Great Places to Retire in the Northern US

About a decade ago, a couple we knew decided to leave the popular Sun Belt city of Dallas, Texas in order to retire to the San Juan Islands in Washington State’s Puget Sound (pictured here).  They bought a sailboat and lived on it for the next decade.  As they aged, they eventually built a home in the tiny town of Friday Harbor, where they still live today. 

While we did not realize it at the time, this couple was part of a growing movement of people who are choosing to forego popular retirement areas such as Florida and Arizona and move to quiet small communities in the northern United States.  Many of them are attracted to the cooler weather, changing seasons, relaxed atmosphere and natural beauty that they are finding in these areas.

Unique Places to Retire in the US

According to a September 16, 2012 article on Yahoo!News entitled “Retirees Head to Unconventional Destinations,” some retirees are choosing to move to these cooler locations:

Camden, Maine

Ruidoso, New Mexico

Durango, Colorado

San Juan Islands, Washington

St. George, Utah

D’Alene, Idaho

Kalispell, Montana

Northern Michigan, along lakes Superior and Michigan

You’ll notice that all of these locations are either in the northern part of the United States or, like Ruidoso, are in a mountainous area with a cool climate and a northern state feeling.  Most of these areas are peppered with charming small towns containing a selection of affordable homes.  For people who want to avoid large retirement communities in hot or tropical climates, such as Florida and Arizona, these locations can seem like Heaven.

Among some of the Baby Boomers I know personally, moving to the northern United States does appear to be a growing trend.  One of the teachers I worked with in Southern California surprised us all by retiring to a small town in Montana about four years ago.  Another couple we know recently moved away from Northern California and purchased a home that is just a mile from the coast of Lake Superior.  In the winter months, when the weather can be severe, they plan to rent a house in Arizona and avoid the worst months of ice and snow.

When our children were growing up, we often took them on vacation during the summer to beautiful vacation areas near Ruidoso, NM and Durango, CO.  Although we never thought about retiring in either location ourselves, we have known other people who chose to relocate to both cities.

Why People Retire in the Northern States

There are many reasons why people are relocating to these cooler locations.  Some people simply do not enjoy the heat that predominates in the southern states of Florida, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and the Southern California desert cities of Palm Springs, La Quinta and Palm Desert.  In other cases, retirees prefer the lush green hardwood trees and heavy forests of the mountains and northern climates rather than the tropical foliage that is more common in the Sun Belt.  They enjoy having four seasons.  A third reason why people choose to live in these locations is to be nearer adult children who are living in these regions because of their jobs.  As we age, many of us prefer not to be too far away from our adult children and grandchildren.

Whatever reason you decide to select one of these more unusual retirement locations, rest assured that you are not alone in making this choice.  For example, Camden, Maine has more people living there who are in their 60’s than there are people living in the town who are in their 20’s and 30’s combined!

Most of the communities on this list are small and charming, with a low cost of living, good hospitals, recreational activities, cultural opportunities, nice restaurants and even the possibility of finding a part-time job in a restaurant, museum or similar facility.  For those who enjoy spending time outdoors hiking, skiing, biking, boating or enjoying similar sports, these towns are especially appealing.

Want more retirement ideas?  Use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional helpful articles on where to retire in the United States or overseas, medical issues you may develop, financial planning, changing family relationships, travel and more.

If you are looking for a place to retire, you may also enjoy reading:

The Best Sunny Places to Retire (not all of them are in the South)

Cheap Places to Retire

Finding Niche Retirement Communities

Popular Retirement Communities in the United States

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

Photo is courtesy of http://www.en.wikipedia.com/commons

The Villages Active Adult Community in Florida

If you are thinking about retiring in Florida, one active adult community that you will want to consider is The Villages.  This master planned age-restricted community is located in Central Florida about 45 miles northwest of Orlando.  

This is an ideal location if you have adult children and grandchildren who will be visiting, because they will enjoy the proximity to Disneyworld and the other Orlando theme parks.  However, making it easy for your relatives to go to Disneyland should not be the only reason to consider The Villages!

