Aine

Just dreaming and eventhough its a long way off for us, we were talking this weekend of how we would like to retire. Husband would like to buy a house in Italy somewhere, I think it would be more fun to rent offseason a month here a month there, living simply all over the world. I was thinking a month in the Cinque Terre, another in Tuscany, one in Thailand, one in Tahiti and always have our home to come back to. Where is your dream place?

ira

Paris

ndf321

Even though we are only in our early 30s, my husband and I like the idea of selling our house and moving to a different city every two years or so, maybe get a little part time job, experience the arts and culture of many different parts of the U.S. I guess it depends how early we can retire and what kind of health we are in.

I can see taking a hit on real estate if we try to buy in each new place, and it would probably cut into any potential inheritance we might leave behind, but then again, we are of the mind that you should die with your very last nickel in your hand.

We just have recently been thinking that we shouldn't limit ourselves to cities in the U.S. I guess we'll see how we like it in Europe!

Underhill

The South of France, by all means.

KennyL

Aine- The first time I saw the high rise condos on the beach on the
Cote d' Azur between Nice and Cannes I thought "This is it!" And then reality set in- Family, friends, language, nationality, health care, etc. You can't beat the "Land of the Big PX"...
KennyL

OaktownTraveler

In Europe: FRANCE.

Just get me an I.V. for the wine!

In America: Martha's Vineyard for half the year and Sonoma, California for the other half of the year...

My Best,
Oaktown Traveler

RufusTFirefly

It's one thing to experience a place while on vacation; something else to actually live there.

Patrick

While I was at the peak of my earning power here in in Florida, I kept wondering where to invest for a retirement place. Most of the full time people I know in Florida end up with a place in the mountains of Colorado or North Carolina, or a Michigan lake cottage or somewhere else for a summer home. I kept avoiding it, because I couldn't think of a single place. I'm glad I didn't. Now that I am retired, my "summer place" is 3 to 5 months of travel, most of it usually to Europe. Why should I have to worry about paying taxes and upkeep on some place all the rest of the year and then feel guilty if I don't spend all summer in it? I love my present system and hope I can continue. While I've been very happy spending up to five months doing three night or so stops all across Europe, now I'm settling down to more one and two week stays in apartments. But I sure love the variety instead of one single destination for a long time.

Aine, your one month here, one month there idea is simply wonderful!!

sheila

tomorrow

SalB

If you decide to move to another country, be sure to find out about inheritance laws in that country. Some are quite different than what we expect in the USA. Of course, different US states have different laws too. It's always good to see how estate, income and taxes will be affected. We just decided to keep our home as our principal residence and enjoy traveling wherever and whenever.

You might try renting in some of the places that interest you just to see how they "wear."

Good luck.

Andrea_expat

Originally I was with the husband - a villa in one place. We've been living overseas for 5 years now (in China), and are now planning to eventually have one home base in the US and then travel several months a year. Aine's plan sounds just about right! The reason the plan works so well for us is that there are so many places on our dream list!

In defense of living in one place, though . . . while it's true that there are a lot of logistical issues to sort out that many people don't consider, many people DO make it possible and love it. For every hassle and sacrifice, there is a benefit - getting to know a wonderful place, the opportunity to travel around the area, making friends in your adopted home, etc. It's not for everyone, but I'd hate to see the idea dismissed out of hand because it's not as easy as it appears at first glance.

StCirq

Already done - The Dordogne. Yes, inheritance laws are a pain, but avoidable with a good notaire, as is everything.

USNR

1. Dreams are fine...so long as they are good ones.

2. Keep your head in the clouds but keep your feet on the ground.

3. Make investigations, not commitments.

4. Go up the down staircase.

5. Family comes first.

6. Keep your hand on your wallet lest it becomes another's.

7. Plan now, act later.

8. If you do nothing, time will still pass.

9. Look to your future, listen not to your fears.

10. Once decided, thrust for the heart.

Tries2PakLite

To Florida we will go; then we can travel when we feel like it. Patrick's situation sounds perfect to me.

Shanna

Ah, someplace where life is simple, with few electronics, sunny and warm, where no one cares what you own or how you dress, where neighbors visit and the butcher knows your name - even if he mispronounces it. A house with few rooms, mostly kitchen, an herb garden, several cats in the yard and a large dog sleeping on the stoop. A place where one can be oneself and others think only that you are somewhat eccentric, in an interesting sort of way; and you feel the same way about them. A place where you can stop laboring when you wish and have wine with lunch, then a nap to be awakened by a neighbor wanting to borrow a tablecloth - and can you come to dinner? The cousins from America are arriving - maybe you knew them in the US? Music, even if it's nothing more than whistling. la dolce vita. Anyone know where that might be?

Surfergirl

"Keep your head in the clouds but keep your feet on the ground" -- I really like that! Kind of like my parents -- one with his head always in the clouds, and the other with feet always on the ground (needless to say, they divorced long ago!). I am a little of both of them, so I do as I dream, within reason, and don't look back.
The feet on the ground part: well, I suspect we shall always have dogs, and France was a wonderful place to live with my pets now long gone, so I suspect when and if we ever retire and actually decide to move anywhere else, it would be France. The southern part, where we won't get sick and don't have to shovel snow, which we don't know how to do anyway.

"Ah, tis not too late to seek a newer world . . . to sail beyond the sunset and the baths of all the western stars until I die". Yes indeed, Tennyson knew what he was talking about!

barbmike

I believe Aine and Patrick are 100% correct. I'm in my mid 50's, semi-retired (probably will never retire), and live in So. Calif..We spend a month each in Hawaii and Europe and various 2 week trips to Canada or USA locations (Palm Springs, Carmel, Florida). We almost bought a second home near Hearst Castle (Cambria), but I'm now very glad we did not. Happy Retirement Everyone!!! Mike

Statia

Presently clearing land to build our retirement villa in the West Indies. From there it will be travel, travel, travel after retirement. At least that's my hope!

John

Retired 7 years ago. Travel where I want and when I want.
Retired to the last best place--Northwest Montana U.S.A.

Aine

Patrick, that was exactly my argument to my husband, the taxes, the upkeep, the problems when you are not there, the monthly mortgage payments when you are not there! Headache! Where are your favorite places that you return to year after year? Do you go on the offseason? Any other tips?