Where to Retire to?

Ahnko Honu

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Moku Manu, Hawai'i
Aloha Kākou.

Okay, Iʻm quickly reaching retirement age. My state pension combined with social security amounts to a measly $1400.00 a month. I also just sold the home I grew up in after over 51 years, and after dividing the proceeds with my 5 siblings (none who live here anymore) my portion came out to a tad over $100,000. I have done my math and coming to the realization that it will be a struggle to survive here when I retire.

Can anyone here suggest a nice place to retire where my wife and me can buy a nice home for under $100,000 (the more under the better), live off of $1400.00 a month comfortably, and where the weather is not too severe in the winter, and racial prejudice might be low? Decent medical facilities within an hourʻs drive a plus, and I should have health insurance when I retire. I donʻt like city life so rural would be much preferred or a small town like Kailua used to be would be okay.

Any suggestions? Is this even possible? Hawaiʻi has the highest homeless population per capita in the USA and I can see why, donʻt want to join their ranks if possible.

Mahalo nui for your input. :)
 
Probably a small town in the Midwest. Just remember -- there is no perfect. Good luck with your search.

PA -- so good to see you in "your" thread.
 
Probably a small town in the Midwest. Just remember -- there is no perfect. Good luck with your search.

PA -- so good to see you in "your" thread.

Aloha Sukie, wonderful to see you! Midwest sounds appealing as long as Iʻm not to far from a river or stream. I was born a water baby. My hometown here on Windward east Oʻahu has become far from perfect so no high expectations for anywhere. My kid sis moved to the gulf coast of Florida 20 years ago, and she likes it there, things are affordable and the weather is comparable to Hawaiʻi. Sheʻs trying to talk me into moving there. Hurricanes scare me though we get them here too though I donʻt think as often. Mahalo for your input.
 
Commiserations, you seem to be between a rock and a hard place.

I’m faced with a move at some point but it will be, to a significant extent, dependant upon where my children and other relatives are - we would want to help care for any grandchildren and would hope to grow old with family not too far away. Property prices fluctuate almost stupidly dependant on location, there is a heat map for USA property prices by area here: https://www.trulia.com/home_prices/ . The climate in the USA is exceedingly variable and, for someone from Hawaii, it looks to me like anywhere much inland is just going to be too cold in winter. I found some indication of temperatures here but there will be better guides: https://garden.org/nga/zipzone/2012/ . Edit. Some folk suffer too (with depression) if the degree of sunlight is much less than they are used to.

If you are concerned about racial issues and intergration then seek out populations (clusters) originally from your part of the US, people of common heritage. I think that you will be surprised what groups there are once you start looking.
Edit. One of the things that you are (or I think should be) doing is moving into some form of generally supportive community, a place where friends and neighbours support each other and a place where old friends and caring relatives can reach you. Strangely I’ve found that the posher and more expensive the area the less friendly and caring people often are, that’s a very general observation and there’s always variations - but some folk are grasping and others aren’t. When you age further your ability to drive comes into question, how will you reach shops, facilities and services then?

Edit. From another thread you say: “I have always loved the outdoors especially the ocean, love to fish, dive, swim, paddle canoe, etc. etc .etc.” That suggests a costal location to me, as an aside the coast on the mainland might have different access and hazards to those that you are used to? It would be wise to see what is on your wife’s list too, my Mrs seems to have things on hers that I would never have considered important and rules out some places that I’d like to go to.

Moving and relocating is tough to do and easy to get wrong. Visiting places and chatting to the local people is time consuming and expensive...... but buying a home in the wrong place is way worse and particularly so if you can’t afford to move again.
Edit. When I’ve been looking I see best value in established communities that for commercial and social reasons reasons have fallen from grace, the town whose major employement type has faded away or a seaside resort that folk have stopped coming to. There’s nothing wrong with those places as places to live on a pension, it’s just that some of the reasons that they were once popular have disappeared and hence house prices (when still linked to local trade and wages) are comparatively low in them.

If I was looking to settle in the States then Northern California and Oregon would be in my mind and somewhere not too far from the sea. Florida seems good too in that you have a sister there, I’m not sure about the climate there for me though and fishing Gators out of your swimming pool doesn’t sound hazard free.

Good luck.
 
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I was going to suggest where I live now, the Phoenix area, but 100K is a bit low and there is no water. (For $150K, no problem)

The Midwest would be a real possibility. I grew up in Toledo, OH, and went back last year for a visit. You can have your pick of 2-3 bedroom, 1 bath homes for well under $100K - lots of them for $60K.
 
I think Midwest is good living. I am in Indiana. There are a lot of lakes in Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. Winters get cold. That would be the downfall.
 
I would check out Florida , cold winters get old fast .
 
Florida meets some of your requirements, but don't count on it being non-racist. This is the Deep South. I don't know about the rest of the country, but it's getting more and more expensive here, and more crowded. It's politically a "red" state, if you like that, you might be okay. And don't mind the trash along most of the streets and highways.
This winter is the coldest, windiest one I can remember. Our weather is a lot like Hawaii's.
You will need a very good car, public transportation is about nil.
Homes? It's a sellers market.
If you can afford Pinellas, Hillsborough, or Pasco County, being a TBUS member is wonderful!
 
We moved to Green Valley, AZ a year ago and we love it here. Prices are great, Tucson is a half hour away, and the mountains are beautiful. No rivers, though.

Good luck with your search and it's nice to see you back on UU!
 
