Where to retire?

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ryanbohle
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Where to retire?

Post by ryanbohle »

I’m starting to think about where I might retire. I think I want to live on a lake, with a dock and boat and all that, but my wife wants a view of “mountains.” Is there a place in this big beautiful country of ours that has both?
jebmke
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by jebmke »

NH, Vermont, NY, CO to name a handful.

NC, TN if you want warmer weather. VA, WVa too.
Don't trust me, look it up. https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions-and-publications
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gwe67
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by gwe67 »

where retire site:bogleheads.org - Google Search

[link formatted by admin LadyGeek]
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sailaway
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by sailaway »

ryanbohle wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:50 pm I’m starting to think about where I might retire. I think I want to live on a lake, with a dock and boat and all that, but my wife wants a view of “mountains.” Is there a place in this big beautiful country of ours that has both?
Most of our mountains have lakes in them.

My in laws have almost exactly what you describe in the Blue Ridge. My parents have similar from a small cabin in a different part of the Blue Ridge, near the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Poconoes and Berkshires became famous for this kind of thing.

Same can be had in places like Tahoe on the other side of the country.
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vitaflo
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by vitaflo »

Alaska would be the best place to have both. Might not be a place you want to retire to though.
runner3081
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by runner3081 »

Be careful of areas prone to forest fires.
MoonOrb
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by MoonOrb »

Anywhere with mountains also has lakes. How big do the mountains have to be?
Conch55
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by Conch55 »

Mountains are good, lakes are good. Access to health care facilities are good. I would find a balance if this is your "forever" spot.
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MillennialFinance19
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by MillennialFinance19 »

sailaway wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:54 pm
My in laws have almost exactly what you describe in the Blue Ridge. My parents have similar from a small cabin in a different part of the Blue Ridge, near the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Poconoes and Berkshires became famous for this kind of thing.
100% agree. Anything in the Blue Ridge mountains will be amazing, you'll just want to ensure it has the culture and lifestyle for you.
VTI and chill until 57...
jebmke
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by jebmke »

of course, we have assumed the OP is a USian. If not, consider Italian or Swiss Alps.
Don't trust me, look it up. https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions-and-publications
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quantAndHold
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by quantAndHold »

ryanbohle wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:50 pm I’m starting to think about where I might retire. I think I want to live on a lake, with a dock and boat and all that, but my wife wants a view of “mountains.” Is there a place in this big beautiful country of ours that has both?
Lots of places, I’m guessing. Where there are mountains, there tend to be lakes.
sailaway
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by sailaway »

jebmke wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 4:57 pm of course, we have assumed the OP is a USian. If not, consider Italian or Swiss Alps.
Who else would refer to their big, beautiful country with those precise words?
tibbitts
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by tibbitts »

ryanbohle wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:50 pm I’m starting to think about where I might retire. I think I want to live on a lake, with a dock and boat and all that, but my wife wants a view of “mountains.” Is there a place in this big beautiful country of ours that has both?
Surely you realized when you wrote the question that there are plenty of such places, so you must have ruled out most of them due to other factors. When you start adding in climate requirements, easy/quick access to significant medical facilities and a major airport, etc. the list shrinks considerably.
moneywise3
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by moneywise3 »

Asheville, Asheville and Asheville fit your needs.
Wait, don't bump the property prices as I'd be looking there in 10 years.
FandangoDave5010
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Re: Where to retire?.

Post by FandangoDave5010 »

I retired to the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe 20 years ago and love it. Winters are not overwhelming and summers are pleasant. Even with three major wild fires since July, the air is manageable with air conditioning or air purifiers in the house. There are major medical centers, The University of Nevada, many places to dine and game, a good airport with non-stop flights to NYC, Atlanta and Chicago. Property taxes are low and there is no state income tax. Median prices for houses in Reno are $500K, with new construction $600K to $700K. You can live very comfortably here for $80K/yr. if you have no mortgage or major debts.

