Retire to Western NY or VT/NH Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:We’re planning to retire to WNY, likely one of the villages north of Niagara Falls. Yes, taxes are high, but it’s also reasonably insulated from the worst effects of climate change, which matter to us. DH is from there, hence preferring that over VT/NH.

You’re going to live somewhere that has sh!tty weather all the time right now in order to avoid the highly speculative effects of climate change in the indeterminate future? 🙄🙄🙄😂😂😂

DH and I love cold weather; we don’t consider it “shitty.” Winters are long but the other seasons are gorgeous. I’ll take a Buffalo winter over a DC summer any day.

Also, I don’t take advice from science-deniers, so there’s that.

You like it now, will you like it as much when you're 85 and can't drive and use a walker and are afraid one fall on the ice may be the end of you?

when I am 85 and can’t drive and need a walker I will move into a Home near my children wherever they may be but I am not going to live in the south for 25 years dying of the heat just in case that happens when I am 85.

I’m the PP who was being replied to so I didn’t write the above, but it’s exactly how I feel, too.

My parents live there now, and are in denial about what a problem it is. They constantly want me to help them with weather maintenance issues for their house, and they basically can't travel at all in the winter because they won't drive in snow. They're only mid-70s but this stuff catches up with you. Skiing isn't fun for them anymore. I really resent that they moved someplace inconvenient that would obviously pose a lot of challenges, and now act like it's some unforseen misfortune.

These are your issues, PP. Stop projecting them onto others.

Ok. Enjoy dealing with the snow without help.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/protect-your-heart-when-shoveling-snow-201101151153

But why are you assuming PP won’t have help? My in laws have had the same company for years shovel/plow their driveway and sidewalk. There are tons of other companies should something happen to this one. Some of us love New England and financially plan and prepare for the things we will need in our retirement years. Just like we would plan if we wanted to live somewhere else.

Because it's not just the shoveling. It's feeling like you can't even walk to your own mailbox without risk. Can't drive anywhere because you might not be able to drive back. When you get where you're going, will you be able to get from the car to the place safely? Basically unless you can pay to hire a chaperone every time you need to go somewhere, it's a long boring difficult winter. You can say "that's your issue" but I'm telling you, it's the issue of my parents, all their friends and relatives there, and thus also their adult children. These places should be thought of as for the first decade of retirement only, then you need to make another plan.

The population of northern New England is aging (not just because of arriving retirees) and it can be very hard to find a facility to move into. I'm trying to find one right now and the options are few, expensive, and not that great.

FFS - you can hire someone to salt your walk, too. Why wouldn’t an older person be able to walk to their mailbox without risk? As for driving - pay attention to the weather and that’s usually not an issue. What happened in Buffalo over Christmas was a tragedy, but many of the deaths could have been avoided if people paid attention to the forecast and stayed off the roads.

I get that you’re bitter AF, but enough, already.

I'm 62 and live in Schoharie County (45 minutes west of Albany) and love it. Yes, there are trumpers but also liberals as well. Get a pair of yak tracks and you can walk on anything. Albany, Cooperstown are close, NYC, Boston and Montreal are 4 hours away. It's beautiful here but we haven't had much snow this winter and I miss cross country skiing.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:We’re planning to retire to WNY, likely one of the villages north of Niagara Falls. Yes, taxes are high, but it’s also reasonably insulated from the worst effects of climate change, which matter to us. DH is from there, hence preferring that over VT/NH.

You’re going to live somewhere that has sh!tty weather all the time right now in order to avoid the highly speculative effects of climate change in the indeterminate future? 🙄🙄🙄😂😂😂

DH and I love cold weather; we don’t consider it “shitty.” Winters are long but the other seasons are gorgeous. I’ll take a Buffalo winter over a DC summer any day.

Also, I don’t take advice from science-deniers, so there’s that.

You like it now, will you like it as much when you're 85 and can't drive and use a walker and are afraid one fall on the ice may be the end of you?

when I am 85 and can’t drive and need a walker I will move into a Home near my children wherever they may be but I am not going to live in the south for 25 years dying of the heat just in case that happens when I am 85.

I’m the PP who was being replied to so I didn’t write the above, but it’s exactly how I feel, too.

My parents live there now, and are in denial about what a problem it is. They constantly want me to help them with weather maintenance issues for their house, and they basically can't travel at all in the winter because they won't drive in snow. They're only mid-70s but this stuff catches up with you. Skiing isn't fun for them anymore. I really resent that they moved someplace inconvenient that would obviously pose a lot of challenges, and now act like it's some unforseen misfortune.

These are your issues, PP. Stop projecting them onto others.

