Sunday, July 28, 2013

What to Consider When You Buy a Retirement Home

As a former Realtor, some of the decisions that my buyers made over the years caused me to worry about them.  On several occasions, I tried to talk buyers into purchasing a less expensive home because I was concerned that they were buying something at the extreme upper limit of their budget.  In other cases, I was concerned about the condition of the home they were buying or the neighborhood where they would be living.

Since this blog frequently features different cities, states and retirement communities that may interest those of you who are preparing to retire, this seemed like a good time to discuss some of the issues that buyers need to take to heart before they purchase a home for their retirement years.  As you will see below, no single type of retirement home will be right for everyone.  Some of the items mentioned below will only affect certain people.  However, here are some of the different issues I have noticed over the years.

The Cost of Living in Your Retirement Home

While you may be able to find a low-interest, fixed-rate mortgage or even pay cash for your home, you need to realize that your property taxes, insurance and homeowners dues are going to increase over time.  In addition, your property taxes and dues, in particular, may increase at a faster rate than the cost of living increases on your pension or Social Security benefits.  If you expect to live in your retirement home for ten years or more, the cost of home ownership could become more and more stressful unless you have set aside money or left a little wiggle room in your budget to allow for these expenses.

Maintenance Costs

When my parents left Missouri and purchased a home in Flagler Beach, Florida after they first retired, they loved being across the street from the ocean and enjoyed the wonderful views.  However, they did not count on the extra expenses that residents incur when they live so close to the ocean.  The outside compressor of their air conditioner had to be replaced every few years.  Other items around the house had to be replaced much more frequently than they anticipated, as well.  Eventually, my parents moved to a retirement community that is about 15 miles inland from the coast and they now have much lower maintenance costs.

Maintenance costs can also be high if you buy an older home in a charming historic town.  While you may have always dreamed of living in a gracious old home, it may not be a wise choice for a couple on a fixed income.  While you may plan on doing a lot of the maintenance and repair work yourselves, this can become increasingly more difficult as you age.

Even if you buy a brand new home, you still need to be sure to include home maintenance costs in your budget.  The longer you live there, the more likely there will be issues that will come up.

New Expenses You Never Had Before

If you are moving to a new part of the country, you may discover that you have some large expenses that were either smaller, or non-existent,  in your former location.  For example, if you move to Arizona, your summer air conditioning bill may be quite high.  The reverse is true if you move to a charming mountain community where you need to be prepared for cold winters and high heating bills.  There are also other expenses you should consider. You may want to purchase earthquake insurance if you move to Southern California, or flood insurance if you live in a an area where the rivers occasionally overflow.  Each part of the country has its own unique challenges.

In addition, when you buy special insurance to cover catastrophic events such as floods and earthquakes, you may discover that there are large deductibles.  For example, earthquake insurance usually has a $5000 deductible for your personal property.  If you are concerned about this, you may need to set money aside in a liquid asset account (not your retirement investments) to cover unexpected expenses you may incur in your new location.

Personal Security

I have known of retiring couples who purchased lofts in the downtown area of a major city or purchased homes in eclectic, mixed-used neighborhoods.  Several former retired couples I knew bought townhomes within walking distance of bustling business areas where there were lots of restaurants and bars.  They thought it would be fun to live in such a stimulating area.  Believe it or not, one successful psychiatrist and his wife even bought a townhome in one of these areas despite the fact that a homeless man was sleeping next to the front door when I showed it to them!  They insisted that they looked forward to living in such a "colorful" community.  A few years later, they moved.

While living in these types of neighborhoods may not be a problem while couples are still in the early years of their retirement and they are relatively young and active, this living arrangement could make them much more vulnerable and isolated as they age.  They are also more likely to become the victims of a crime.

Planning Ahead for Health Issues

Are you thinking about buying that two-story home with a basement in a charming old neighborhood?  While this may be your dream home, are the doorways and hallways wide enough to accommodate a wheel chair, should you ever need one?  Can the staircases handle a lift if you eventually have trouble getting up the stairs?  Can you easily add safety features like grab bars to the bathrooms, or does the house have old, plaster walls?

If you dismiss these problems by saying, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it" or "We'll just move to a retirement community if it becomes a problem," you may want to go ahead and move to that retirement community now and save yourself a move.  Many modern homes in retirement communities are designed to meet the needs of an aging population, while still providing lots of stimulation and neighborhood charm.

Think About Your Adult Children

Why should your adult children be a concern when you buy a retirement home?  There are several reasons.  First, they will not be able to move in with you and stay for more than 60 days if you live in an age restricted retirement community.  This is the federal law that governs these over-55 communities, although there are exceptions if your adult child is disabled, either mentally or physically.  However, if your able-bodied child wants to move back in with you after a job loss or divorce, sixty days is as long as they can stay.  To be honest, many seniors feel that this is one of the advantages of moving to an over-55, age restricted retirement community.  On the other hand, there are people who may actually want to have one of their children move in with them and they should consider this when deciding where to live.  There are many very nice master planned communities that are not age restricted, and these might be a better option for some families.

