10 Necessities for a Great Retirement Spot

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I intend to retire someplace colder than where I live, I hate summer! Everyone always assumes everyone wants hot weather all the time, not me!

Ed of PA 1:26AM March 23, 2012

SoCal is nice if you bought a house there many years ago and now you have it paid off. But for everyone else there are much cheaper places to live that will allow you a lot of extra money to travel and enjoy life. Remember the property taxes on a $400k house in Cal might be the same as an equal quality $200k house in Texas but your house payments will be double in Cal.

Lee of CA 1:47PM March 11, 2012

One problem with the next to last point (near family) is their mobility. We may want to be near family members but often they get job offers that cause them to move. We can't follow them around just to stay near them!

Anthony of MA 10:22AM February 27, 2012

I should also add that the weather is great. On a nice winter day I can spend an hour or so on the beach---just a few minutes away---and then drive 90 miles---2 hours-because of the freeway system---and be skiing or just playing in the snow. Then drive home again to a nice fairly warm winters nite. Being from Pa German stock--I am more then a little frugal and am gone whole winters without using the furnace---also in the past ten years have only used the home air conditioner no more then five times and then only because of guests.
Once again--one can live really well and comfortable near the beach at a minimal cost in Ca. Wait---Wait---What am I doing---If I am not careful and everyone checks it out you will all be moving to Ca. Please disregard this and the previous message and stay where you are.

Ernest Shaffer of CA 1:30PM February 24, 2012

People often complain about high housing costs and high living expenses in Ca. Actually Ca. is a great place to retire. I bought a home (now an investment property--albeit a poor one) in Pa. The first year my real estate taxes were $162. Last year the taxes were almost $4000. Can you imagine what that does to your retirement---taxes you right out of your home. I had made no improvements to the home other then normal maintenance and just how high the taxes will go is anybodies guess. The same tax increase applies pretty much to the whole eastern seaboard and most of the country.
On the other hand I bought a home costing 9 times more then the Pa house---in Ca. My taxes were 1000 dollars a year and because of prop 13 in 30 years those taxes will double. Based on the history of the Pa experience I would expect those taxes to be far beyond my present income in thirty years as the local politicians just build and spend and commit to more salaries and retirement pensions for themselves and the ever growing horde of political lackeys. I am staying in Ca. where I know how much my real estate taxes will be in 30 years---thank you

Ernest Shaffer of CA 1:06PM February 24, 2012

The best thing to add to your retirement planning is to have a home based business that requires as much time as you want extra income. Vemma is a wellness product that can give you financial freedom. This program can provide you with residual income as well. There are many people who have $40.000 monthly incomes. You can help people to use wellness products as well as make money. If you can turn on a computer you can do this program.

Henry D Huntington of VT 11:11AM February 24, 2012