Ok. Enjoy dealing with the snow without help.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/protect-your-heart-when-shoveling-snow-201101151153

But why are you assuming PP won’t have help? My in laws have had the same company for years shovel/plow their driveway and sidewalk. There are tons of other companies should something happen to this one. Some of us love New England and financially plan and prepare for the things we will need in our retirement years. Just like we would plan if we wanted to live somewhere else.

Because it's not just the shoveling. It's feeling like you can't even walk to your own mailbox without risk. Can't drive anywhere because you might not be able to drive back. When you get where you're going, will you be able to get from the car to the place safely? Basically unless you can pay to hire a chaperone every time you need to go somewhere, it's a long boring difficult winter. You can say "that's your issue" but I'm telling you, it's the issue of my parents, all their friends and relatives there, and thus also their adult children. These places should be thought of as for the first decade of retirement only, then you need to make another plan.

The population of northern New England is aging (not just because of arriving retirees) and it can be very hard to find a facility to move into. I'm trying to find one right now and the options are few, expensive, and not that great.

FFS - you can hire someone to salt your walk, too. Why wouldn’t an older person be able to walk to their mailbox without risk? As for driving - pay attention to the weather and that’s usually not an issue. What happened in Buffalo over Christmas was a tragedy, but many of the deaths could have been avoided if people paid attention to the forecast and stayed off the roads.

I get that you’re bitter AF, but enough, already.

I'm 62 and live in Schoharie County (45 minutes west of Albany) and love it. Yes, there are trumpers but also liberals as well. Get a pair of yak tracks and you can walk on anything. Albany, Cooperstown are close, NYC, Boston and Montreal are 4 hours away. It's beautiful here but we haven't had much snow this winter and I miss cross country skiing.

PP you’re quoting - love it! You are my people. I get that some people are very put off by rough winters, but I am not one of them. I hope you get some snow for that cross country skiing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re planning to retire to WNY, likely one of the villages north of Niagara Falls. Yes, taxes are high, but it’s also reasonably insulated from the worst effects of climate change, which matter to us. DH is from there, hence preferring that over VT/NH.

You’re going to live somewhere that has sh!tty weather all the time right now in order to avoid the highly speculative effects of climate change in the indeterminate future? 🙄🙄🙄😂😂😂

DH and I love cold weather; we don’t consider it “shitty.” Winters are long but the other seasons are gorgeous. I’ll take a Buffalo winter over a DC summer any day.

Also, I don’t take advice from science-deniers, so there’s that.

You like it now, will you like it as much when you're 85 and can't drive and use a walker and are afraid one fall on the ice may be the end of you?

when I am 85 and can’t drive and need a walker I will move into a Home near my children wherever they may be but I am not going to live in the south for 25 years dying of the heat just in case that happens when I am 85.

I’m the PP who was being replied to so I didn’t write the above, but it’s exactly how I feel, too.

My parents live there now, and are in denial about what a problem it is. They constantly want me to help them with weather maintenance issues for their house, and they basically can't travel at all in the winter because they won't drive in snow. They're only mid-70s but this stuff catches up with you. Skiing isn't fun for them anymore. I really resent that they moved someplace inconvenient that would obviously pose a lot of challenges, and now act like it's some unforseen misfortune.

These are your issues, PP. Stop projecting them onto others.

Ok. Enjoy dealing with the snow without help.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/protect-your-heart-when-shoveling-snow-201101151153

But why are you assuming PP won’t have help? My in laws have had the same company for years shovel/plow their driveway and sidewalk. There are tons of other companies should something happen to this one. Some of us love New England and financially plan and prepare for the things we will need in our retirement years. Just like we would plan if we wanted to live somewhere else.

Because it's not just the shoveling. It's feeling like you can't even walk to your own mailbox without risk. Can't drive anywhere because you might not be able to drive back. When you get where you're going, will you be able to get from the car to the place safely? Basically unless you can pay to hire a chaperone every time you need to go somewhere, it's a long boring difficult winter. You can say "that's your issue" but I'm telling you, it's the issue of my parents, all their friends and relatives there, and thus also their adult children. These places should be thought of as for the first decade of retirement only, then you need to make another plan.

The population of northern New England is aging (not just because of arriving retirees) and it can be very hard to find a facility to move into. I'm trying to find one right now and the options are few, expensive, and not that great.

FFS - you can hire someone to salt your walk, too. Why wouldn’t an older person be able to walk to their mailbox without risk? As for driving - pay attention to the weather and that’s usually not an issue. What happened in Buffalo over Christmas was a tragedy, but many of the deaths could have been avoided if people paid attention to the forecast and stayed off the roads.

