Author Topic: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?  (Read 11265 times)

bhallissey

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My wife and I recently paid off our debts and anticipate starting our FIRE life in 4 years just before our son starts school. We currently live in the northeast and are tired of snow. I have a work contract that continues for 4 more years and should provide us the remainder of the money needed to hit our number. We are hoping to hear from mustachians on locations that meet the following criteria:

No Snow
Low crime
Average or better cost of living. Currently we are in a high cost area so even average will be a savings
Good school and community
Walkable and bikeable
Easy access to outdoor activities like fishing and boating
Within an hour of an ice hockey arena(this is my odd ball one but as a mustachian i want to optimize without giving up ice hockey)

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Any other mustachians leave the cold and snow behind for a better fit?

Bicycle_B

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2017, 06:53:23 PM »
You might do all right in San Marcos, TX.

No snow, check.
Low crime, I think it's low.  Lived in nearby Austin for 2 decades, never heard anything bad; friends who live and work there like it.
Cost of living good, much cheaper than Austin when I checked last year to help a friend who was being priced out of Austin.
University town, schools and community should be good.
Walkable and bikeable - I think so.  Town is not big (a few miles across).  I remember seeing sidewalks when visiting a neighborhood of older homes.  Not sure how many bike trails though - research this one.  IIRC, saw lots of bikes on the spacious, beautiful campus of Texas State University when visiting on business.
Outdoor activities - must be.  Floating on nearby river is a common pastime.  College students loaf near it banks.  Must be fishing somewhere, though protected areas cover some of the waterways (no fishing in those, except scientists tagging fish). 
Ice hockey - According to Google Maps, Texas State University in San Marcos is 52 minutes by car from the home rink of the Texas Stars, farm team for the NHL's Dallas Stars.


Rollin

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2017, 06:14:26 PM »
We have all that here - Pinellas County (includes places like Clearwater, Largo, St. Petersburg, etc.). Professional hockey 30-45 minutes away in Tampa, at least one arena I am aware of in Oldsmar (north end of county).
« Last Edit: November 27, 2017, 06:18:04 PM by Rollin »

MoneyStacher

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #3 on: November 27, 2017, 07:27:16 PM »
I'm in total agreement with you on weather and have been thinking it over for some time. Should I have a permanent home in a northern-ish area and rent in the south for a few months when cold or do the opposite? Today I saw this article and I'm sold on San Diego with zero days below 32 and only 2 above 90. Can't comment on crime or other stuff you might want to have or avoid.

https://realestate.usnews.com/real-estate/slideshows/the-20-best-places-to-live-in-the-us-for-the-weather?slide=21

FINate

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #4 on: November 28, 2017, 12:37:14 AM »
Davis, California may check all of your boxes, though the cost of living may be higher than you want (Spirling's has it at 172.5, where 100 is US average). Known to be a very bikeable town. Lake Tahoe area is ~2hr east, SF Bay Area ~1 hr west. Yosemite is ~3 hrs. Lots of fishing in the Central Valley rivers/lakes. Low crime. UC Davis so a college town with the associated pros/cons. No snow, though summers get hot (not quite southern AZ hot, but still triple digits)...unless along the coast in California (very spendy) then generally you have either cold/snowy winters or hot dry summers (or both in the high desert).

Prescott, AZ may also be worth checking out. Has a walkable/bikeable downtown. Cost of living is about average. Lots of outdoor activities (mountain biking near town and in nearby Sedona, and Grand Canyon is not far). However, being in the mountainous north of the state (somewhat cooler summers) they get snow...but they also get a lot of sun during winter so I think it's different from the winter gloom of the NE.

lefty

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #5 on: November 28, 2017, 05:45:51 AM »
I've been thinking about Santa Clarita, CA. So far things look reasonable to me for what you get.

