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Stormy

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Pensant Grand Master

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There are parts of LA county that are not that expensive. If a comfortable year-round weather is what's important, there probably aren't too many places to consider in the US outside of California. Arizona and Florida have pleasant winters, but really oppressive summers. The Pacific Northwest in beautiful in the summer, but the winters are cold, rainy, and really depressing for most people. The northern plains have nice summers, but bone-crushing cold winters. The northeast seems to be unpleasant most of the year (except for some weeks in the Spring and Autumn). Again, if having a climate which is nice year-round is a priority, there are still places in California which are not really expensive, such as San Luis Obispo. It's not exactly a cultural mecca, so if you need opera or a major symphony within driving distance, it's not for you. But weather-wise, it's great and affordable.

If you're willing to live abroad, and have a healthy cardiopulmonary system, yes, Quito, Ecuador has mild weather year-round. You might not be running around too fast, though, since the elevation there is 2850 meters (9350 feet). You'll have to factor in health care costs, though, since Medicare doesn't provide coverage abroad.

SLO is still pretty pricey compared with most parts of the US, but I agree that the climate and town are fantastic.

 

I live on an island NW of Seattle much of the year, and I find the weather reasonably mild. I’ve gone hiking on Orcas in January in shorts. It rarely snows. The cost of living is relatively high, but nothing like California. The local food is of a high quality and people are long-lived. Unlike California, there’s no income tax or capital gains tax, and the sales tax is comparable. Also, as a long-time former Southern Californian, I actually love rainy, cool weather in the winter and the opportunity to wear outerwear and wool.

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...I actually love rainy, cool weather in the winter and the opportunity to wear outerwear and wool.

Several weeks ago, a friend and I went to a gay bar in Regina, Saskatchewan, and talked with a couple of old gay retirees. I asked them why they didn't retire in BC. Even by Canadian standards, the winters in Saskatchewan seem really brutal. They told me the rain was so depressing, they preferred the cold. I guess I've never wintered in either place, but BC seemed kind of nice. Never been there in the winter, though. Maybe the rain would drive my crazy. I guess different people have different tolerances.

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Pensant Grand Master

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No, not bad at all. Property taxes aren’t bad either. Still have to deal with high income, gas and DMV taxes though. If I moved back, I’d be sure to stay less than 6 months and retain my WA state residency.

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Walker1 Grand Master

Walker1

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It looks like one can get a decent place for under $300,000. Is that a lot of money?

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1713-Gathe-Dr-San-Luis-Obispo-CA-93405/147222446_zpid/

I am surprised-under 300k? Anything wrong with the house. That is anice house for the price in CA-I always thought CA was for the gazillioanres? I looked at San Luis Obispo-seems like an idyllic town. I would still need to work till I put the kids through college, but can find work most places.

 

Ventura county seems to be more or less ideal for me-if I can afford housing-I think the part I liked-except the prices- they call it the Conejo valley. It is way unaffordable to me-though I hear housing is slowing down. My kind of jobs are there and looks like a family place for kids-they are no longer at a stage where they need someone constantly running after them.

 

I trade a lot in stocks though-so I guess state taxes would be horrible-especially after the Trump tax cuts-as I can't deduct against federal past the 10k SALT deduction. Which for me the property tax and state income tax pretty much gets consumed and any gains I make are fully taxed at state levels.

 

I guess I am looking for more of a move rather than retirement-but the cold is getting to me. Every winter, my aches , sinuses , headaches seem to get a little bit worse. I go for a week or two to a hot place and they are gone! Humidity is a killer too and my sinuses and headaches come on again. Dry heat seems to rejuvenate me.

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bigjoey Grand Master

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It looks like one can get a decent place for under $300,000. Is that a lot of money?

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1713-Gathe-Dr-San-Luis-Obispo-CA-93405/147222446_zpid/

 

In Kansas, we call that type of home: “a double wide.” It is a mobile home with a bump out.