I get that you’re bitter AF, but enough, already.

I'm 62 and live in Schoharie County (45 minutes west of Albany) and love it. Yes, there are trumpers but also liberals as well. Get a pair of yak tracks and you can walk on anything. Albany, Cooperstown are close, NYC, Boston and Montreal are 4 hours away. It's beautiful here but we haven't had much snow this winter and I miss cross country skiing.

PP you’re quoting - love it! You are my people. I get that some people are very put off by rough winters, but I am not one of them. I hope you get some snow for that cross country skiing!

This winter has been one long March, my least favorite month. I love the seasons here, except March. Summer, fall, winter, bring it on but I hate early spring. Nothing but mud.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:We are looking at Hanover, NH or Woodstock, VT. I went to Dartmouth and we’ve spent some time in the area since then. But it would be only for the fall/winter and probably only for a few years. I think once we are mid 70s we will want to be in a warmer place.

I'm curious, why would you spend the colder months in a colder place? Where would you spend the spring and summer?

Because we like winter and skiing (hence the reason we probably would give it up in mid 70's), and we already have a beach house where we will spend spring/summer.

I'm always amazed when I ski midweek how many retirees I run into who ski 60-100 days a season. Obviously not full days, but they are getting out there multiple days a week. That's what I want for at least a few years.

I love your commitment to healthy, active, outdoor living! My only comment on this is that it's not clear skiing will continue to be as available as it has been, due to lack of snow. Have you been reading about all the ski resorts in Switzerland? There's hardly any snow on the ground. And they expect this to be a trend, not just in Europe, but elsewhere. It's very dismaying! Just something to think about if you're planning a retirement around frequent skiing.

Agree that is a concern - this winter has been a total bust for local skiing. I am close enough (5 years) to retirement that I will likely be okay. I was skiing in Vermont last week and despite a bad winter, there was plenty to ski thanks to snowmaking. The alternative is west, but that's much more expensive to buy and a little more complicated because driving isn't really an easy option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at Hanover, NH or Woodstock, VT. I went to Dartmouth and we’ve spent some time in the area since then. But it would be only for the fall/winter and probably only for a few years. I think once we are mid 70s we will want to be in a warmer place.

I'm curious, why would you spend the colder months in a colder place? Where would you spend the spring and summer?

Because we like winter and skiing (hence the reason we probably would give it up in mid 70's), and we already have a beach house where we will spend spring/summer.

I'm always amazed when I ski midweek how many retirees I run into who ski 60-100 days a season. Obviously not full days, but they are getting out there multiple days a week. That's what I want for at least a few years.

I love your commitment to healthy, active, outdoor living! My only comment on this is that it's not clear skiing will continue to be as available as it has been, due to lack of snow. Have you been reading about all the ski resorts in Switzerland? There's hardly any snow on the ground. And they expect this to be a trend, not just in Europe, but elsewhere. It's very dismaying! Just something to think about if you're planning a retirement around frequent skiing.

Agree that is a concern - this winter has been a total bust for local skiing. I am close enough (5 years) to retirement that I will likely be okay. I was skiing in Vermont last week and despite a bad winter, there was plenty to ski thanks to snowmaking. The alternative is west, but that's much more expensive to buy and a little more complicated because driving isn't really an easy option.

At a certain point (like between 70 and 75) you get too old for downhill skiing and they don't make snow for cross-country. Cross-country skiing is the best sport of all, and you can tell it's healthy because of all the really old people who do it. We were in Northern VT for Christmas and the cross-country was perfection, but in southern VT they didn't have much snow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I lived in Burlington and I really cannot recommend it for seniors. The cost of housing is really high, and taxes are too, and UVM Medical Center isn't that great-- Dartmouth is way better.

Can we talk about the dark? It gets dark really early in the winter and that's hard if your vision isn't what it used to be. If you're at all prone to seasonal depression, don't move to Burlington no matter how young you are. It's a long, long, long dark boring winter if you're too old to go ice-boating or whatever.

The cold up there is no joke. It's bitter in the winter, and summers are hot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at Hanover, NH or Woodstock, VT. I went to Dartmouth and we’ve spent some time in the area since then. But it would be only for the fall/winter and probably only for a few years. I think once we are mid 70s we will want to be in a warmer place.

I'm curious, why would you spend the colder months in a colder place? Where would you spend the spring and summer?

Because we like winter and skiing (hence the reason we probably would give it up in mid 70's), and we already have a beach house where we will spend spring/summer.

I'm always amazed when I ski midweek how many retirees I run into who ski 60-100 days a season. Obviously not full days, but they are getting out there multiple days a week. That's what I want for at least a few years.