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hoping2retire35

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2017, 12:15:54 PM »
http://www.swamprabbits.com/schedule/

30-40 mins to the west are several large lakes

Rubic

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #7 on: November 29, 2017, 01:29:18 PM »
Tennessee has no income tax.  In Nashville we're got the Predators:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashville_Predators

Each year we usually get a few days of snow, but it melts in a day or two.

soccerluvof4

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #8 on: December 01, 2017, 12:42:49 PM »
Eastern Tennessee-Western NC.  Or Knoxville To Asheville, NC would work wonderfully for me! 

ixtap

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #9 on: December 01, 2017, 12:59:12 PM »
Eastern Tennessee-Western NC.  Or Knoxville To Asheville, NC would work wonderfully for me!

My parents are quite happy living near one of those and frequently vacationing near the other. Of course, they also come to see me in CA a couple of times a year. Going to be interesting to see what they do with themselves if Dad ever stops consulting!

Holyoak

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #10 on: December 01, 2017, 01:07:05 PM »
BH, how does humidity + warmer weather figure into your decision?  I have lived in the deep South (S. Georgia), and Mid-South (Knoxville), and can tell you the humidity factor can be absolutely brutal.  As much as I am growing a bit tired of snow (30 miles south of Erie PA), I never could, or did get used to very high humidity, and high summer temps.  I did live in Utah where there was plenty of snow, but my God the lack of humidity was absolutely blissful. 

Maybe St. George UT is worth a look...  Perhaps a day or two of same day melt snow once or twice a season, and I think they even built a new ice rink in 2013, and have a hockey team.  I lived in Provo way north of SG, but the southern part of the state has some of the most beautiful scenery, and hiking this country has to offer.  Simply breathtaking, and so much no snow activities to do anywhere in the state, spring-fall.  Good luck.

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #11 on: December 02, 2017, 04:09:32 PM »
Eastern Tennessee-Western NC.  Or Knoxville To Asheville, NC would work wonderfully for me!

My parents are quite happy living near one of those and frequently vacationing near the other. Of course, they also come to see me in CA a couple of times a year. Going to be interesting to see what they do with themselves if Dad ever stops consulting!


Just a beautiful part of the country!

zinethstache

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #12 on: December 11, 2017, 09:46:44 PM »
We are currently lake hopping in Texas. Circling the Dallas area for nine weeks. It is our first time staying this far east. We like where we are currently, but it is very sleepy and agricultural. I assume with just a one hour drive to the city that you would be able to tick all the boxes. There are many lakes in Texas to consider.

Cost of living is low compared to where we are from (PNW- north of Seattle). We can buy a home on this lake (Lake Tawakoni) a decent small 3/2 SFH with a dock and boat lift for under 200k. Gas starts at 2.29/g. We've been saving over $80/week in groceries since our arrival here. We cook all our own meals.

There is lots of camping here (we are full time RVers).

We like Arizona better overall, the desert is a huge change for us so we are drawn to it. Someone mentioned Prescott and that is the area we are also considering.  DH says Texas is too boring for him. I say it could grow on us as we spend more time here.

Erinbynight

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #13 on: December 16, 2017, 01:02:48 PM »
I live in Cape Coral, FL which meets a lot of your points. I would suggest Sarasota or even Jacksonville to meet all your points, as you play hockey. Biking is tricky though cities are becoming friendlier, certain areas of theses cities bikeable, others not. You would want to scope out a good location within any of these to improvr bikeability.

albireo13

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #14 on: December 17, 2017, 04:35:16 AM »
The high humidity south never appealed to me.   
Having to retreat to air-conditioning during daylight hours half the year is a step down in quality of life, IMO.


hoping2retire35

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #15 on: December 17, 2017, 07:42:58 AM »
The high humidity south never appealed to me.   
Having to retreat to air-conditioning during daylight hours half the year is a step down in quality of life, IMO.
Or a lack of badassity. I go running in July, 3pm , for a bout a whole.month every year.

SD70

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #16 on: December 20, 2017, 07:03:41 AM »
This is a great post.

We are currently in the process of exploring possible relocation areas as well. Our current plan is to remain in our current home for the next four to five years while we continue to build our stash. In the mean time, we are slowly exploring different areas of the country.

