Help me daydream…retirement location

[iknowthismuchistrue]

Daydreaming over here.

I am hoping to retire in less than 15 years and would like to buy the home I plan to retire in as a vacation home within the next 5-10 years. I want to be on a lake. I do not want the ocean. I want to float around on my pontoon boat and have a few restaurants/bars on the lake. I don’t want crazy touristy vacation lake. (Lake Geneva in WI is way too busy/crazy for me ) but I don’t want middle of nowhere with nothing around. I want a warmer state but I don’t want alligators. 😂I’m being really picky but you can be picky when you daydream, right?

I’ve been looking at North Carolina and Tennessee. Maybe Texas?

Where should I look at houses on the lake? Throw your ideas out.



ETA: the state does not need to be hot year round and I actually welcome seasons but I need “winter” be be 30s/40s for a couple months and then it gets warmer again. None of this IL/WI snow from October to April nonsense.

[2boys2danes]

We live outside of Memphis and have a 2BR/2Bath cottage near Pickwick Lake and love it. My FIL had a house for years waterfront and it was awesome but he moved to Naples FL and sold it so we bought this a few years ago. Its at the intersection of AL/MS and TN and Pickwick is made from the damming of the TN river. Cost of living is low. Its a little rural but so relaxing

[anelms]

Lake Texoma. Texas/Oklahoma boarder. Great cost of living and close to major cities if needed

[bunnies]

Is Lake Lanier (north of Atlanta) too touristy? It's big with lots of stuff to do.

[pumpkincat]

We've been looking at NC for retirement for a few reasons, but I would not be able to buy gummies there. So if they could fix that in the next few years that would be great.

[iknowthismuchistrue]

Apr 1, 2023 22:03:41 GMT -5 bunnies said:

Is Lake Lanier (north of Atlanta) too touristy? It's big with lots of stuff to do.

Not sure. But I’m excited to look into it. Thank you!

[iknowthismuchistrue]

Apr 1, 2023 20:31:47 GMT -5 2boys2danes said:

We live outside of Memphis and have a 2BR/2Bath cottage near Pickwick Lake and love it. My FIL had a house for years waterfront and it was awesome but he moved to Naples FL and sold it so we bought this a few years ago. Its at the intersection of AL/MS and TN and Pickwick is made from the damming of the TN river. Cost of living is low. Its a little rural but so relaxing

Thanks!

I will look up the lake.

[wise_rita]

Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri?

Source: Ozark on Netflix, LOL

[nicolewi]

I don’t know, but my sister-in-law is looking at lake houses in Tennessee. I’m pretty sure part of the reason is that there is no state income tax. They also hope to retire at a lake home. So maybe TN for tax purposes.

[jlt19]

Apr 2, 2023 5:45:17 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri?

Source: Ozark on Netflix, LOL

WAY too busy if that’s not what she’s wanting. You honestly can’t safely be on a pontoon boat there during the summer.

My mom has a house and pontoon boat at KY lake near Paris Tennessee (very few houses are on the lake) and there are a few bars nearby. I’d imagine there are some busier spots closer to bigger towns. Though it’s not warm year round.

[fernweh]

Well I was going to recommend the area we just bought our vacation/future retirement home in but then I got to “warmer state”. I’m no help, good luck in your search!

[iknowthismuchistrue]

Apr 2, 2023 7:20:15 GMT -5 nicolewi said:

I don’t know, but my sister-in-law is looking at lake houses in Tennessee. I’m pretty sure part of the reason is that there is no state income tax. They also hope to retire at a lake home. So maybe TN for tax purposes.

I feel stupid asking this but if I don’t move to the state until I retire the no income tax thing doesn’t really help me right? Or when I start taking money from my retirement account that money won’t be taxed if I live somewhere like that? I know I should understand this but I just put the money away and that is about all I know.

[iknowthismuchistrue]

Apr 2, 2023 8:32:32 GMT -5 fernweh said:

Well I was going to recommend the area we just bought our vacation/future retirement home in but then I got to “warmer state”. I’m no help, good luck in your search!

Feel free to still share. I enjoy looking up real estate on lakes.

[NewOrleans]

Puerto Rico. No red states.