Check it out to be sure it meets your requirements. We made two trips from NYC before deciding to move here.
Pam01
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by Pam01 »

quantAndHold wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 5:03 pm
ryanbohle wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:50 pm I’m starting to think about where I might retire. I think I want to live on a lake, with a dock and boat and all that, but my wife wants a view of “mountains.” Is there a place in this big beautiful country of ours that has both?
Lots of places, I’m guessing. Where there are mountains, there tend to be lakes.
The above statement is certainly true on the west coast. Northern California and the western side of Cascade range in Oregon and Washington have many places that fit the bill. Not sure mountains with lakes near them are that plentoful in the east or midwest though.... At least all the places I have visited in those parts have been flatter. Lakes yes, mountains no.
Starfish
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by Starfish »

It seems like e very superficial requirement for a retirement place.
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tennisplyr
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by tennisplyr »

This forum might be useful:

www.city-data.com/forum
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carolinaman
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by carolinaman »

moneywise3 wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 5:35 pm Asheville, Asheville and Asheville fit your needs.
Wait, don't bump the property prices as I'd be looking there in 10 years.
Asheville is a beautiful city but culturally has changed a lot and may not appeal to everyone. One alternative is Hendersonville, a smaller town with good health care. It is close to Asheville and Greenville, SC. Black Mountain, Blowing Rock and Jefferson are a few small mountain towns that are worth checking out as well.
jacksprat
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by jacksprat »

So true.
Too.Many.People. And somewhat expensive housing.

For a lower cost of living - anywhere in the Ozarks would be my recommendation. (( Pssst... Keep it between us or this will be constantly recommended here by the BugleHorns ))

https://ozarkmountainregion.com/retire-or-relocate/


[/quote]

Asheville is a beautiful city but culturally has changed a lot and may not appeal to everyone. One alternative is Hendersonville, a smaller town with good health care. It is close to Asheville and Greenville, SC. Black Mountain, Blowing Rock and Jefferson are a few small mountain towns that are worth checking out as well.
[/quote]
vested1
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by vested1 »

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dbr
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by dbr »

ryanbohle wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:50 pm I’m starting to think about where I might retire. I think I want to live on a lake, with a dock and boat and all that, but my wife wants a view of “mountains.” Is there a place in this big beautiful country of ours that has both?
I suggest , Covid or no, getting in your car and spending a few months on the road taking a look. There are mountains in every corner of our country and as much as not of what is in between, and mountains come with lakes almost everywhere. I will grant you there are some lovely lakefronts that lack mountains. There are also people who have docks and boats on the ocean and even some places where mountains come right down to the coast. There are docks and boats on rivers too, but probably less often do navigable rivers have mountain backgrounds.
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by jebmke »

dbr wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 10:20 am I suggest , Covid or no, getting in your car and spending a few months on the road taking a look. There are mountains in every corner of our country and as much as not of what is in between, and mountains come with lakes almost everywhere. I will grant you there are some lovely lakefronts that lack mountains. There are also people who have docks and boats on the ocean and even some places where mountains come right down to the coast. There are docks and boats on rivers too, but probably less often do navigable rivers have mountain backgrounds.
I'd also suggest after making a selection, renting for a couple of years rather than making a hard commitment. Many people think they would enjoy living in an area they have no experience with (urbanites moving to the country or vice versa, for example). They often find that it isn't what they thought it was. Visiting an area is different than living in an area; among other things, people treat you as a visitor vs. as a resident. Once you make a real estate purchase, it isn't as easy to reverse course.
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vanbogle59
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by vanbogle59 »

dbr wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 10:20 am
ryanbohle wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:50 pm I’m starting to think about where I might retire. I think I want to live on a lake, with a dock and boat and all that, but my wife wants a view of “mountains.” Is there a place in this big beautiful country of ours that has both?
I suggest , Covid or no, getting in your car and spending a few months on the road taking a look.
That was precisely my plan. Extended "airbnb" vacations/house-hunting trips for a year. Then pick a place.
Then grandbabies came along and greatly reduced the number of desirable zipcodes. :D :D :D
I guess those trips will have to wait until they are all in school. :beer
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by minesweep »

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HueyLD
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by HueyLD »

jebmke wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 10:27 am I'd also suggest after making a selection, renting for a couple of years rather than making a hard commitment. Many people think they would enjoy living in an area they have no experience with (urbanites moving to the country or vice versa, for example). They often find that it isn't what they thought it was. Visiting an area is different than living in an area; among other things, people treat you as a visitor vs. as a resident. Once you make a real estate purchase, it isn't as easy to reverse course.
+100.
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by IMO »

ryanbohle wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:50 pm I’m starting to think about where I might retire. I think I want to live on a lake, with a dock and boat and all that, but my wife wants a view of “mountains.” Is there a place in this big beautiful country of ours that has both?
How long till you retire, what is the budget for housing and annual spend?