Income and Demographics of The Villages

As of 2010, the population of The Villages was 51,442.  It is the largest age-restricted community in Florida and the fastest growing small town in the United States.  The Villages is made up of a number of subdivisions or neighborhoods.  Nearly all of the neighborhoods qualify under the Housing for Older Persons Act, which means they are restricted to individuals or couples with at least one person who is age 55 or older residing in the home, and no one under the age of 19 living in the home for more than 30 days within a calendar year.  However, there are three subdivisions in The Villages that do allow children under the age of 19 to be permanent residents.  Overall, about 40 percent of the residents are between the ages of 45 to 64, and over 57 percent of the residents are age 65 and older.

The median household income is about $45,000 to $48,000 ... well within the means of many couples on Social Security with little additional income.

Home Choices in the Villages

The types of homes available in The Villages include manufactured homes, single family homes, and attached homes. Development began at The Villages with a group of manufactured homes in the late 1970’s.  Today there are manufactured homes as well as cottages, patio villas, ranch homes, courtyard villas, designer homes and premier homes.

New construction and pre-owned homes are available for sale in The Villages.  Typical home prices currently range from about $140,000 to over $350,000, although homes can be priced for less than $100,000 or for over $1,000,000.  Some examples of the homes that were available for sale in 2012 were single-family homes with two bedrooms and two bathrooms in the $140,000 to the $160,000 price range, and three bedroom homes starting at $160,000 and going up in price from there.  For buyers who are interested in purchasing a second home in The Villages, there are even some homes for sale that come fully furnished.  

Sinkholes in The Villages

Since this article was originally written, a large sinkhole developed in the Villages and had been repaired.  It made two homes uninhabitable and it is always possible that additional sinkholes could affect more.  Sinkholes are a recurring problem in Florida.  It was also an issue in an article I wrote about Timber Pines, a retirement community in the Tampa Bay area.

Sinkholes do not necessarily mean you should not move into a community.  Most sinkholes can be dealt with by pumping a cement-like substance under the home as soon as a sinkhole is detected.  However, this is not always the case.  If you decide to buy a home in Florida, whether it is in The Villages, Timber Pines or any other community, you may want to have it checked for sinkholes before finalizing the deal. This is particularly true in a band across the center of the  state, moving eastward from Tampa and through the Orlando area. 

Recreational Activities in The Villages

The Villages has a wide variety of activities to offer retirees.  One of the most popular features of The Villages is the concept that residents can play “Free Golf for Life.”  However, the cost of golf is actually included in the homeowners’ dues, so technically the golf is not actually free.  The Villages operates 39 golf courses, 29 of which are nine-hole executive courses.  Those 29 courses are free to play as long as you walk the course.  There is a charge for using a golf cart.  If you play one of the ten country club style courses, you are required to pay a greens fee.

In addition to golf, The Villages has a large number of swimming pools and courts for bocce ball, horseshoes, shuffleboard, tennis, basketball and pickleball.  There are also fitness centers (some of which require residents to purchase a membership), and theaters with stages to accommodate live performances.

Residents may also want to take advantage of the softball fields, polo stadium, woodworking shop, hobby and craft studios, ballrooms or the Lifelong Learning College.  There are several catch and release fishing lakes on the property.  There are approximately 1000 clubs including clubs for people who enjoy bird watching, astronomy, photography, SCUBA diving, or who wish to support their favorite college or pro sports team.

The community also contains two town squares which contain movie theaters, shops and restaurants.  There is free entertainment nightly in the gazebos of both the town squares.  A third town square has recently been completed.

The community is completely self contained with post offices, banks, restaurants and a wide choice of recreational opportunities.

Medical Facilities at The Villages

In addition to the fitness centers located throughout The Villages, new residents can feel reassured that medical care is conveniently located within the community, as well.  Local facilities include The Villages Regional Hospital, Moffitt Cancer Center, a VA outpatient clinic, a long term acute care hospital and senior living facilities.  Several doctors and dentists also have offices in The Villages.

If you want more information about The Villages, you can call 1-800-245-1081.

If you want to read more about other areas to retire, as well as find additional retirement information, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of this page and you will find links to hundreds of other retirement articles, including articles on a number of other places to retire.

