Posted on 02/13/2015 8:22:22 PM PST by TurboZamboni
Looking for a place with moderate climate,stable government,low crime rate, predominantly English speaking and is not anti-gun .Where someone on a fixed lower income can afford to not have to live like a rat.
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NIcaragua is an interesting (and counterintuitive) choice. As I posted elsewhere, the government is way too poor to have the resources to really mess with you. They’re too busy with monopolizing electricity generation to charge outrageous fees. In some very odd way, you have more freedom living in Nicaragua than you do in the US.
Also, even though much of the country is very hot, they have some beautiful mountainous areas where they grow coffee and its very cool.
Very, very poor people, though. If you would like to help out, there’s lots of opportunities to do a lot of good, and see the results immediately and personally.
Northern Mississippi is nice. Have a lot of family there.
“...but there are a very hard corps percentage of haoles and Hawaiians that are determined not to be disarmed.”
I’ve driven off the main roads in Kauai. There’s a lot of guns and hunting going on out there.
I’d be looking at retirement communities that are really nice in warm states. Places where you’d have help either from the community itself in an emergency, or places where you can make friends with other neighbors and agree to help each other out if needed. See what you can afford.
I know seniors who are active, even very active, in Sun City (hope that is the right name) in Palm Springs , CA and in Leisure World in seal Beach, Ca. Totally different climate, but many different sorts of houses / units. And potential to go up in care should you need it.
I wish my parents had set themselves up nicely in this way. They both have Alzheimer’s and have caregivers but they chose to never believe anything could happen and didn’t prepare emotionally or “geographically” for their needs. They had the money.
I live temporarily in a condo in a gated community. There are a lot of seniors here, from all over originally, and it would take a very short time to make friends, even shorter if you had a dog. :)
It is nice that you have the ability to plan for your golden years, and that you dare to do so. Me, when I am in that phase, I pray some of my kids will want me near. But who knows? I know life can get away from you.
Sequim Washington, with its temperate climate, lots of sunny days because of its dry microclimate, beaches of the Pacific Ocean close by, waterfalls, lakes, mountains, forests and fishing. If you want a change of pace, catch the ferry and go to Victoria, British Columbia.
I have been desperately trying to find a place in Carlsbad, CA because far as I’m concerned I’d never have to travel again....I’d already be there. Year around great weather and it’s a conservative enclave on the S.Cal coast.
As it turns out the market is hot hot and we can’t find a dang thing that suits both of us so I guess we’re going to Palm Springs - and for me the best thing about this will be that Carlsbad is less than 2 hrs away - or 45 minutes by plane. I told our realtor in Carlsbad that if I win the lottery he will be my second phone call.
Exactly. Where will you want to be...WHEN THE SHIT GOES DOWN? Because it WILL.
The sun must have gotten to your brain. I live in Palm Desert, CA. So, I am quite familiar with summertime desert heat. We are consistently cooler than Phoenix, and we do not have the high humidity from the Mexican monsoons. Having said that, 115 degrees is damn HOT. Anything over 110 degrees is most uncomfortable, and people having to work outside in that kind of heat have to be very careful about both heat stroke and sun stroke.
I like living in the low desert because 8 months of the year the climate is excellent. However, I will not BS myself into thinking that 4 months of the year are other than HOT, HOT, HOT.
Get with Mr. Peabody and Sherm and take a ride in their Way-Back Machine to an earlier America.
For the “elderly widow” Florida is the place to be buy a condo in one of the over 55 communities. Typically these communities have a very active social scene good amenities along with a built in support system. ie a neighbor who will come looking for you if they do not see you for a few days. If you are within striking distance of Orlando you will get visits from your grandchildren everyone has to pay homage to the mouse. Northeasterners tend to favor the east coast midwesterners tend to favor the west coast. Full disclosure I live in such a community in Hudson Fl with my 84 year old father. He is much more social than I am. Prices are low right now and the weather is a lot better than Minn.