Aloha Kakahiaka folks, Mahalo for all the great suggestions. I personally love the cold. The colder it gets the more clothes you put on. You can only get so naked. Then you have to rely on AC. I'm a poi-dog hapahaole mixed race so people get confused trying to figure out what ethnicity I am so the racism thing no big deal to me. My wife is who I'm more concerned with. She has a low tolerance for cold. She is also of 100% Japanese decent even though 4th generation so she can't speak it. I am concerned more for her. When we first got married 37 years ago I decided to try the mainland life since several of my older siblings had success doing this. I wound up in Central Idaho. I could blend in because most folk who didn't know assumed I was half native American. My wife was a target of a couple mean spirited racist women at the place of her employment. She was the only Asian in town, and she was a stunning beauty. I think the gals were intimidated by her looks. They would make snippy racist comments but my wife let these negative words roll off her like water off a ducks back. I was the one getting all angry at these gals not my wife. I wanted to confront them and chew them out but my wife stopped me. I don't want to expose her to the cold or the hate as much as possible.
I have looked in Washington State, Gulf coast states, and Georgia. Arkansas has some good deals but the place has negative race stigma that I'm not sure is is currently warranted. I don't want to live in "Tornado Alley" but not sure exactly where that is. I'm leaning towards Florida because of my kid sis being there, and plenty water to play and relax in. No mountains though which I find weird, can't imagine. I'm very open to suggestions so please keep them coming, and mahalo again!
 
Lots of CONUS residents are retiring to Mexico. Lower cost of living, vibrant culture and warm weather. Might be worth a look?
 
Aloha Kākou.

Okay, Iʻm quickly reaching retirement age. My state pension combined with social security amounts to a measly $1400.00 a month. I also just sold the home I grew up in after over 51 years, and after dividing the proceeds with my 5 siblings (none who live here anymore) my portion came out to a tad over $100,000. I have done my math and coming to the realization that it will be a struggle to survive here when I retire.

Can anyone here suggest a nice place to retire where my wife and me can buy a nice home for under $100,000 (the more under the better), live off of $1400.00 a month comfortably, and where the weather is not too severe in the winter, and racial prejudice might be low? Decent medical facilities within an hourʻs drive a plus, and I should have health insurance when I retire. I donʻt like city life so rural would be much preferred or a small town like Kailua used to be would be okay.

Any suggestions? Is this even possible? Hawaiʻi has the highest homeless population per capita in the USA and I can see why, donʻt want to join their ranks if possible.

Mahalo nui for your input. :)

Wow. I didn't know that about the per capita homeless in Hawaii - I thought here in California we were the leaders in that department (Los Angeles has had a 27% increase in homelessness in the last year alone) but when framed as "per capita" Hawaii gets that dubious honor. I do remember seeing a high concentration of encampments around Ala Moana though on my last trip.

Although this mythical "retirement" thing will probably never happen to me (I've seen what my social security payments would be, and they wouldn't even pay my current rent!), I have been giving a lot of consideration to this exact same thing right now, since the cost of living in my home state of CA has made it a struggle for those of us who aren't doctors or lawyers or tech billionaires. I'm already too old to be struggling to make a living the way I have to now, and finding somewhere less urban and less pricey, and with all of your requirements *plus* I need it to be warm, has left me coming up with zip. I've lived my entire life on the Pacific Ocean (mostly CA, some Hawaii, Japan, Washington, and the Philippines) and I can't imagine living the landlocked life!
 
Lots of CONUS residents are retiring to Mexico. Lower cost of living, vibrant culture and warm weather. Might be worth a look?

Mexico isn't all that they say it is. I have a friend who retired down there a few years ago. I lived in Florida forty years ago or more and there was no state tax income tax then, and I want to remember that there was not sales tax either, but I could be wrong on that. A consideration.
 
Costa Rica, Belize, Nicaragua- I’ve heard good things about them but personally would be a little worried about expatriating
 
If you land near TBUS (Tampa Bay Ukulele Society) land, in Florida, let me know. You'll have an instant family of ukers.
I have a friend who moved to Belize. She likes it, but says it's about like here. Same problems...same weather.
Costa Rica has to be cheaper, no military expenses.
 
Hi
Not to be a nay-sayer, but I’m not sure I would retire with such little income stream and equity. I am 64, have worked continuously since high school (never more than a 10 day vacation), have two grown kids out on their own. I still am not sure how much it takes to retire, but have been advised that you need 25 times your yearly expenses in savings for a 20 year retirement.
Ron
 
My kid sis lives in Cape Coral so I was considering her area - Cape Coral, North Fort Myers, Punta Gorda, maybe Port Charlotte at most but want to say close to her preferably within an hour's drive due to her current health issues. I grew up diving, spearfishing, and fishing in general as well as surfing (I know, not much surfing in the Gulf) so having the Caloosahatchee River, Pine Island Sound, and the Gulf nearby will make adjusting much easier. My kid sis says she rarely gets any kind of prejudice there and never from white people, she get's it from a very few black people. She shakes her head every time saying "don't they know I'm a smaller minority than them?" She's been there for 20 years and said she could never return to Hawai'i, too expensive. She own's her house there, and lives off a early medical retirement. She's suffered allot due to her health.
 
My dream is to retire to Hawaii although it is probably not realistic. Is there not a lot of variety in cost of living in this state? For example real estate in rural Big Island is probably substantially less than around Honolulu.
 
My dream is to retire to Hawaii although it is probably not realistic. Is there not a lot of variety in cost of living in this state? For example real estate in rural Big Island is probably substantially less than around Honolulu.

I'm curious about this too - that was always more or less what I had in mind, maybe a tiny condo on an island other than Oahu. With similar financial constraints to the OP, I'm wondering if it's even remotely possible.
 
Just remember that if one is drawing their retirement income from a state pension, then you have to pay the federal and state income tax from where it is generated. Sometimes that is a bit cumbersome to file when living outside the US. My friend who retired to Mexico last year is dealing with that right now, and it is not going well.
 
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