Even if you are certain that none of your children will ever want to live with you, you need to consider whether or not your dream retirement home is too far away from your children and grandchildren.  My parents moved from Missouri to Florida when they were in their 50's, and they have owned a couple of different homes there over the years.  Now they are in their 80's and really need to have family nearby.  However, they are resisting the idea of returning to Missouri to be near my sister and their other relatives.  Nor do they want to move to California, where I live.  My mother, in particular, is adamant that she wants to stay where she is, despite the fact that they are both in failing health and my mother has developed severe dementia, which may be fueling her anxiety and fear of moving.  My sister plans to force the issue in a few months and it will be difficult.

Retirees need to carefully consider whether they want to live a long distance from their families.  In the early years, it will make it harder to visit grandchildren.  In later years, it will be more difficult for their children to give them the assistance that they may need.

Don't Forget to Negotiate

There is one more issue to consider if you are moving to a new community.  If you have lived in the home where you raised your family for many years, you may not be used to aggressive negotiating when you purchase a new home from a developer.

While you may not be able to get the developer to come down in price, you can frequently get them to throw in a few "goodies" for free or at a discount ... but only if you ask.  I was an on-site agent for a developer for several years, and I want to pass on some practical advice to help you get the best deal possible. Before meeting with the agent, practice sounding a little hesitant about making the purchase.  Don't express too much enthusiasm for the home when the on-site agent is within hearing distance.  Mention other master planned communities in the area that you are considering.  Say things like, "I like this plan, but at that price I don't think I would be able to ......"  Fill in the blank with whatever you want, such as upgrades to your light fixtures, carpet or granite, a hydrotub, enlargements to the patio, or minor alterations to the design.  In order to make the sale, the on-site agent may be authorized to throw in some amenities or upgrades at a discount, or even for free.  However, they won't offer to do this unless you ask or they think a few extras could make the difference in whether or not they make the sale.  It is certainly worth a try!

To get more ideas about purchasing a retirement home, you may want to order the book "Buying a Second Home: Income, Getaway or Retirement" using this link to Amazon.

While you are planning your retirement, you may also be interested in checking out the index articles below.   Each one contains an introduction, plus links to a number of other articles on that topic:

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement


You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of homes courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Home Sharing Arrangements with Senior Roommates

Like many other American women, a friend of mine has a husband with several serious medical issues.  In addition, he is fifteen years older than she is, giving her good reasons to believe that she will probably outlive him.  Among her other concerns, she is worried about how she will be able to afford her house payments, homeowner's association dues, utilities and other expenses if he dies and she is forced to live on just one retirement income.  One possibility that she has seriously explored is having another woman move in with her as a roommate.

House sharing has become a popular option among Baby Boomers and older retirees, particularly women.  According to an article entitled "Home Sweet Home" in the June, 2013 issue of the AARP Bulletin, approximately four million women who are over the age of 50 currently live in a home with at least one other woman in the same age group.

Reasons To Consider Sharing a House

There are many reasons why older women who haven't lived with another woman in decades are now beginning to accept the idea of having roommates once again.  Here are some of the more common reasons:

At least one in three women will live a substantial part of their senior years without a spouse.

In addition to becoming widowed, the divorce rate for couples over the age of 50 has increased significantly, actually doubling in the past two decades.

A substantial number of women retirees, in particular, will receive only a small amount of Social Security benefits, often $1200 a month or less.

Many women want to maintain some privacy as they get older, but they also want companionship and friends nearby.   Having a private room in shared housing is a satisfactory compromise.

Safety is another consideration.  Women living alone are more vulnerable to being victimized than women living in groups.  In addition, should one of them fall or become injured, it is reassuring to know that help is nearby.

House Sharing Agreements

If you are considering this option, you and your housemates will need to have a written agreement that covers many of the potential problems that can arise.  What you put in the agreement will vary depending on the specific home sharing arrangement you have ... co-renters, co-owners or landlord/tenant.  Among the issues that need to be clarified in writing are:

The portion of the rent or house payment, as well as utilities, each person will pay.  Everyone needs to be aware that these amounts are likely to increase in the future as rents, property taxes and utilities rise.

The private room or rooms that each person will occupy.

Who is responsible for the various chores, such as cleaning the common areas, taking out the trash, paying the common bills, handling the yard work, etc.

Clearly defined limitations on overnight guests.  If you or your housemates have grandchildren nearby, you may also want to limit daytime visits, as well.  You may think your grandchildren can do no wrong; your roommates may disagree.

Rules that designate "quiet times" in the home, such as after 10:00 p.m. and before 8:00 a.m. Televisions, radios, etc. may only be heard by using earphones during those hours.

Rules regarding other issues such as smoking, having pets, setting up an escrow account for repairs (if you are co-owners), kitchen messes, or noisy hobbies such as playing an instrument need to be worked out and put in writing.

Decisions need to be made in advance regarding what will happen if one of the housemates becomes too ill or weak to continue to participate in an independent living arrangement.  If you are co-owners and one of the parties must enter a nursing home, what will happen? What is everyone's "Plan B?"

