Why You Should Consider Moving to a Small Town for Retirement

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Traditional retirement has changed greatly in recent years, as many couples and individuals can no longer afford to keep up with their lifestyles while completely retired. As a result, these people are not fully retiring, but are rather going through with semi-retirement. 

This, however, is not necessary if you can make a few lifestyle adjustments leading up to your big day. One of the most effective adjustments that you can make is moving to a smaller city, as you will find that the difference in the cost of living could make full retirement more palatable. 

Selling Your Home

You might plan to sell the family home before retirement anyway, but if you are buying a condominium in the same city, you might not end up too far ahead. When staying in the city, your condominium could end up costing almost as much as your home, so you will not have much left over.

Some retirees choose to rent a place, but this constantly eats away at your retirement funds and does not provide a return on the investment. If you can sell your house in the large city and move to the suburbs or a smaller town in the same area, you could save hundreds of thousands of dollars. This money can then be put towards your retirement goals, which leaves you in much better financial shape. 

Cost of Living

In addition to the money that you make on the sale of your house, you will find that other expenses are far less in smaller cities. Since you will not have to drive as far to reach destinations, you will spend less on fuel. Things like restaurants and entertainment will be cheaper, unless you move to an exclusive suburb that has an inflated market. 

Quiet Lifestyle

Perhaps the main reason to relocate to a small town is the lifestyle that it affords. You will not have to worry about traffic and crime during your retirement, but can instead spend your time relaxing and enjoying the region.

You can go golfing multiple times per week without worrying about the course being overly crowded and can walk into your favorite restaurant, sometimes without even needing a reservation. The slower pace of life is much easier on you as you age, as you can avoid the big city problems that have plagued you during your working years. 

Checklist before Moving

Before you choose to move to a smaller center, you should consider a few things. First, make sure that you are close enough to visit your children and grandchildren before you go. Nothing is worse than moving on to greener pastures, only to find out that you miss your family and do not get to spend enough time with them.

Secondly, you should ensure that you have the right personality type to make friends in a new environment. You will be starting from scratch in your new town and you will not know anyone. If you struggle to make new friends or are introverted, you could struggle and become lonely very quickly.

Thirdly, you should look at the activities in your new city to see if they interest you. If you do not like fishing or swimming, moving to a beachfront community might not be your best option.

Overall, you have countless choices when selecting a retirement destination, so choose one that not only allows you to reach your financial goals, but your personal goals as well.

Retirement Community: Is it an Ideal Place for Retirees?

 One big decision to make when you reach the retirement age is to decide whether or not to find a new home. Surely by this age, your children have grown up and moved out from your house. Thus, living in a huge home is already impractical. Many seniors opt to buy a brand new house that will serve as retirement home. Oftentimes, they choose to retire in rural areas.

Are you looking for a retirement home? As of today, there are several retirement communities emerging like mushrooms in different places. In a retirement community, the residents are obviously retired people (if not all - majority of the denizens). The development of community has offered seniors varied choices to settle on. So, will you go for a retirement community? Is it really the perfect place for you?
There are some aspects that can help you decide with regards to pursuing a community housing.

Cost

In terms of cost, retirees will not have to fret since there are affordable homes available. If you have enough budget after retirement, it is highly advisable to buy a home in full payment. As much as possible, retirees should avoid home mortgage considering that they are no longer working - no more regular job to rely on. But if you prefer to have it in installment basis, you will just have to allot certain amount of money for the down payment and other fees to pay. Some retirement community developers offer various modes of payment.

So, is retirement community ideal for retired people? Practically speaking, it is indeed suitable. With so many options to choose and flexible payment methods, acquiring a retirement home is very feasible.

Neighborhood

Primarily, a retirement community is meant for retirees - aged 55 and older. These communities are intended to cater to retired people who wish to own a new home after retiring. Hence, it follows that majority of the residents in these communities are senior citizens. And now the big question is: Would you like to live in a community where most dwellers are elderly? There are pros and cons in this scenario.

Pros:

• People might be easier to mingle since you are in the same age group
• Several activities are offered to keep retirees busy and active
• A chance to meet new people (friend or new companion)
• Retirees can feel a sense of belonging and feel less lonely

Cons:

• Access to medical or fitness establishments might be a challenge if there is no younger companion
• Some retirees might find it hard to form a new relationship

There are other advantages and disadvantages of living in a neighborhood where seniors are living. That is why it is essential to ponder all possible pros and cons to help you decide if living in a retirement community is ideal for you.

Amenities and Facilities

Most retirement communities have amenities suitable for seniors. Depending on the developers, some communities have golf course, medical facility, park, tennis court, convenient store and activity center. All these amenities are designed to help keep the seniors active while living in the community. In fact, some communities host simple livelihood programs to guide the retirees in managing their finance.

By simply checking out the available facilities, you can easily determine if it is the best place for your or for your senior. There are community developers offering more amenities in an effort to provide the most comfortable living experience to seniors. However, the more amenities being offered the more expensive these community houses become. That is why, it is important to scrutinize if the featured offerings can be of great help to you.

Generally, a retirement community can be a good choice for retirees out there. But there are advantages and disadvantages to weigh before making a decision. At the end of the day, it is not about living in a retirement community or in another housing community. Whether you buy a house in a certain community or rent a unit in one of those apartments in Dallas, the place may not be the main priority. The most important thing is that seniors can dwell with less hassle and much comfort.