer, I'll got somewhere in Europe for 2 months, and then back home.

In Fall, I'm not sure where I'll go yet, but I'' spend 2 months there.

All of these places are significantly cheaper than San Jose, CA. Even figuring in airfare, I'll still save oney from being in CA all year.

I figure I'll grow tired of travelling in about 10 years, but who knows.

My point is that I'll cherry pick the best weather and living conditions around the world while stretching my retirement dollars and make new friends.

Most Americans never leave the US. I get that, but there is a whole world out there with a lot of great people and cultures. I like to think outside the box. Our country is the best, but the Dem's have absolutely destroyed the quality of life in California. It's the homeless capitol of the world, and has been for a number of years.

Best of luck in your Golden Years.
 
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Mark check out the big island of Hawaii around Hilo. I had a house on three acres there and the taxes were 279 a year. Homes now are 120 and up in that area. Weather is great all year long also.
 
North Florida is nice, affordable. Lots of rural and small town areas, old south. Looking to head there in a couple years if all works out. Just stay near the coast for the summer breeze, inland is an oven in summer with no breeze. Cool fall and winters.
 
halifaxhops said:
Mark check out the big island of Hawaii around Hilo. I had a house on three acres there and the taxes were 279 a year. Homes now are 120 and up in that area. Weather is great all year long also.
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Yeah, and milk is 7 dollars per gallon
It's an island and produces next to nothing, so everything needs to be shipped in
Unless he can shop at the annex, I think cost of living would be a deal breaker
 
Retired in Mesa, AZ almost 4 years ago. We love it. Most of the year the weather is nice and we tolerate the heat in the summer pretty good. Lots to do, key to retirement is to stay busy. By the way, I went to HS in Vallejo in the early 70s and Vacaville was one of my old stomping grounds.
 
I'd recommend Colorado but the housing situation and economy are kind of messed up currently. LOTS of people migrated here from California and now we have a Democrat governor who is basically trying to turn the state into California 2.0, thankfully the population of this state is roughly half-and-half on the political spectrum so I hope/pray that won't last. Lots of people out here working hard in the oil & gas and Agriculture industries and the state government is trying everything they can to shut things down based on "environmental concerns" and make taxes go up and up and up.

Beautiful state and my favorite in the entire country (I've traveled most of the U.S.) but probably best to watch how things turn out over the next year or two.

My personal 2nd choice would be North Carolina, then South Carolina or coastal Georgia, then maybe north Texas. I still haven't visited the arid southwest though. That's based purely on scenery, people and weather though I don't know the details about what it takes actually living there.
 
MopaR&D said:
I'd recommend Colorado but the housing situation and economy are kind of messed up currently. LOTS of people migrated here from California and now we have a Democrat governor who is basically trying to turn the state into California 2.0, thankfully the population of this state is roughly half-and-half on the political spectrum so I hope/pray that won't last. Lots of people out here working hard in the oil & gas and Agriculture industries and the state government is trying everything they can to shut things down based on "environmental concerns" and make taxes go up and up and up.

Beautiful state and my favorite in the entire country (I've traveled most of the U.S.) but probably best to watch how things turn out over the next year or two.

My personal 2nd choice would be North Carolina, then South Carolina or coastal Georgia, then maybe north Texas. I still haven't visited the arid southwest though. That's based purely on scenery, people and weather though I don't know the details about what it takes actually living there.
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For sure. I was born and raised in Greeley,Colorado but in the current climate I could not live there,financially or politically. So sad that Colorado got Californicated.
 
diymirage said:
Yeah, and milk is 7 dollars per gallon
It's an island and produces next to nothing, so everything needs to be shipped in
Unless he can shop at the annex, I think cost of living would be a deal breaker
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Costco. That’s what we did when we lived in Hawaii and our food budget was the same there as it was here and I wasn’t military. It’s still true today.

And it a fallacy that Hawaii doesn’t produce anything. They produce lots of chicken, beef and eggs. Coffee and fruits too.
 
Go to your favorite search engine and type in, 'Best states to retire', all a matter of opinion of course, but some of the states mentioned here are listed. No place is perfect, you have to balance between all that is important.
 