Like the OP, we would like to move to an area that has warmer weather (We currently reside in PA), but it isn't a top priority for us. We are also attracted to smaller to mid sized cities. Our list of  priorities goes something like this, with the most important at the top:

1. Bikeable/walkable: We currently commute by car to work (30 minutes and 50 minutes). I wouldn't mind part time work when we FIRE, but I would like to bike to work. In fact, It is a top priority that we can bike and walk to as many places as possible. We currently utilize a rails to trails type bike path that connects us to other communities in the area, but we would like to expand our abilities to utilize our bikes as transportation. As a result, this is on the top of the list for us.
2. Crime rate: I think this is self explanatory, so I won't elaborate further.
3. COL: We currently have a low cost of living. We live in an area where home prices are not too bad. We have no mortgage and taxes are fairly low. Our overall expenses are pretty low in general. As a result, we could handle a slight increase in COL if it gets us in the right area.
4. Weather: We would prefer warmer weather, however, as I explore further this keeps moving up and down the priority list.
5. Schools: We don't have children, so school systems don't hold as much value for us

I just recently a started process to get more organized with my search. Since bicycle friendly places are currently a top priority, I decided to start making a list of places based on its ranking with the League of American Bicyclists. Here is a link to their community ratings if you are not already familiar with it:

http://bikeleague.org/bfa/awards#community

I'm making a list of communities that rank well in each state and narrowing down by exploring other attributes.

With all of this said, one of our most favorite places we have visited so far was Fort Collins, CO. We stayed here for three days during a Denver/Boulder/Fort Collins trip. The biking culture in that town is absolutely amazing. It has been awarded a Platinum level by the League of American Bicyclists. I also found it to be a very walkable town. People seemed friendly and generally happy. The size of Fort Collins is just about perfect for us. Cost of living is moderate depending on who you ask, but homes seem to be getting pricier. Weather can be cold in winter with snow, but the area also seems to get lots of sunny days. I had someone from Boulder tell me that they could be in a T-shirt one day in December and then bundled up the next day. As a result, weather may not be ideal for the OP. I can tell you that we were there in the Fall and the weather was gorgeous.

Asheville, NC was another appealing town. Very walkable, great culture, friendly. However, biking culture doesn't seem to be a priority there right now. New Belgium Brewing opened a brewery there a couple of years ago and they seem to be making an impact by bringing the Fort Collins bike culture with them. I'm keeping an eye on it.

We have visited friends in Dallas, TX. We explored other nearby places while we were there, as Dallas itself is too large and traffic ridden for our tastes. The biking culture seemed pretty weak to us. We would like to revisit and head south to check out Austin and other towns just south like San Marcos and New Braunfels, as we see them mentioned often as great places with LCOL. Austin has a Gold rating by the League of American Bicyclists, but COL can be higher than nearby areas.

Some areas in Tennessee, as mentioned by previous posters are on our radar as well.

I'll try to report back as we explore further.
« Last Edit: December 20, 2017, 08:33:40 AM by SD70 »

Rubic

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #17 on: December 20, 2017, 07:30:33 AM »
We have visited friends in Dallas, TX. We explored other nearby places while we were there, as Dallas itself is too large and traffic ridden for our tastes. The biking culture seemed pretty weak to us.

Former Dallas resident here, and I would concur.  I've been back twice on
business trips this year and the situation is improving, but it's still not at the
level that I'd consider bike-friendly, esp. compared to Austin.

infromsea

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #18 on: December 23, 2017, 04:02:24 AM »
Got to throw my hat in the ring for VA Beach, VA

No Snow - very little here. Every few years we get a rough winter, two weeks of snow, a little ice, but it's usually gone in days, the side roads MIGHT have snow for a week, otherwise, not uncommon to have a winter with zero snow.

Low crime- Stay in VA beach and you are good, don't go to Portsmouth/areas of Newport News (especially at night) and you'll be fine

Average or better cost of living. Currently we are in a high cost area so even average will be a savings- right at national avg

Good school and community- Great public school system, we moved here (from Southern MD) for it

Walkable and bikeable- The city as a whole is not, it's a large region, LOTS of micro areas within it that are walkable and bikeable. I run all over the city and there are very few spots that are not easy to navigate

Easy access to outdoor activities like fishing and boating- Huge props here, you want to be outside, you can do it here.

