Author Topic: Permanent but flexible home base?  (Read 3424 times)

MarciaB

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 544
  • Age: 62
  • Location: Oregon
Permanent but flexible home base?
« on: July 31, 2015, 03:12:11 PM »
Fact #1 - I will be FIREing in a couple of years and my SO and I will be spending extended time living abroad (like 6-8 months a year, that's the plan anyway). Then returning to this area (Portland, OR) for the summer months.

Fact #2 - I just moved out of my apartment and boy is it a royal pain in the ass. The physical moving is a bitch (even with a fairly minimal amount of stuff) and the cleaning and arranging is another big rump-hurter. If I never moved again in life it would okay with me.

Fact #3 - Doing that recent move got me thinking about how I really want both a home base of some kind to come home to (instead of renting somewhere different each summer), and the flexibility to travel. So in other words, roots and wings I guess. (?)

Fact #4 - I don't want to pay for space (at the home base) while living somewhere else.

So that's what I want...is this possible? Have any clever schemes to suggest to me?

AZDude

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1296
Re: Permanent but flexible home base?
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2015, 03:48:36 PM »
Rent a cheap room from family in the area? My brother does consulting work in CA, but all his friends/family are in AZ. So he rents out a bedroom from an old friend for dirt cheap and just stores his "permanent" stuff there and uses it as a pseudo hotel room when in town.

You could try that approach, by renting out space from family/friends. You could also try the opposite approach and rent out your homebase during the winter months, although not sure who is doing long term vacations in Portland in the winter, but you could try it. You might make some money, but probably not too much.

Other than that... Buy a cheap RV/trailer, where rent on a lot is probably going to be inexpensive. Since you are only here a few months with nice weather, probably OK.

MarciaB

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 544
  • Age: 62
  • Location: Oregon
Re: Permanent but flexible home base?
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2015, 03:50:46 PM »
Fun suggestions, thanks. I'll start a list. Mustacheans rock!

YK-Phil

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1173
  • Location: Nayarit (Mexico)
Re: Permanent but flexible home base?
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2015, 04:09:21 PM »
I have no idea about the price of land in Oregon, but in BC, it is relatively cheap (compared to the rest of Canada) to buy a small acreage on one of the Gulf Islands. The weather is practically Mediterranean with a long growing season, mild winters, and tons of outdoor activities like hiking, sailing, fishing, kayaking and diving. We opted for that option and found a small acreage on one of the Gulf Island where we currently have a Fifth Wheel, with the plan of building a small house (400 square feet maximum) in the next few years which will serve as our permanent home base. Our little island is a real natural paradise with an abundance of terrestrial and marine wildlife, great fishing, and surprisingly for its size and small population (4,000 people), tons of things to do and see, lots of great and affordable restaurants, a couple of marinas, farmers markets, a dynamic art community, very environmentally and socially progressive, and a strong sense of community. Our FIRE plan is to have our roots there in the summer, then travel during the winter months. Rinse, repeat, until we are too old to go anywhere.

Roland of Gilead

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2454
Re: Permanent but flexible home base?
« Reply #4 on: July 31, 2015, 04:15:24 PM »
I looked into buying an island and they were horribly expensive.   About how much are you talking about?

I would love to have an island or compound where I can walk around outside in my underwear, with a machete, eating Cheetos and not have police show up.

bacchi

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7056
Re: Permanent but flexible home base?
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2015, 04:43:15 PM »
Buy a 2 unit property. Rent out one unit and live in the other.

MarciaB

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 544
  • Age: 62
  • Location: Oregon
Re: Permanent but flexible home base?
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2015, 04:47:00 PM »
Bacchi - good idea, especially if the rental side of the deal paid for the whole shebang (wouldn't be painful to have an empty house for part of the year).

ykphil - how fun to have an island to call your own! We're pretty set on the Portland area (adult children here and future grandchildren), but in another life I would totally consider your scheme!

YK-Phil

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1173
  • Location: Nayarit (Mexico)
Re: Permanent but flexible home base?
« Reply #7 on: July 31, 2015, 04:58:48 PM »
I looked into buying an island and they were horribly expensive.   About how much are you talking about?

I would love to have an island or compound where I can walk around outside in my underwear, with a machete, eating Cheetos and not have police show up.

Unfortunately, I don't own the whole island but I do walk around the acreage in my underwear, especially several times in the middle of the night to take care of some important business, as we still don't have power and water in the RV :D

Roots&Wings

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1555
Re: Permanent but flexible home base?
« Reply #8 on: August 01, 2015, 07:49:14 AM »
"Roots and wings" is my ideal too! A permanent home base with flexibility to travel, without being a money suck. Following for ideas.

I'm currently looking to buy a place, and have been seeking a small, low-maintenance single family house with either a separate garage apartment or guest house that can be rented to cover most expenses, or a house that has potential to divide a section into a separate rental suite. I don't really want anyone else staying in my space with my stuff while I'm away, and not crazy about being a renter where landlord can force a move at any point.

Also like the idea of renting from family.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!