If you are looking for a retirement community, you may also be interested in reading:

The Best Sunny Places to Retire

Finding Niche Retirement Communities

Laguna Woods Village Active Adult Community

Garden Spot Village Community for Seniors in PA

Popular Retirement Communities in the United States

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

Photo courtesy of www.en.wikipedia.com/commons

Retirement Money and Federal Reserve Decisions

In 2012, Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, announced that the Fed was going to begin purchasing $40 billion a month in bonds "as long as necessary" in order to stimulate our sluggish economy.  This decision was referred to as QE3, or the third round of Quantitative Easing.  The effects of this decision on the financial markets were immediate, with stocks surging.

However, many retirees and Baby Boomers who plan to retire during the next few years are concerned about the effect QE3 will have on their retirement plans.  Will this help or hurt retirees?  The truth is that it could do either, depending on your personal circumstances.

The Wealth Effect of the Federal Reserve Decision

According to an article in The Washington Post, called "The Wealth Effect," the goal of the Federal Reserve is to give Americans the feeling of prosperity.  This is achieved when stock prices and home prices rise.  People perceive that they have more money, which makes them more willing to spend.  The more Americans spend, the more manufacturing and other businesses improve.  This creates more jobs, when everything goes as planned.

When interest rates go down, stock prices tend to go up.  This happens because many investors will reduce their investments in low-yield bonds and put more money into stocks.  Stocks are more risky, but they often provide greater returns.  In addition, low interest rates on loans make it possible for corporations to have greater profits, so they have more money to reinvest in their businesses.

Joseph Gagnon of the Peterson Institute for International Economics estimates that consumer spending increases by about 3 to 5 cents for every $1 increase in stock prices.  This, of course, has a stimulating effect on the economy, which provides jobs and opportunities even for those people who do not own stocks.

Another way low interest rates stimulate the economy is by making home loans more affordable.  The idea is that this stimulates home sales, causing home prices to rise.  Of course, if people have difficulty finding a mortgage, home prices do not rise as much as the Fed would like.  However, any rise in home prices can benefit homeowners.

In general, the Federal Reserve expects that people see their investments, including retirement savings, increase in value whenever they lower interest rates and pump money into the economy.  In addition, when homeowners see their home values increase, it makes it easier for them to sell their homes, take out a second mortgage or, in the case of retirees, get a reverse mortgage.  All of this makes it sound like the Fed decision is 100 percent beneficial.  However, the picture is not entirely rosy when the Fed stimulates the economy.

The Effect of the Fed Decision on Retirement Income

Millions of Americans who retired during the 1980's and 1990's planned to supplement their meager Social Security and pension benefits with additional income from their retirement savings.  However, while many of these retirees were initially able to put their money into safe bank CD's and bonds which paid six percent or more in interest or dividends, those same retirees are now lucky if they get a two percent return. 

When interest rates began to drop about in 2007, some of these retirees put their savings into the stock market. They were devastated when the markets crashed.  Often, they pulled what was left of their savings out of the stock market and returned it to the bank.  Of course, after five years of low interest rates, often combined with the loss of part of their principal, these retirees were left with much less income than they ever expected.

For retirees who are dependent on interest income to supplement their retirement income, the Fed's decision to keep interest rates extremely low has been a devastating blow.  This decision has made it much more difficult for retirees to manage their money so that it will last the remainder of their lives.

In addition, the Fed decision could eventually cause runaway inflation, if it is not reversed.  This would cause expenses to rise for retirees (and others), making it even more difficult for them to have sufficient income to meet their needs.

On the other hand, when the Fed succeeds in their goal of causing both the stock market and housing prices to rise, the increased wealth helps those retirees who own either stocks or a home.  As you can see, whether Fed decisions benefit you or not depends on your personal circumstances.

Either way, when you make your retirement plans it is important that you assume that interest rates will remain low for at least the next few years.  Even if the Fed slightly raises interest rates starting in 2015 or 2016, as planned, it could take years before the returns are adequate to help retirees live off the income.  New retirees should use only a minimal amount of their retirement savings during the early years after they stop working, in order to survive financially in later years.

If you are interested in additional ideas for financial planning, where to retire, medical issues and changing family relationships, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of other helpful articles.