Within an hour of an ice hockey arena(this is my odd ball one but as a mustachian i want to optimize without giving up ice hockey)- Norfolk Admirals are a farm team, it's fun to take the light rail to downtown Norfolk, have a few beers that they brew just for the team's venue, and light rail back.

Overall, I'd give this area a B+. If you like the beach/water/having access to all the "big city" amenities with a great many areas that give the small town feel, this place is great for that, especially if you are not stuck in a 9-5 job and can stay off the roads during peak times. Getting out of the area to head north can be a pain but taking back roads in a patient manner can relieve that.

NaturallyHappier

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #19 on: December 23, 2017, 03:25:08 PM »
We are in PA and our plan is to downsize in PA and rent (VRBO or similar) in different areas in the south.  Last year we rented in Beaufort, SC and it was just a perfect place to get away for the winter.   We leave in a couple weeks for our trip this year, although we are only going for 4 weeks this year because we have other commitments.

dang1

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #20 on: December 23, 2017, 08:28:31 PM »
Santa Maria, California. what's snow? lol

ronsbusa3

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #21 on: December 23, 2017, 08:41:05 PM »
This is a great post.

We are currently in the process of exploring possible relocation areas as well. Our current plan is to remain in our current home for the next four to five years while we continue to build our stash. In the mean time, we are slowly exploring different areas of the country.

Like the OP, we would like to move to an area that has warmer weather (We currently reside in PA), but it isn't a top priority for us. We are also attracted to smaller to mid sized cities. Our list of  priorities goes something like this, with the most important at the top:

1. Bikeable/walkable: We currently commute by car to work (30 minutes and 50 minutes). I wouldn't mind part time work when we FIRE, but I would like to bike to work. In fact, It is a top priority that we can bike and walk to as many places as possible. We currently utilize a rails to trails type bike path that connects us to other communities in the area, but we would like to expand our abilities to utilize our bikes as transportation. As a result, this is on the top of the list for us.
2. Crime rate: I think this is self explanatory, so I won't elaborate further.
3. COL: We currently have a low cost of living. We live in an area where home prices are not too bad. We have no mortgage and taxes are fairly low. Our overall expenses are pretty low in general. As a result, we could handle a slight increase in COL if it gets us in the right area.
4. Weather: We would prefer warmer weather, however, as I explore further this keeps moving up and down the priority list.
5. Schools: We don't have children, so school systems don't hold as much value for us

I just recently a started process to get more organized with my search. Since bicycle friendly places are currently a top priority, I decided to start making a list of places based on its ranking with the League of American Bicyclists. Here is a link to their community ratings if you are not already familiar with it:

http://bikeleague.org/bfa/awards#community

I'm making a list of communities that rank well in each state and narrowing down by exploring other attributes.

With all of this said, one of our most favorite places we have visited so far was Fort Collins, CO. We stayed here for three days during a Denver/Boulder/Fort Collins trip. The biking culture in that town is absolutely amazing. It has been awarded a Platinum level by the League of American Bicyclists. I also found it to be a very walkable town. People seemed friendly and generally happy. The size of Fort Collins is just about perfect for us. Cost of living is moderate depending on who you ask, but homes seem to be getting pricier. Weather can be cold in winter with snow, but the area also seems to get lots of sunny days. I had someone from Boulder tell me that they could be in a T-shirt one day in December and then bundled up the next day. As a result, weather may not be ideal for the OP. I can tell you that we were there in the Fall and the weather was gorgeous.

Asheville, NC was another appealing town. Very walkable, great culture, friendly. However, biking culture doesn't seem to be a priority there right now. New Belgium Brewing opened a brewery there a couple of years ago and they seem to be making an impact by bringing the Fort Collins bike culture with them. I'm keeping an eye on it.

We have visited friends in Dallas, TX. We explored other nearby places while we were there, as Dallas itself is too large and traffic ridden for our tastes. The biking culture seemed pretty weak to us. We would like to revisit and head south to check out Austin and other towns just south like San Marcos and New Braunfels, as we see them mentioned often as great places with LCOL. Austin has a Gold rating by the League of American Bicyclists, but COL can be higher than nearby areas.