Desire to live near family, etc, etc, etc, part of the country? Lack of details just leads to a these typical "where should I retire" posts that seem for the most part very unlikely to be actionable. Kind of like when someone says where should I retire that is walkable, etc?
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22twain
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by 22twain »

ryanbohle wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:50 pm my wife wants a view of “mountains.”
Does your wife mean "real mountains" like they have out west, or will the Appalachian Pimples that we have over here suffice? :twisted:

(I couldn't tell from a quick scan of your previous posts whether you're in an east coast megaburb or a west coast megaburb.)
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smectym
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by smectym »

HueyLD wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 10:53 am
jebmke wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 10:27 am I'd also suggest after making a selection, renting for a couple of years rather than making a hard commitment. Many people think they would enjoy living in an area they have no experience with (urbanites moving to the country or vice versa, for example). They often find that it isn't what they thought it was. Visiting an area is different than living in an area; among other things, people treat you as a visitor vs. as a resident. Once you make a real estate purchase, it isn't as easy to reverse course.
+100.
—200. Make a decision and stick to it and go live there. Not a lot of ‘we’re the aliens who have come to visit, to decide whether your planet is suitable for habitation”

No matter where, irritants will be there, some cognizable in advance, others lurking as surprises. That’s what ‘living somewhere” actually means
Valuethinker
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by Valuethinker »

HueyLD wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 10:53 am
jebmke wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 10:27 am I'd also suggest after making a selection, renting for a couple of years rather than making a hard commitment. Many people think they would enjoy living in an area they have no experience with (urbanites moving to the country or vice versa, for example). They often find that it isn't what they thought it was. Visiting an area is different than living in an area; among other things, people treat you as a visitor vs. as a resident. Once you make a real estate purchase, it isn't as easy to reverse course.
+100.
I think this is very good advice.

Renting rather than buying is preferred (but not always an available option - and this past few years, housing prices have moved up so fast that it can really reduce options).

One can always say "we wanted to really know the area before we bought, looking to buy in x...". Most local people would understand that.

Note in a rural area one is a "newcomer" for at least 25 years in some places. Things just don't move that fast. And in many rural areas people are (rightly) defensive that incoming city folk are driving up prices beyond reach of the locals & their children. Of course their property prices and the local economy are benefiting. But you can't eat your housing price and most of us dislike change (attend any ratepayers planning meeting to learn about that ;-)).

My aunt's village in England had a pub, a post office, a school and a GP practice. 50 years ago most villages in England had 3 out of the 4 (plus a regular daily bus to town). Nowadays I would guess 1 in 5 at best has these amenities.

New housing estate of about 40 homes was built in the village and I said to her that "it would be good for the village, to maintain the critical mass of services so you can keep the post office, GP, school...".

She replied: "but the newcomers are not our people... they are not church people". For my aunt, herself a newcomer to the village 50 years ago (and still viewed as such by the older locals), that was the test of what made an incomer.
vested1
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by vested1 »

smectym wrote: Mon Sep 06, 2021 2:16 am
HueyLD wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 10:53 am
jebmke wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 10:27 am I'd also suggest after making a selection, renting for a couple of years rather than making a hard commitment. Many people think they would enjoy living in an area they have no experience with (urbanites moving to the country or vice versa, for example). They often find that it isn't what they thought it was. Visiting an area is different than living in an area; among other things, people treat you as a visitor vs. as a resident. Once you make a real estate purchase, it isn't as easy to reverse course.
+100.
—200. Make a decision and stick to it and go live there. Not a lot of ‘we’re the aliens who have come to visit, to decide whether your planet is suitable for habitation”

No matter where, irritants will be there, some cognizable in advance, others lurking as surprises. That’s what ‘living somewhere” actually means
I suppose these ratings average out to -100.