I love your commitment to healthy, active, outdoor living! My only comment on this is that it's not clear skiing will continue to be as available as it has been, due to lack of snow. Have you been reading about all the ski resorts in Switzerland? There's hardly any snow on the ground. And they expect this to be a trend, not just in Europe, but elsewhere. It's very dismaying! Just something to think about if you're planning a retirement around frequent skiing.

Agree that is a concern - this winter has been a total bust for local skiing. I am close enough (5 years) to retirement that I will likely be okay. I was skiing in Vermont last week and despite a bad winter, there was plenty to ski thanks to snowmaking. The alternative is west, but that's much more expensive to buy and a little more complicated because driving isn't really an easy option.

At a certain point (like between 70 and 75) you get too old for downhill skiing and they don't make snow for cross-country. Cross-country skiing is the best sport of all, and you can tell it's healthy because of all the really old people who do it. We were in Northern VT for Christmas and the cross-country was perfection, but in southern VT they didn't have much snow.

My father is skiing at 85. Yes, I expect by 75 I won’t be skiing double blacks all day but a couple of hours of groomers should be doable. I see plenty of people in their 70s out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re planning to retire to WNY, likely one of the villages north of Niagara Falls. Yes, taxes are high, but it’s also reasonably insulated from the worst effects of climate change, which matter to us. DH is from there, hence preferring that over VT/NH.

You’re going to live somewhere that has sh!tty weather all the time right now in order to avoid the highly speculative effects of climate change in the indeterminate future? 🙄🙄🙄😂😂😂

DH and I love cold weather; we don’t consider it “shitty.” Winters are long but the other seasons are gorgeous. I’ll take a Buffalo winter over a DC summer any day.

Also, I don’t take advice from science-deniers, so there’s that.

You like it now, will you like it as much when you're 85 and can't drive and use a walker and are afraid one fall on the ice may be the end of you?

when I am 85 and can’t drive and need a walker I will move into a Home near my children wherever they may be but I am not going to live in the south for 25 years dying of the heat just in case that happens when I am 85.

I’m the PP who was being replied to so I didn’t write the above, but it’s exactly how I feel, too.

My parents live there now, and are in denial about what a problem it is. They constantly want me to help them with weather maintenance issues for their house, and they basically can't travel at all in the winter because they won't drive in snow. They're only mid-70s but this stuff catches up with you. Skiing isn't fun for them anymore. I really resent that they moved someplace inconvenient that would obviously pose a lot of challenges, and now act like it's some unforseen misfortune.

These are your issues, PP. Stop projecting them onto others.

Ok. Enjoy dealing with the snow without help.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/protect-your-heart-when-shoveling-snow-201101151153

But why are you assuming PP won’t have help? My in laws have had the same company for years shovel/plow their driveway and sidewalk. There are tons of other companies should something happen to this one. Some of us love New England and financially plan and prepare for the things we will need in our retirement years. Just like we would plan if we wanted to live somewhere else.

Because it's not just the shoveling. It's feeling like you can't even walk to your own mailbox without risk. Can't drive anywhere because you might not be able to drive back. When you get where you're going, will you be able to get from the car to the place safely? Basically unless you can pay to hire a chaperone every time you need to go somewhere, it's a long boring difficult winter. You can say "that's your issue" but I'm telling you, it's the issue of my parents, all their friends and relatives there, and thus also their adult children. These places should be thought of as for the first decade of retirement only, then you need to make another plan.

The population of northern New England is aging (not just because of arriving retirees) and it can be very hard to find a facility to move into. I'm trying to find one right now and the options are few, expensive, and not that great.

FFS - you can hire someone to salt your walk, too. Why wouldn’t an older person be able to walk to their mailbox without risk? As for driving - pay attention to the weather and that’s usually not an issue. What happened in Buffalo over Christmas was a tragedy, but many of the deaths could have been avoided if people paid attention to the forecast and stayed off the roads.

I get that you’re bitter AF, but enough, already.

So you won't be going anywhere until the salt and shovel people come. Could be a while. Are you going to hire someone to salt your destination as well?

Look, I'll stop belaboring it, but you have to really think this stuff through. In the winter, every single time you leave your house it's a project and you have to work with your service provider who, amazingly, has many other walks to shovel and roads to plow. Just saying "I'll hire someone" is a way of avoiding thinking about whether you really will be able to get the level or service you want, and whether you truly want to live your life around the weather.

I live my life around the weather here. I don't go anywhere outdoors in the summer. It sucks.

I will take a January in Maine hands down.

[Anonymous]

Winter sucks up there!