[quote=flyer]Actually, the lifestyle FlyerInHi described is probably perfect for some people–so, IMO, and as another poster mentioned–no judgement call can really be made on who has a “better life.”
Personally, we’ve lived and visited enough places to know we want our home base to remain in San Diego, with extended travel elsewhere. We have many friends who have purchased properties elsewhere, living in two or more places, and most have ended up coming back home to CA.
They are very glad they kept their homes here–especially as they got older and couldn’t, or did not want to travel as much–so I’ve seen both sides of this equation.
All of us are only here for a relatively short time, so, again, IMO, the main thing is to love life–wherever you choose live![/quote]
Agree flyer, especially on the points you made on this thread (in so many words):
-It’s wise for a longtime CA coastal-county resident-retiree to keep their principal residence (as a rental?) if they decide to try out another locale to retire in as it could prove to be very difficult to impossible to “buy it back” on a later date if they should decide the grass wasn’t greener at the new locale and wish to return to coastal CA.
-Every retiree has their own view of what they want their retirement to be like and what is feasible and not feasible for them;
-Life is too short to waste your time living in an area you are not happy in. This applies to all ages;
-and, if one’s health should decline, their options for and desire for travel and adventure could be permanently curtailed, thus the need for a home base they are happy with.
Like you, more than 75% of the time I travel I stay with friends or relatives or combination of both. I often “move houses” every 2-3 days. I prefer this to staying in hotels and it’s not really about the money. As Pigg ER has posted here a few times, it’s about having the comforts of a real home to stay in while being able to visit my loved ones on their home turf and even ride their horses and ride around in their “vintage” restored cars! Almost everyone I stay with has a guest room ready and waiting for me 🙂
In return, I bring discounted 6-packs of assorted CA wines from Vons to share and give away (the same wines are nearly triple the cost there … that is, if you can even find them as grocers are not permitted to sell liquor in the states I frequent) and the liquor stores are closed on Sunday :=0
