Deciding where to live on retirement is a big call. If you have played tour cards right financially then the options could be many. Deciding what to do, and when to do it are the important action points. You don’t want to stay in a big house that was once home to your children, who have now probably moved into places of their own. Staying put is an option and it might work for a period, but there will come a time when it is simply too big for you and you find yourself rattling around in it, struggling to stay on top of the maintenance and discovering that it costs you too much. Don’t let sentimentality keep you there. Look at other options and look to the future, don’t hold on to the past. Here are a few ideas to consider.
Think local
Sell up and move to a retirement complex in the area that you are already living in. the advantage with this is that you will probably have plenty of friends in the area, you know the roads and the shops, and you will feel comfortable at home. A quick online search for something like, ‘retirement living Toowoomba’ will in all likelihood present you with all the options nearby, go and visit them. Check out how they feel, talk to people in the community, find out about the length of waiting lists and the costs involved. Do your research and then make a plan.
Stay put
It might be that you are simply too attached to your current home to leave it. But then think smartly and look at options that make it more manageable. Perhaps you are in a position to build a flatlet outback where you can stay, while you can offer a son or daughter the opportunity to move into the main house. If you are going to hold on to it until you die it will probably be left to them in your will, so think about a compromise solution where you get to be close to the grandchildren in eh place that you know and love, but where you have downscaled a bit and placed some of the burden of maintenance and rates onto the next generation.
Overseas
There are lots of countries that try very hard to attract pensioners with surplus cash. Malta is a great example of such a place. A lovely climate, a relatively low cost of living and beaches that we could talk about for days. And it is not just Malta, there are plenty of other places as well that are looking for financial investments in exchange for retirement residency. It could be a great way to see out your years in an exotic location, soaking up the sun and fishing.
Relax
If your job has kept you city-bound it might be that you just want to get out of the urban jungle and into the country. This could mean a farm in the outback, a place on the coast or a cottage in eth mountains. Whatever it is that excites you, a move to a slower pace of life is both relaxing and a great way to keep things fresh as you move into the next stage of your life.
