Looked at houses today - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Gpndavid · RV-Dreams Family Member

Looked at houses today

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

Over the years we have found that when we start thinking about an area, the first question is "how far away is GOOD medical care". So idyllic mountain/seashore/lake/river vistas have been relegated to the nice to visit areas.

Second Chance · RV-Dreams Family Member

Barbaraok wrote:
Over the years we have found that when we start thinking about an area, the first question is "how far away is GOOD medical care". So idyllic mountain/seashore/lake/river vistas have been relegated to the nice to visit areas.

X2 on the health care. We also consider the Kiplinger state-by-state tax analyses for retirees, whether or not we could afford to live long-term in the area, what the winters are like, and where various family members are located. As is oft-said these days, "It's complicated."

Rob

Acheron2010 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Funny. I have that idyllic mountain cabin in East Tennessee, with good (tested) health care, and I have the place up for sale to get a Class A RV.
The grass is always greener, I guess.

While I think about the safety net of good health care, I am in reasonably good health, and do not need the proximity of a heart center or other specialist. It was a bit of a stuggle to find a good dentist and eye doc, but my intent is to call this area "home base" and swing by annually for maintenance care.

IMHO, Tennessee is a great place to retire, with excellent cost of living, good health care, entertainment and culture, and friendly people. Of course, having lived in California for 30 years, just about any other place would be paradise...

Gpndavid · RV-Dreams Family Member

Amen Bill. East TN is on our list to explore. As others have said health care, climate, and taxes play a role. I am a born southerner, so culture is also important. We want to be below the "sweet tea line" and a little north of the 90% humidity.

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Gpndavid wrote:
Amen Bill. East TN is on our list to explore. As others have said health care, climate, and taxes play a role. I am a born southerner, so culture is also important. We want to be below the "sweet tea line" and a little north of the 90% humidity.

That's a tall order, as "we say around these parts." But the Hendersonville, NC area comes close. A little altitude to keep the summers in check and low enough to be - well snow is not a factor. Four nice seasons and it definitely is in the "sweet tea" zone. Good medical facilities with Asheville just up the road. Everyone has a suggestion.

But here's the deal in our view: The medical things need to be "in place." We're pretty wired in with doctors where we have a home base. "In the system" and can contact them via email (believe it or not and they respond) while on the road. Having that medical infrastructure in place well before one needs it is a big deal. Starting the process of getting in the doctors system(s), at sort of the last minute when you may really need them, can be problematic. Many good ones just don't take "walk ins" so to speak. We don't live our lives around doctors, but it nice to know even when we are 2,500 miles away, we can get medical assistance and even a prescription called in to a Wal-Mart should it be necessary - and it has been. We know there are emergency clinics but having a doctor(s) with all your records right at hand that actually know you when on the road is a good thing; and it sets one up for the future. One can still be "on the road" and also have a true home base where one knows all the phone numbers so to speak. Our thoughts.

Bill & Linda

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Funny how no one is addressing the comment about continuing to fulltime, since "there is still too much left to see and explore". We planned to fulltime for 2 to 5 years and it has been 14 years. You can change your plans.

We do note places we like and would consider if we slow down. For us a condo or shared duplex would probably do. We have a relative in Washington state with a shared duplex and friends who are former fulltimers living in such a place in Florida. You own the inside, coordinate with the owner of the other side for outside repairs and the homeowners association handles the yard. In both cases everything is on one level, no stairs, a good thing as you get older. Since someone else is handling the outside, we could leave for months at a time and not worry. As to location, we have a much longer list of "no ways" than "would work", but we still have time to come up with more.

phyllen · RV-Dreams Family Member

We fulltimed for 7 years. Then last November we both got the urge to settle. Found the perfect place in north Alabama. (Found in on Realtor.com the day it was listed and bought it sight unseen when we were in PA). We will continue with some traveling. After all we have kids in Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Pennsylvania and Maryland! We loved our traveling life and now loving our settled-down life.