Some areas in Tennessee, as mentioned by previous posters are on our radar as well.

I'll try to report back as we explore further.
This is the plan of Dw and I. We are thinking South Carolina or Tennesse etc. We are looking at about 2022 or 2023 time frame. We also have no kids and bike friendly is a must. Where in Pa. are you located? We are near the NJ border.  Easton area.

soccerluvof4

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #22 on: December 24, 2017, 04:45:25 AM »
This is a great post.

We are currently in the process of exploring possible relocation areas as well. Our current plan is to remain in our current home for the next four to five years while we continue to build our stash. In the mean time, we are slowly exploring different areas of the country.

Like the OP, we would like to move to an area that has warmer weather (We currently reside in PA), but it isn't a top priority for us. We are also attracted to smaller to mid sized cities. Our list of  priorities goes something like this, with the most important at the top:

1. Bikeable/walkable: We currently commute by car to work (30 minutes and 50 minutes). I wouldn't mind part time work when we FIRE, but I would like to bike to work. In fact, It is a top priority that we can bike and walk to as many places as possible. We currently utilize a rails to trails type bike path that connects us to other communities in the area, but we would like to expand our abilities to utilize our bikes as transportation. As a result, this is on the top of the list for us.
2. Crime rate: I think this is self explanatory, so I won't elaborate further.
3. COL: We currently have a low cost of living. We live in an area where home prices are not too bad. We have no mortgage and taxes are fairly low. Our overall expenses are pretty low in general. As a result, we could handle a slight increase in COL if it gets us in the right area.
4. Weather: We would prefer warmer weather, however, as I explore further this keeps moving up and down the priority list.
5. Schools: We don't have children, so school systems don't hold as much value for us

I just recently a started process to get more organized with my search. Since bicycle friendly places are currently a top priority, I decided to start making a list of places based on its ranking with the League of American Bicyclists. Here is a link to their community ratings if you are not already familiar with it:

http://bikeleague.org/bfa/awards#community

I'm making a list of communities that rank well in each state and narrowing down by exploring other attributes.

With all of this said, one of our most favorite places we have visited so far was Fort Collins, CO. We stayed here for three days during a Denver/Boulder/Fort Collins trip. The biking culture in that town is absolutely amazing. It has been awarded a Platinum level by the League of American Bicyclists. I also found it to be a very walkable town. People seemed friendly and generally happy. The size of Fort Collins is just about perfect for us. Cost of living is moderate depending on who you ask, but homes seem to be getting pricier. Weather can be cold in winter with snow, but the area also seems to get lots of sunny days. I had someone from Boulder tell me that they could be in a T-shirt one day in December and then bundled up the next day. As a result, weather may not be ideal for the OP. I can tell you that we were there in the Fall and the weather was gorgeous.

Asheville, NC was another appealing town. Very walkable, great culture, friendly. However, biking culture doesn't seem to be a priority there right now. New Belgium Brewing opened a brewery there a couple of years ago and they seem to be making an impact by bringing the Fort Collins bike culture with them. I'm keeping an eye on it.

We have visited friends in Dallas, TX. We explored other nearby places while we were there, as Dallas itself is too large and traffic ridden for our tastes. The biking culture seemed pretty weak to us. We would like to revisit and head south to check out Austin and other towns just south like San Marcos and New Braunfels, as we see them mentioned often as great places with LCOL. Austin has a Gold rating by the League of American Bicyclists, but COL can be higher than nearby areas.

Some areas in Tennessee, as mentioned by previous posters are on our radar as well.

I'll try to report back as we explore further.
This is the plan of Dw and I. We are thinking South Carolina or Tennesse etc. We are looking at about 2022 or 2023 time frame. We also have no kids and bike friendly is a must. Where in Pa. are you located? We are near the NJ border.  Easton area.


