Choosing a Retirement Location? Consider These Five Make or Break Factors

Retirement provides an opportunity to choose your perfect place to live.

With your working years behind you, you can select a location that offers the lifestyle and amenities of your dreams. Before you pack your bags, take time to evaluate the many factors that come with a retirement move.

Here are five important considerations when you’re searching for the home of your dreams in your golden years.

1. Cost of living and housing expenses. No one wants to spend their long-awaited retirement years scrambling to make ends meet. As you evaluate housing prices, don’t forget to include potential associated expenses like homeowners’ association and condo fees, which can be steep. Tax scenarios that vary widely can also come into play, such as property taxes, income taxes, taxes on retirement income, and more. Some states are more retirement-friendly than others, so do your financial homework.
2. Proximity to family and friends. How far will your new home be from your loved ones? Social isolation is a significant and growing issue for the elderly. With aging, there tend to be fewer opportunities to meet people and make new friends. Having supportive loved ones close by becomes more important as you grow older and your reliance on others increases.
3. Access to quality medical care. Health care may not be your top priority right now. As you age, however, the availability of good doctors, quality hospitals, and decent long-term care facilities will become crucial. Excellent health care is hard to find and it isn’t available everywhere. It’s wise to research the services that are currently available in the area you’re considering. If quality medical care and ancillary services are available today, it’s a good indicator of what you can expect in the future.
4. A climate you can tolerate. Many people dream of saying goodbye to long, harsh winters for good. But before you move to that balmy tropical paradise, make sure you can endure the sweltering summers and frequent major storms that are commonplace in warm weather locales.
5. Amenities that support your desired lifestyle. Envision how you’d like to spend your days in retirement and look for a place that provides those opportunities. This could mean access to parks where you can take scenic hikes or an art museum where you can volunteer as a guide. If you enjoy dining out and sampling international cuisines, find out what the local restaurant scene has to offer. This holds true for theaters, golf courses, shopping, concert venues, or any other important aspects of your desired lifestyle. Ease of mobility—whether by car or public transportation—is an important factor to evaluate, as well.

Here are some more helpful tips to keep in mind as you search for your perfect retirement destination:

• Spend time there before making a long-term commitment. Well before you retire, visit a few preferred potential locations. Once you’ve narrowed your choices down to two or three top contenders, spend a month or more at each one to experience day-to-day life and discover more about the local housing market.
• No one location fits every retirement dream. Your brother may feel that a property with access to plenty of golf courses is a must, your friend who loves hot weather might dream of a beachfront condo in Florida, and your ideal retirement vision may involve a rustic mountain cabin surrounded by wildlife. Choosing a retirement destination is a deeply personal decision, so don’t be influenced into thinking that what’s right for someone else should be right for you.
• Don’t rule out staying put. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, an astonishing 48 out of 50 people over age 65 choose to remain in their locales. If your current hometown is affordable, offers the activities you enjoy, and you’re close to family and friends, why move just because you’re retiring?

Moving in retirement can be the beginning of an exciting next chapter.

It’s also a major decision that requires extensive research. Make the best choice by determining your priorities and creating a clear vision of how you want to live your life in the future.

Do you need additional guidance with your retirement destination search? Make the most of your move by contacting our helpful team of professionals today.

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