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Relocation Question

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JPSmit

JPSmit

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Well BCF friends, as some of you know it has been an interesting summer in our family, the super quick gist of is that we now have a child in Central Canada (where we live) and one on the west coast of Canada. I am about ten years from retirement and each year I hate the weather and the rush of where I live even more. At the same time, we lived almost five years in sunny Florida, didn't find it especially friendly (not that people were unfriendly, just that at our age they had enough friends) so, when our time there was done we moved back to Canada to be close to people we love. I currently live less than an hour from my mother and sister, two hours from my brother and an hour or less from my best friends.

over the years on BCF I have read of various moves for family, work and lifestyle. I also have a sense that Americans are some of the most mobile people in the world.

So, on a slightly more serious note than many of our conversations, what has your experience been? Do you put up with a lousy lifestyle to be close to friends and family, do you get a great lifestyle but move far away? Do any of you winter elsewhere? What is that like? Any thoughts?

thanks.
 
I considered it juvenile/insecure to live someplace just because my family lives there. I bought my land in Belize in the late 70s with the idea of retiring here. I stayed in the US until the 80s and then made the decision to live my dream. My kids are grown...one lives in England and one in Washington State. They have lives, I have a life. We just didn't choose to live the same one. We keep in touch off and on. I saw them a lot when they were growing up so I don't miss them now. My hovering around them isn't gonna change the choices they make or the directions they go, as would their proximity to me change mine. I wouldn't want it to. We're all grown-ups, we each have a life and we're friends...that's good enough for me.
 
Seminary brought us from Louisiana to Tennessee. No intentions of staying up here, but that's the way it worked out. Most of my ministry was in Middle Tennessee, but we took several trips over here to see the Smokies. It became apparent, like the move to Tennessee, that this is where we belong.

Son, daughter-in-law and two grandkids are three hours' drive away, so an easy trip for us and them. We have family in Texas, Louisiana and Florida. We see them often enough, either by our visiting there or vice versa. We're living the retirement we want, on our terms. Wouldn't have it any other way.
 
Oh, and the only thing we miss about Louisiana is the food.

But we cook our own here!
 
Often wished I'd emigrated to warmer climes but I've left it too late now and since my Dad died a few years ago my Mum has struggled with being alone so I can't up sticks and leave now. I've also got a son who has just started on an apprenticeship on minimum wage so he still relies on us to feed and water him as he can't afford his own place yet.

Still I'm too old now for most counties to let me in to work so the plan is hopefully to retire while I'm still reasonably fit and healthy, release some equity from my house and explore the world.
 
I'd love to summer in Maine, winter in the Carolinas...

There's no easy answer. Some family's function well close knit, some (mine) don't. I have a great friend who's Cajun and moved from Louisiana to Maine to study violinmaking with me. It was hard to watch in some ways. The difference between Cajun culture and the more Quebecois culture here was too much, that and the lack of sunshine. Poor guy struggled. I realized that when I lived in Texas and Maryland, I was feeling out of place too. Nothing to do with family proximity though... Just the ease of everyday interactions.
 
"I am about ten years from retirement and each year I hate the weather and the rush of where I live even more."

J-P - I think those words say a *lot*. So ... describe the weather and lifestyle you and your household would prefer. Note I say household, as I assume it's more than just you that might be moving!

I was a teacher all my life. Had to go where the jobs were . For the first 20 years I could only dream of owning a house. Even today, the only people I know who own two homes, or summer/winter in different places, travel the world, own airplanes, boats and race cars, are on BCF! If you don't have the resources, you stay where you are and try to make things better - that's what I've done all my life. I couldn't afford to "escape" to somewhere!

As you mention the weather and (I assume) busy urban lifestyle, I'd think there are places in Canada that offer quite a change. Southern British Columbia? PEI? Family is important to you, so moving thousands of miles "south" just for warmth seems a bit much.

I've known several people who once said "Man, we're gonna retire to Costa Rica and play golf forever!". They tried it for less than a year and felt so challenged, bored, and isolated they came right back.

