Where you live is important. This seems to be a burning issue for many of us of retirement age. I hear it from my clients and my friends and I have been thinking about it myself. Urban or suburban? Mountains and forests or sea and sand? Close to my family or as far away as possible? Home? Gated community? Large apartment complex? Old or new? So many problems, so little time!
Here are three lists to help you start thinking about your environment.
List 1: What do I want in my environment?
- physical design (think stairs for example),
- amount of space,
- own or rent,
- to see or not to see,
- city, suburb or country,
- access to transportation,
- price range (including additional charges such as maintenance, heating, water and electricity),
- access to activities (try to be realistic about the things you actually DO, not the things you always thought you could do),
- access to friends,
- access to medical providers, weather,
- keep adding your own elements.
List 2 – What do I absolutely need?
This list includes your bare minimum requirements from list # 1. It should also include cost factors – I can’t spend more than $ XXXX.
List 3 – What do I NOT want at all?
You may be surprised by what appears here. Maybe you don’t want to shovel snow or have upstairs neighbors or be at a distance from spitting on your relatives.
Use these three lists to research all possible locations. Take good notes on how each one meets your criteria. Try on your top three by size before making a big decision, if you can. Use the following tips during your test visit:
Find a Socio-Economic Partner – Feel comfortable that you can live well within your means.
Identify the local groups that share your passion (hiking, cooking, theater), there is a group for almost anything.
Take a look at social media to see if they meet your needs; think about how much interaction you want or need. How much time do the neighbors spend chatting? Should you join? Is there pressure to join the local church or temple? The neighborhood association? Does everyone maintain a strict isolationist policy?
Read the local newspapers to see if the activities in the area appeal to you. This is also a great way to get information on the tone and values of the area.
Visit your new neighbors to start developing a network. This can also reveal unpleasant surprises, such as howling dogs or chain smokers directly below you.
Invite people to eat or a local restaurant (dinner, weekend brunch), keep it informal and easy and allow lots of interaction.
Get involved early: Be a guest at clubs, civic or religious organizations, a book club, or a special interest group. Join a local friend in a volunteer activity. Take a look at the gym or club.
I have visited with retired friends for the past few months and can attest to the power of location. Those who choose well get involved in all kinds of new activities as well as being able to continue with those they have always loved. Some have become much more likable human beings away from the stressors in their former environment. Something wrong and they are miserable, fighting with stairs or financial limitations or noise or undesirable neighbors.
Who will you be?
