I would like to hear from people who have left California to retire on the east coast, leaving family behind. Where did you move to and why? Any regrets? If you had to do it over, would you make the same decision?

I know of people who left La Jolla, CA which is probably the prettiest place in the USA and went to Wilmington, NC.
They are retired and wanted a different feel of seasons and cheaper overall living and what they found that the humidity is killing them, the bugs are bigger than they expected and alot of them and they have to be inside most of the time in the summer
and things aren't that much cheaper..
They have torrential rains, hurricanes and they even had an earthquake..
They wish that they would of stayed in their little slice of heaven in California where they finally realized why it is called the "Golden State".
Really think this through and I think it helps if you have lived on the East Coast before..
Wishing you all the best!

peggy01,

left No. CA 6 years ago for florida. If you drive Interstate 10 note the sign just as you pass into FL "abandon hope all ye who enter". florida is hotter than Hell and more humid! that said if you live near the water and have a pool it isn't that bad. You can spend days in a T-shirt, bathing suit and shorts all day long (+sandals if you go shopping). It is way cheaper to live than California (housing was about a third) no state taxes, cheap gas, everything else is around the same give or take 15%. retired life is great, beaches, boating, etc wonderful.

Been through Loma Prieta earthquake and floods, plenty of warning on hurricanes- and they have to come pretty close to do real damage [FL has 1200 miles of coastline so of course it will be hit with a hurricane]. And we can afford a few trips home (to CA) and an overseas trip every year instead of our CA mortgage.

My wife loves it here, I have nothing to complain about; but when one of us dies, I'm moving back to San Francisco!

That was cute, Tampatramp,
I guess that means you're going back to SF either dead or alive!

We have lived in NY, Southern CA and now southern Arizona. CA is by far the best place (climate wise) to live.

Before you make any quick decisions, take an extended trip to where you think you might like to settle. Stay at least 3 months (more if you can handle it financially). Check out EVERYTHING you can possibly think of. If after 3+ months you still think you will be better off leaving CA then do it.

Don't be surprised tho if after you live in the new place awhile you regret the move (and with the price of Real Estate in CA you probably won't be able to go back (unless you are very wealthy of course).

People make terrible decisions about moving - because a place looks nice when you visit on vacation or because some one you know went there and likes it are not reasons to relocate.

We see this all the time where we live in Tucson, AZ. People move here expecting paradise and find out it's not quite that way. Sometimes work takes you to a place and you have little or no choice, but when you have choices PLEASE consider everything, at least a dozen times over.

I would suggest living somewhere a year before making a decision as to whether you want to buy property etc. I have known so many people that have moved to another area..loved it..and then a different season arrives and suddenly they were not happy.

One suggestion, if you own a house in CA, lease it out for a year. Lease where you are thinking of retiring to for a year.

After the year is up you should be able to feel that you are making a good informed decision without "burning any bridges behind you". Best wishes with your decisions peggy.

I would take LoveItalys advice
You never know about a place unless you have lived there before or have visited over the years.
We moved in a sort of spur of the moment way from NYC to Florida and my husband hated it within months, we are living in Portland Or and while we both like it here..the weather can really make a person miserable. But the summers are wonderful, so you have to live here a year and figure out what makes you happy.
Going from California-less humidity, storms,high cost of living to the East Coast- more humid, serious weather summer/winter, high cost of living..really does not make sense..would you like to share more info on why?
From one who has done it in both directions, unless you are thinking of moving to NYC, I would stay in California

Suerich68, thanks for the comment. You are right my wife knows to bury me in San Francisco, and I know where to bury her (I promised to wait until she's dead).

peggy01, I hope you found the answers to your questions in my post. Best of luck in your retirement!

I'm a native Californian. We now live in Raleigh, NC. The wife was transferred. We have been here just about 10 1/2 years. Will NEVER move back to California. That is shared by just about all the Californians that moved here.

Sure, we have a couple of months of humidity, but for the most part it's pretty nice, plus most of the time you can breath the air. I always tell native North Carolinians to look up at the blue sky. You don't see that in California unless you are high in the Sierra's. It's also very, very green here. The first time we flew in for a survey trip, I looked out the airplane and the ground looked like a bunch of golf courses.

Best come out and see for yourself. Then make a decision.

Curious

Thanks for all the advice. My husband and I are in our forties and retirement is quite a few years away. However, we have seen several relatives move out of state at retirement because it was too expensive. We want to plan for that in advance. While the weather IS fantastic here, the traffic where we live is becoming unbearable. We have been to Williamsburg, VA three times and love it more every time we go. You just don't have the same beauty, the seasons, the history and culture in Southern California that you have back east. The humidity does scare me, though!