So - tell us the weather and lifestyle your household would prefer!

Tom

 
JP why don't you do what a lot of Canadian retirees do, stay in Ontario but move a bit further north to get out of the rat race but still not too far from family and friends and major centres with airports, good hospitals,etc and head to warmer climes in the winter.
 
I know a lot of American friends that moved to where they thought was an ideal place, only to grow older and return to be near family for help and hospital services. It is a decision and lifestyle only you can make. I plan on staying where I'm at for health care and convenience, have no kids or family.
 
Like LarryK said. I have family and several friends who moved to their "ideal place" then eventually came back home.
 
I guess I'm lucky, I already live in the ideal place. If I were to move it'd be to Mountain View which is about fifty or sixty miles west of where I'm at.
 
After the winter of '78 I determined I'd be a Floridian. Took another couple years to make it so but I wouldn't change it. Missed some of the folks up there, been back for visits and suchlike but glad to get back to th' hovel every time. I've expressed in past I'm one who would be fine with Florida legislation to ban all air conditioning and automatic transmissions. Lower population density and more open roads! :smirk:
 
I've thought about doing that too,& figured the
best thing to do would be to move to where you like,rent
a house for a few months,so you could find out what the
area is really like.That way you'd still have your house.

- Doug
 
It's a quandary for sure. Husband's family followed us from New England to Florida and then to New Mexico so that wasn't a concern. My daughter is in Florida but we communicate almost daily, Skype and FB and e-mails works. We only see each other once or twice a year but that's okay. My parents are deceased but I do have a stepmother that I talked with regularly and when I go to New England always take her to dinner. I go to New England once a year and Florida once a year. Anyway I think I'm just saying that you need to be where you are happy. I would never do another New England winter like '78. Indeed that was the catalyst for the move to Florida, among other things. Now here we are in the Land Of Enchantment on the other side of Rt. 66 from the boss a/k/a Basil. I and Doug have no desire to live anywhere but here. We have 4 seasons but none of them are harsh. The only thing we don't have are lakes/ocean but that's okay. My LBC's don't rust and that makes up for it. Did I mention I like 7,300 ASL as well. I would say perhaps you need to adjust to the things you don't like to keep family close or just keep family at a distance and move to a warmer climate. No matter what you decide it won't be 'Eden.' Every location has its negatives. We'll all be curious to know what you decide.
 
I would rather have the snow and cold(don't get me wrong I don't LIKE it but as for some of the other things that happen in the other places on the continent (fire, tornadoes, hurricanes etc ). i'll stick it out here where I can put more clothes on in the winter to keep warm and if the weather is bad in the winter I just don't go to work or wait until the plows have been down.
 
Please keep these comments coming. Thank you. I suspect that what we will eventually come to is wintering somewhere else and moving out of Toronto (which was going to happen anyway to take some equity out of the house) . When we were in Florida we also saw a steady stream of people move south and two years later head north again.
 
I think I hear the Smokies calling your name, J-P!

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I even have a couple acres outside of Sevierville for sale with this view:

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More temptation - sigh - Mickey, i thought we weren't supposed to do that. :smile:
 
Having spent 24 years in the military, we moved more times than I can count. There were always good and bad points about every place but we always made the best of every place we lived. For example, we liked Mississippi with is history and southern hospitality, but the humidity was a bit much. Southern Illinois was nice with St Louis just across the bridge from us, but it was flat as a pancake and we like mountains! Utah was one of the best places we lived. Beautiful country, lots of parks, friendly people, etc., but winters could be harsh. Ditto Montana (Big Sky Country). We ended up in New Mexico on my last military assignment and decided to stay! We love the climate (winters are not too bad) and the diverse cultures (Western, Hispanic, Indian, etc). The country here is beautiful and lots of culture, especially in Santa Fe which is just up the road an hour. I think I'd like Arizona too, but boy can it get HOT!
 
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