Ok, so the condo thread got me rehashing up some of my "one day" residence desires....they vary like [my] women. If I've learned anything over the years of hanging out on this forum there are some creative thinking mofo's that hang here, so if you too are into the Home & Garden channel and find yourself using a good portion of your brain thinking up some housing idea/thoughts/opinions this is the thread to share them.....I'll start first. My ultimate (=kids in college or on their own) retirement desire includes lotsa traveling in a mid level MH. If I'm financially secure OR hit the lotto, I'd love to incorporate several lot purchases in my favorite areas, possibly one out west and another down south which would be on the Gulf side of Fla or Tx....If my first phase of retirement goes according to plan, I'll probably be relocated in the mid south some place. At these lots, I'd like to build very small, very low maintenance homes with full outdoor hook-ups for the MH. Developments already exist for this purpose but like condo's/TH's they'll require monthly maintenance fees which I'm not too crazy about. I've seen some really bad ass storage container creations, that I'd be absolutely interested in taking on but interested in hearing anyone else's visions or things they've already seen. And gooo!
Some of my riding buddies and I used to discuss a "retreat" in the GA/NC mountains. A number of cabins with a central social club house. The cabins wouldn't be much, just a place to rest and get away. If you wanted to socialize, go to the clubhouse.
I'm kinda lucky in that my MIL has 200 acres in the middle of West Virginia and a third of that will be ours. So that's my fallback. But after traveling out west the last 10 years, a little place in Escalante, UT or Bishop, CA would be just fine with me. Always thought I would head back to the Keys for my golden years but it can actually get boring there.
We (I) are planning to cash out of our real estate endeavors and pay cash for a nice condo or townhome with a view. Then when winter comes just go rent a furnished place for a few months. Someplace different every year, maybe return if we really love it. Costa Rica, So Cal, Charleston, SC, Spain/Portugal, Southern Italy ect ect. I can work from home and the wife is getting to that point so we hope to be on that plan by the time we are early to mid 40's. There is just that little garage space issue.....
i would like somewhere warm, and where my Google Car can take me wherever I need to go, because you know...i'll be old and stuff
A number of years ago in the mid-80's, I said my dream retirement would be a place in central/northern Wisconsin for the summer, and in western NC/ east TN or northern AL for the winter. I'll never be able to afford that, but that was my dream. It still doesn't sound too bad. I like the 4 seasons, just would like to limit the amount of extreme heat&humidity and cold&snow. I like green, forests, etc. so a desert location is out. I have no clue where I'll end up.
Beachfront SoCal. Mission/ocean/pacific beach. It's the impetus for the move to a condo actually. The driving force in my life right now is to be able to spend winters living on the beach before I turn 40. The condo is appealing because I can turn the key and leave. No worries.
I like green and the 4 seasons also. I like the snow but am not crazy about the cold. I could stay a few months in early winter in a northern state just to ride a snowmobile. Then go south for motorcycle trips.
Wife and I are thinking that when I retire, we'll sell the house and most of the stuff, buy a condo somewhere on the NC or SC beaches, and a flat (apt) in Edinborough Scotland (where the daughter lives) and live 6 months in one, then 6 in the other, renting out the empty one for the other six months to help offset the expenses. Probably come back here in August and go back over to Scotland in February or so. There is a huge festival in Edinborough the entire month of August, so rents are high then, so we'd like to make the coin while we can. But as of now, it's just a dream. We'll see.
Looking to subdivide the land once the kids go to college and downsize to a condo downtown. Will then (or before) buy a lake house - either Norris, Cumberland, or Dale Hollow. Float between the two. I'm sure this will change to a condo nearby any child that moves away, though.
Haven't even began to think about a location at this point. Kids are 4, and not even 2 yet. Thinking about where we'll end up is laughable at this point.
We want to travel, so at least somewhat close to a major airport would be nice. We actually really like the DC area and all the cool stuff to do here, but we also like the mountains our west. So maybe both places? The problem with that is, it doesn't really leave us a good place to escape the cold in the winter. On the condo fee thing: If you are not going to be there full time, this is a good way to have someone else taking care of the exterior when you are away. Mowing, etc. Just try to find one where you will mostly be using what they offer. You probably won't find 100%, but maybe some of the things you use someone else won't, so it should generally come out about even unless they just have lots of frills you won't use.