Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
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Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
I hope another retirement location thread can be tolerated, because DW and I retired earlier this year at 61 and 64 and are now looking at where to relocate. We don't want to spend the rest of our lives in San Jose, CA which we find too urban - trash, homelessness, crime, noise, etc. We are not motivated by wanting to be near children or other relatives and our preference is for a waterfront community, town or small city. Near the ocean is nice, but we would also consider lakes, rivers, etc. We would not want to be directly on the ocean because of storm surge issues and high insurance rates, and I don't think our budget will allow for direct oceanfront anyway. Speaking of budget, it is only what we can afford to pay in cash, which is $1.25M or maybe stretch to $1.5M. Prefer single family to condo, and maybe 3bed/2ba, maybe 2000 to 2500 sf or so. Over 55 communities also considered.
Absolute ideal would be a 5 to 10 min walk to the ocean and also 5 to 10 min walk to town or small city center that has some charm. Places we have been to and like are Chatham, MA, Scituate, MA, Little Compton, RI (maybe too small/rural), Annapolis MD, Avila Beach, CA, Santa Barbara, CA (not really affordable, but we like it ).
We are looking for any recommendations for places that might fit these criteria and that we can check out for ourselves. I've seen a lot of thoughtful observations on this forum regarding retirement location finding, and look forward to any guidance the group can provide. All input gratefully accepted!
2marshmallow
Absolute ideal would be a 5 to 10 min walk to the ocean and also 5 to 10 min walk to town or small city center that has some charm. Places we have been to and like are Chatham, MA, Scituate, MA, Little Compton, RI (maybe too small/rural), Annapolis MD, Avila Beach, CA, Santa Barbara, CA (not really affordable, but we like it ).
We are looking for any recommendations for places that might fit these criteria and that we can check out for ourselves. I've seen a lot of thoughtful observations on this forum regarding retirement location finding, and look forward to any guidance the group can provide. All input gratefully accepted!
2marshmallow
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
Frisco, CO on Dillon Reservoir. Not ocean. Not warm. But walk to stores.
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
Woods Hole, MA. Nice community.
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
Annapolis is incredibly congested. I would look at Havre de Grace in MD. Close enough to civilization. Access to major university medical systems. A lot of green space nearby.
Stay hydrated; don't sweat the small stuff
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
I'm in Little Compton in the summer, but very little going on here in the winter.
In Rhode Island, you could take a look at Wickford or Wakefield or Pawtuxet, among others
In Rhode Island, you could take a look at Wickford or Wakefield or Pawtuxet, among others
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
If you like Annapolis, take a look at the Eastern shore of Maryland.
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
Here're a few gems from WA state. I think it's not a bad state to retire tax-wise as well but someone will correct me if I'm wrong. Cost of living can be high, but it's more moderate out in these locations.
Port Townsend
Gig Harbor
Langley
Honorable mention for Chelan/Manson, not ocean though (lake towns). Both cute towns, though the former gets very overcrowded in the summer. The latter is smaller but more up and coming. On Lake Chelan, which is gorgeous, surrounded by mountains and wineries. My GF has a vacation home there and I'd retire there, for sure.
Port Townsend
Gig Harbor
Langley
Honorable mention for Chelan/Manson, not ocean though (lake towns). Both cute towns, though the former gets very overcrowded in the summer. The latter is smaller but more up and coming. On Lake Chelan, which is gorgeous, surrounded by mountains and wineries. My GF has a vacation home there and I'd retire there, for sure.
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
“Those who move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out.” -Retired 13 years 😀
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
I’ll put a plug in for the home team- Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
It will take more than what you’ve budgeted for to buy a small home w/in a 5 minute walk of the ocean, but I’ve been to countless beach towns all over the country and there are only a handful that fall into the same category of charm Rehoboth has IMHO. Just to the north, Lewes, is very hot these days too. I’m pretty sure it made the Coastal Living list of best costal towns that came out recently, and for good reason. It’s top notch.
It will take more than what you’ve budgeted for to buy a small home w/in a 5 minute walk of the ocean, but I’ve been to countless beach towns all over the country and there are only a handful that fall into the same category of charm Rehoboth has IMHO. Just to the north, Lewes, is very hot these days too. I’m pretty sure it made the Coastal Living list of best costal towns that came out recently, and for good reason. It’s top notch.
