Help me find a retirement location

[cstreit]

Okay all, you're always helpful lending perspective on things. I'm definitely getting out of Illinois when I retire. ...but to where? Here are things that are important...

1. Good amount of easily accessible public land. Not just hiking but dirt-bike accessible.
2. Low mosquito population
3. Trees and terrain. Pine trees and mountains are a real plus.
4. Ideally not too costly to live on some water. (Lake or clean river)
5. Land. 10+ acres
6. Less than 30 minutes from decent restaurants and good healthcare - but I don't want to see my neighbors if I don't want to .
7. Weather better than Illinois. Some cold okay... ...but not 6 months of it.
8. Doesn't break the bank.

Colorado has much of this - except I'm afraid the California C-exit to Colorado may be making the financial picture unobtainable soon.

[996AE]

eastern oregon, ut or id.

[Nader]

Prescott, AZ. Trust me.

[996AE]

my parents retired in Prescott. Not cheap, but truly a great place.

One of the requirements was cost so I discounted Prescott. it will break the bank.

[cstreit]

We love Oregon, it not sure if meets the “better weather” requirement does it? That’s a big one.

[Norm K]

Definitely somewhere in the West, the land of BLM.

_

[BeyGon]

Originally Posted by Nader

Prescott, AZ. Trust me.

only snows a little, you are used to it, big trees and low 90s in the summer. a couple small lakes so you will have to drive for lakes or rivers.
or Payson, a little more hillbilly

[Gogar]

Spokane
Bozeman

[BeyGon]

taxes, DMV, gas are good in AZ

[jyl]

Originally Posted by cstreit

We love Oregon, it not sure if meets the “better weather” requirement does it? That’s a big one.

The Eastern part of WA has pretty good weather. Not California good but not Portland/Seattle or west of the Cascades bad.

I'm not sure about medical care though. Everyone I know who lives in Eastern WA goes to Seattle for major procedures. But that's Yakima, maybe it's better in Spokane etc.

[cstreit]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Spokane
Bozeman

I got the full on sales pitch for Bozeman a few months ago from a former co-worker.

Weather though? Decent metro area?

[Evans, Marv]

Your list looks like mostly the place I live. Problem is it's SoCal and there are very limited places left to build or buy. I considered Prescott because of the way the place looked in the early '70s. I came back through in the '90s & there were housing tracts everywhere.

[cstreit]

Originally Posted by jyl

The Eastern part of WA has pretty good weather. Not California good but not Portland/Seattle or west of the Cascades bad.
.

Pretty far North though.... I'm surprised. Going to do my homework on PNW....

[rwest]

You might want to add the availability of water- I think that is going to continue to be a major problem in some areas and be something that you don’t want to worry about in your old age.

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by cstreit

1. Good amount of easily accessible public land. Not just hiking but dirt-bike accessible.
2. Low mosquito population
3. Trees and terrain. Pine trees and mountains are a real plus.
4. Ideally not too costly to live on some water. (Lake or clean river)
5. Land. 10+ acres
6. Less than 30 minutes from decent restaurants and good healthcare - but I don't want to see my neighbors if I don't want to .
7. Weather better than Illinois. Some cold okay... ...but not 6 months of it.
8. Doesn't break the bank.

Queensland Australia has all of this plus near perfect year round weather. (Except "Low mosquito population")

And lots of Yanks have retired there!

[WPOZZZ]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Queensland Australia has all of this plus near perfect year round weather. (Except "Low mosquito population")

And lots of Yanks have retired there!

Hmmmm. That's a thought!

[LWJ]

Here is a funny one. My wife was checking on places to travel this week. Albania came up.

Do you have any idea how low the cost of living is there? Average wage is $350 per month. Beautiful as well. Not sure about getting kidnapped or executed however.

Yakima is a really cool place. Only two knocks are it is hot in Summer - no humidity. And it is very agricultural. Not a lot of high brow cultural things there if you are used to that. Agree with JYL, Eastern Washington is pretty great.

[WPOZZZ]

Watch out for Marko from Tropoje.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by 996AE

eastern oregon, ut or id.

I fell in love with Eastern Oregon. All of it and there is a lot of it.

Go explore.

[BK911]

I asked myself the same question about 10 years ago.
Wanted to buy some land somewhere and build my retirement cabin.
Researched all over the country, but decided on East TN.
Then during a research trip up here, decided not to wait for retirement, wanted to move ASAP.
So went back to FL, quit my job, and headed up 75N.


-No state taxes
-mountains
-tempered ~southern climate
-cheap real estate
-surrounded by state and national parks
-lots of lakes - Norris lake is one of the cleanest in the US.
-several 1000+ acre ORV areas (Royal Blue, big south fork, sunquiet sp?) Basically all the mountains east of 27 to Middlesboro, KY.
-Some of the best driving roads in the country - Tail of the Dragon, Blue ridge parkway, Cherohala sp?
-red state.




Or just south of Knoxville in Maryville:

Great Smokey National Park. Emphasis on GREAT!!