You may also be interested in reading:

Do You Need a Millions Dollars to Retire?
Best Places to Retire in the United States on $100 a Day
Retirement Deferred by Parent Student Loans
Retirement Income from Annuities or Investment Income
Cheap Places to Retire

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

Photo of Federal Reserve Building in New York courtesy of www.en.wikipedia.com/Commons

Popular Retirement Communities in the United States

As you can see in the index articles (see the tabs at the top of the page), this blog has published detailed descriptions of a number of retirement communities located within the United States.  These articles are meant to be an aid to readers who are trying to decide where they want to live after they retire.  In the future, even more communities and retirement community developers will be covered. 

Until all of these locations have been covered, I thought it would be useful to provide my readers with a list of some of the most popular retirement communities in the United States.  All of them have websites where you can learn more.  In addition, I highly recommend that people look for information that is NOT on the official websites.  This is where you will find out if the community has problems or disadvantages that will not be mentioned on their home pages.

Some of the communities listed below have already been discussed in this blog.  You can find those article by using the tabs or pull down menu at the top of this page and looking under "Retire in the US."  This will take you to an index with links to dozens of articles on where to retire in the United States.

Selection of Popular Retirement Communities in the US

The Villages in Florida

Green Valley in Arizona

Tellico Village in Tennessee

The Settlement at Powhatan Creek in Williamsburg, Virginia

Lake Weir Living, near the Villages in Florida

Fearrington Village in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Hot Springs Village in Hot Springs, Arkansas

The Fountains at Lake Pointe Woods in Sarasota, Florida

Laguna Woods Village in Laguna Woods, California

The Moorings in Vero Beach, Florida

Sun City in Arizona

Sun City Georgetown in Georgetown, Texas

Millville by the Sea in Bethany Beach, Delaware

Holly Lake Ranch in Tyler, Texas

Southern Palms in Ladson, South Carolina

The Village at Penn State in State College, Pennsylvania

Waterside in Bethany Beach, Delaware

Terravita in Scottsdale, Arizona

Avery Ranch in Austin, Texas

Trilogy Central Coast in San Luis Obispo, California

How These Communities Were Selected

Communities for active adults who are over the age of 55 exist throughout the United States.  These particular communities are not necessarily the twenty most popular ones in the United States, because that is difficult to assess.  However, they were chosen because their websites and the articles written about them tend to receive an exceptional number of internet views every month, which indicates that retirees are finding these neighborhoods to be especially interesting.  

In addition, I selected these retirement communities from a variety of sources, because they are located in different areas around the United States.  There is no reason for potential retirees to feel as if they absolutely have to move to an entirely new region of the country in order to find a suitable retirement community.  This list includes communities on both coasts, as well as within the states of Florida, Arkansas, Texas, Pennsylvania and Arizona.

Continue to expect future articles on this blog about these active adult communities, alternated with other timely articles for Baby Boomers about retirement planning, overseas retirement locations, Social Security, Medicare, important medical information and changing family relationships.  If there are other communities that interest you, please feel free to mention them in the comments section and every attempt will be made to research them and provide relevant information.

In addition, you may be interested in reading:

Laguna Woods Village Active Adult Community

Garden Spot Village Community for Seniors in PA

Finding Niche Retirement Communities

The Best Sunny Places to Retire

Cheap Places to Retire

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

Photo of happy couple courtesy of morguefile.com

Laguna Woods Village Active Adult Community

Laguna Woods Village, on the outskirts of the town of Laguna Beach, California, has been chosen as one of the 2012 Top Ten Best Active Adult Communities in the United States by Top Retirements.  I have to agree with their assessment of Laguna Woods Village, since that is where I live.

It is a lovely retirement community, just four miles from the beach and surrounded by open land ... including the horseback riding trails shown in the photo.  It is also adjacent to the 20,000 acre Laguna Wilderness area.  Whether you like having all the advantages of living in an urban area or you enjoy time in the outdoors, this community has something that should appeal to nearly every retiree.

Advantages of Laguna Woods Village

Laguna Woods Village has a wealth of recreational choices and amenities, including a 27 hole golf course, a nine hole golf course, five outdoor swimming pools, two fitness centers with on-site trainers, ten tennis courts, four paddle tennis courts, lawn bowling courts, shuffleboard courts and numerous ping-pong and pool tables.  Two garden centers make it possible for people who love to garden to enjoy this activity in an area that has been set aside for that purpose.  There are also seven clubhouses, an elegant golf starter building with restaurant, an equestrian center with community owned horses, and a community center.  Part of the twenty-three acres of equestrian trails are shown in the photo that accompanies this article.