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
With your budget, you can get a really nice place in lots of coastal cites on both the east and west coast of Florida, a no-income tax state. There's also no inheritance or estate tax in Florida. And, since it's basically a LCOL state, your money will go so much further than it does in CA.
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
Yes, lots of gorgeous waterfront in Western Washington, if you can stand the lack of daylight in the winter. We’ve considered a summer home up there more than once, but couldn’t possibly survive the winters. We need some sun.loggerboots wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:02 pm Here're a few gems from WA state. I think it's not a bad state to retire tax-wise as well but someone will correct me if I'm wrong. Cost of living can be high, but it's more moderate out in these locations.
Port Townsend
Gig Harbor
Langley
Honorable mention for Chelan/Manson, not ocean though (lake towns). Both cute towns, though the former gets very overcrowded in the summer. The latter is smaller but more up and coming. On Lake Chelan, which is gorgeous, surrounded by mountains and wineries. My GF has a vacation home there and I'd retire there, for sure.
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
San Juan Islands, WA. No income tax state.2marshmallow wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 3:20 pm I hope another retirement location thread can be tolerated, because DW and I retired earlier this year at 61 and 64 and are now looking at where to relocate. We don't want to spend the rest of our lives in San Jose, CA which we find too urban - trash, homelessness, crime, noise, etc. We are not motivated by wanting to be near children or other relatives and our preference is for a waterfront community, town or small city. Near the ocean is nice, but we would also consider lakes, rivers, etc. We would not want to be directly on the ocean because of storm surge issues and high insurance rates, and I don't think our budget will allow for direct oceanfront anyway. Speaking of budget, it is only what we can afford to pay in cash, which is $1.25M or maybe stretch to $1.5M. Prefer single family to condo, and maybe 3bed/2ba, maybe 2000 to 2500 sf or so. Over 55 communities also considered.
Absolute ideal would be a 5 to 10 min walk to the ocean and also 5 to 10 min walk to town or small city center that has some charm. Places we have been to and like are Chatham, MA, Scituate, MA, Little Compton, RI (maybe too small/rural), Annapolis MD, Avila Beach, CA, Santa Barbara, CA (not really affordable, but we like it ).
We are looking for any recommendations for places that might fit these criteria and that we can check out for ourselves. I've seen a lot of thoughtful observations on this forum regarding retirement location finding, and look forward to any guidance the group can provide. All input gratefully accepted!
2marshmallow
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
It would be good to add "access to good healthcare" to your list of criteria.
I know someone who build a retirement home on the Oregon Coast. They had some general practice doctors and a very basic community hospital in a nearby small town but there were no specialists or advanced emergency care.
When one of them needed something like routine outpatient shoulder surgery that involved something like a half dozen trips to a medium size city that was about two hours away, one way. They also had to stay in hotels several nights.
They were fine through the shoulder surgery but they realized that would not work well as they got older. The first few years they lived there had unusually long and bleak Oregon winters.
They ended up selling that house and moving to Arizona.
Also be sure to check out how far you are from a good emergency room. If you are 30 minutes away then it could take an hour for an ambulance to come out and get you then drive you back.
Another thing you may want to add to your list is to have a limited number of tourists. Owning a beach house that is surrounded by vacation rentals may not be a lot of fun.
Hilton Head SC up the coast to Myrtle Beach also have a LOT of homes. You can pretty much just drive up the coast from Florida to Virginia to explored the area to see what you like.
There are also lots of lake communities throughout the mid-west and southeast.
I know someone who build a retirement home on the Oregon Coast. They had some general practice doctors and a very basic community hospital in a nearby small town but there were no specialists or advanced emergency care.
When one of them needed something like routine outpatient shoulder surgery that involved something like a half dozen trips to a medium size city that was about two hours away, one way. They also had to stay in hotels several nights.
They were fine through the shoulder surgery but they realized that would not work well as they got older. The first few years they lived there had unusually long and bleak Oregon winters.
They ended up selling that house and moving to Arizona.
Also be sure to check out how far you are from a good emergency room. If you are 30 minutes away then it could take an hour for an ambulance to come out and get you then drive you back.
Another thing you may want to add to your list is to have a limited number of tourists. Owning a beach house that is surrounded by vacation rentals may not be a lot of fun.
You might take a look at Saint Simons Island in Georgia. Summers would be hot and there would be hurricane risk. Georgia has a retirement income exclusion of $65K($130K for a couple) that you do not pay state taxes on, and you also do not pay taxes on Social Security in Georgia.