Finally, you may want to speak with  attorneys, financial planners and similar advisers, particularly if you and your housemates are purchasing a home together.  There are a lot of legal issues to consider.

House Sharing Websites

If you are interested in senior shared housing, you will want to do additional research.  Here are a few websites which can help you locate roommates.  I have not used any of them myself in order to find a roommate, but these are the sites that were specifically mentioned in the AARP article:

http://www.homesharenow.org/

http://www.livingincommunity.net/

http://www.letssharehousing.com/

In addition, if you are considering a home sharing arrangement with strangers, I strongly suggest that you proceed cautiously, ask for personal references and get a background check.  You want to have as much information as possible about the people with whom you will be sharing a home.

Books to Give You Additional Information

Several people who have gone through the ups and downs of shared housing have written books on the topic.   You may be interested in picking up one or two of them to get additional insight into the things you need to consider before entering into an agreement.  Here are two from Amazon that looked particularly interesting:

"My House, Our House:  Living Far Better for Far Less in a Cooperative Household."


"Sharing Housing:  A Guidebook for Finding and Keeping Good Housemates"


If you are in the process of planning your retirement, or you are already retired, you may also be interested in checking out the index articles listed below.  Each one contains an introduction plus links to other articles in this blog.

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement

You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of three women friends is courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Soleil Laurel Canyon Active Adult Community in Georgia

If Georgia is your dream retirement location, one of the best master planned communities in the state, according to Where to Retire magazine, is Soleil Laurel Canyon in Canton, Georgia.  Residents in this age restricted, over-55 community can fish in their community's own lake while gazing out at the gorgeous Blue Ridge mountains.

Within five miles of the community, retirees can find restaurants, department stores, dry cleaners and other helpful businesses in and around the town of Canton.  The town also has a weekly Farmer's Market from spring to fall, live performances in the Canton Theatre, and fun festivals.  You'll love the charming town square, shown in the photo at the top of this article.

Since Canton is only located about 40 miles north of Atlanta, you have all the advantages of living near that major metropolitan area, as well.  Whether you want shopping, entertainment, sporting events or fine dining, Atlanta has it all.  In addition, Canton is only about a one hour drive from Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, which makes it easy for people who love to travel.

There are tax advantages for people who choose to retire in the state of Georgia.  Retirement income for residents over the age of 62 is exempt from state income taxes up to $35,000 per person.  Social security income is also exempt from state income taxes.  Property taxes are quite reasonable compared to many other states.  For an average home priced at $340,000 in Soleil Laurel Canyon, the property taxes for residents over the age of 62 would currently be less than $1000 a year (in 2013).

The weather in this region of Georgia is also very pleasant.  The temperate climate has an average high temperature of 87 degrees in July and 49 degrees in January.

If Georgia is your top choice for retirement, there are numerous reasons why you may want to consider living in Soleil Laurel Canyon:

Amenities

This beautiful retirement community boasts a number of appealing amenities that are centered around the beautiful 28,000 sq. ft. Craftsman-style clubhouse.  Here are some of the opportunities that await you:

Arts and Crafts Center
Gourmet Teaching Kitchen
Theatre and Performing Arts Center
Fitness Center
Walking trails
An amphitheater
Tennis and pickle ball courts
Bocce Ball
Billiards room
Fitness center
Library
Heated indoor saline lap pool
Heated Lagoon-style outdoor pool
Community garden and greenhouse
3.5 acre fishing lake (this lake is, perhaps, one of the most appealing features of this charming community)

There are also two lifestyle directors on staff who plan a wide variety of opportunities for residents to attend special activities such as social events, trips to area attractions, and movie nights.

Golfers need to be aware that this is not a golf community, which many retirees have come to expect in other master planned retirement neighborhoods.  However, golf is available nearby at the Fairways of Canton golf course that is adjacent to the community.  There are also several additional golf courses in the town of Canton, so there is no reason to give up golf or to ever be bored with your golf choices.

If you are interested in taking classes, including in subjects like art or computers, nearby Kennesaw State University has a Lifelong Learning Institute for adults age 50 and over.

Another amenity that is very appealing to many retirees are all the services that are included in your HOA dues, including complete lawn maintenance, a sprinkler system, home security systems with monitoring and Comcast cable television.  It is important to consider these included services when you are comparing the dues of various master planned communities.

Housing Prices in Soleil Laurel Canyon

The well designed homes in this community are energy efficient and have a number of special features that make it easy to age-in-place, including wide doorways, stepless entries and wheelchair accessible showers.

Home prices range from the low $200,000 range to the upper $400,000's for single family homes in this new home community.  As of mid 2013, less than 350 of the 728 planned homes have been built.

Homeowner's Association Fees in mid-2013 are $265 a month.  This is much less expensive than some other retirement communities, and may be partially explained by the fact that there is not a golf course on the premises.