 

It is inexpensive because it is a mobile home and not a conventionally built house. They can be nice and livable. If you want a mobile home at that price,how about one in Laguna Beach with an ocean view. The beach is just across the street. Ruby’s is about 50 yards away with a 10% senior discount: :)

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/30802-Coast-Hwy-SPC-A7-Laguna-Beach-CA-92651/2100168842_

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bigjoey Grand Master

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When looking for a new place to retire, one should also try to consider the possibility that you may be retired for a long time. When you are in your 70s and 80s, your wants and needs will probably turn out to be somewhat different from what you wanted and needed in your 60s, and you don't want to be stuck in the wrong place if you no longer have the means or energy to move again. When my parents retired at 65, they relocated to the perfect place for them. But as a new widow at 75, my mother realized that it no longer met her needs, and she relocated to yet another completely new area, which was just right--at that time. At 89, that place no longer worked for her, and she had to make another major relocation. Before retiring anywhere, it's worthwhile to project what your life is going to be like if you live there ten or twenty years from now.

 

One solution to aging and requiring different physical living accommodations is a senior living complex that is a “continuum of care” facility. These communities have independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, hospice and “memory care”. They come in all price ranges and offer all of the services you need from transportation, housekeeping, meals, medical care, etc.

 

This lets you age in the same city where you have family or friends. This lets you age in familiar surroundings. In these communities, partners/spouses can be close but in different living levels. People actually move back and forth across the levels: a person in independent living breaks a hip, moves temporarily to skilled nursing, then assisted living with rehab and then finally back to independent living.

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bigjoey Grand Master

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A 300k mobile home-do they actually own the land? if land is owned fine, I know soemone ehre who bought one of thsoe manufactured homes and put it on their land-it withstands the winter pretty good.

 

Depends on the community. The one in Laguna Beach has a 20 year land lease.

 

That particular community has a club house and community pool. The free Laguna Trolley Bus stops right there for transportation. It is in a short walking distance to a shopping center with a drug store, grocery, restaurants, etc and many residents have little golf carts rather than cars to go to the center. Great weather all year long and fresh ocean breezes for clean air. For Orthodox Jews, that house is just steps away from a Chabad House! For gays, that mobile home community is just a short walk to West Beach, the gay beach with lots of eye candy.:). If the walk to the gay beach is too far, it is just the second Trolley stop away:)

Edited by bigjoey
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Charlie Grand Master

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One solution to aging and requiring different physical living accommodations is a senior living complex that is a “continuum of care” facility. These communities have independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, hospice and “memory care”. They come in all price ranges and offer all of the services you need from transportation, housekeeping, meals, medical care, etc.

 

This lets you age in the same city where you have family or friends. This lets you age in familiar surroundings. In these communities, partners/spouses can be close but in different living levels. People actually move back and forth across the levels: a person in independent living breaks a hip, moves temporarily to skilled nursing, then assisted living with rehab and then finally back to independent living.

My mother spent her final years (age 94-102) in such a community, starting in assisted living and ending in nursing care, and it was a good situation for her. My partner and I actually visited several continuing care communities a few years ago, because they seemed like an ideal solution to our situation (no children to take care of us, and no family in a position to take responsibility for us). The problem is that most are really designed for straight couples or singles. We spent two days in one that was very nice, and they designated a very likeable resident gay couple to shepherd us around. However, we got the impression that most of the residents were rather conservative upper middle class straight folks, and the gay couple admitted that among almost a thousand residents, they were the only male couple! We felt the administration were trying to recruit us as tokens so they could claim to state authorities that they were diversified. The ones here in the Coachella Valley were more relaxed about sexual diversity, but they were also out of our price range.

We did find one that we really liked in a university town, and we almost bought into it, but they didn't have a memory care facility, which is necessary for my spouse. One has to really investigate these communities carefully, because they don't always have all the services they claim in their brochures.

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Leyte2019 Grand Master

Leyte2019

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I went home a few years ago to consider moving back to be closer to extended relatives upon retiring. I discovered after 30 plus years living in DC that the slow pace, the suburban sprawl, the crappy economy, and mentality ruled out the option for me. I’d likely die of boredom. So it’s back to the drawing board and the search is ongoing.

 

It may be hugely expensive and excessively touristy , but what about Providence? **Said largely out of limited knowledge**

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cany10011 Grand Master

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For me, accessibility to my family and friends in Toronto would be important, so I would have to say Toronto as well as New York, where there are great restaurants and wonderful cultural events to keep me busy and stimulated. Not really interested in warm weather climates as I"m heat/humidity/sand averse. Most friends are still planning to stay in New York, another has bought place in San Diego (not enough to do there for me), and another has a place in Lake Como (too quiet for me).