Hilton Head SC up the coast to Myrtle Beach also have a LOT of homes. You can pretty much just drive up the coast from Florida to Virginia to explored the area to see what you like.
There are also lots of lake communities throughout the mid-west and southeast.
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
Agree; also access to transportation hub (esp. airport). That can cut out a lot. I live on Delmarva so a visit to many medical providers and any decent hospital is a trip across the Bay Bridge. On a good day, 1-1.5 hours. Catch it at the wrong time, 4-5 hours.
Stay hydrated; don't sweat the small stuff
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
Next time we're in MA we will check it out. I'm from MA so we go there now and then.
2marshmallow
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
Lot's of good information and suggestions. Some are already on our radar and some new places to consider. Suggestions of health care and airports are also important items I left off the list of wants and needs.
2marshmallow
2marshmallow
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
DH and I are also looking for a waterfront (preferably oceanfront) retirement home, near good healthcare and large airport. Kids are in NY and CA. I've been wondering about the island communities near Jacksonville, FL.
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
Cleveland!
Old fart who does three index stock funds, baby.
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
+1. My mom lives in Venice and we recently visited her and did a minor tour of the central part of the state. Venice was really nice, tbh, and my mom's happy there. However, our favorite destination was St. Pete. Didn't expect to like it (we were only there to see a concert, which was summarily cancelled and moved to Brooksville, lol. Turned out to be an upgrade, long story and OT).Mel Lindauer wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:30 pm With your budget, you can get a really nice place in lots of coastal cites on both the east and west coast of Florida, a no-income tax state. There's also no inheritance or estate tax in Florida. And, since it's basically a LCOL state, your money will go so much further than it does in CA.
Anyway, St. Pete was awesome. What a beautiful city. I can't think of any reason not to relocate there other than a 'is this to good to be true' fud. Maybe it was because we were escaping the gloom of the eastside Seattle winter (during Covid, mind you) but we really loved it there.
Not exactly recommending it to OP as we only scratched the service, but from what I saw, if proximity to water, having a wonderful, walkable town/city core with a ton of really nice dining, entertainment, art, history, etc. might be worth looking into. We intend to go back again for a second look. We loved it.
St. Augustine was beautiful as well but the incessant touristy vibe got old real quick. Beautiful city a bit ruined by rampant tourism, at least for me.
Last edited by northfork on Mon Jul 26, 2021 7:15 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
+1 and I agree. The Chelan area isn't as gloomy (hence why I'd personally consider there). It is, however, pretty windy!quantAndHold wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:34 pmYes, lots of gorgeous waterfront in Western Washington, if you can stand the lack of daylight in the winter. We’ve considered a summer home up there more than once, but couldn’t possibly survive the winters. We need some sun.loggerboots wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:02 pm Here're a few gems from WA state. I think it's not a bad state to retire tax-wise as well but someone will correct me if I'm wrong. Cost of living can be high, but it's more moderate out in these locations.
Port Townsend
Gig Harbor
Langley
Honorable mention for Chelan/Manson, not ocean though (lake towns). Both cute towns, though the former gets very overcrowded in the summer. The latter is smaller but more up and coming. On Lake Chelan, which is gorgeous, surrounded by mountains and wineries. My GF has a vacation home there and I'd retire there, for sure.
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
Cape Charles, VA. Underrated and checks a lot of your boxes.
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
The entire Chesapeake Bay region is facing the reality of rising seawater. From Baltimore and Annapolis to Norfolk, cities are dealing with increased flooding and are moving infrastructure. On the Eastern Shore its even worse. Thus, it would be prudent to look at projections of access and the impact on property values. The other issue is drinking water. In VA as far inland as Charles City County salt water incursion into well water is now happening. Virginia requires localities to periodically do an assessment of flood risk.
https://cmap2.vims.edu/VAroads/
Some islands are already gone. As a teen I'd go out on the Bay with a buddy or two and one isolated island we called Ouachita after the make of the canoe we would use - a stupid thing to do looking back, going out on the Bay in a canoe - now just has a few dead Bald Cypress there, the rising water killed even them.
https://cmap2.vims.edu/VAroads/
Some islands are already gone. As a teen I'd go out on the Bay with a buddy or two and one isolated island we called Ouachita after the make of the canoe we would use - a stupid thing to do looking back, going out on the Bay in a canoe - now just has a few dead Bald Cypress there, the rising water killed even them.