Contact Information

Soleil Laurel Canyon
102  High Mountain Trace
Canton, Georgia 30114

(678) 880-3071

http://SoleilLaurelCanyon.com

If you are considering retiring to Georgia, you may also want to use this link to order books from Amazon about Georgia retirement.

For readers who are busy with their retirement planning, check out the index articles listed below.  Each one contains an introduction as well as links to a number of articles on that topic.  You should find the information very helpful:

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement



You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of the Canton, Georgia town square is courtesy of www.en.wikipedia.org/commons


Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Fighting Elder Abuse Around the World

When I opened the weekly paper for my retirement village this morning, I was interested to see an article about World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.  Until I read the article, I didn't know there was a special day set aside to bring this sad reality to our attention.  Unfortunately, there is no question that it is necessary.  The day has been recognized since June 15, 2006 and is intended to help social workers, police, adult protective service workers, nursing home staff, family members and others who come in contact with the elderly to be better educated and able to recognize the signs of elder abuse.  The program was launched by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations.  Obviously, this is a problem around the world, as Japan recently passed a law allowing elderly parents to sue their adult children if the children neglect or fail to visit them.

Statistics on Elder Abuse in the US

According to representatives from the Ageless Alliance of Orange County, California, one in ten senior citizens is abused.  This amounts to approximately five million people nationwide.  Studies by the National Center on Elder Abuse have found that between 7.6% and 10% of seniors who were part of a study were willing to admit that they had experienced abuse in the prior year.  Sadly, there are indications that many seniors are reluctant to report it, although Adult Protective Services does believe there is a trend towards better reporting.

Financial abuse alone was reported in one study by 41 out of 1000 seniors who were surveyed.

The problem may even be much more serious than these numbers indicate, since the New York State Elder Abuse Prevalence Study discovered that for every one abused elderly person who comes to the attention of authorities, approximately twenty-four cases go unreported.

This seemed almost impossible for me to believe until I read about the different ways that seniors can be mistreated, often by the people they most trust.

Types of Elder Abuse

Seniors can be abused in a number of ways. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse website, it appears that more elderly women are abused than men and that the older a person is, the more likely that person is to be abused.  In approximately 90% of cases, family members, such as adult children or spouses, are most likely to be the abusers.  Researchers have also discovered that people with dementia are far more likely to be victims of elder abuse than those without.  Here are some common types of elder abuse:

Neglect:  This includes incidents in which either a paid caregiver or a member of the family fails to meet an elderly person's basic needs or protect them from harm.  This can happen whether the person is living in their own home or in a nursing home.  In fact, in one study done in the year 2000, 95% of nursing home residents said that either they had personally been neglected or they had seen another resident neglected.  Since so many of us may eventually need to spend our last few months or years in a skilled nursing facility, I found this statistic particularly alarming.

Emotional Abuse:  Emotional abuse can include berating, threatening or demeaning an elderly person.  Emotional abuse may cause significant psychological distress and lower self-esteem.

Physical Abuse:  Physical violence against the elderly can increase other health problems and bring on depression or anxiety.  The victims also have a 300% higher risk of death when they are compared to people who have not been physically abused.

Financial Abuse:  Many seniors are especially reluctant to let their family members know when they have been taken advantage of financially, because they don't want to appear to be incapable of handling their own money.  They are often afraid they will lose their financial and personal freedom if their children learn what happened to them.  As a result, they may be the victim of a scam and never say anything to anyone.  As I have reported before in this blog, I have known two different intelligent, well-educated people who were victimized by scammers pretending to be relatives and asking that money be wired to them.  Both of my friends were horrified that they could be so gullible.

Sexual Abuse: Believe it or not, even bed-ridden elderly women have been raped.  To make matters worse, they are often not believed when they report it, which allows the perpetrator freedom to continue to abuse that person or another elderly person in their care.

Examples of Elder Abuse

There are undoubtedly millions of examples of Elder Abuse that have occurred in this country.  One case which was reported in my local newspaper occurred when an 85 year old woman allowed her only son to come stay with her.  He was actively using drugs and alcohol, his wife had left him and he had lost his job.

Before long, her son was growing marijuana on the patio of her retirement condo and threatening that he would report her for being incompetent to handle her own finances so that he could be appointed her conservator.  She was terrified of her son and his threats, although she eventually turned to social services for help.

In another case, our local newspaper reported on the case of a 76 year old man who remarried.  Within four years, his wife had sold everything of value that he owned and left him with $100,000 in credit card debt.   This may not be an unusual situation, since the father of a friend of mine had a similar experience when he remarried late in life.  My friend eventually had to assist her father in filing for both divorce and bankruptcy.

As you can see, elder abuse is something we all need to know about.  It can happen in anyone's family.

Resources:

National Center on Elder Abuse website: https://ncea.acl.gov/FAQ.aspx

You may also want to read:  The Ultimate Internet Safety Guide for Seniors

Another good option is:  "Elder Abuse Prevention Resource Guide"
 
"Village Recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day" Laguna Woods Globe, Thursday, July 11, 2013.