Bring you money to Canada. Sure we have snow, big deal. Come to Manitoba. It's not about what we have, it's about what we don't have.
We don't have hurricanes, or tsunamis or earthquakes.
No big prey animals,except; there are Bears up north,but mostly they stay there with the Cougars.
No crocs, no snakes, or poisonous critters. Some years we have mosquitoes, but if you keep your yard dry, or build your deck up at 12 to 15 feet they're no bother.
Very little crime in the rural communities. Cheap cemetery plots. Everybody is helpful and friendly.
We have lots of small towns with nice homes and really cheap taxes. For the most part, the muslims haven't showed up yet. $230,000USd could buy you the biggest mansion in town. A nice small older home in a rural town, 15 to 20 minutes from a major center, can still be had for under $100,000USd.
Our volunteer fire-fighters might have a firehouse within a 200 or 300 yards of your chimney, and they love to practice.
Sure we have snow, big deal, get on a treadmill.It only gets really cold for about a week in January, and only gets really hot for about a week in July. For about six months of the year it's really nice outside and for the rest of the time you can cuddle up by the fire. Or catch-up on the chores the missus is always harping on. Or whatever. lol
 
SE Missouri is nice and Cheap for sure. Brother just moved to northern Mississippi, just over the border from Memphis. Cheap taxes. vehicle plates were $14. fourteen dollars. I was a bit shocked really.
 
Careful with reading those best state crap articles. Hell, I read one that listed Washington as the best. Well, lots of opinion and what flavor I like best is written in those. Some people love high taxes and druggies running the city...........
 
diymirage said:
Yeah, and milk is 7 dollars per gallon
It's an island and produces next to nothing, so everything needs to be shipped in
Unless he can shop at the annex, I think cost of living would be a deal breaker
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Was not that bad, have to eat like a local! Gas sucked for sure.
 
fishmens67 said:
Thank You ! They tend to bring what they left.
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Thats how Beto almost beat Ted Cruz here in Texas. Too many *** hats coming from liberal enclaves to get away from the mess they helped to create by electing rotten liberal fucks in their own state. They come here and say oh how wonderful it is here compared to where i am from, then they vote for the same types of fuckers and asshole policies that fucked up their home state to the point where they couldent live there any longer. Liberalism it is a mental disorder.
 
Arkansas has a bit of everything, just stay away from the flat lands and move to the hill , .ook up old hady (Hardy Arkansas) we love it here, been here for 45 years or more.
Flat lands have more bugs and tornadoes, mountains have cooler weather in the summer, but we do love our short winters, 90 here yesterday :thumbsup: I live small, but enjoy a large shop here in northeast Arkansas, south west and northwest Arkansas :thumbsup::thumbsup:.

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I been to the Ozarks a few times, beautiful country out there. Been to tourist trap crater of diamonds state park too.
 
Few facts about FL

No state tax

No auto inspections or emissions tests, antique plates are cheaper than regular plates

Fairly large number of classic car owners and some auto related attractions

Old cars rust from the top down (esp vinyl top cars) because of salt rain
Carport kept cars fair much better

Central and South areas have incredible humidity (sometimes 100% without raining)

Speaking of rain, from June to September it can rain every day for weeks in a row
Usually only an hour or two but sometimes all day.

High percentage of terrible drivers (locals blame out of state, but IMO it's 50/50 )

Outside of major population centers a late model 1500 sq ft house can be 150K and 1K tax with homestead.

Virtually no basements

Virtually no sidewalks

Lots of things to do and see

Lots of toll highways but you don't have to use most of them

Of all the natural disasters, hurricanes give you the most warning to get prepared or get out.
Usually extensive news coverage and tracking for weeks in advance.
 
moparmat2000 said:
Thats how Beto almost beat Ted Cruz here in Texas. Too many *** hats coming from liberal enclaves to get away from the mess they helped to create by electing rotten liberal fucks in their own state. They come here and say oh how wonderful it is here compared to where i am from, then they vote for the same types of fuckers and asshole policies that fucked up their home state to the point where they couldent live there any longer. Liberalism it is a mental disorder.
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That's a fact!
 
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