7 Places to Retire During an Economic Downturn

Smartmoney Website ^ | February 25, 2008 | Kelli B Grant

[Intimidator]

I actually want to retire in my home state of NC up in the mountains. Thats my goal, but gotta stay in Raleigh for now because thats where the jobs are.

[SuziQ]

Damned lies. I live just outside Tucson. Housing prices - not asking, but selling - are probably down 30-40%.

Frankly, if you're a retiree, wouldn't you WANT housing prices to be down so you could get a good house in a safe area, for less than it would have been a few years earlier? Sure would stretch your retirement $.

[4woodenboats]

Looks like the primary industry in Ithaca is real estate siphoning.

[discostu]

I’ve been here since the Ford administration, 100 is a tad warm, 110 that’s hot. And of course I came from Chicago, where we didn’t hit 100 but we did hit 98 a lot and the humidity often looked just like the temp, that was hot, and you still had snow for winter. I’ll take 105 in the summer and 80 for winter any day.

[Lancey Howard]

Thanks for the tip!

[SuziQ]

Hey, with Global Cooling on the way, areas with hotter climates may be the best places to be! ;o)

[Captain Peter Blood]

What about the best 7 places outside of the country to retire????????????????

[discostu]

We’ve had two cold, for us, winters in a row. Kind of irritating me, I want my global warming dammit! Swimming on Christmas day is awesome.

[SuziQ]

You're welcome. We spent a month in a condo in Ft. Morgan a few years ago. It was October and almost no one else was there. Too cool for swimming, but the hot tub felt great, and walking on the beach was wonderful because the temps were so high.

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are pretty crowded, and Ft. Morgan is just beginning to build up. Houses right on the Gulf beach are spendy, but I think prices are down at bit right now. You could opt for being on Bon Secour Bay, just north, and it wouldn't be quite as expensive. There are areas up near Foley and down into the non-beach area of Gulf Shores that are still not to expensive. Didn't know if you wanted right ON the beach, or not.

I'd love to own one of the condos at The Beach Club in Ft. Morgan. That's where we stayed, and they're really nice.

[SuziQ]

We’ve had two cold, for us, winters in a row

Ha! We're planning to move back home to MS, after being gone for almost 32 years. After having spent the last 27 of those years north of the Mason-Dixon line, we're looking forward to MS winters. It's rare for the daytime temps to get below freezing, so we can handle it after being up here for so long.

[Little Ray]

Personally, I was thinking Belize...

[Travis McGee]

Amen to that!

[ladyjane]

I can’t figure out how they come up with these ridiculous lists. Retirees don’t want to shovel snow. They’re not interested in sweltering in 115 degree heat and they don’t want to live with the insects that are all over the deep south.

[exit82]

The most expensive places are right on the ocean—Lewes, Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island, but even in these towns there are places under $ 300,000.

There are many retirement communities in this area, and more coming. Milton, Georgetown, Seaford, Bridgeville,and Millsboro have retirement developments.

Links for Sussex County are here: sussexcountydelaware.com

links to real estate agency websites can be found there.

For the government,property taxes budget:sussexcountyde.gov

Many, many townhomes, single floor condos/townhomes and single family homes(3 bedrooms, 1-2 baths) fom $ 200,000 to $300,000 are available.

The DC/PA/NJ/MD crowd comes to the beaches in the summer. The economy has become a year round economy and is being “discovered” by seniors all along the Eastern Seabord. Towns are not large, and lots of space between them. A lot of seniors winter in FL for a few months(Jan-March) and return in the spring.Makes for a very nice lifestyle.

This area is known as the Nation’s Summer Capitol due to the many DC folks who summer and vacation here.

Winters are relatively mild, with some cold days.Hurricanes miss Delaware due to its geographical position.

Lewes was settled in 1631—so there is a long history here—lots of historical sites here and in nearby MD.

Rehobeth has almost every department store and many, many outlets stores. Lots of folks come here to shop—no sales taxes, making long weekends in the fall for Christmas shopping.

This area is called “Lower, slower Delaware” and it is, but in a delightful way.

You are out of the mainstream, but it is easy to get anywhere from here.

[cinives]

PLease, would ya stop talking up Lewes ?!!?? The traffic is bad enough now !

[Churchillspirit]

I work at a resort where cruise ships dock and know a few folks who live permanently on board the ships.

They say it is cheaper than living on land.

To each his own.....

[Lancey Howard]

We’re not ready quite yet, but soon.
I have bookmarked your post. Thanks again!

[quincysbuddy]

I live on the west side of the state in laurel, right next to Trap Pond state park. In the woods so to speak. Its beautiful and quiet all year long.Its a five minute drive to the food lion and twelve minutes to the bigger stores in Seaford or salisburry, M.D.

[presently no screen name]

Oh! didn’t know where Aiken is. I knew Cary was NC because I’ve been leaning towards it as a place to go. I’ve heard it’s a great place and someone that moved from my area says it’s the best decision he ever made. Then I came across info on pig farms and how it may or has affected the ground and drinking water, so I put it on the back burner. Yet, my mind still goes there. What’s your experience on those farms, etc. Am I overreacting? Thanks and I appreciate any input.

[Centurion2000]

You can rent a 3 bedroom / 2 bathroom apartment (1100 sq ft) in a gated community - for US$ 315.00 a month.

Ok, but what the heck are you gonna do for a living there?