If you are interested in information on retirement planning for yourself or your parents, or want to learn about Medicare, Social Security, financial planning, where to retire and more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional articles.  Each ones contains an introduction and links to a number of articles on that topic.


You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo of elderly woman courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Do You Qualify for Extra Senior Services or Benefits?

One of the reasons I like living in a retirement community is because they do such a good job of keeping residents informed about issues that could affect us.  Many of the mailers that are sent to us report on programs or events for seniors that I would know nothing about if I lived in a typical residential neighborhood.  This week we received notice of a new Benefits Checkup website that has been created by the National Council on Aging.  Anyone with access to a computer can easily find out if they qualify for additional benefits or special services.  Many seniors suffer needlessly simply because they do not know how to access the programs that could help them.

Even if you are a Baby Boomer who has not yet retired, you may be interested in using this website to see if you can discover any programs that could provide assistance to your parents or other elderly members of your family.

What Senior Citizen Benefits Might be Available?

Wouldn't it be a nice surprise to discover that you may qualify for some additional help as you age?  Here are examples of the types of services or discounts that various government agencies and nonprofit organizations may be able to provide:

Medicare and Medi-Cal
Veterans' benefits
Employment Services
Nutritional Assistance
Home-delivered meals
Prescription drug assistance
Housing assistance
In-home care

The National Council on Aging Benefits Checkup

Thanks to the National Council on Aging, you can do a general benefits checkup using just one website to see which types of assistance you may be eligible to receive.  You will still have to contact the different agencies separately to apply for the actual benefits.  However, you can use this one website to discover specific agencies or organizations that are most likely to provide you with the services you need.  Here is the website:

http://www.benefitscheckup.org

What Information You Need to Provide the Benefits Checkup Website

In order for the website to be able to help you locate senior support services, you will need to be prepared to provide certain information.  Before you log on, make sure you have the following facts available:

Your state of residence and zip code
Whether you live in a home, apartment or mobile home
How long you have lived at your current residence
Your status as a Veteran
Your spouse's status as a Veteran
Whether or not you or your spouse ever worked for:
     A State Government
     The Federal Government
     A local government agency
     The Railroads
Names of all the prescription medications you currently take
The current income for yourself, your spouse and all members of your household
Your assets, including the value of your property, stocks, savings account, etc.
Your estimated expenses, including:
     Mortgage or rent payments
     Utilities
     Out of pocket medical expenses

They estimate that it will take most people at least 20 minutes to complete the benefits checkup.

After you have input all this information, the website will provide you with a list of all the programs that you may wish to contact for assistance.  Most of them will have their own application process.  However, by using the National Council on Aging checklist, you may discover several programs that you never even knew existed.

If you are interested in learning more about special programs for seniors, use this link to find a number of Amazon books about senior benefits.

If you are interested in more helpful retirement information from this blog, check out the index articles below.  Each one contains an introduction to that topic plus links to a number of related articles:

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement

You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of computer courtesy of www.morguefile.com


Thursday, July 11, 2013

Starting Over in New Retirement Destinations


Many Baby Boomers already have a vague idea of where they would like to live after retirement, whether that means Florida, South Carolina, Southern California, Arizona, some other region of the U.S., or even another country.  However, if you are within ten years of retirement, have you actually taken steps to narrow things down to a few specific retirement destinations where you would like to live?  After all, simply saying Florida or Ecuador is not very specific if you really want a smooth transition to retirement.  You are going to have to put some effort into picking a specific location and then making the transition happen.

Choosing the Best Retirement Destinations

Long before you are ready to move into a retirement home, you have to begin to search for the right community that will work best for you.  This is true whether you are looking at places within the United States or in a foreign country.  Here are some steps you should take:

Years before you expect to move, you should begin to take trips to various retirement destinations.  Be open.  For example, if you think you want to retire in Florida, take some vacations there.  However, you should also spend some time in nearby areas such as Georgia, South Carolina and along the coast of Alabama. Take into consideration issues such as how far you would be living from family members, such as grandchildren or elderly parents.  Compare the distant retirement destinations with a few retirement communities that are located in the same region where you currently live.  Since there are now retirement communities located throughout the United States, there is no reason why you should have to move far away from your loved ones unless you really want to.  This is the time to explore all you options, so enjoy it.

When you go on vacation, try to rent a place to stay that is in or near the retirement communities you are considering.  If you contact some of the newer communities in advance, many of them have special programs that allow you to spend a weekend in their community, take a tour and use some of the amenities.  If this is not an option, call a Realtor in the area and ask if they would show you some of the available homes in the neighborhood during your vacation trip.  Both of these are excellent ways to see which communities might work for you.

In addition to visiting during your annual vacation, I suggest you tour your favorite retirement destinations in the off season.  Go to Arizona or South Florida in mid-summer.  If you are considering retiring in Seattle, Pennsylvania or rural Michigan, go in the middle of winter.  You want to know the worst.

Read up on a variety of retirement locations.  There are many that you may not have heard about.  In addition, there may be negatives about certain areas that the property managers and Realtors will not tell you.  Read the articles in this blog (see the index articles at the end of this article to find links to dozens of articles about specific retirement destinations), and do research on other websites, as well.  You want to be fully informed.