"History is the memory of time, the life of the dead and the happiness of the living." Captain John Smith 1580-1631
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
Hilo, Hawaii
As mentioned previously, from the continental west coast, fly direct to Kona airport, rent your car, then drive to Hilo for lower cost accommodations. That is less expensive than changing planes for the short hop from Honolulu to Hilo. IDK, if the few direct flights to Hilo from the mainland are still available.
Do rent for a year before buying, to see if the year-round, warm-moist climate suits you. The breakwater structure makes Hilo bay very friendly to recreational users, except for the giant cruise ship traffic. The locals avoid shopping when the town is swarming with those passengers. The schedule of those cruise ship visitor days, is published and is available as a handout at some stores.
There is tsunami risk, lessened by the breakwater, and the escape routes to higher ground are regular streets that are permanently marked with small signs so you could be familiar with your route before the sirens sound off. Expect one way traffic on those streets during the siren period. Look up the Cafe 100 for some tsunami history in Hilo.
MLS real estate listings are at AlohaLiving.com., for after that first year of renting.
As mentioned previously, from the continental west coast, fly direct to Kona airport, rent your car, then drive to Hilo for lower cost accommodations. That is less expensive than changing planes for the short hop from Honolulu to Hilo. IDK, if the few direct flights to Hilo from the mainland are still available.
Do rent for a year before buying, to see if the year-round, warm-moist climate suits you. The breakwater structure makes Hilo bay very friendly to recreational users, except for the giant cruise ship traffic. The locals avoid shopping when the town is swarming with those passengers. The schedule of those cruise ship visitor days, is published and is available as a handout at some stores.
There is tsunami risk, lessened by the breakwater, and the escape routes to higher ground are regular streets that are permanently marked with small signs so you could be familiar with your route before the sirens sound off. Expect one way traffic on those streets during the siren period. Look up the Cafe 100 for some tsunami history in Hilo.
MLS real estate listings are at AlohaLiving.com., for after that first year of renting.
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
And unfortunately starting to trend pretty smokey in the summers.loggerboots wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 7:06 pm+1 and I agree. The Chelan area isn't as gloomy (hence why I'd personally consider there). It is, however, pretty windy!quantAndHold wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:34 pmYes, lots of gorgeous waterfront in Western Washington, if you can stand the lack of daylight in the winter. We’ve considered a summer home up there more than once, but couldn’t possibly survive the winters. We need some sun.loggerboots wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:02 pm Here're a few gems from WA state. I think it's not a bad state to retire tax-wise as well but someone will correct me if I'm wrong. Cost of living can be high, but it's more moderate out in these locations.
Port Townsend
Gig Harbor
Langley
Honorable mention for Chelan/Manson, not ocean though (lake towns). Both cute towns, though the former gets very overcrowded in the summer. The latter is smaller but more up and coming. On Lake Chelan, which is gorgeous, surrounded by mountains and wineries. My GF has a vacation home there and I'd retire there, for sure.
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
Homer or Seward AK
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
Beautiful place, but you need to really like rain.heyyou wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 11:25 pm Hilo, Hawaii
As mentioned previously, from the continental west coast, fly direct to Kona airport, rent your car, then drive to Hilo for lower cost accommodations. That is less expensive than changing planes for the short hop from Honolulu to Hilo. IDK, if the few direct flights to Hilo from the mainland are still available.
Do rent for a year before buying, to see if the year-round, warm-moist climate suits you. The breakwater structure makes Hilo bay very friendly to recreational users, except for the giant cruise ship traffic. The locals avoid shopping when the town is swarming with those passengers. The schedule of those cruise ship visitor days, is published and is available as a handout at some stores.
There is tsunami risk, lessened by the breakwater, and the escape routes to higher ground are regular streets that are permanently marked with small signs so you could be familiar with your route before the sirens sound off. Expect one way traffic on those streets during the siren period. Look up the Cafe 100 for some tsunami history in Hilo.
MLS real estate listings are at AlohaLiving.com., for after that first year of renting.
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
I am surprised that you are considering places in New England like MA and RI after living in CA. Have you ever experienced what winter is like in that region?