[rubytue]

Apr 2, 2023 8:37:08 GMT -5 iknowthismuchistrue said:

Apr 2, 2023 7:20:15 GMT -5 nicolewi said:

I don’t know, but my sister-in-law is looking at lake houses in Tennessee. I’m pretty sure part of the reason is that there is no state income tax. They also hope to retire at a lake home. So maybe TN for tax purposes.

I feel stupid asking this but if I don’t move to the state until I retire the no income tax thing doesn’t really help me right? Or when I start taking money from my retirement account that money won’t be taxed if I live somewhere like that? I know I should understand this but I just put the money away and that is about all I know.

There is earned and unearned income. Stuff pulled from a 401k or pension is the unearned income. Different states treat these differently. TN is all sales tax. 

There are a bazillion lakes in TN, from back when TVA damned all the rivers. Each is a bit different, in lots of ways. I know the ones generally around Knoxville. Ft Loudon is closest to Knoxville and the most crowded. Norris is deep and cold, well, anything on the Clinch is cold. Watt Bar, near Kingston, is where my folks and most of their friends (who moved out from town) live. Kingston is close to Knoxville on I40 and is trying the appeal to retirees. The section on the Emory is the warmest, but also probably the most polluted (Google watts bar fly ash spill, amount others). There is a lake near Cookville, maybe Tansai? I feel like that’s where a lot of the people TVA had to buy out went, per my folks. 

I’ve always assumed I would retire to the house we had on Watts Bar. But, so much has happened in the past 5-10 years I’m now not so sure. A - would I want to move back to TN (politically). B - my dad passed and the wills for he and step mom are not what I hoped. So who knows if I could afford to by them both out. 

[erbear]

My husband’s family had a home on Lake Martin in Alabama. It’s not where I would choose to retire (no chance of me heading to a red state) but it’s beautiful.

[kadams767]

I feel like these threads have been posted a lot lately, so here’s my usual reminder that taxes are important and fund necessary things like services, education, infrastructure and, super important for retirement, healthcare! I guess to each their own, but I’d think long and hard about what your retirement would look like in places like those mentioned that may have seriously underfunded government programs.

[beerlover]

I'm guessing PA is out based on your weather criteria, though we've had pretty mild winters lately. I live near a beautiful lake in Central PA (not going to type the name but you can Google lol) but it has no lakefront homes, if that's a prerequisite. Plenty of beautiful homes close to the lake, just not lakefront. Two marinas, each with restaurant, though the wait list for boat slips is long. But plenty of boat launches. It really is beautiful, and not terribly crowded. The lake is about 20 minutes from a cute little downtown with shops and restaurants. This is probably a stretch for you based on what you want but figured I would mention it!

[basilosaurus]

I know a number of people who retired to lake toxaway in nc. I would steer clear of Lanier.

New Zealand is my dream

[verycontrary247]

Lake Lure?

What's your target price point?

[sonrisa]

Apr 2, 2023 9:13:25 GMT -5 kadams767 said:

I feel like these threads have been posted a lot lately, so here’s my usual reminder that taxes are important and fund necessary things like services, education, infrastructure and, super important for retirement, healthcare! I guess to each their own, but I’d think long and hard about what your retirement would look like in places like those mentioned that may have seriously underfunded government programs.

yes. And you are voting with your feet.

Any LGBTQ family members? Any younger family members with a uterus? Think about whether you are buying somewhere your own family could be at risk if they visit.

Think about how climate change could impact your purchase. What if the lake level drops or rises significantly? Flooding? Drought? 

And think about culture in that particular location. Do you want the next pontoon over to have open carry? All those videos of trump crazies on boats could become videos of desantis crazies next year. Is that who you want to be sitting next to at that lake side bar?

[goldengirlz]

Apr 2, 2023 9:13:25 GMT -5 kadams767 said:

I feel like these threads have been posted a lot lately, so here’s my usual reminder that taxes are important and fund necessary things like services, education, infrastructure and, super important for retirement, healthcare! I guess to each their own, but I’d think long and hard about what your retirement would look like in places like those mentioned that may have seriously underfunded government programs.

I saw a few news stories recently about medical students not wanting to train at hospitals in states that have outlawed Roe v. Wade. So that’ll be just great when we’re retirement age and local hospitals in those states haven’t been able to recruit a pipeline of doctors.

I’d prioritize a progressive state over no taxes any day. Taxes generally support social programs and the public good, even when I don’t directly benefit.