Make a budget for your housing and stick to it.  Don't be persuaded to overspend.  It will only make you regret your housing decision.

How to Make the Transition to Retirement Easy

Even before you make the move, you need to begin to get ready for the change.  The first thing you may need to do is downsize your belongings.  This is a great time to give your children some of your possessions that they would like to have and you no longer need.  In addition, if you are storing things to give your children someday in the future, now is the time!  Three of our four daughters have items that came from our previous, larger homes.  When we go visit our kids, I jokingly tell them that I am "visiting our furniture."  It's important to accept that you are really giving these things away.  Do not get distressed if your old items are not treated with the same care you once gave them.  These items are gifts.  Let them go.

Once you have downsized your belongings, you are ready to actually prepare for your move.  Once you are within a year or so of making the change, put your current home up for sale, particularly if you find yourself in a "hot" real estate market.  That may not be the case in another year, so take advantage of strong real estate markets, when you can.

 If you sell your home sooner than planned, and you are still a few months away from retirement, you can rent a small apartment or home temporarily.  Many apartment complexes will let you rent month-to-month if you know you are going to be there less than six months.

Once you are ready to move to your retirement destination, if you are still uncertain whether it is right for you, lease a home in your chosen community for a year.  After that you will be better prepared to commit yourself.

Starting Over In a New Location

After you have moved and gotten settled, you cannot simply sit at home.  If you do, your new location will eventually stop seeming like your dream retirement.  In Laguna Woods Village, where we currently live in Southern California, there are dozens of activities going on all day long, every day of the year.  No one could possibly participate in a tenth of the activities offered.  However, I know that there are people here who are lonely and never participate in anything.  You will have to make the first move by getting out of the house and becoming active in your new community.  That is the only way to meet new people, which is important at any age.

Get involved.  Join a club, church or sports league. 

Sign up for a class, whether you want to learn bridge, photography or art.  Many community colleges, and even some four-year colleges, offer special Emeritus classes for seniors.  I take several free exercise classes through the local community college, and they are great for me both physically and socially.  The same community college also offers a wide variety of free classes in art, computer applications, history and other interesting subjects, both academic and non-academic.  Have fun learning new things!

Go to the gym or the swimming pool in your community.  Nearly every retirement community has both.

Make an effort to find friends.  Reach out to others.  Many of your new neighbors will also be transplants from other parts of the country, so they may be open to new friendships, too.

Expect some moments of homesickness.  Fortunately, today it is easy to stay in touch.  Call the people you miss and occasionally Skype with them.  In addition, periodic visits back to the old neighborhood can help keep the homesickness at bay.

If you are nervous or worried about meeting new people, you may be interested in this direct link to Amazon books about how adults can make new friends.  With very little effort, you'll soon be much happier in your new home.

If you are interested in learning more about some of the interesting retirement communities that are available, as well as getting other types of retirement information, click on the index articles below.  Each one contains an introduction and links to a number of helpful articles.

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement


You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of suburban home courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Sun City Shadow Hills in Indio, California

Many people who are planning their retirement are hesitant to consider California because they believe it is too expensive to retire there.  However, there are a number of affordable over-55 retirement communities that are attractive and have a wide variety of amenities, especially in the desert towns around Palm Springs in the Coachella Valley.  One of these is Sun City Shadow Hills in Indio, California.

Sun City Shadow Hills was listed in Where to Retire magazine, in their July/August 2013 issue, as one of the 50 best master-planned communities in the U.S.  This list was culled from ALL master planned communities in the United States, not just those designed for people over the age of 55.

Shadow Hills Amenities

This beautiful desert retirement community was developed by Del Webb and has a wide variety of the amenities that many retirees are requesting.

Golfers will love:

18 hole putting course
18 hole Par-3 course that is about 3,000 yards long
18 hole Championship golf course that is 6,773 yard long

Golfers and non-golfers alike will enjoy:

A 35,000 square foot main clubhouse
A second clubhouse, called the Santa Rosa
The amphitheatre
The Performing Arts and Ballroom facilities
Billiards and table games
Fitness centers at the clubhouses
Hobby, card and game rooms
Tennis and Bocce Courts
Both Indoor and outdoors pools and jacuzzies

In addition, the staff and volunteers in the community organize special events and trips to other locations in Southern California, including the San Diego zoo, area casinos and the wine country.

The nearby Coachella Valley communities of Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Desert Hot Springs, La Quinta, Indian Wells and Indio all offer a wide variety of special events, activities and attractions of their own, including art galleries, art museums, world class tennis facilities, restaurants, shops, movie theaters and a variety of festivals, including a spectacular hot air balloon festival.  The towns have wide, palm lined boulevards that take you past the entrances to beautiful resorts and planned communities.  Street sculptures, like the one pictured in the above photo, are sprinkled throughout the various desert communities.  There is no reason to be bored while you live in Sun City Shadow Hills!