The OP is asking about possibly relocating to a lake home with a possibility of a mountain view. Renting first can provide a valuable insight as to the culture and atmosphere of a location but won't necessarily give you a full picture of the consequences of buying. I'm referring to the maintenance aspect, which is the responsibility of the owner, not the renter. Moving to a lake home rural enough to have a mountain view will come with unexpected maintenance.

When we moved over 2 years ago from suburbia to a lake house in a rural location in another state I was naively unprepared for the amount of maintenance required. The pristine natural attractiveness comes with tradeoffs, not all of which are related to additional upkeep. A lack of stimulating culture, shopping, and superior health care also need to be considered.

The suggestion to check out citydata.com is a good one, however, all the research in the world can still leave you ignorant of those surprises that smectym warns of.

We treated our relocation as an adventure, although my somewhat obsessive engineering based background lead me to an excessive amount of research before we settled on our current location. I'm now of the opinion that if you really want to relocate, then do it. At least you won't spend your time wondering "What if". Life is short, and not for the meek, or at least less fun for those who are timid.

Edited to remove my suggestion to use citydata.com forums. I used to go there years ago, having been a member since 2013 when it was a friendly welcoming site. I started going there again before a recent move to get tips and info about our new location. The forums have now been taken over by conspiracy theorists with radical politics invading almost every thread. There is no moderation other than if you actually post facts. If you choose to provide links to credible proven sources or refer to scientific journals you are labeled a troll and banned for life. This occurs no matter the subject of the thread. I was banned for life yesterday after a single warning, although I never posted anything that was angry or not based on logic and truth. You can however continue to be a member in good standing if you post vile accusations, insult others, and make things up.
Last edited by vested1 on Sat Dec 11, 2021 6:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
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22twain
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by 22twain »

I just realized that Google Maps might be a useful tool for preliminary scouting of possible lakeside locations. Zoom in on a mountain area just enough to reveal the lakes. As long as you're not zoomed in too closely, the map has shading that hints at the topography. If you see a likely-looking lake, zoom in further to see if there are any roads around it, which usually indicate the presence of houses. Switch to satellite view and you can probably see the houses themselves. If you're lucky, the Street View camera car has been through there and you can see what it looks like from ground level.

Example: search for Tuxedo NC, and you'll see Summit Lake, with roads around it, some of which are Street-View-able. Another candidate is Lake Lure NC, which is right at the edge of the mountains proper. I've driven through both areas numerous times.
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dbr
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by dbr »

22twain wrote: Mon Sep 06, 2021 8:49 am I just realized that Google Maps might be a useful tool for preliminary scouting of possible lakeside locations. Zoom in on a mountain area just enough to reveal the lakes. As long as you're not zoomed in too closely, the map has shading that hints at the topography. If you see a likely-looking lake, zoom in further to see if there are any roads around it, which usually indicate the presence of houses. Switch to satellite view and you can probably see the houses themselves. If you're lucky, the Street View camera car has been through there and you can see what it looks like from ground level.

Example: search for Tuxedo NC, and you'll see Summit Lake, with roads around it, some of which are Street-View-able. Another candidate is Lake Lure NC, which is right at the edge of the mountains proper. I've driven through both areas numerous times.
Great suggestion. You may even be able to eyeball the size of the houses and amount of dock/shorefront available. A certain lake on the edge of my community would be revealed to need a few $M to own a house there. One might even be able to see the size of the boats at the docks.
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vanbogle59
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by vanbogle59 »

dbr wrote: Mon Sep 06, 2021 8:55 am
22twain wrote: Mon Sep 06, 2021 8:49 am I just realized that Google Maps might be a useful tool for preliminary scouting of possible lakeside locations. Zoom in on a mountain area just enough to reveal the lakes. As long as you're not zoomed in too closely, the map has shading that hints at the topography. If you see a likely-looking lake, zoom in further to see if there are any roads around it, which usually indicate the presence of houses. Switch to satellite view and you can probably see the houses themselves. If you're lucky, the Street View camera car has been through there and you can see what it looks like from ground level.