[keh2oblue]

Here in the Midlands of SC we have Lake Murray, a large man made lake that has like 90% privately owned land around the lake, however there are a few lakeside restaurants. The summers are hot, but the winters get down to 30-50 degrees (and by winters, I mean December-January .

[shauni27]

Apr 2, 2023 11:42:00 GMT -5 goldengirlz said:

Apr 2, 2023 9:13:25 GMT -5 kadams767 said:

I feel like these threads have been posted a lot lately, so here’s my usual reminder that taxes are important and fund necessary things like services, education, infrastructure and, super important for retirement, healthcare! I guess to each their own, but I’d think long and hard about what your retirement would look like in places like those mentioned that may have seriously underfunded government programs.

I saw a few news stories recently about medical students not wanting to train at hospitals in states that have outlawed Roe v. Wade. So that’ll be just great when we’re retirement age and local hospitals in those states haven’t been able to recruit a pipeline of doctors.

I’d prioritize a progressive state over no taxes any day. Taxes generally support social programs and the public good, even when I don’t directly benefit.

I feel the same way 10000%.

[wildrice]

Given your ETA, Maryland would fit the bill weather-wise. The taxes here aren't low but it's a great state and there is lots of water, including the ocean but we have lots of other places to access it too. I'm from near Lake Geneva (northern IL) and the weather is leaps and bounds better here - I rarely wear my heavy coat unless I know I'm going to be outside for many hours, because I would just be too hot otherwise! I've done 5 winters here so far and 2 of them didn't have any snow at all. It gets super hot/humid here in the summer but that's true of anywhere south of here, and we're a very blue state. There are a lot of people here but maybe not if you are in a more rural part or the eastern shore?

[lilac05]

Apr 2, 2023 7:47:39 GMT -5 jlt19 said:

Apr 2, 2023 5:45:17 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri?

Source: Ozark on Netflix, LOL

WAY too busy if that’s not what she’s wanting. You honestly can’t safely be on a pontoon boat there during the summer.

This is true on the main channel, but there’s a LOT of waterfront property in the Lake of the Ozarks that is calm and quiet. We go every summer and spend a lot of time on the water, but rarely go on the main channel. And if we do, it’s not up by Osage Beach so there’s a LOT less traffic. That said, you’re quickly in VERY rural Missouri. It’s a whole different world! We live in small city Iowa, and feel very much like city slickers who don’t fit in when we’re in the area.

[SusanBAnthony]

Are there any warmer places to retire that don't have big LGBTQ rights, abortion rights, and Medicaid/state service issues other than California?

I want to winter somewhere south eventually and it feels like there is nowhere that fits the bill other than southern California.

[goldengirlz]

Apr 3, 2023 10:04:46 GMT -5 SusanBAnthony said:

Are there any warmer places to retire that don't have big LGBTQ rights, abortion rights, and Medicaid/state service issues other than California?

I want to winter somewhere south eventually and it feels like there is nowhere that fits the bill other than southern California.

Nevada?

Of all the options with that criteria, that would far and away be my top choice.

ETA: Oh, and they have options for living on a lake! My great-aunt and -uncle retired to a gorgeous house on a lake that was in the greater Vegas area (no clue what it’s called though!)

[SusanBAnthony]

Apr 3, 2023 10:10:33 GMT -5 goldengirlz said:

Apr 3, 2023 10:04:46 GMT -5 SusanBAnthony said:

Are there any warmer places to retire that don't have big LGBTQ rights, abortion rights, and Medicaid/state service issues other than California?

I want to winter somewhere south eventually and it feels like there is nowhere that fits the bill other than southern California.

Nevada?

Of all the options with that criteria, that would far and away be my top choice.

ETA: Oh, and they have options for living on a lake! My great-aunt and -uncle retired to a gorgeous house on a lake that was in the greater Vegas area (no clue what it’s called though!)

I forgot Nevada is purpley blue.

I am most interested in AZ and hope it keeps tipping blue but also..... Water (same problem as NV and many other western states).

[sexycarrot]

Even before I read you were considering NC, I was thinking that Lake Hickory in Hickory, NC would be a good option.

As for political stuff, it's a red county in a purple state with some nice patches of blue in the county and the state. We need blue people to move to NC!