Cost of Living

There are a wide variety of home prices in this wonderful community, ranging from about $200,000 for a 1,321 square foot home to approximately $455,000 for a larger 2,955 square foot single family home.  With 10 different home designs, buyers have plenty of choices in both design and price.

The monthly homeowner's fee in 2013 was $237.

Property taxes run approximately 1.4 percent of the value of your property.  This means that if you purchase a $300,000 home, your property taxes will run approximately $4,200 a year, or perhaps slightly more if there are special assessments or parcel taxes that have been added on.

Conveniently Located

Residents of this area not only enjoy the amenities of their own community and the rest of the Coachella Valley, but they are also less than a two hour drive to the coastal communities of Los Angeles and Orange County.  In addition, a roughly two hour drive in another direction can take residents up into the mountain communities of Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead.  There are an enormous variety of climates and activities available to active seniors who want to have a convenient location to call home.

Disadvantages

The only complaints I have ever heard about this community is the summer desert heat and the periodic wind and dust storms that erupt from time to time.  In both cases, the residents have two choices.  They can either confine their outdoor activities to early morning and late evening, or they can rent a place to stay near the coast during a portion of the summer.

I have had friends who have chosen both options, and they have managed to get through those hot, dry, windy summer days with little difficulty.  However, for people who really hate the idea of a dry desert climate, this community may be less appealing.

More Information

If you would like to read more about the Coachella Valley, you may want to read a few books about the area.   You can use this direct link to Amazon.com books about Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley to see the choices that are currently available. 

Contact Information for Sun City Shadow Hills

If you would like to get more information specifically about Shadow Hills or plan a visit, here is their website and contact information:

http://www.delwebb.com/communities/ca/indio/sun-city-shadow-hills

On the website you can also make arrangements to schedule a two-night visit for only $99, including a tour of the community and participation in an activity.

Sun City Shadow Hills
81-346 Corte Compras
Indio, CA  92203

Toll Free number:  (800) 420-5059


For those of you who are looking for more retirement planning ideas, or want to get information about other places to retire, click on the index articles listed below.  Each one as a short introduction as well as links to a wide variety of other articles on that topic.

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement


You are reading from the article:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of modern sculpture in Palm Desert, California is courtesy of www.en.wikipedia.org/commons

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Are Cruise Ships Safe for Your Next Vacation?

One of the preferred vacation venues for many Baby Boomers, as well as people in other age groups, is to travel by cruise ship.  It is incredibly convenient to travel between locations without the necessity of changing hotels or dealing with rental cars in unfamiliar locations.  In addition, it is nice not to have to worry about where to eat, where to find a hair salon, how to arrange for sight-seeing tours or any of the other concerns that can come up when we are traveling on our own.

However, the cruise industry has also received a lot of bad publicity in the past few years, causing concerns about cruise ship safety to receive international attention.  Perhaps the best known event was the tragic accident when the Costa Concordia hit rocks and sank off the coast of Italy in January, 2012, killing 32 people.  Less dramatic events have included people falling (or being pushed) overboard, on-board fires, flu outbreaks, loss of power, overflowing toilets, bad weather and similar problems and disasters.  These events have led many travelers to wonder if the risk is worth the reward.

Are Cruise Ships Safe?

Fortunately, despite the headlines, cruise ships actually have an excellent safety record.  According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), more than 17 million people a year take cruises, virtually all of them without a problem.

Still, crimes do happen.  In 2012, the Coast Guard reported that they investigated 15 crimes on cruise ships.   Eleven of those investigations involved sexual assaults, with crew members being suspected in six of those cases.  In addition, a number of cruise ship crimes are not investigated by members of the Coast Guard, but by Bahamian authorities, because many ships are registered in that country.  Problems occur with ships registered in other countries, as well.  One analysis by researchers of all the cruise ship crimes reported worldwide for 2008 indicated that there were 151 reports of unwanted sexual contact or touching, with 56 of those cases involving a crew member ... either as the victim or the aggressor.  This appears to be the most common type of crime to occur on a cruise ship.

While any level of crime is unacceptable, when you consider the small number of crimes compared to the 17 million people traveling on these ships, the fact is that crime rates are significantly lower on sea than on land.   However, in order to improve our knowledge of criminal activity on board ships, Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia sent letters in May, 2013 to three of the major cruise lines, Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, demanding that they do a better job of reporting crime statistics.  Senate hearings are expected to eventually be held on this topic, although they haven't been scheduled as of this writing.

How to Increase Your Cruise Ship Safety

Of course, no matter how low the crime rate is, most of us would prefer to not be the victim of a crime during our vacation.  Fortunately, there are actions you can take in order to increase your personal safety and enhance your vacation fun.  After all, nothing can ruin a cruise faster than falling victim to a crime, being injured, or having similar vacation hassles.  By taking a few precautions, you can increase the likelihood that you will avoid many emergencies and be able to survive the few situations that you cannot avoid.  Here are a few actions that are highly recommended:

Participate in the onboard safety drill.  The crew members will let you know where your lifeboat is located and may have you try on your life jacket.  Don't skip this activity.  While it is unlikely that you will ever need either your lifeboat or life jacket, you definitely want to know where they are before an emergency!

