For empty nesters finally unburdened from work and child-rearing duties, retirement presents an exciting opportunity to relocate somewhere new and enjoyable. With your entire nation to choose from, narrowing down the perfect spot to settle can prove quite a daunting task.
Focus on Climate
One of the most important factors that can make or break your retirement bliss is the local climate and seasonal patterns. Do you dream of endless summers spent soaking up warmth and sunshine? Then you may want to seriously consider retiring to Florida, Arizona, or other balmy locales spread throughout the Sun Belt region.
If you would rather experience four distinct seasons throughout the year, look at parts of the country with relatively mild winters, like the Carolinas, northern California, or the Pacific Northwest. Just be sure to weigh average rainfall amounts and humidity levels too. For some, dry desert heat may be far preferable to muggy, moisture-laden air.
Access to Amenities
As an empty nester, having proximity and convenient access to shopping, activities, dining options, top-notch healthcare facilities, and other amenities becomes paramount. Retiring to a major metropolitan area or its surrounding suburbs puts world-class museums, theaters, restaurants, hospitals, and more right at your doorstep.
However, big city living often also means dealing with overcrowding, traffic gridlock, exorbitant costs of living, and other potential hassles. Choosing life in a smaller town or exurban area can provide a quieter, lower-stress retirement if you don’t mind driving a little further for certain amenities, activities, or healthcare services.
Consider Community
Many retirees who crave a ready-made social life and sense of community right away are drawn to amenity-rich active adult, or age-restricted communities filled with like-minded neighbors. These types of age-qualified developments offer low-maintenance living and typically feature an abundance of planned group activities to help foster new friendships and social bonds. Some even include coveted luxuries like private golf courses, community clubhouses, and other upscale shared amenities.
Explore Housing Options
Arguably the biggest retirement decision to weigh is what type of housing and living situation will best suit your needs, preferences, and long-term care requirements while aligning with your budget and savings. For those seeking an elevated standard of luxury living, you may want to explore upscale communities that offer gorgeous new construction homes, resort-like amenities, continuing care options, and full-service concierge staff.
Alternatively, you could take the custom route and work with builders to construct your absolute dream home from the ground up, perhaps somewhere like the countless thriving new luxury homes in Houston and other major Texas cities. According to those at Jamestown Estate Homes, this lets you craft a personalized forever home tailored to your precise specifications, while still having walkable access to ample entertainment, dining, quality healthcare facilities, and other amenities.
Evaluate Costs
Finally, carefully evaluating and factoring in the overall cost of living for any area you are considering for retirement is crucial. Choosing locales with relatively low everyday expenses and affordable quality healthcare can go a long way in helping your retirement savings and income stretch further.
However, you will also want to avoid sacrificing your desired standard of living and quality of life just to live in the most rock-bottom cheap area. For many retirees who have diligently saved, splurging a bit more to make their retirement dream destination a reality ultimately proves worthwhile.
Conclusion
There’s no such thing as a perfect, one-size-fits-all retirement spot that will please everyone’s specific wants and needs. But by carefully evaluating your priorities and being proactive about your search, you will find an appealing, vibrant locale that provides the perfect setting for making the most of your empty nester years in comfort, convenience and style.
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