Where would you retire?

[little lady]

duplicate post

[InCarmelValley]

PerryChase, I am a Chinese American. The community I like is in the city of Guangzhou (Canton), which attacts lots of non ethnic Chinese, such as American, Canadian, Japenese, and Korean. You may check out the website:
http://2005.star-river.com/en/

You can get maid there for $1 (US) an hour. They clean and cook for you. There is no property tax yet (but I heard it’s comming). I paid off the condo. The only thing I need to pay is HOA (about $50/month for a 1,200 Sq ft condo) and utilities (about $80 for gas, water, and electricity). The security is execellent at least inside the community. And the house is in much better quality, steel and concrete structure with high end upgrade inside out.

[34f3f3f]

I am retired and am desperately trying to find a place to retire to. According to the Lonely Planet guide Panama City has a lot of petty crime, although the upside is that it has good shopping, infrastructure etc. I believe many go to Bocas Del Toro. I went to a seminar on moving to Costa Rica, and got on the next plane home. Security is not good. California is not a place to retire due to cost of living, particularly LA with its lack of centralised facilities.

Americans must remember that it is not possible to live anywhere because many countries have visa restrictions. This would include France and Australia, and most developed countries. Anyway, France has incredibly high tax, and in the Riviera, houses are expensive and not particularly nice. South Africa is not very ‘stable’, has a serious crime problem, and recently had a moratorium on foriegn owned houses. It is developed, had(?) a retirement incentive scheme, is cheaper, and good infrastucture.

There are parts of the world that offer something. Croatia will give you residency if you buy a house. It is still comparatively cheap, has a beautiful coast, and culture and is close to W Europe. Andorra is a tax haven that borders Spain and France, so no tax, modern infrastructure, and you can buy residency for a paltry amount. Houses are quite expensive but not like Monaco. Switzerland, the most civilized country in the world is available for any one over 55 years old. You negotiate your tax based on the house you buy. Restrictions apply.

Things I try to remember when assessing somewhere:

1) Visas, and retirement incentive schemes
2) Security
3) Health care facilities
4) Infrastructure
5) Cost of living
6) Weather and environment

If any one can find a place with a tick by all of these, let me know.

[sdrealtor]

Not sure what you like but Western North Carolina out by Asheville/Lake Lure is beautiful and meets many of your criteria in the US

[PerryChase]

I’ve never been to Ashville. But I hear that it’s quite nice with a thriving downtown. It’s a little isolating in my view.

Qwerty007, if you’re looking for a place overseas to retire then I think that Singapore will meet all your requirements. Except that the country is predominently ethnic Chinese so culturally, it might not be ideal for a Westerner. Everyone speaks English in Singapore and the medical facilities are first rate. Biotech is thriving. There is no crime.

The Sands Casino is building a mega casino in Singapore so it’s a Las Vegas in the making (with good potential for real estate appreciation)

Banking is first rate so you’ll always have ready access to your hard earned money.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-sigbank11nov11,1,2482514,full.story?coll=la-headlines-business
http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/05/27/business/worldbusiness/27casino.html

From Singapore, you can take discount airline fights to all of Asia including Australia. Santosa Island is like a Hawaiian resort.

[PerryChase]

Links to Asheville, NC.
I learned something new today. Asheville sounds like a really nice place. I need to go check-out the Biltmore estate. Looks like a French Loire Valley Castle.

http://www.exploreasheville.com/press-room/asheville-quality-of-life-awards/index.aspx
http://www.romanticasheville.com/index.html

[jztz]

Panama – at our last cruise, a couple at our diner table was from San Diego and was about to retire to Panama. The gentleman spoke highly of it — mainly its favorable tax/investment policy to attract American retirees; and the place sounds nice. Said that they would be able to retire earlier if they retire in Panama.

Helsinki, Finland — The one time that I visited, everyone looked so serious!!! Can’t image to retire there. The supermarket reminded me of Chinese stores more than a decade ago.

China — the only problem is pollution. I revisited Huangzhou in May after 20 years, and I was again impressed by its beauty. Not a bad place to retire — only 1.5 hour from Shanghai. But hot and humid in summer.

Singapore — haven’t been there, but heard that it’s really hot and humid in summer, and summer is long there.

[34f3f3f]

I think you need $13 million to become resident in Singapore, so it’s for the super rich. Malaysia next door is much bigger, and much cheaper, but humidity is infernal. I believe residency isn’t too hard to obtain though. Asheville seems nice from the online brochure. I think it is a great shame that Mexico, with it’s rich cultural heritage and beauty doesn’t do more to cash in on the large number of US retirees. On the other hand if you see what the British have done to Spain, perhaps it wouldn’t be such a good idea. Anyway here are a few useful links.

Useful brief descriptions of countries around the world
http://www.expatfocus.com/expatriate-country-guides

A slightly disorganized but fairly comprehensive source of information
http://www.escapeartist.com/

For business relocation or the tax conscious
http://www.lowtax.net/

A European assimilation tool similar to craigslist, with franchise opportunity.
http://www.angloinfo.com/

My dream would be a place in somewhere like Chamonix, Lake Como, or Cap D’Antibe for part of the year and perhaps Bermuda or Hawaii for the other part.

[sddreaming]

Earlier today, I was thinking about this post and where I would want to retire. My thoughts were along the lines of, wherever it is I am happy, fulfilled, and productive, which today is Ann Arbor, Michigan. But, then, I ran errands, with my 5 and 7 year olds, and had a flat tire while on the freeway. BTW, the high actual temp today was 3. The wind chills are about -20. I’m re-thinking.

[sddreaming]

Was it really 80 degrees today? That was a typo by SDUT, right?

[JJGittes]

81 in my coastal n. county backyard today.

[sdrealtor]

Don’t you mean your landlords backyard;)

[sdcellar]

…and so nice of him to be subsidizing it. :-O

[avidsaver]

I was thinking Costa Rica. It was in the 80s in L.A. too this week, but when it was cold a few weeks ago, I couldn’t help but think that I wanted year-round, constant, warm-weather. Are we Californians spoiled or what?

[Author]

Posts