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
A relative just bought a single story SFH in a Del Webb community in Bluffton SC for about 1/3 of what your budget is. 3 bed 2 bath, 2,400 sq feet, totally remodeled, 7 years old. The community has 6 swimming pools, tennis, pickleball, and golf. Shopping and restaurants are good, as is health care. Hilton Head is another possibility close by, which is still within your budget, in walking distance to the ocean, and of course home to world class golf.
It is an affluent area so services are readily available, even now. Storms can be epic at times.
Savannah GA is about 20 miles south for great shopping and restaurants, and Charleston SC is about two hours north. Atlanta international airport is about 4 hours west.
It is an affluent area so services are readily available, even now. Storms can be epic at times.
Savannah GA is about 20 miles south for great shopping and restaurants, and Charleston SC is about two hours north. Atlanta international airport is about 4 hours west.
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
OP is from MA, so presumably yes. FWIW, we were considering building a retirement home in NH or VT, but a thread on BH brought up the issue of healthcare, so we decided to stay near Boston, in a rural town, but with easy access to world-class medical care and Logan. Not water front, so not suitable for OP, but wonderful for us.SchruteB&B wrote: ↑Tue Jul 27, 2021 5:01 am I am surprised that you are considering places in New England like MA and RI after living in CA. Have you ever experienced what winter is like in that region?
Once travel opens up, we will resume taking a week in the winter to go someplace sunny and warm; the winters are actually nice if you have the right attitude, but they are long and benefit from being broken up.
I get the FI part but not the RE part of FIRE.
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Waterfront options - other considerations?
Also interested in responses to this - less "where to retire" than maybe a second home.
Criteria - within 3 hours of the Baltimore/DC area.
Specifics - waterfront (river, lake, coast (?))
Other - not focusing on power boating etc., but more kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding
Other part II - good cycling (road, gravel) would be ideal
We have looked in the Annapolis area - not terribly affordable, somewhat densely populated, but some of the rivers and creeks that flow into the Chesapeake are lovely, and the vibe is a bit more rural the further south you go.
We have also begun to look at some lake towns in western MD and central PA - higher elevation, low humidity, but maybe a bit more difficult to get to in the winter months. Have visited Indian Lake in PA and are considering visiting Deep Creek Lake in MD. Would love any perspectives from folks on the board on both. Not sure if there are any o
We have circled the Lewes area in DE as a potential spot to visit and scout around - looks like nice river access and the town of Lewes itself are draws. Would appreciate any feedback or first hand knowledge of the area.
We have little/no knowledge of the Eastern Shore of MD and coastal VA. Nor do we know much about the inland areas west of Middleburg VA heading into WV, where there are apparently places with decent kayaking/canoeing etc.
We have not focused on this as "where to retire" choice yet - but given that we are in the mid-Atlantic for the foreseeable future and work takes us up and down the Amtrak corridor for at least the next 5-10 years, our focus has been in this area. Of course, in the back of our heads is the issue of adverse impact of rising coastlines - maybe mitigated by riverfront vs. coastal?
Thanks in advance for any insight...
m_b
Criteria - within 3 hours of the Baltimore/DC area.
Specifics - waterfront (river, lake, coast (?))
Other - not focusing on power boating etc., but more kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding
Other part II - good cycling (road, gravel) would be ideal
We have looked in the Annapolis area - not terribly affordable, somewhat densely populated, but some of the rivers and creeks that flow into the Chesapeake are lovely, and the vibe is a bit more rural the further south you go.
We have also begun to look at some lake towns in western MD and central PA - higher elevation, low humidity, but maybe a bit more difficult to get to in the winter months. Have visited Indian Lake in PA and are considering visiting Deep Creek Lake in MD. Would love any perspectives from folks on the board on both. Not sure if there are any o
We have circled the Lewes area in DE as a potential spot to visit and scout around - looks like nice river access and the town of Lewes itself are draws. Would appreciate any feedback or first hand knowledge of the area.
We have little/no knowledge of the Eastern Shore of MD and coastal VA. Nor do we know much about the inland areas west of Middleburg VA heading into WV, where there are apparently places with decent kayaking/canoeing etc.
We have not focused on this as "where to retire" choice yet - but given that we are in the mid-Atlantic for the foreseeable future and work takes us up and down the Amtrak corridor for at least the next 5-10 years, our focus has been in this area. Of course, in the back of our heads is the issue of adverse impact of rising coastlines - maybe mitigated by riverfront vs. coastal?