Edited by cany10011
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Pensant Grand Master

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For overseas options, Slovenia and Croatia along the Adriatic in the Istria region are like Tuscany. I was also impressed with Bratislava, a charming city that’s the capital of Slovakia, but only an hour’s train ride from Vienna, which is consistently rated the world’s most livable city but twice as expensive.

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bigjoey Grand Master

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My mother spent her final years (age 94-102) in such a community, starting in assisted living and ending in nursing care, and it was a good situation for her. My partner and I actually visited several continuing care communities a few years ago, because they seemed like an ideal solution to our situation (no children to take care of us, and no family in a position to take responsibility for us). The problem is that most are really designed for straight couples or singles. We spent two days in one that was very nice, and they designated a very likeable resident gay couple to shepherd us around. However, we got the impression that most of the residents were rather conservative upper middle class straight folks, and the gay couple admitted that among almost a thousand residents, they were the only male couple! We felt the administration were trying to recruit us as tokens so they could claim to state authorities that they were diversified. The ones here in the Coachella Valley were more relaxed about sexual diversity, but they were also out of our price range.

We did find one that we really liked in a university town, and we almost bought into it, but they didn't have a memory care facility, which is necessary for my spouse. One has to really investigate these communities carefully, because they don't always have all the services they claim in their brochures.

 

There have been a few attempts to create a gay senior continuum of care campus. To my personal knowledge, none have worked out. Because of my involvement in the one in Kansas City, I was recruited to help with one in San Francisco about 20 years ago but nothing ever came if it.

 

A Google search finds a place or two but little other information.

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Rudynate Grand Master

Rudynate

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For me, accessibility to my family and friends in Toronto would be important, so I would have to say Toronto as well as New York, where there are great restaurants and wonderful cultural events to keep me busy and stimulated. Not really interested in warm weather climates as I"m heat/humidity/sand averse. Most friends are still planning to stay in New York, another has bought place in San Diego (not enough to do there for me), and another has a place in Lake Como (too quiet for me).

 

 

Toronto is one of my favorite cities. I've been visiting there since I was in high school and just keep going back.

Just about my favorite gay bar of all time was in Toronto, the St. Charles Bar.

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Charlie Grand Master

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There have been a few attempts to create a gay senior continuum of care campus. To my personal knowledge, none have worked out. Because of my involvement in the one in Kansas City, I was recruited to help with one in San Francisco about 20 years ago but nothing ever came if it.

 

A Google search finds a place or two but little other information.

There is a very nice one called Forestgrove in Santa Rosa, but it is for fairly affluent gay professionals (the kind of people who expect there to be a full-time pet-sitter on staff). A friend of ours purchased an apartment there about five years ago, but unfortunately he died right after he moved in, so I never got a report on his reaction to living there. It is in the same neighborhood as the big wildfire in Santa Rosa, so I don't know how much it was affected by the destruction there.

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LivingnLA Veteran

LivingnLA

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I greatly appreciate this discussion. We've been talking about where we might want to retire. It's still a long ways away, but it's good to buy real estate early and let it work for you until you need it. We've visited a few different places and so far our beloved California remains in the lead. We've built great lives here over the years and all our family and friends are here so chances are we will retire here too. We might have a place or two elsewhere for visits or vacations with the kids, but California is probably our forever home.

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Rudynate Grand Master

Rudynate

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There is a very nice one called Forestgrove in Santa Rosa, but it is for fairly affluent gay professionals (the kind of people who expect there to be a full-time pet-sitter on staff). A friend of ours purchased an apartment there about five years ago, but unfortunately he died right after he moved in, so I never got a report on his reaction to living there. It is in the same neighborhood as the big wildfire in Santa Rosa, so I don't know how much it was affected by the destruction there.

 

 

I think it is Fountain Grove. There was a hotel of the same name close by that burned to the ground.

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Rudynate Grand Master

Rudynate

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Seems like an apartment community with limited services. No assisted living, skilled nursing

 

 

Aka "independent living community"

 

The thing I've noticed about elder housing is that, no matter how nice it is, none of the residents want to be there. My husband and his sibs found a beautiful place for their mom-it was like a luxury hotel. They literally had to sell the family farm in order to finance it. Yet she never stopped saying that she just wanted to go home.

 

We found an excellent place for my mom, affiliated with Emory University. She managed to tolerate it by spending her time plotting her escape.

Edited by Rudynate
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