If we decide to try it, we will keep our home here for at least a year, as suggested.

One thing about the humidity is that it is good for your skin. We live in the Los Angeles area, and I have to use skin moisturizer a couple of times a day. Between ceiling fans and air conditioning, you can stay comfortable, as long as you're not doing manual work outdoors.

I have a story about humidity. I was in VA in July a few years ago. It was very hot and humid, and I felt pretty weak the whole week. But my skin and hair looked great! I'm from dry CA, FYI.

I'm reminded of a personal experience about heat & humidity. It's all about motivation as to how you deal with it. We were visiting the Washington, D.C. area a few years ago in late June. We had reservations to stay 2 nites in Colonial Williamsburg and see the sights. Well it was 102 degrees and humid and no breeze both days. And most of the historic bldgs. in Colonial Williamsburg are not air conditioned. Sure, it was uncomfortable, but we managed because we were there.

Hi Peggy,
We get several people a year who move to Charleston, SC from California. They have found that the real estate is less expensive and they seem to be pleased with the quality of life here. You can learn more about the City and properties for sale at http://www.charlestonhomelistings.com

Motherly advise from been there-If my hubby and I were still way back there in our 40's I would buy CA property upgrading as wisely as possible for profit,invest carefully making every penny work/grow for you, then when you need to relocate you should have a nice nest egg to hatch comfortably. Save now while you are young, fit and healthy and can have fun that doesn't require money, As age and health change, that's when you will see the comfort of financial planning. And make sure you are financially safe from medical emergencys. We never bought new cars, they depreciate instantly and the insurance is Much less for older models, instead we have very nice dependable cars and our money is working for us, not the other way around. I just bought a 2002 flawless Park Avenue with only 8,000 miles! There are lots of great deals out there, it is up to us to chose wisely for what we want now or will need later. Think today for 20 years ahead. Will todays new purchase lose its charm years later, Rather have that money multiply?

I have been living in South Florida (Fort Lauderdale/Palm Beach area) for several years and absolutly love it. Real Estate values have certainly been climbing during the last 5 yrs but with the recent correction there are certainly bargains to be found.

Please let me know if you have any questions about the area or want to get an idea of real estate prices etc since being a Realtor I have access to real time MLS data.

As a transplanted East Coaster in California, it always amuses me the way people here think of "the East Coast" as a single place. South Florida is not the same as Maine, and there's plenty of variation in between. One person's experiences moving to Charleston won't tell you much about moving to the Berkshires, nor would a move to the Eastern Shore be the same as a move to Atlanta.

Peggy01,

There is a great magazine that is out every 2 months called "where to retire." It is filled with info on every state, including tax info. All the homes that are being built, it is a wealth of info for someone like yourself. But of course we can never know until we live there. I was born/raised in Southern Calif. We use to swim in La Jolla Cove before the Seals took it over. I have lived on the East Coast now for 30 years. I don't regret it, at all. I do like the 4 Seasons. There are many places on the East Coast to consider.

KT: You're so right. I should have been more specific. We were originally considering Virginia, having been there many times. Besides the seasons, the history and the scenic beauty, we like the proximity to Washington DC. We have just recently started considering looking at North Carolina and South Carolina. They both seem to have a lot to offer and are more affordable than the areas of Virginia we have been looking at. Anyplace in the Carolinas would have to be near a large or mid-size city, such as Greenville or Raleigh. I would not want to live in the city, but near by.

Diann, I have been reading "where to retire" for awhile. I love the magazine - lots of great information. Where do you live?

I am a native Californian who now lives in Florida, just outside Orlando.

As a boy and young man growing up in Southern California, I loved the place. Sadly, the growth in the last 30-35 years has mushroomed and the quality of life is no longer what it was. Traffic congestion, high prices (gas, groceries, real estate) and too many people are to blame. Sure Florida has hurricanes, bugs, reptiles that bite and heat and humidity. But,it's subtropical not reclaimed desert land. You learn to dress appropriately for the climate, get central air for your house and not swim in the lakes after dark.

The plus side is that you to enjoy a much nicer house - about 3 times the house that you can have in some areas of Orange County, California (not necessarily beach communities). Recreational opportunities abound. Gas is about 50 cents a gallon less and eggs can be bought for $1 a dozen, or less. Plus, Florida has no state income tax!

In many ways, Florida is like Southern California 30-35 years ago.