Try on your life jacket and make sure you have enough life jackets in your cabin, in the correct sizes, for everyone in your cabin.  If your kids or grandchildren are with you, make sure they have jackets that are the right size for them, too.

Be aware of fire hazards.  When my husband and I took our children on a cruise to the Bahamas about 15 years ago, we were watching a magic show in the theater when a fire started in an area behind the stage.  Everyone calmly evacuated the theater, which was then closed for the remainder of the cruise.  However, if the fire had spread or people had panicked, this event could have turned into a disaster.  Fire is a serious concern for cruise ships.  According to reports, fires have been started by people who threw their cigarette butts over the side, only to have them get sucked back into the ship.  Consequently, it is important that you only smoke in designated areas and dispose of your butts correctly,  In addition, don't light candles in your cabin!

Register your name with the U.S. Department of State's free Traveler Enrollment Program.  This will help if you are in a foreign port and you need assistance in an emergency. 

Check the U.S. Department of State's website for travel warnings about any foreign countries you may be visiting on your cruise.  You should take these travel warnings into consideration in planning your trip.  We once went to Puerto Vallarta when the local citizens were rioting over the death of a teenage boy who had been killed by the police.  We also visited Jamaica during a time of so much political instability that guests had been killed in our luxury resort just a few days before our arrival.  In neither case did we have any idea that these things were going on before we arrived.  I would advise other travelers to be a little more responsible than we were and check the State Department's website before planning a trip to any foreign country, whether going by sea or by air.

Give thoughtful attention to your shore excursions.  If you take a group excursion that has been arranged by your cruise company, you are unlikely to have any problems.  However, if you decide to rent a car and go exploring on your own in an unfamiliar country, you need to do some serious investigating in advance to make sure you know where you are going and that you will be in a relatively safe area.  You also want to make sure you allow ample time to get back to your cruise ship before it sets sail, again.  They won't wait for you!

Do not take valuables on your cruise.  I have heard of a number of cases of people who had belongings stolen while they were on a cruise ship.  Just because you are on vacation does not mean that you can let down your guard.  You need to practice the same personal safety precautions that you would anywhere else.

Be aware of the risk of sexual assaults.  Women should be cautious about about being approached by strange men.  Despite the old television show, the "Love Boat," onboard romances do not always turn out well.  In addition, do not leave children alone in cabins.  There have been a few incidents reported of crew members letting themselves into cabins and molesting unsupervised children.  Overall, however, incidents of sexual assault do appear to be on the decline.  In 2010, there was 28 cases reported to the FBI.  In 2011, there were 13.  In 2012, only one case had been reported by mid-year.  Modern cruise ships have security cameras and sophisticated security departments, which have increased their safety.  Still, it is wise for women and children to be a little extra cautious and avoid being left alone in deserted areas of the ship, especially at night.

Exercise good judgement and limit your alcohol consumption while on vacation.  Some people feel that a cruise is their opportunity to really let loose.  However, many accidents, injuries and incidences of sexual assault have occurred when the victim was drunk.  Simply by keeping your alcohol consumption at a reasonable level, you can do a lot to reduce the likelihood that something bad will happen on your cruise.

Don't forget your personal hygiene while you are on vacation.  There have been outbreaks of the flu and other communicable diseases on many ships.  On the cruise we took to Alaska a few years ago, there were hand sanitizing stations located at the entrance to every food establishment and ship personnel stood nearby and encouraged the guests to use the sanitizers.  You may also want to pack hand sanitizers or sanitizing wipes in your luggage, to reduce your exposure to harmful bacteria.

Take typical weather conditions into consideration.  August and September are the most likely months for hurricanes to pop up in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.  Unless you are very adventurous, you may want to take that knowledge into consideration when planning your cruise.

Buy travel insurance.  If you encounter serious problems on your cruise, your travel insurance plan may be able to assist you in arranging a medical evacuation or a security evacuation in the event of a natural disaster.  They also provide coverage for trip cancellations, travel delays, lost luggage and other common travel problems.  This is one way to make it easier for you to deal with any problems that do come up on your dream summer cruise.

Bottom line:  Overall, cruising is one of the safest forms of vacation travel available and, by taking a few reasonable precautions, you can sharply reduce the likelihood that you will have any problem at all.

If you love to cruise, you may also be interested in checking out this direct link to cruise vacation information on Amazon.com.


More Retirement Information:

If you are recently retired or planning to retire soon, you may be interested in looking through the index articles below.  Click on one and you will find a brief introduction and links to more articles on that topic.

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement

Sources:

http://www.aarp.org/travel/cruises/info-05-2012/cruise-ship-trip-safety.2.html

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2012/06/27/how-safe-is-your-cruise-ship/

http://www.travelguard.com/

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20130609/NEWS01/306090049/Cruise-ship-crime-stats-aren-t-smooth-sailing


You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of cruise ship courtesy of www.morguefile.com