Thanks in advance for any insight...
m_b
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
SchruteB&B wrote: ↑Tue Jul 27, 2021 5:01 am I am surprised that you are considering places in New England like MA and RI after living in CA. Have you ever experienced what winter is like in that region?
I lived the first half of my life in MA.
2marshmallow
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
Since you live in San Jose, I assume you are familiar with the coastal towns within easy driving range, such as:
Pescadero
Half Moon Bay
Capitola
Somewhat further afield, you might take a look at Mendocino (to the north) and the Big Sur area (to the south). While I adore those parts of the CA coast, there can be issues with access (e.g. to healthcare), and for that reason I'm not sure I'd be willing to spend my later retirement years in either of those locations.
Further south, Carlsbad (in San Diego County) is a sweet little beach town. My parents retired to an over-55 community in nearby Oceanside a few years ago, and they LOVE where they live. Their particular community is not walkable in the way you are hoping, but there are a number of over-55 neighborhoods around that area, some of which are closer to the little downtowns and the ocean.
I grew up in a mountain lake town called Lake Arrowhead. It's in the San Gabriel Mountains in SoCal. Big Bear is another nearby lake town (on a different lake) a bit further up the mountain.
Have fun exploring!
Pescadero
Half Moon Bay
Capitola
Somewhat further afield, you might take a look at Mendocino (to the north) and the Big Sur area (to the south). While I adore those parts of the CA coast, there can be issues with access (e.g. to healthcare), and for that reason I'm not sure I'd be willing to spend my later retirement years in either of those locations.
Further south, Carlsbad (in San Diego County) is a sweet little beach town. My parents retired to an over-55 community in nearby Oceanside a few years ago, and they LOVE where they live. Their particular community is not walkable in the way you are hoping, but there are a number of over-55 neighborhoods around that area, some of which are closer to the little downtowns and the ocean.
I grew up in a mountain lake town called Lake Arrowhead. It's in the San Gabriel Mountains in SoCal. Big Bear is another nearby lake town (on a different lake) a bit further up the mountain.
Have fun exploring!
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? |
~Mary Oliver
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
One of my friends who likes to sail used to stay in Oriental, NC. It's on the Neuse River, which opens to the Pamlico Sound. It's a long way across the sound just to get to the Outer Banks and the Atlantic. Biggest nearby "city" would be New Bern.
There's also Beaufort, NC. It shows up on those lists of charming little towns.
There's also Beaufort, NC. It shows up on those lists of charming little towns.
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
I lived in Annapolis and absolutely loved it. Great small town feel but also just a few minutes to BWI airport and close to DC for any culture you want. It has a strong boating culture.
Ponte Vedra Beach/ Amelia Island/ St Simons Island is another area I would look. All three close to Jacksonville and the Mayo Clinic which is world class health care. Each would be a different pace and distance from the city with Ponte Vedra being the closest and my preference of the 3 but if you want to get further away the other two are great.
Sarasota is another great waterfront area, some of the best beaches in the world close by but also a nice little downtown hub. Tampa International Airport is close enough for traveling.
Lake Oconee is another option, great golfing and boating community in Georgia. Much smaller than the others mentioned above but close enough to Atlanta.
Good luck!
Ponte Vedra Beach/ Amelia Island/ St Simons Island is another area I would look. All three close to Jacksonville and the Mayo Clinic which is world class health care. Each would be a different pace and distance from the city with Ponte Vedra being the closest and my preference of the 3 but if you want to get further away the other two are great.
Sarasota is another great waterfront area, some of the best beaches in the world close by but also a nice little downtown hub. Tampa International Airport is close enough for traveling.
Lake Oconee is another option, great golfing and boating community in Georgia. Much smaller than the others mentioned above but close enough to Atlanta.
Good luck!
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
One thing to consider about being on the water in MA is the winter. I have a relative who lived in MA most his life and built his dream retirement home there on the water. He said the summer was absolutely incredible but the winters were brutal with the extra wind, cold, snow drifts, etc.2marshmallow wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 3:20 pm
Places we have been to and like are Chatham, MA, Scituate, MA, Little Compton, RI (maybe too small/rural), Annapolis MD, Avila Beach, CA, Santa Barbara, CA (not really affordable, but we like it ).
I was just in Little Compton and it's a great area but is extremely small. I've lived in Santa Barbara and absolutely love it but as you said is so expensive. My vote out of the places you mentioned would probably be Avila Beach but take trips to Santa Barbara. Or maybe try some of the less expensive Southeast towns mentioned upthread and spend summers in CA?