One of the clubhouses contains a theater where residents can enjoy live performances throughout the year.  Another clubhouse is devoted to artistic endeavors and contains woodworking and art studios, as well as a sewing room.  The other clubhouses have rooms that are appropriate for club meetings, parties, dances and social activities.

Speaking of clubs, Laguna Woods Village has over 200 official clubs.  Many of these clubs organize their own special parties, outings and trips.


The recreation department also offers a variety of exercise classes and activities.  The equestrian center offers trail rides and horseback riding lessons to the residents, as well as their adult children and grandchildren over the age of ten, at very affordable prices.

In addition, nearby Saddleback College offers approximately 200 free emeritus classes in and near the community.  Several Southern California casinos have buses that pick up residents and provide free transportation to and from the casinos.  There is also a free bus system that operates within the community, as well as to nearby shopping malls and doctors' offices.

Home prices vary dramatically.  Most co-ops can be purchased between $150,000 and $350,000.  Condominiums can be purchased from $200,000 to over $1 million for some of the larger homes with garages and views.  There are also high rise condominiums with prices that range from $10,000 to $350,000.  These prices are general and there are properties that are available outside these ranges.  This is just intended to give you an idea of what to expect.  Cooperatives are less expensive because they are older and there are more restrictions and financing complications involved.  However, they are a very good deal, especially for people who have sold a home in the Midwest and are looking for a bargain in Southern California.

Laguna Woods Village is a very safe community.  It has one of the lowest crime rates of any town its size in California, partly because the entire community is walled, with fourteen guarded gates and a private security force.  In addition, with so many senior citizens who are home during the day, it is very difficult for strangers to enter a home without someone noticing.

Laguna Woods Village is also well located in Orange County, California, just four miles from beautiful Laguna Beach.  This lovely nearby town not only features beautiful beaches, but also has numerous art galleries, shops, and restaurants, as well as fun art festivals in the summer.

There is no question that Laguna Woods Village qualifies as an active adult community.  Most of the residents have a full daily calendar of activities, which can include bridge, line dancing, yoga, water aerobics, art classes and much more.

Disadvantages of Laguna Woods Village

There are approximately 18,000 residents of Laguna Woods Village, living in about 12,000 condominiums and cooperatives.  Almost all of the housing units have one or two bedrooms and one or two bathrooms, which is smaller than many residents were accustomed to prior to living in Laguna Woods Village.  Most of the housing units are assigned only one parking spot in a carport.  While some of the condominiums have the appearance of single family homes with one or two car garages, none of the cooperatives have that option.  As a result, most residents have an adjustment to make when they move to Laguna Woods Village.  The majority of them no longer have a single family home with a private garage.

In addition, nearly all of Laguna Woods Village was built in the 1960's and 1970's.  Although many residents have updated their condominiums and condos, there are still many units that need to be modernized.  Whether or not the property has been updated is usually reflected in the price of the property.

There are also several layers of government in Laguna Woods Village, which does create some friction.  The cooperatives, condominiums and high rise towers each have their own governing association, with different HOA fees and services. Above all of these associations is another layer of government called the Golden Rain Foundation, or GRF.  GRF hires the maintenance people for the entire community.  Since Laguna Woods Village is also a city, there is a city government that needs to be dealt with from time to time, especially if you decide to make improvements to your property.  It can seem cumbersome to deal with all these governing bodies until one gets accustomed to it.

Bottom Line on Laguna Woods Village

Essentially, this community is a wonderful place to live and, after living here the past eleven years, it is hard for me to imagine growing old anywhere else.  Although there are disadvantages anywhere you live, the advantages of living in this community far outweigh any problems we have experienced.

If you are looking for more retirement ideas, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of this article to find information on finances, places to live, medical issues you might expect during retirement, family issues and more!

You may also be interested in reading:

Finding Niche Retirement Communities
Garden Spot Village Community for Seniors in PA
Cheap Places to Retire
The Best Sunny Places to Retire

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

Photo of Laguna Woods Village equestrian trail from author's private collection.