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Try It NOWCategory: Best Retirement Towns and States
April 10, 2024 – Last week we posed a situation for a hypothetical couple, eager to leave California for an active, outdoor lifestyle in the West somewhere. After thinking about it we suggested 4 very popular towns in as many states that might fit the bill, and asked our Members…
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Category: Real Estate Listings
what the NAR real estate settlement means
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Category: Work and Volunteering
April 6, 2024 -- Flo Williamson has been a wonderful volunteer site moderator here at Topretirements for a very long time, at least since 2016. Yesterday, we finally met in person for at the Funky Rooster Coffee House and Wine Bar on Key West's Caroline St. Just as I expected, she is a warm and interesting person. It was a fun visit.
Flo and her husband Jerry were in town on a short trip with friends. They have been hitting some of Key West's best restaurants, like 7 Fish, Belmar, and Louie's Backyard, along with the other sights. We had a good visit and short walk around town.
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Category: Adventurous retirement
April 3, 2024 - When you were a lot younger, could you ever imagine someone in their 80's, even 90's, who was still skiing? Well get over that, because the slopes in some resorts have plenty of octogenarians gracefully coming down their trails. Some ski areas are welcoming them with deals and events too.
One of those is Aspen, Colorado. Although a daily lift ticket can approach $300 on holiday weekends, it offers a senior season pass to skiers over 70 for $799. Alta, the longstanding resort in Utah, offers a season pass to people over 80 for a $50 admin fee (but years ago it was available to people over 75). It even has a seniors ski club, the Wild Old Bunch, with many members in their 90s. Other resorts offer substantial discounts for 70+ skiers too.
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Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
April 2, 2024 -- Following up on last week's very successful article, "Brian Struggles to Find His Best Place to Retire", we've created a similar scenario for a couple having a dilemma choosing a retirement location in the western half of the country. First we'll lay out a hypothetical retirement scenario using preferences common to many of our Members and visitors, and then ask you to choose which solution you would pick. We are hoping for lots of Comments too.
Bill and Carol Head West for Retirement
Our virtual couple, Bill and Carol, have lived and worked in California most of their adult lives. They like the sunny weather and enjoy the opportunity for endless recreational opportunities, from the beach to the mountains. They don't like the traffic and high prices for everything. Their children are grown and live in different parts of the country. Although they realize that being near all of them is not going to be possible, they are willing to travel to visit them and the grandchildren. They are not so sure about living in an active or 55+ community, but would be willing to if the situation looked right. Both of them are tired of rattling around in a house that is too big for two people, with the drawbacks of an upstairs MBR and significant maintenance and landscaping needs.
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Category: Family and Retirement
March 27, 2023 — If that is an unpleasant question, it certainly is. Less than half of Americans have discussed their end of life plans with a relative. The result of that inaction is incalculable trouble and work for those left behind. Like finding out that all your money is…
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Category: Social Security
March 25, 2024 — As the Presidential and congressional campaign races enter their final months, clarity is emerging on at least one issue. The influential Republican Study Group, which has more than 170 House GOP lawmakers including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, is advocating raising the age that people…
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Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
March 24, 2024 -- We recently had a request from longtime Member Brian, who is struggling to find his right place to retire. He misses our Retirement Ranger, which was an unfortunate casualty of last year's site improvements. The Ranger was replaced by the Community Explorer, which helps Members narrow down the community search.
Brian's search for his best place to retire
"I’m getting close to retirement, and here’s my obstacle. Grew up in East Haven, CT, and I love New England and seasons. Lived in New Hampshire 1995 on Lake Winnipesaukee. Spent 3 yrs between Venice and Sarasota, FL, and loved it. Except for May through Sept, but liked being near Tampa for sports.
Lived in Baton Rouge 20 yrs , it’s cheap but not much to do. Now have spent 3 yrs. in Bluffton next to Hilton Head, SC. Great climate , clean, but nothing to do as I don’t golf or boat.
I need to leave! I can’t afford New England, but I like seasons with some snow. I like mountains over beaches. Property taxes for the Northeast are a killer even though Portland ,Maine and even the Poconos seem to be okay .
I was told to checkout Asheville or Boone , NC.
I need some insight and advice.
My son says come back to Louisiana.
My brother says go back to Venice.
On a bright side I built my home for 181k 5 yrs ago and it would sell for 400k within 5 days, most of that as equity."
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Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
March 21, 2024 -- Four of Florida’s interior Metros are among the five fastest growth in the country.(#3 is Myrtle Beach, SC). The data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s population growth figures from 2022- 2023. We speculate that much of the reason for the growth is coming the Metro's more affordable home prices and better insurance environment. The South in general is experiencing the most rapid numerical growth in the country.
The top 5 fastest growing Metros in the country
The Villages/Wildwood - The Villages, the giant active adult community with well over 120,000 residents, extends over 3 counties south of Ocala, and grew 4.7% in the year. When it comes to real estate prices, the popularity of The Villages makes it an outlier. With a Zillow Home Value Index of $407,000, it is the most expensive Metro to make the top 5.
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Category: Active adult communities
March 19, 2024 - Our faithful correspondent Yolande recently continued the pursuit of her perfect place to retire in South Carolina’s Low Country. She started her explorations in Charleston, then worked her way north, ending up in the Myrtle Beach/Conway area near the North Carolina Border. She visited some of the newest active communities from Lennar. Her always interesting and frank reactions are shown below. Note: We just love these site visit reports from our Members - feel free to share yours!
Yolande's Report
Charleston, Summerville, Myrtle Beach, SC
I flew into Charleston International airport; loved the awesome customer service and the airport. Easy to get through and around. I rented a car for the time I was there.
My hotel was in Mt. Pleasant which is a half hour from the airport. I was told it was the "Beverly Hills" of the South with homes starting at $1MM. I've been to Beverly Hills a lot, but I saw no resemblance. I enjoyed staying in the area since it was close to the ocean. The weather was nice for the season, low 70s. It did get windy and cold the day before I left.
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