Where to retire?

[StealthLobo]

On 1/9/2025 at 12:16 PM, USUrobert said:

Mexico City's pretty incredible and just a 3 hr flight from Phoenix. Lots of other nice options in Mexico if you're not a city person

I have an old acquaintance in Sonora somewhere living with ther husband and couple of kids. She seems to really enjoy her life there.

[SalinasSpartan]

On 1/8/2025 at 10:34 AM, azgreg said:

So, I'm a little over six years away from my target retirement date. Me and SWMBO have been talking about where to retire. We've discussed teh following options:
1 - Staying in Vegas - Not a fan of this option. I don't much like it here.
2 - Moving back to our house in Phoenix. My oldest sone is renting it now with a friend of his and he's expressed interest in buying it.
3 - Tucson. We have a lot of relatives in Tucson and I like it there.
4 - Wickenburg. Not far from family in Phoenix with nice rolling terrain and a straight shot down the 60 to arguably the best senior citizen medical facilities in the country.
5 - Sonoita. We have relatives near there (Sierra Vista) and it's pretty country side with plenty of wineries (wifes idea).
6 - Become an expat. I like the travel idea and there's plenty of places to move to where it's fairly cheap to live. However, it would be to far from family.
7 - Move to another state. Not much of a fan about this idea. See family comment above.
8 - Build an ADU on our Phoenix property.
9 - Build on our property in Northern Arizona which sits between Show Low and Concho. Gets pretty cold up there and I'm sitting about 1,000' over the water table. A well will cost North of $30K by itself.

The Arizona options have the drawback in that I'm really getting tired of the summer heat. We can alleviate that by traveling all summer. We would like to visit all the national parks in the US.

Decisions decisions..............

Good luck, my Dad retired just a few years ago so I know it can be a difficult decision. But don’t stress too much; changing your mind after the fact can be a massive pain in the ass, but moving a second time IS doable.
 

My dad and step mom were convinced in their retirement location, sold their house and bought a new one where they retired too. After about a year and a half they said fuck this, sold the home they just bought and moved back. It was super stressful, but they were able to do it. Just saying that to say don’t put a ton of pressure on yourself that this is a decision that is final. 

[Mano]

I've thought about getting a second home in a warmer climate ( perhaps abroad ) when I retire and spending summers here while wintering there.

[HR_poke]

It's good you are thinking about it. My parents went into retirement with no plan beyond a once a year trip in their fifth wheel. It didn't end up well.....

[Chile_Ute]

I’m not far off that track.  My approach is to retire and take 12-18 months with my wife to assess what truly makes us happy.  Likely we will stalk our son as he is off to college/post grad.  
 

 

[Just_Chris]

On 1/8/2025 at 4:08 PM, StealthLobo said:

I have an old acquaintance in Sonora somewhere living with ther husband and couple of kids. She seems to really enjoy her life there.

Many many years ago I dated a girl who's parents retired near Guadalajara, a place called Ajijic which is on a lake. I never made it down there but I heard it was gorgeous. I also know someone in San Felipe which is my speed. All he does is fish and drink beer... lucky bastard. 

[Sactowndog]

On 1/8/2025 at 12:15 PM, StealthLobo said:

I vote expat, but I'm biased. I believe living in another country helped me grow as a person immensely.

However, I don't have kids. And contact with family via video calls every few weeks is enough for my personal situation. I can see how it could be really difficult though for many others.

Kids and more importantly Grandkids make all the difference in the world.  I have four now and just being around them is the best.  

[Sactowndog]

On 1/8/2025 at 4:19 PM, SalinasSpartan said:

Good luck, my Dad retired just a few years ago so I know it can be a difficult decision. But don’t stress too much; changing your mind after the fact can be a massive pain in the ass, but moving a second time IS doable.
 

My dad and step mom were convinced in their retirement location, sold their house and bought a new one where they retired too. After about a year and a half they said fuck this, sold the home they just bought and moved back. It was super stressful, but they were able to do it. Just saying that to say don’t put a ton of pressure on yourself that this is a decision that is final. 

Curious did they move out of CA and then back again? 

[Just_Chris]

On 1/8/2025 at 10:34 AM, azgreg said:

So, I'm a little over six years away from my target retirement date. Me and SWMBO have been talking about where to retire. We've discussed teh following options:
1 - Staying in Vegas - Not a fan of this option. I don't much like it here.
2 - Moving back to our house in Phoenix. My oldest sone is renting it now with a friend of his and he's expressed interest in buying it.
3 - Tucson. We have a lot of relatives in Tucson and I like it there.
4 - Wickenburg. Not far from family in Phoenix with nice rolling terrain and a straight shot down the 60 to arguably the best senior citizen medical facilities in the country.
5 - Sonoita. We have relatives near there (Sierra Vista) and it's pretty country side with plenty of wineries (wifes idea).
6 - Become an expat. I like the travel idea and there's plenty of places to move to where it's fairly cheap to live. However, it would be to far from family.
7 - Move to another state. Not much of a fan about this idea. See family comment above.
8 - Build an ADU on our Phoenix property.
9 - Build on our property in Northern Arizona which sits between Show Low and Concho. Gets pretty cold up there and I'm sitting about 1,000' over the water table. A well will cost North of $30K by itself.