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
If MA is on the table, I'd also suggest this neighborhood in North Falmouth or new silver beach - has a private beach, tennis court. Drive to town center.2marshmallow wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 5:27 pmNext time we're in MA we will check it out. I'm from MA so we go there now and then.
2marshmallow
https://www.redfin.com/city/24303/MA/No ... :-70.64165
1.5-2 hour drive to Boston for medical care or airport (worse in the summer). Providence airport is actually closer, but less routes.
I also love York, ME for its wide beaches and less traffic. similar drive times. I wouldn't do either unless I was a snow bird though. You couldn't pay me enough to deal with snow ever again.
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
That doesn't sound like "far" in terms of time but I can attest that it adds up over time. Consider also what it means for an aging spouse who might have to do all the driving both ways.
That's our range to a hospital in Baltimore on a good day. Annapolis is a bit closer but despite being a good hospital it is not in the same league as UMB or Hopkins. I have two friends who barely made it in time for acute cardiac care. One surgeon said that if he weren't in such good physical shape to begin with he would have never made it to the table.
Stay hydrated; don't sweat the small stuff
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
WattyWatty wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:39 pm It would be good to add "access to good healthcare" to your list of criteria.
I know someone who build a retirement home on the Oregon Coast. They had some general practice doctors and a very basic community hospital in a nearby small town but there were no specialists or advanced emergency care.
When one of them needed something like routine outpatient shoulder surgery that involved something like a half dozen trips to a medium size city that was about two hours away, one way. They also had to stay in hotels several nights.
They were fine through the shoulder surgery but they realized that would not work well as they got older. The first few years they lived there had unusually long and bleak Oregon winters.
They ended up selling that house and moving to Arizona.
Also be sure to check out how far you are from a good emergency room. If you are 30 minutes away then it could take an hour for an ambulance to come out and get you then drive you back.
Another thing you may want to add to your list is to have a limited number of tourists. Owning a beach house that is surrounded by vacation rentals may not be a lot of fun.
You might take a look at Saint Simons Island in Georgia. Summers would be hot and there would be hurricane risk. Georgia has a retirement income exclusion of $65K($130K for a couple) that you do not pay state taxes on, and you also do not pay taxes on Social Security in Georgia.
Hilton Head SC up the coast to Myrtle Beach also have a LOT of homes. You can pretty much just drive up the coast from Florida to Virginia to explored the area to see what you like.
There are also lots of lake communities throughout the mid-west and southeast.
sounds like either Florence or Bandon... both nice (although I'm more partial to Florence...slightly bigger and easier to get to Eugene)
and Livesoft...Frisco is on a bit of a growth spurt (and had some construction on the road to Breckinridge last I was there) ... trying to get to be Breckinridge North, as it were, so costs have been rising. (sibling has a second house in area, so yeah I've been there). Problem is the snow in the winter... hmmm, so that's why there's so many ski resorts there ... and health care availability is much lower. (Summit county was one of the first and hardest hit areas of the state.)
For the west coast, was going to echo Fort Townsend WA or Sequim WA but they also would have medical access limitations...and being as far north as they are, more likely to be affected by SAD ( Both would be much cheaper than Seattle metro, and are in a rain shadow so not as affected by fronts.)
For the east coast, I'd be more partial to a place like St Augustine (on the Atlantic side) or Fort Myers /Punta Gorda (on the Gulf side) unless one can afford Captiva, Anna Maria, or the like.
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
You could consider North Coast in California, like Fort Bragg. Affordable, not busy, pretty quiet.
But not that close to good health care, Santa Rosa is a trek.
But not that close to good health care, Santa Rosa is a trek.
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
Just don't try to drive anywhere near there from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The Maryland and Delaware beaches are great from September to May. Not so much in the summer.Wanderingwheelz wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:23 pm I’ll put a plug in for the home team- Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
It will take more than what you’ve budgeted for to buy a small home w/in a 5 minute walk of the ocean, but I’ve been to countless beach towns all over the country and there are only a handful that fall into the same category of charm Rehoboth has IMHO. Just to the north, Lewes, is very hot these days too. I’m pretty sure it made the Coastal Living list of best costal towns that came out recently, and for good reason. It’s top notch.
