Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My parents tried to live in a retirement community-they hated it.

Moved into a normal neighborhood with a mix of ages and are much happier now.

The “mix of ages” thing is overrated IMO. Once you’re in your forties, you’re pretty much invisible to younger people. There are lots of millennials & Gen Z in our neighborhood but we have almost zero interaction with them. I’d rather save my energy to focus building relationships with folks our own age.

That's not really the point. When emergencies or natural disasters happen, it's comforting to know strong able bodied people are nearby. I survived a Florida hurricane once, in my late 40s. I was one of the youngest people there. Older people could barely move to help themselves.

Anonymous wrote:I raised my kid in our 1,200 square foot house. Now that I’m an empty nester it’s more than enough room. 400 square feet, on the other hand, seems too tight.

I’m planning to stay in Maryland unless DD moves elsewhere. Then I’d have to reconsider, primarily based on climate, cost of living and access to healthcare.

I’m the PP who said that less than 1200 square-feet is unlivable. Two points. First, it’s different when you’re away all day at work versus in retirement when you’d be home ALL. THE. TIME. (In my case, I’m not retired but I work from home and can confirm that you will go crazy if you spend all your time in a tiny box of less than 1200 square-feet.)

And second, I was referring to a condo/apartment since the PP mentioned a 400 square-foot apartment in Paris. There is a HUGE difference between your 1200 square-foot house and a 1200 square-foot apartment. Being able to step outside in nature for a few minutes a few times a day makes a small interior much more bearable.

So yeah, for those planning on living in an apartment in retirement, anything less than 1200 square-feet is unlivable.

Anonymous wrote:My parents tried to live in a retirement community-they hated it.

Moved into a normal neighborhood with a mix of ages and are much happier now.

The “mix of ages” thing is overrated IMO. Once you’re in your forties, you’re pretty much invisible to younger people. There are lots of millennials & Gen Z in our neighborhood but we have almost zero interaction with them. I’d rather save my energy to focus building relationships with folks our own age.

My parents tried to live in a retirement community-they hated it.

Moved into a normal neighborhood with a mix of ages and are much happier now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our plan is May-September in Rehoboth Beach (already own a place) and the rest of the year in Florida.

This, to me, is the absolute number one worst retirement plan ever. It is the cliché from hell. I cannot imagine it.

While you were typing this, someone posted that they're retiring to the Villages.

THAT is literally hell on earth to me. If I were given the choice of living in the Villages or going to prison, I would have to think about it.

+1 I have a friend who moved there in her late 40s with her early 40s husband. I. Do. Not. Get it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We will retire next year to our condo in Park City, Utah. Believe me, our kids and friends cannot wait to visit us as frequently as possible.

B'bye, D crappy C.

They will visit less than you think. Count on it.

Written by someone who (i) doesn't ski, and (ii) has never been to PC.

You’re not going to be skiing when you’re 75.

I know plenty of people skiing through their 80s. Speak for yourself.

Anonymous wrote:Paris. I am buying my friend's 400 sq ft apartment in the Latin Quarter. Walking distance to everything, buses and metro at corner.

How much does that run these days? And what about visas or residency?

Anonymous wrote:Brazil seems like a tough place to me to retire, and say that as someone who has some fluency in Brazilian Portuguese. I think I’d worry too much about security and just being able to navigate a place that, unlike Portugal, doesn’t have a lot of ex-pats.

Florianopolis is choc-full of expats. It is one of the reason I chose it.

I love cool-cold weather. I'll be heading over to Chile for some winter skiing.

I am fluent in Brazilian Portuguese. I double-majored in International Relations and Portuguese.

Anonymous wrote:My best friend (60) just retired in Montreal. She is glowing and her husband (59) loves the jazz scene. They were both life-long New Yorkers.

Brrr…too cold!

Anonymous wrote:We’re staying here. Health care is good and we have a wonderful network of friends. We’ll travel a lot but the DC area is home.

We were planning on doing the same, but DC’s juvenile crime spree is making me think twice.

Brazil seems like a tough place to me to retire, and say that as someone who has some fluency in Brazilian Portuguese. I think I’d worry too much about security and just being able to navigate a place that, unlike Portugal, doesn’t have a lot of ex-pats.

It can get down to the upper 50s (F) in June, July, and August. You think that is cold?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brazil. I lived there for a year in high school (exchange strident), year abroad in college, 9 months as a grad student, and now an annual visit. Can't wait to move permanently.

Oooh, what part of Brazil? I spent time there years ago but haven’t been back and am dying to.

After spending time all over the country, I've decided on Florianopolis.

Beautiful locale. My issue is winter . . . it can get cold there. But I suppose a few months in the northeast would be ok

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Paris. I am buying my friend's 400 sq ft apartment in the Latin Quarter. Walking distance to everything, buses and metro at corner.

How do people live in 400 square-foot places?? Anything under 1200 SF is unlivable for one person.

1200 sqft is enough for a family of four, 2 dogs and a cat.

Someone's DCUM MC bubble is showing

omg this is us! Even the 2 dogs and a cat!

My sister and her husband live in 400 sq ft in Hawaii. They even have a yard with chickens, and take care of the feral cats. They are in their 60s and live their days walking, hiking, swimming, biking, surfing, reading. They are a 15 minute bike ride to the beach.