we want to relocate
 

we are contemplating to move from Long Island to other part of the country but we can not decide where to.
I would like to have a garden and live in a community, be close to bigger town with some cultural events and of course quilting stores, airport etc.

I would not mind going North, DH wants to be closer to his kids South

we are both retired

We have a lot of quilt shops around the Dallas/Fort Worth area. However it gets pretty hot in the summer

Asheville, N.C.

Tennessee is wonderful. Knoxville and Nashville have the cultural events, airports, great healthcare and quilting stores. Not so far south that the weather is unbearable though. The weather is great for gardens and surely there are lots of communities. Lots of suburbs around both. Also favorable tax wise, too. San Antonio Texas is fabulous- wonderful healthcare, cultural events, huge airpot, and they love to quilt in Texas (check out the Texas Shop Hop- maybe someone else can link it). The weather is hot but drier and there are a lot of retirees from all over. Texas has low property taxes and overall tax friendly. Good Luck on this journey in the next chapters of your lives.

What part of Long Island are you in? I'm in Suffolk County. We considered moving to Atlanta. It has a nice mix of small town yet big city activities. Taxes are decent and the weather is nice. Some nice quilt shops around too.

Do some traveling to the areas you think you would like - I never never thought I would live in FL !!!! But we are loving it!

my folks live in Hendersonville NC, which is just south of Asheville. There is a lot of culture there and many quilt shops, too. the weather is quite mild

Good for you. I would love to move to a much cooler area. We can't, Hubby won't move and we have a business. I just dream of cooler summers and stay in the A/C.

I agree with this one ... between mountains and beach and friendly community. My other choice would be Wilmington North Carolina. Beautiful country with lots of culture and history. I'm hoping someday ....

I could not agree more!!! I have a sister that relocated there... Its WONDERFUL!

Yep. Asheville. Although Hendersonville is OK, but it doesn't have the downtown and the Center for Creative Retirement, which is on the north side of town. We shopped around a lot and fell in love with Asheville within fifteen minutes.

Michigan has a lot to offer. You can be by the water, in the country or in the city if you want.

I relocated from NJ to Myrtle Beach, SC several years ago.

But, and I think this is extremely important when relocating, try out wherever you're considering to relocate for 6 months. It would be terrible to relocate and then hate the place.

My DH and I did this - rented an apartment for 6 months to see if we liked the area. Luckily, we loved it...and bought a great home once we knew it was a good place for us. Property taxes are low, especially compared to NJ. It's a beach town, lots of touristy things to do, which is great when the 'grands' visit.

I used to live in NY, Long Island, Upstate, Queens Village, and now I live in Wichita Kansas. I love it. We are near the airport, mall, quilt shops, all of it and we still have our country home and a large yard. In fact, this weekend we are building a chicken coop so we can have fresh eggs again. Love it here. Also, the traffic is nothing compared to LI. My sister is in Massapequa and it is crazy there compared to here.
Good luck with your decision.

For me, the culture of a place would be more important than the weather. My husband and I have lived in a small town in Ohio for nearly 30 years and we have nothing in common with anyone around here. We are looking forward to retiring in the next 2 years and moving to a more urban environment where we can share some interests with others. It has made our marriage strong because we are each other's best friends but it would be nice to go out with other couples now and then and have some common ground for a conversation.

I vote for TN but NC is great too. I love the mountains and streams and rivers and waterfalls and farm houses.... I live near Knoxville, and I find out about a different fabric/quilt store every time I talk to someone! My family and I love to do "road trips" but after my son was hit by a car, we had to make them much shorter. We discovered lots of things to do closer to home. The only place we are planning on going to that is more than half a tank of gas is Wythville, VA. Awwwww.. now I want to go to NC!
The cost of living is pretty good here too. We have 2 houses-a two BR in the city that I bought in 2007 for $40K and a four bedroom in the country for $65K. Right now, we rent the 2-br out for $550. It's really cute and not in a bad area. OTOH, we bought a trailer last year and fixed it up and it cost a total of $4k. It is set up in a park that rents for $200/month. You can spend as much as you want, though, there are plenty of lakeside houses going for 100 times more!
Jobs are available, no state income tax (sales tax is 9.75%), and decent property tax. You can drive down the road and see a multi-million dollar house and go around the curve and see the "stereo typical" house/trailer with a rebel flag and cars on blocks in the yard... But I think that kind of diversity is everywhere... Going to Walmart goes under "Entertainment" in the budget!!

This is fun! Good luck!!

I find this thread extremely interesting!!! I am visiting my friend and her husband who have a mobile in Sarasota Florida, that they go to every year. I am in the market to buy something like this for my retirement but the park they live in is way too expensive for me. There's 2 of them and only 1 of me. I live in Nova Scotia so I really don't know too much about areas of Florida but I know I hate the winters here!!!! I am somewhat a dummy when it comes to trying to find things out online, so if any of you Florida know of places at a reasonable lot rent, I'd love to hear from you. Thanks, Wendy

Of course I love VT but I don't stay there in the winter!! I know a lot of people who retired to FL years ago "re"-retired to NC, the mountains area. Better climate I think is the reason. Best of luck in your search!!