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
Living at high altitude is not for everyone. Over 9000 feet at Frisco.2marshmallow wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 5:26 pmWill take a look, thanks! I've greatly enjoyed CO whenever I've visited.
2marshmallow
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Re: Waterfront options - other considerations?
seems like the Lewes and Rehoboth Beach are both very pricey:mass_biker wrote: ↑Tue Jul 27, 2021 7:28 am Also interested in responses to this - less "where to retire" than maybe a second home.
Criteria - within 3 hours of the Baltimore/DC area.
Specifics - waterfront (river, lake, coast (?))
Other - not focusing on power boating etc., but more kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding
Other part II - good cycling (road, gravel) would be ideal
We have looked in the Annapolis area - not terribly affordable, somewhat densely populated, but some of the rivers and creeks that flow into the Chesapeake are lovely, and the vibe is a bit more rural the further south you go.
We have also begun to look at some lake towns in western MD and central PA - higher elevation, low humidity, but maybe a bit more difficult to get to in the winter months. Have visited Indian Lake in PA and are considering visiting Deep Creek Lake in MD. Would love any perspectives from folks on the board on both. Not sure if there are any o
We have circled the Lewes area in DE as a potential spot to visit and scout around - looks like nice river access and the town of Lewes itself are draws. Would appreciate any feedback or first hand knowledge of the area.
We have little/no knowledge of the Eastern Shore of MD and coastal VA. Nor do we know much about the inland areas west of Middleburg VA heading into WV, where there are apparently places with decent kayaking/canoeing etc.
We have not focused on this as "where to retire" choice yet - but given that we are in the mid-Atlantic for the foreseeable future and work takes us up and down the Amtrak corridor for at least the next 5-10 years, our focus has been in this area. Of course, in the back of our heads is the issue of adverse impact of rising coastlines - maybe mitigated by riverfront vs. coastal?
Thanks in advance for any insight...
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
Ogunquit, Maine.
Cheers
Cheers
Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
We live one town over from Scituate, MA. We walk our dog at Humarock Beach there. But here’s a few North Shore suggestions:
- Newburyport. My daughter and her family live there and love it (although they’re at a different life stage than you are).
- Marblehead
- Portsmouth, NH
You’re obviously familiar with the South Shore. Have you considered Plymouth?
- Newburyport. My daughter and her family live there and love it (although they’re at a different life stage than you are).
- Marblehead
- Portsmouth, NH
You’re obviously familiar with the South Shore. Have you considered Plymouth?
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- Mel Lindauer
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
Agree that the St. Pete, St. Pete Beach, Clearwater areas are really nice. And they're close to good air trans both in the St.Pete/Clearwater airport and nearby Tampa.loggerboots wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 7:04 pm+1. My mom lives in Venice and we recently visited her and did a minor tour of the central part of the state. Venice was really nice, tbh, and my mom's happy there. However, our favorite destination was St. Pete. Didn't expect to like it (we were only there to see a concert, which was summarily cancelled and moved to Brooksville, lol. Turned out to be an upgrade, long story and OT).Mel Lindauer wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:30 pm With your budget, you can get a really nice place in lots of coastal cites on both the east and west coast of Florida, a no-income tax state. There's also no inheritance or estate tax in Florida. And, since it's basically a LCOL state, your money will go so much further than it does in CA.
Anyway, St. Pete was awesome. What a beautiful city. I can't think of any reason not to relocate there other than a 'is this to good to be true' fud. Maybe it was because we were escaping the gloom of the eastside Seattle winter (during Covid, mind you) but we really loved it there.
Not exactly recommending it to OP as we only scratched the service, but from what I saw, if proximity to water, having a wonderful, walkable town/city core with a ton of really nice dining, entertainment, art, history, etc. might be worth looking into. We intend to go back again for a second look. We loved it.
St. Augustine was beautiful as well but the incessant touristy vibe got old real quick. Beautiful city a bit ruined by rampant tourism, at least for me.
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Re: Another Where to Retire Thread - Waterfront Towns?
2-2500 sq ft SFH 10 min walk to beach?
Before the recent RE price surge, maybe Oceano or Cayucos, Ca. Now, I doubt it. Small old bungalow might be found in MORRO BAY, but they were 600K for 1000 sq ft 3 years ago.
Before the recent RE price surge, maybe Oceano or Cayucos, Ca. Now, I doubt it. Small old bungalow might be found in MORRO BAY, but they were 600K for 1000 sq ft 3 years ago.