St Croix or western Puerto Rico. We own them US Dollar English language
What you gonna do if massive heart attack or Uncle Charlie or bad diabetes
Few foreign cheapo places have decent healthcare
I’ve lived in plenty
Air ambulance to Miami or Houston is years pay
You want warm weather try gulf coast from Crystal River FL in westward arc to Lake Charles LA.....NOW ...draw a line inland up to 50 miles
Plenty neat cheap places....set your camper on a dock on any back bay or black water River
Plus it’s 75% conservative or more
I am elderly and single, too, but have lived in the south without family and have to suggest if not in a retirement community that church is very important. You will have a family support system there. I love the south but use Sperling’s best places to find some suggestions.
I love the hills and snow but my rheumatoid arthritis kicked in about a year ago and I am in agony. I may try Arizona or TX. My aunt loved TX and her paintings of the blue flowers and hills makes me think Texans want to hide their state.
Navarre Beach Florida is the southwest corner of Eglin AFB....home to JDAM and MOAB
Both handy in a pinch
Eglin is Almost half the size of Rhode Island
The beaches there are prettiest sand in U.S. and in my opinion are world class
Yes it’s hot but 9 months are pleasant
I’ve been researching the heck out of Belize. My wife and I will be heading there in less than two years.
I was stationed in Hawaii for 3 1/2 years. You forgot to mention the big population of homosexuals.
I’m 67 years old and have been all over the US. Because I’m a patriot, I would not even consider living anywhere else. I lived in Texas about 30 years and finally had enough. Texas is too hot, to cold, too many bugs, and too much wind. Don’t even get me started on the Fire Ants! The worst thing about Texas is the 2.5% property taxes! The best thing about Texas is the people. Unfortunately, they didn’t pay my property taxes.
If you really want freedom, a location where property taxes are low (1.025%) and the weather is great most of the year; the Inland Empire of Southern California fills the bill. Yes, it gets hot in the summer up to 105 degrees where I live, but it is a dry heat. The cities of Murrieta, Temecula, Wildomar, and Lake Elsinore have some of the best weather and least smog in the Inland Empire. And, most of the people here are Republicans. Home values are going up fast so don’t wait too long…
To be free in California and anywhere else don’t get caught up in the subdivisions with associations and stay away from condos. Buy in an older area subdivision with a low tax rate and you will do best. In California by law, when you buy a house your property taxes can only go up 2% a year! I doesn’t matter how much the home appreciates. If it depreciates, they will cut your taxes for awhile and then raise them back when it recovers.
Hah! My first thought was 1955!
Our friends moved to Vilcabamba, Ecuador and also love it. Temps are in the 70's year round, food is cheap and good medical care is available for decent money. Lots of hippies, econuts and other assorted eccentrics live there so it's not for everyone. Cuenca has similar weather, is out of the earthquake and volcano zones and is extremely popular with non-hippie expats.
Wherever you choose to go, take the experienced expat's advice: don't do anything that can't be undone in 5 phone calls or less for at least 6 months to a year. In many of these places it's extremely easy to buy a house and extremely hard to sell it once you do. Rent until you know for a fact that the area you are in is where you want to settle in permanently. In fact if you are retiring as a senior it may make more sense to rent permanently than to buy so your heirs won't have to deal with disposing of an estate in a foreign land. Plus you won't have to worry about maintenance as you get older and it becomes more difficult to get about. Take time to travel about and see what climate suits you best. Costa Rica, for example, has 27 different temperate zones ranging from steamy jungles to tropical beaches to cooler mountain temps. Don't lock yourself in to the first place that catches your eye. And finally keep in mind that if you want to leave America you also leave the creature comforts Americans are used to. Sure, you can make a seamless move to Panama and have every comfort you had back home but it will come at a price that would have made it cheaper to stay put. If you don't mind simplifying and living like a native then you can have a wonderful retirement. Good luck in your search.
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