Example: search for Tuxedo NC, and you'll see Summit Lake, with roads around it, some of which are Street-View-able. Another candidate is Lake Lure NC, which is right at the edge of the mountains proper. I've driven through both areas numerous times.
Great suggestion. You may even be able to eyeball the size of the houses and amount of dock/shorefront available. A certain lake on the edge of my community would be revealed to need a few $M to own a house there. One might even be able to see the size of the boats at the docks.
Add zillow maps for existing structures. :beer
palaheel
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by palaheel »

Valuethinker wrote: Mon Sep 06, 2021 3:49 am
HueyLD wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 10:53 am
jebmke wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 10:27 am I'd also suggest after making a selection, renting for a couple of years rather than making a hard commitment. Many people think they would enjoy living in an area they have no experience with (urbanites moving to the country or vice versa, for example). They often find that it isn't what they thought it was. Visiting an area is different than living in an area; among other things, people treat you as a visitor vs. as a resident. Once you make a real estate purchase, it isn't as easy to reverse course.
+100.
I think this is very good advice.

Renting rather than buying is preferred (but not always an available option - and this past few years, housing prices have moved up so fast that it can really reduce options).

One can always say "we wanted to really know the area before we bought, looking to buy in x...". Most local people would understand that.

Note in a rural area one is a "newcomer" for at least 25 years in some places. Things just don't move that fast. And in many rural areas people are (rightly) defensive that incoming city folk are driving up prices beyond reach of the locals & their children. Of course their property prices and the local economy are benefiting. But you can't eat your housing price and most of us dislike change (attend any ratepayers planning meeting to learn about that ;-)).

My aunt's village in England had a pub, a post office, a school and a GP practice. 50 years ago most villages in England had 3 out of the 4 (plus a regular daily bus to town). Nowadays I would guess 1 in 5 at best has these amenities.

New housing estate of about 40 homes was built in the village and I said to her that "it would be good for the village, to maintain the critical mass of services so you can keep the post office, GP, school...".

She replied: "but the newcomers are not our people... they are not church people". For my aunt, herself a newcomer to the village 50 years ago (and still viewed as such by the older locals), that was the test of what made an incomer.
This was the case in the small Southern town I grew up in. As things turned out though, it's evolved into a bedroom community for a rapidly growing city; the outsiders have largely won.
Nothing to say, really.
earlywynnfan
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by earlywynnfan »

ryanbohle wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:50 pm I’m starting to think about where I might retire. I think I want to live on a lake, with a dock and boat and all that, but my wife wants a view of “mountains.” Is there a place in this big beautiful country of ours that has both?
I've never been there, but you are describing exactly how I picture Montana.
dsmclone
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by dsmclone »

earlywynnfan wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 12:14 pm
ryanbohle wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:50 pm I’m starting to think about where I might retire. I think I want to live on a lake, with a dock and boat and all that, but my wife wants a view of “mountains.” Is there a place in this big beautiful country of ours that has both?
I've never been there, but you are describing exactly how I picture Montana.
I went to Montana for the first time last year and after spending a couple of hours in Bozeman, I was online looking for more info. What a beautiful little town. Then after some research I realized that I was a couple years late to the party. Out of staters have jacked up housing prices. The other thing is that I was there in August. If I went in January, my attitude about its beauty may change.
ponyboy
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by ponyboy »

Couldnt think of a worse time to find a home, unless you want to overpay.
Sand101
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by Sand101 »

Draw a line between Chattanooga and Johnson City and there are a ton of places, far and near to cities, with nice lakes. Just NE of Chattanooga, just north of Pigeon Forge, etc. Greenville, SC and the Clemson area are also really nice.
dbr
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by dbr »

A generalization is that people looking for a nice little plot of land with a home and dock on a lake and a view of mountains have missed the boat by about twenty or thirty years, maybe fifty years. These days the outdoors are pretty much overrun just about anywhere and it takes a lot of money to find a place along with everyone else doing the same thing. I know a lot of people with nice places that have started with their grandparents and that those friends are now handing over to their children. That leaves out the locations that are now destroyed by fires.