I have been doing more and more research lately as I am getting closer to making this move (or at least I am trying to convince myself of this) and in doing so Its getting easier to lockdown that area between Eastern, TN and Western ,NC. I too looked into SC but it just gets to damn humid for me. Being a bit closer to the mountains you lose alot of that.  Also whatever you believe in as far as global warming, whether man induced or another cycle its a real thing so places like Virgina Beach, VA which I visited a year and a half ago I got out a day before the area really flooded and easily when there wasn't even a call for rain. I think the areas to close to the coast are only going to be more problematic. But again its easy nowadays to support whatever your rational is one way or another via the internet to support where you want to move. Just like any city you like I am sure there is an article somewhere that has a reason why its a great place to live/retire.

SD70

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #23 on: December 25, 2017, 08:14:37 PM »
Quote from: ronsbusa33

This is the plan of Dw and I. We are thinking South Carolina or Tennesse etc. We are looking at about 2022 or 2023 time frame. We also have no kids and bike friendly is a must. Where in Pa. are you located? We are near the NJ border.  Easton area.

We are in Montgomery County, so not too far away. Got any specifics about the areas you are considering our have visited?

ronsbusa3

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #24 on: December 28, 2017, 02:02:15 PM »
We are in the early stages. My sister lives in Prescott Az which is a nice area. Greenville Sc, Chattanooga Tn, Asheville Nc. are some places on our  radar.  We plan on making a list and visiting some city's in the  south this summer. We definitely want a town where we can bike/walk to stores, entertainment, etc. and a warmer climate then where we live now.   

SD70

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #25 on: December 30, 2017, 05:29:23 AM »
Rob, we are definitely on the same page. All of those places are currently on our short list.

Panly

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #26 on: January 01, 2018, 04:11:24 PM »

for warmer weather, lower costs and a friendly welcome, just ask the BBC 

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20170215-living-in-the-worlds-most-welcoming-countries


SD70

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #27 on: January 01, 2018, 04:24:11 PM »
That was a good read. Thanks for sharing.

jim555

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #28 on: January 01, 2018, 06:12:06 PM »
How about Belize or Thailand?
Too hot in the summer but great in the winter.  Both have easy visa schemes and are LCOL.

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #29 on: January 03, 2018, 01:10:53 PM »
I'll chime in with my humidity comment. Yes, it will get humid here, probably more so than in Asheville or Knoxville, but either way you will be sweating in July and August no matter where you are. I just prefer a shorter drive to the beach when necessary ;). If I had to move somewhere Asheville area would be high on my list.

Never moving.

begood

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #30 on: January 14, 2018, 09:40:44 AM »
We are in PA and our plan is to downsize in PA and rent (VRBO or similar) in different areas in the south.  Last year we rented in Beaufort, SC and it was just a perfect place to get away for the winter.   We leave in a couple weeks for our trip this year, although we are only going for 4 weeks this year because we have other commitments.

This is my dream! I do just fine in SEPA through New Year's, but then oh my gosh, I just count the days until it's warm again. I think if I could go south for January and February - rent a place; no need to own - I could then deal with March and April. Having grown up in NC, what they call "spring" up here I call "more winter but wetter".

I hadn't considered SC as an option for snowbirding. Thanks for the idea!

jpeizie

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #31 on: February 01, 2018, 02:45:16 PM »
One thing I hadn't expected about the Knoxville area is that it rains here way more than I thought it would. Being on the North Carolina side of the Appalachians would cut down on that quite a bit.

But it is pretty gorgeous on both sides!

Dicey

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GOFU

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #33 on: February 08, 2018, 04:02:57 PM »
No Snow
Low crime
Average or better cost of living. Currently we are in a high cost area so even average will be a savings
Good school and community
Walkable and bikeable
Easy access to outdoor activities like fishing and boating running, hiking and biking

This is pretty much my list. I would add: good opportunity for part-time work

Mrs. Rocker

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #34 on: February 11, 2018, 03:33:45 PM »
We struggled with finding the perfect location to live where the winter was warm and summer was cool. We had no interest in having two houses either. Our solution was to move into an RV and follow the good weather. We love it and have no interest in returning to a permanent house any time soon. Our overall costs are much lower as well so that is a plus.

clarkfan1979

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Re: Relocating for warmer weather and lower cost of living...but where?
« Reply #35 on: February 12, 2018, 12:29:22 AM »
Big Island of Hawaii.