Have you thought of moving and leaving your hometown behind once you retire? Many of us consider it, and the reality is that we now have the time to explore and possibly travel as we have always desired. And as we grow older, there is a lot of talk about moving away for retirement.
However, for a lot of people, retirement is not about moving, but rather staying at home (or close to home)! And while everyone talks about retiring to sip cocktails somewhere in Florida or play golf in Arizona, the reality is much different. A study has shown that most Americans happily spend their retirement years at home.
And if that sounds foreign to you, we have gathered some of the best reasons why people are choosing to stay in their homes and in their communities for their silver years. Moreover, if you’re sure you’re going to move, maybe it would be great to look at our list and see if you’ve considered everything when it comes to relocating!
Let us know if you plan to retire at home or if you are considering trading your state for another one!
I take issue with several of these comments as being relevant for only a small number of people. For instance, many of us have children elsewhere, and we move to get closer to them. We move because the weather is better somewhere else; we move because the house is now way too big and hard to take care of; and sometimes we move because we can find better medical care.
I agree. I plan on becoming an expat. Never understood people who could move and have a MUCH better life on a modest retirement income if they moved, but instead make excuses to stay where they are and suffer financially. Too many great places in the world can be had affordably.
Exactly. The article lists things one should be aware of before making a move but most of them can easily actually be improved by a move, not worsened.
Bonnie, I couldn’t agree with you more! The year we became empty-nesters, in our 50’s, my husband was transferred back east (where we were originally from) from CA and we settled in a beautiful little neighborhood and town for 17 whole years, a place so beautiful and desirable that we thought we would live there for the rest of our lives! But it was a high-turn-over neighborhood full of young families with school-age children. Neighbors were friendly in passing but they weren’t interested in befriending empty-nester Elderly Folk like us, so it was hard to make friends and it got very lonely for us.
So we bit the costly bullet–we hired a real estate agent, sold our lovely home and moved to a 55+ community that, like our former home, is within one hour range of all 3 of our adult children and grandchildren–but what makes the difference for us is that our new 55+ community, like most quality 55+ neighborhoods, is full of active, outreaching people who also left former beautiful homes behind because they were tired of being shackled by high maintenance headaches, they wanted to be closer to their children, and they wanted the Active Social Life that quality 55+ neighborhoods offer. Most of my neighbors say, “I wish we’d moved here sooner.”
You are so right Bonnie
I AGREE WITH YOU.
For another perspective, my wife and I moved 15 months ago from our home (of 27 years) in Glenside, PA, to a Continuing Care Retirement Center just 30 minutes away in Ambler, PA. Our church and doctors have stayed the same and many of our long-time friends are close enough for a visit – three will be joining us for Christmas dinner tomorrow night. We see this is THE BEST of all the options. Our care is assured and our surroundings are familiar. I believe that your article would have been stronger if you had mentioned this option.
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I already have a very difficult time finding a good internist……VERY DIFFICULT
This list must have been developed by someone living in a liberal high tax cold weather state with poor doctors. Does not apply to most of us.
My wife and I moved with our 9 year old son – I am retired – 300 miles south. We got better weather (lake effect snow by Lake Michigan is awful), our taxes are no higher in fact lower, we’ve got access to equally good medical care if not better. We did not move away from other relatives in the area where we were so it isn’t like we’re missing them. There will always be expenses to moving but we sold our old house for about the same as we paid for the new house. Which I might add we like better!
We had this move in the planning for 2 or 3 years and knew what we were doing.
All of these are good points but that only means you have to consider them in advance to be sure you know what you’re doing. I retired in ’18 and moved in ’21. The price of the new house was about the same as we got for the old one but there definitely were expenses that cost us. However we weren’t near any relatives in the first place; we have far better weather here (10″ of snow per winter instead of 10x that much), two great hospital systems within just a few miles; property taxes are actually lower too. We have been here 2 years and are totally satisfied withour move. We were in our old place 23 years and those were good years – but the weather drove us to relocate.
Losing money when selling my house? I do not expect to make any money off the sale of my house. I will sell my house for what I owe on the mortgage. My house will be sold as-is, where-is with all faults and defects. No warranties of any kind. Buyer will be responsible for any and all taxes, fees, escrow, etc. Basically I sell the house, sign the papers turn over the keys and walk away with zero money out of my pocket.
Where do you live
Unfortunately I live in Oregon.
Great article! I am staying put because I live in a duplex and get rental income. If I need to raise the rent I can in order to meet increased costs of living. I have a yard for my two small dogs to enjoy and 2 chickens for eggs. What more can an 83 year old want or need?
This is crazy. Move if you want to. It’s about the next chapter. Not constantly reliving the same life. Some of us moved originally to be promoted at “Corporate”. We have had to travel to be with family. Not now. This is not universal and should never have been published. Really? You’re going to tell us that we have to pay commissions on the sale of our house? Unreal.
I would like to stay where I am despite the colder weather in upstate NY. The summers are good.Did the article mention the cost of movers unless one sells all their furniture? It is expensive. My 5 adult children plus 3 young grandkids are scattered- Fla.Mi,Ca,Az. My husband would like to divide the yr by going to Az. and certainly save a lot state taxes. We are in Az visiting now. I would still prefer not to spend half a year and prefer to be home and visit our family. I have been looking at smaller houses and so far nothing meets my fancy. For me it would be a struggle. What the take;What not to take; what to you sell; what To donate. My husband says we should rent a place and put everything in storage that we can until we find a house we want. It means moving twice. It means putting stuff away elsewhere and then not being able to find what I Need when I need it. I just don’t feel I’ve got the energy to do all that.It would take a lot of energy to move especially moving Twice.
I’m in upstate NY too…Davenport. I moved 6 yrs ago when I was 64. Having now only one income, living in our family home and town was too much. But moving to a slightly impoverished area has been really hard. Food stores and healthcare is the worst I’ve ever seen. Moving expenses were terrible and doing everything without help was insane. Settled in now and planning to die here before going through that again. Have wonderful country neighbors I can count on now. That’s been a plus.
I moved 6 yrs ago when I was 64. Having now only one income, living in our family home and town was too much. But moving to a slightly impoverished area has been really hard. Food stores and healthcare is the worst I’ve ever seen. Moving expenses were terrible and doing everything without help was insane. Settled in now and planning to die here before going through that again.