One for Bearishgirl

[bearishgurl]

[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

[FlyerInHi]

I love casinos. Not really my thing, but great values for retirees who need some entertainment and manage their budgets.

The retirees in Vegas live pretty well in golf communities such as Del Web. They get to enjoy cheap meals, movies, bingo, bowling and shopping in luxury settings. oh, what a world away from the decay of Cleveland, Detroit, or Pittsburg where they came from.

I find that casinos are democratizing. The middle class can afford the bling because cost is spread out among millions. They provide shows and food at exceptionally good value. 50 years ago that kind of entertainment was only for the rich.

[Jazzman]

BG, the garage you are seeing in the photo is not a garage, but the entrance to one of the two cellars, which are not included in the sq ft. The garage is to the right, and is plenty big enough for our needs.

In answer to your questions and comments above, I’m not quite sure what your point is in reference to air quality, but as to “very exclusive areas”, how so? We must have very different ideas about exclusivity. I think of Beverly Hills, Rancho Santa Fe, Cap Ferrat. Marin County is nice but not exclusive. Montetico may have parts which are exclusive, but Santa Barbara certainly isn’t. Expensive, yes, but that is not the same thing, and drives at the core of the issue.

Coastal areas usually carry a premium, but inland cities can be equally expensive e.g. Pasadena, Sierra Madre, San Marino, Paris, London. So you cannot measure home values based on proximity to the coast, moreover, coastal areas are not all created equally.

We weren’t looking for a condo and only bought the one in Maui due its price per sq ft and location. It was almost half the price for comparable condos we’d seen (even in Maui). We are a few minutes walk to the ocean, with restaurants literally on the shore line. We are also right next to stores. The choice was made easier because it left us enough to buy a more substantial home in France, which is a much more regulated and less bubble prone market.

BG, we were very committed to buying in CA, and I very much doubt you will find many buyers who conducted such a thorough search over the many years as we did. But, we became increasingly disillusioned with a market that wreaked havoc around the world, and yet still managed to rob those who waited patiently of an opportunity. This is why we expanded our search.

I know you have a problem with my perspective, because it seems unimaginable that anyone could question your undying loyalty to CA, but trust me our choice was preferable in that it conformed more to our needs, cultural sensibilities, and vindicated our sense fairness. There is no bitter, convoluted psychological process involved.

[FlyerInHi]

The country life is not my thing. But I’m still jealous of you jazzman.

Rick Steve’s has full hour long video on the Dordogne which I just watched.

Much better than Asheville, NC, voted one of the best places to retire in America. Asheville also has a castle but that.s all there is.

[Jazzman]

I don’t know, Rick is always following me about 🙂 Nice video of Beynac castle, which I haven’t been inside yet. My next door (castle door) neighbor BTW.

[CA renter]

Lucky you, Jazzman! 🙂

[FlyerInHi]

The NY Times has an article on Dordogne.

Looks like you were smart and bought at the bottom, at 40% off. Congrats and enjoy retirement!!

[flyer]

Thanks for posting FIH–fantastic property. Jazzman definitely found a gem at a great price. Have friends we visit every year who have a home in the region, and we really enjoy it there, along with Provence and the coastal areas.

We like spending extended periods of time with friends in various locations, and this one is definitely near the top of the list.

[Jazzman]

Alors, merci beaucoup! We’re off in July to get the house sorted out. The elderly owner is having problems finding a new home so there are some issues, but fingers crossed everything should work out OK. I’m not sure the market will pick up much this year. One problem is the Euro is still so strong and 50% of foreign buyers are Brits. Draghi (ECB Chair) has at long last hinted at actually doing something to ease the problem in June, but we’ll just have to see. Incidentally, you can buy a very nice home for much less than the prices quoted in the article. You’d get a castle for +€1m.

[NotCranky]

[quote=Jazzman][quote=FormerSanDiegan]I think it’s pointless to argue whether a place in Hawaii plus France better, worse, or equivalent to a place in Santa Barbara. Or whether the view in the western US is soulless. These can’t be proven. There’s no data that can be brought that can decide.
[/quote]
Agreed. You can’t make comparisons and shouldn’t try. You can however espouse the virtues or otherwise of a place and say what makes you happier, which I guess is what it is all about in the end.[/quote]

Even silier though to define one place as more “soulful” than another.

[Jazzman]

That may depend on your definition, but I don’t really want to get drawn into comparisons, as it only ruffles feathers. But that there are stark, lifeless places that seem to have little going for them is pretty self-evident. Whether you would wish to apply the term “souless” to them is academic. California has many good things going for it, but housing can be expensive. There are many other places that have good things going for them that can be less (or more) expensive. Many factors determine home prices, and fortunately we have a choice if we find some of those factors unpalatable.

[Jazzman]

There is a noodle bar just up the road from me. It is so popular, a line forms outside at 5pm every day. It must be good because everybody else thinks so. I went once and …well, obviously ordered the wrong thing, so went again and wouldn’t you know, it must have been the chef’s night off. So I went a final time to satisfy my curiosity. The moral of the story: Either I don’t like noodles and never knew it, or everyone else likes noodles but have never tasted them. How much does this explain our behavior?

[NotCranky]

[quote=Jazzman]There is a noodle bar just up the road from me. It is so popular, a line forms outside at 5pm every day. It must be good because everybody else thinks so. I went once and …well, obviously ordered the wrong thing, so went again and wouldn’t you know, it must have been the chef’s night off. So I went a final time to satisfy my curiosity. The moral of the story: Either I don’t like noodles and never knew it, or everyone else likes noodles but have never tasted them. How much does this explain our behavior?[/quote]

Trophy noodles?
Trophy wives?
Trophy houses?

[FlyerInHi]

[quote=Jazzman]That may depend on your definition, but I don’t really want to get drawn into comparisons, as it only ruffles feathers. [/quote]

I think it’s fun and interesting to compare and discuss things. Why do people get ruffled?

Mostly people need to be where they can make a living. Then they want to be where friends and family are.

There’s also a herd mentality where if everyone wants to be in small apartment in London, then prices go through the roof. Supply and demand.

Aside from market based values, I do believe there is certain intrinsic value to real estate. A stone manor house in Dordogne is definitely worth some good money, especially given that it probably could not be built of the same quality today and is situated in a region that has sustained a high quality of life for centuries.

The cultural value is the “soft” part. An American probably wouldn’t relate much to the French lifestyle. It takes a certain personality to relocate to a foreign country, learn the language, culture and make friends. Plus there’s a huge difference between living the life of a retired expatriate vs. that of an immigrant.

Anyway, best wishes to you. Once you settle in Dordogne, you should have an extended house warming period. Any piggington is welcomed to drop by, at his own travel expense, for afternoon tea.

[CA renter]

[quote=FlyerInHi]

Anyway, best wishes to you. Once you settle in Dordogne, you should have an extended house warming period. Any piggington is welcomed to drop by, at his own travel expense, for afternoon tea.[/quote]

Yes, a Pigg party at Jazzman’s. 😉

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