The Arizona options have the drawback in that I'm really getting tired of the summer heat. We can alleviate that by traveling all summer. We would like to visit all the national parks in the US.

Decisions decisions..............

Just out of curiosity what is Eastern Az like ? Places like Safford or Alpine ? I'd imagine gorgeous in the summer but cold and snowy winters ? 

[SalinasSpartan]

On 1/8/2025 at 7:18 PM, Sactowndog said:

Curious did they move out of CA and then back again? 

Nah, they tried a typical Chicago retirement to the Phoenix area, then ended up back in Chicagoland. 

[StealthLobo]

On 1/9/2025 at 4:17 PM, Sactowndog said:

Kids and more importantly Grandkids make all the difference in the world.  I have four now and just being around them is the best.  

Definitely. I feel it would a lot harder for people that have them. We've never wanted them so even though it was still a process, it was a lot easier for us to pull the trigger. I still enjoy my nephew and niece when I see them, but just in small doses 

[Hashbrowns]

Reverse snowbird. Ski Montana during winter. Arizona during the summer. Could find good rental rates I’d bet.

I’m thinking Croatia for a year with excursions all through Europe. Still got 25 years to save.

[azgreg]

On 1/8/2025 at 6:50 PM, Mano said:

I've thought about getting a second home in a warmer climate ( perhaps abroad ) when I retire and spending summers here while wintering there.

I know a number of retirees who have a home in Sun City (retirement community outside of Phoenix) for Spring, Summer, and Fall and stay in the dorms at Utah and Utah St in the summer.

 

[azgreg]

On 1/8/2025 at 7:19 PM, Just_Chris said:

Just out of curiosity what is Eastern Az like ? Places like Safford or Alpine ? I'd imagine gorgeous in the summer but cold and snowy winters ? 

Eastern and North Eastern Arizona is awesome. It does get cold in teh winter though.

 

[415hawaiiboy 2.0]

When our kids go to college in 10 years, expat life for a couple years and then half/half in Hawaii and abroad.  
 

Thailand, Japan, Italy are places.  Living near US military bases abroad might be a strategy, Pisa or Naples or another location (I’m not military, but growing up we lived in South Korea as my dad worked for military).
 

I’ll still work remotely to keep my brain busy, if someone will pay me.

 

I thought about how I could get a job in college football since I’m on this website so much. 

[azgreg]

By the way, when my wife says she wants to travel during the summer she wants to do it in a teardrop trailer.

 

[Chile_Ute]

On 1/9/2025 at 10:39 AM, azgreg said:

By the way, when my wife says she wants to travel during the summer she wants to do it in a teardrop trailer.

 

That’s cool.

Not AZ, but recently passed through Newport, OR.  Holy cow what a gorgeous area.  Mrs and I were talking about this thread last night.  We may want to move to a place with water and green (but. It south, can’t take the humidity)

[azgreg]

On 1/9/2025 at 10:32 AM, Chile_Ute said:

That’s cool.

Not AZ, but recently passed through Newport, OR.  Holy cow what a gorgeous area.  Mrs and I were talking about this thread last night.  We may want to move to a place with water and green (but. It south, can’t take the humidity)

Yep, the PNW is awesome.

 

[death]

 

On 1/8/2025 at 9:15 PM, Just_Chris said:

 I also know someone in San Felipe which is my speed. All he does is fish and drink beer... lucky bastard. 

Yeah, that sounds awesome. Lucky bastard indeed. 

[Just_Chris]

On 1/9/2025 at 8:52 AM, 415hawaiiboy 2.0 said:

When our kids go to college in 10 years, expat life for a couple years and then half/half in Hawaii and abroad.  
 

Thailand, Japan, Italy are places.  Living near US military bases abroad might be a strategy, Pisa or Naples or another location (I’m not military, but growing up we lived in South Korea as my dad worked for military).
 

I’ll still work remotely to keep my brain busy, if someone will pay me.

 

I thought about how I could get a job in college football since I’m on this website so much. 

We live near 2 navy bases in Japan and there is an army base not far. Yokosuka is the home of West Pac which my dad was a part of when he was in Navy so I get to think about him all the time especially when the ships are in port and I can walk along the little park and see them. 

My wife and I have kicked around buying a condo in Thailand but not in Bangkok, way too hectic for me at this point in my life. We like Chiang Mai and condos are not super expensive even the ultra modern ones. My wife doesn't like Manila since it's crowded and polluted but if I was single and retired I'd be there. If you make arrangements before you get there you can stay for about 3 years and because pretty much everyone speaks English and "malling" is a national pastime in the Philippines you can always get around and find places to eat.