Thanks for the advice lhamo. We can totally live on SS, right now with rental income and paychecks we take home about 45k year and have been able to save 10k this past year. Our biggest expense by far is insurance, car house and health are about 8k a yearI haven 't looked at at 62, but last time I checked at 66, payments they will be slightly more se to what we are making now (close to 35k together for ss) so we will be plenty comfortable I know one of the goals on ERE is to live on less,we are at what I consider to be bare bones but still bearable.
If I was selling in one depressed market and buying in another depressed market I wouldn 't hesitate. The area we have been researching is north of NOLA, higher and hopefully drier! but close enough to visit ffamily and friends.Prices in this area have risen since the storm but we know and love the area. We had hoped by now to have alot more saved by now. If I went back to engineering even for 5 years I could save beaucoup , my best chance of finding a job after 9 yearsout of the game would be back home. My heart says go, but my head makes many of the same conclusions that you do. Stay in a not so bad situation. If we stay our only financial worry will be the cost of long term care if either of us needs it or of assisted living. The equity in the two houses shuld be a good head start if needed.
Whatt bothers me thee most I guess is that I feel like I 've just traded the daily grind of an unfullfilling job for a life dictated my money in a whole different way.