I agree with Scraps. Look around a bit before you take that expensive step. Almost any place you might want to go has a website to give you some further info. Check on guilds in the area. Some are welcoming but a few are not. If there are no LQSs, probably not a good bet.

We are also looking for a park, or pvt lot, to leave our 5th wheel year around in South Carolina, Georgia, or further south, must be safe, near major medical center, and affordable. Pleast pm me with any suggestions. Judy

I live in the Coastal Georgia area. I love it here. My dad was in the Air Force and I spent a lot of years moving around and I can say that the areas I have really liked are Eastern Tennessee (love the mountains) Greenville, South Carolina is great. I love the ocean too. Charleston, Savannah and St Augustine are some of my favorite ocean cities. Not to big but big enough to have it all. Tennessee and Florida does not have an income tax yet. (If that matters)

We are living in Raleigh, NC (first time in NC in Charlotte '89-'98). There are SOOOO many people here from NY/NJ
it's crazy. We met some new neighbors last summer who recently moved here from the next town over from mine
in NJ.

I am in Florida and it is not a prime gardening area. I agree that North Carolina is a wonderful area. Virginia is nice too. Originally from Pennsylvania and love it too except weather is mre extreme there

We have purchased a home in Parker, Colorado, just south of Denver. Summers are usually in the 80's and winters are generally mild, with the occasional big snow storm. We like the change of the seasons. Denver abounds with things to do. Our new home is across from a huge park and has views of the Rocky Mountains.

We also have a vacation home in the mountains!

Have fun looking for your happy place!

I wish I could just "run away" to someplace "warmer" in the winter..and lots of green - my favorite color!!!!! But today with the housing market so low one would truly take a "bath" when selling, but being a buyer is a real bargain.......maybe when things level out a bit.........

I have always lived in the Asheville area (Buncombe County) and can't imagine anywhere nicer. And yes, I've traveled to many states and countries, and I always love returning to the beauty of the mountains! We usually have 4 distinct seasons, although this winter, like many parts of the country, we have not had much winter.

Duncan, SC.
Halfway between Greenville & Spartanburg, just off I-85 and near I-26.
75 miles from Asheville, NC and 250 from Myrtle Beach & Charleston.
J J

Sounds like you would enjoy Lancaster County, Pa.

Try Bristol, TN. There are several colleges which present great plays, concerts. Then, there is the famous Barter Theatre in Abingdon, the Symphony of the Mountains in Kingsport and the list goes on. We could go and see something wonderful every night of the week if we had the energy! Bristol is a small town but Knoxville is about 1 1/2 hours away as is Asheville. The cost of living is among the lowest in the country and the people are just great. Check us out! Also, the NASCAR races are held here is auto racing is your thing.

St. George Utah

Indiana is GREAT! We are an hour from Indy but you could get closer. Real estate is very inexpensive here. Taxes in our county are unbelievable. We have 8 1/2 acres with a 2000+ SFT house and a barn and pay less than $300 a year in property taxes. Our house recently appraised for $130K in our re-finance. We have many, many retirees who have moved here in the past few years from Chicago and points north because it is so cheap to live here. We get all 4 season here but it's not too bad in either summer or winter. Up in northern Indiana they get a lot of lake effect snow in the winter that we don't get here in west central Indiana. Can you tell I love my state? Now if we just had a different governor it would be perfect!

Lancaster PA might be an idea?

I live in northern ky, just 15 miles south of cicinnati. OH. Advantage of big city culture 20 min away but country living where the deer & the bunny rabbits play. Cost of living is lower than most places too & its a friendly place.

my daughters are planting their gardens just south of raleigh n.c. gets real hot in the summers tho. ashvile prob is better.

South is good- our area, close to you offers all of what you're looking for but we still have that dreaded winter.

I want to go to Virginia. We summer vacationed there for many years when the kids were growing up and I loved it! I want to retire there but hubby won't leave and I have a business. Darn.

I also live on Long Island and would love to retire elsewhere. Will be following this thread.

How about KY, its mid ways between north & south, Lexington has the things you mentioned, an airport, lots of cultural events, its not a huge city but has lots of shopping, all 4 seasons & its accompanying weather, cold around Christmas, January, hot in the summer, mild in between, a little of everything. You may want to consider it.

Cathy S/Willowwind

Funny, I live in Maryland and each time I take one of those "best places for ME to retire" quizzes, the top choice always comes out to where I already live. The weather is moderate, the gardening great, easy access to cultural events, ocean and mountains both pretty easy to get to. Guess I'll just stay put. :)

We have contemplated Tennessee. The taxes on retirement accounts are less....

Your lucky day! We have a home for sale with 12 acres in West TN. We have a garden plus an orchard. Quilting stores in close by Jackson and Dyersburg.