But, we should not be negative. There are lots and lots of places in this country worth visiting and checking out. One thought is that a lot of western locations are going to be more and more subject to hot, dry conditions and fires while eastern and southeastern locations will be subject to more and more water and flooding. There are also lots of changes as traditional flora and fauna are being affected by disease and invasive species. Example is pine bark beetle in the Rockies and zebra mussels in the upper MIdwest. (Darn, negative again.)
toomanysidehustles
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by toomanysidehustles »

earlywynnfan wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 12:14 pm
ryanbohle wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:50 pm I’m starting to think about where I might retire. I think I want to live on a lake, with a dock and boat and all that, but my wife wants a view of “mountains.” Is there a place in this big beautiful country of ours that has both?
I've never been there, but you are describing exactly how I picture Montana.
My inlaws live in Bigfork, Montana on the Flathead. Be prepared to bring your big boy wallet though, everything decent on the lake is like 1.5M and up now. Winters are brutal too. We went for Christmas a few years back and were there for 10 days, it never got above 20 degrees and the sun didn't come out once. Summer sure is nice for 12 weeks though!

I live in Colorado, and while we have really big mountains, we don't have many lakefront/waterfront properties available in this state unfortunately.
Last edited by toomanysidehustles on Fri Sep 10, 2021 5:32 pm, edited 2 times in total.
jebmke
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by jebmke »

toomanysidehustles wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:28 pm We went for Christmas a few years back and were there for 10 days, it never got above 20 degrees and the sun didn't come out once. Summer sure is nice for 12 weeks though!
Reminds me of my early years in Wisconsin. Long stretches where it didn’t break above zero. If the wind wasn’t bad, you could do a lot outside as long as you didn’t leave any skin exposed.
Don't trust me, look it up. https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions-and-publications
Valuethinker
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by Valuethinker »

dbr wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 2:26 pm A generalization is that people looking for a nice little plot of land with a home and dock on a lake and a view of mountains have missed the boat by about twenty or thirty years, maybe fifty years. These days the outdoors are pretty much overrun just about anywhere and it takes a lot of money to find a place along with everyone else doing the same thing. I know a lot of people with nice places that have started with their grandparents and that those friends are now handing over to their children. That leaves out the locations that are now destroyed by fires.

But, we should not be negative. There are lots and lots of places in this country worth visiting and checking out. One thought is that a lot of western locations are going to be more and more subject to hot, dry conditions and fires while eastern and southeastern locations will be subject to more and more water and flooding. There are also lots of changes as traditional flora and fauna are being affected by disease and invasive species. Example is pine bark beetle in the Rockies and zebra mussels in the upper MIdwest. (Darn, negative again.)
Rising population and an aging one. More demand for recreational property. People now fly to their recreational property, not just drive.

Also zoning. There are greater restrictions on "just building" or subdivision of lots in many places. Restrictions on septic discharge etc.

Setting aside forest fires, it seems still possible to find places in the woods that are still remote.

Also perhaps places further away from main cities and airports. Northern Ontario for example -- Lake of the Woods is not that far from Minnesota border

Upper Michigan peninsula?

None of these places have mountains, though. That's Quebec & New Hampshire or out west. Or Appalachia? Adirondacks in NYS?
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AnnetteLouisan
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by AnnetteLouisan »

ryanbohle wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:50 pm I’m starting to think about where I might retire. I think I want to live on a lake, with a dock and boat and all that, but my wife wants a view of “mountains.” Is there a place in this big beautiful country of ours that has both?
Take her on vacation to Villa d’Este on Lake Como and Hotel des Trois Couronnes in Vevey, Switz.
PowderDay9
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Re: Where to retire?

Post by PowderDay9 »

sailaway wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:54 pm
ryanbohle wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:50 pm I’m starting to think about where I might retire. I think I want to live on a lake, with a dock and boat and all that, but my wife wants a view of “mountains.” Is there a place in this big beautiful country of ours that has both?
Most of our mountains have lakes in them.

My in laws have almost exactly what you describe in the Blue Ridge. My parents have similar from a small cabin in a different part of the Blue Ridge, near the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Poconoes and Berkshires became famous for this kind of thing.

Same can be had in places like Tahoe on the other side of the country.
You can get a dock with a boat and a mountain view at Lake Tahoe. Might cost you a pretty penny but you also might run into Mark Zuckerberg for the week or two that he visits his Tahoe vacation home. Here's one for sale right now.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/9115 ... e=txtshare
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