Community Chat

[maestra]

There is a yearly mandatory insurance called wind and rain that all homeowners w/a mortgagge must take out-about 2 grand a year. Summers are very humid, people drive poorly and infrastructure has not kept up w/influx of snow birds. That means construction, esp. roads.

The plus side is our neighbors are gems from all over the country, people are for the most part genuine and warm, shopping is prolific and a strong sense of country and family is exhibited.

[Sweetbay magnolia]

With all due respect, why do we think that retiring to a strange place is the ticket?

Of course, I don't know your place or situation - but I've seen friends build "dream homes" because they could afford it, only to end up in what they thought would be idyll and which became a let down.

Good luck in your search.  I would agree that the local "vibe" is pretty important.  Do you like type A personalities on zero lot lines who pay high HOA fees, or are you more laid back?  Will the locals resent your intrusion (and do you care?).

You may miss things, like the local newspaper, in a new area.  Some of my relatives moved to a very sunny place and it seems like a cultural wasteland to me. 

[ilovegreengems]

Have you looked into Greenville, SC? It is not near the coast but fits your requirement for within a day's drive, being about 3 hours away. The heat and humidity are less here, and we are known as a foodie city. Many people relocate here from other parts of the country and the world, so, while Greenville is still southern,  you are unlikely to feel uncomfortable here. 

[Hayfield]

My DH & I currently live in N. VA, about 20 miles from Washington, DC., we're originally from western PA.  He's going to be retiring in about 2-3 years and we have been looking, going to those Ideal Retirement Shows in the area, trying to decide what to do.  We could stay where we are but with the children grown and gone, we don't need this big house. We've love to downsize in the area but it's so expensive, we'd probably have to put all our equity of our current house into the next one.  If we moved south we'd only have to put about  1/2 our equity of this house into the next one, so it would be financially better to move to North or South Carolina but it's a hard decision.  My brother moved to a 55+ community in North Carolina and didn't like it and moved back to western PA.  We have friends who moved to Southport Carolina and moved into a large planned community of all ages and house types and lots of activites and they love it.   I'm not sure what we'll do but I know many people, like my friends, who have moved and are very happy and many, like my brother, who didn't like it and moved back.  Due your research and good luck.

[riley1]

@maestra - Ha don't even get me started on the driving!! I've seen people stop at blinking lights and chat on their phones, or back up on a major highway to go through the "suicide" turn!! We had to purchase wind, rain & hail insurance and as it turns out we had a freak hail storm one evening that destroyed our roof as well as most of the others in our community

[riley1]

It is a hard decision and a huge life-changing event! When you come from the northern areas this is like going to crazy town - lol! I also found living in a "gated" community where there are year-round residents is important. The closer you are to the beach, it is more "rental" property and that is a 24/7 party. Also, if you full time in a more rental area, those homes are vacant during the winter months, nice, yes, but empty homes create all kinds of other problems. And, if you live in a gated community, people can't just part an 18-wheeler, boat or RV on the front lawn. And let's not forget the cars that broke down 20 years ago and are still sitting there. It is a very different area for sure

[Lotus]

Thanks for everyones input.......I have a long way to go before I retire.  I have no idea where I will end up.....I just know that I don't want to stay on Long Island.   Some of you have brought up things I haven't thought about.....hence starting this thread.

Thanks again!

[Kalli]

I'm retiring soon.  We've discussed going to FL for a month in the winter.  DH likes to play competitive tennis and I just want to go somewhere warm for 4 weeks to get away from the PA winters.  So, we're considering buying a condo on the east coast of FL.

I love where I live.  I'm not ready to move away so right now we're not considering selling our house.  My elderly parents are still here, so that's a consideration too.  And I still love my house - it would break my heart to sell it.  Our older son has expressed an interest in it if/when we no longer can keep up with it.  Not sure where we'd go, though.  Just don't see us living in FL all year round.

[LilacTree]

I have never understood why people want to move away from everything and everyone they love to go live in a strange place and "retire."  Makes no sense to me.

[Lotus]

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@LilacTree wrote:

I have never understood why people want to move away from everything and everyone they love to go live in a strange place and "retire."  Makes no sense to me.

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I never understood why people assume things.

Although I love Long Island I have no anchors here.   Most of my family has already or will be moving from the area.  My best friend lives in northern PA and another good friend will be leaving LI, when she retires. My cousin, who is like a sister will be moving south within the next 3 years....my sister lives in VA.

I am still here because my mother is still here.  I won' leave her. 

When the time comes to leave I want to have a plan.

   I most likely won't be able to afford to live on LI, on a retirement income.

Who and what am I leaving?