If you were to buy a house in retirement where would it be?

[Chief Illiniwek]

Another thing you might consider is pace of play if that bothers you. Don't hear many good things about pace of play in SoCal. I'm crazed for golf, but 5+ hour rounds everytime out would cure me.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Another vote for AZ So Cal is just a quick flight away if you want a beach trip.
Yes we play when it is 110* outside wake up early tee off before 7:30 play in 3 hours go home to pool BBQ and beer in the afternoon.

I actually prefer summer golf out here, the better courses are almost always in great shape throughout the summer and rates get dirt cheap allowing you to play courses that charge 150 plus bucks in the winter for 1/3 the price

One other perk about AZ is homeowners insurance is dirt cheap and easy to get unlike Florida

Of your choices I would say South Carolina quality golf choices reasonable prices for the most part.

[Truman]

Look at Horseshoe Bay Texas. Not near the ocean but does have the lakes. Great golf courses and reasonable membership dues

[ronnbee]

[size=3] sarasota[/size]

[DLiver]

There are a lot of factors to consider, and each person weights these factors differently. I have semi-retired to coastal SC and just absolutely love it here. Some of the factors to consider:

Friends/family: how close do you want to be? If you move a long way, you will visit your former hometown less, and fewer of your friends will come to visit. Your preferences for this may vary between spouses. In my community, there are families that spend 3-4 months here and 8-9 months back home (even though they are retired) because one of the spouses misses friends/family so much. The other spouse wants to be here full time. This is a very common situation. Being close to a major airport can help, be there may be times where you want to drive for various reasons.

Weather: there is no perfect weather (except for Hawaii). Where I live, winters are mild, but mid-summer is hot and very humid. I call that our "winter." Being on the coast helps a huge amount, because it is always a few degrees cooler and there is always a breeze. Inland is sweltering. Some people here bug out to the mountains for a few weeks every summer, and that works out well for them. Florida is even worse in the summer, but milder in the winter. If you can't stand humidity, then you may need to go west. Arizona is drier, but you have brutal temps in the summer. which some people can take and some can't. AZ gets pretty cold in the winter, so factor that in. Like I said, weather is always going to be a compromise, and you just have to fit your personal preferences to the right location.

Lifestyle: There are communities/areas that are bustling, and communities that aren't. When you retire, you have a lot of time on your hands. This can be a HUGE challenge for some people. If you both play golf and tennis, and you choose a community with active golf and tennis program, then you will have an instant social life. Some people move to my area partly to be near the ocean, then never go to the beach. My wife wanted to be near the ocean and goes there all the time, so you never know. Hint: if the wife wants to be near the ocean, then put that near the top of your criteria

Ambience: It is weird, but some places just seem to attract complainers. I have visited communities where everyone seems to grouse about everything. Personally, I would have my radar out for this, because retirement should be a happy time, not a time to sue the board of directors because there should be 2 trash pickups per week instead of one. Avoid the perpetually disgruntled at all costs.

Of the areas mentioned by the OP, Charleston is a really really great place with a vibrant tennis community but is a little short on top golf (unless you join Yeamans Hall ). Of course this depends on how choosey you are about golf. It is a small city, so you have the downsides of that, but it is a world class restaurant town.

Savannah is a pit, IMO. Lot's of crime, giant working port, limited restaurant scene. The islands to the east can be nice from what I hear.

Florida has never been my cup of tea. We looked at SW Florida for a while, and decided we didn't want to live there. YMMV.

Take the hurricane threat into consideration. IMO, if you look at houses in hurricane prone areas, you want to make sure they are up to current building code (many older houses wouldn't be). Also factor in the added cost of insurance (wind, government and supplemental flood). I live in a place where a big hurricane could completely change the character of the area. Such an event is a long shot, but if you can't take that kind of uncertainly, perhaps you shouldn't live near the coast. When in doubt, talk to locals and see how they feel about storm threats.

That's all i can think of right now. Hope this helps.

[sheppy335]

Myrtle Beach, lots of golf, close to Kiawah and lots for wife to do.

[lowndes]

Pinehurst

[retep]

[quote name='DLiver' timestamp='1362487302' post='6550307']
There are a lot of factors to consider, and each person weights these factors differently. I have semi-retired to coastal SC and just absolutely love it here. Some of the factors to consider:

Friends/family: how close do you want to be? If you move a long way, you will visit your former hometown less, and fewer of your friends will come to visit. Your preferences for this may vary between spouses. In my community, there are families that spend 3-4 months here and 8-9 months back home (even though they are retired) because one of the spouses misses friends/family so much. The other spouse wants to be here full time. This is a very common situation. Being close to a major airport can help, be there may be times where you want to drive for various reasons.

Weather: there is no perfect weather (except for Hawaii). Where I live, winters are mild, but mid-summer is hot and very humid. I call that our "winter." Being on the coast helps a huge amount, because it is always a few degrees cooler and there is always a breeze. Inland is sweltering. Some people here bug out to the mountains for a few weeks every summer, and that works out well for them. Florida is even worse in the summer, but milder in the winter. If you can't stand humidity, then you may need to go west. Arizona is drier, but you have brutal temps in the summer. which some people can take and some can't. AZ gets pretty cold in the winter, so factor that in. Like I said, weather is always going to be a compromise, and you just have to fit your personal preferences to the right location.

Lifestyle: There are communities/areas that are bustling, and communities that aren't. When you retire, you have a lot of time on your hands. This can be a HUGE challenge for some people. If you both play golf and tennis, and you choose a community with active golf and tennis program, then you will have an instant social life. Some people move to my area partly to be near the ocean, then never go to the beach. My wife wanted to be near the ocean and goes there all the time, so you never know. Hint: if the wife wants to be near the ocean, then put that near the top of your criteria

Ambience: It is weird, but some places just seem to attract complainers. I have visited communities where everyone seems to grouse about everything. Personally, I would have my radar out for this, because retirement should be a happy time, not a time to sue the board of directors because there should be 2 trash pickups per week instead of one. Avoid the perpetually disgruntled at all costs.

Of the areas mentioned by the OP, Charleston is a really really great place with a vibrant tennis community but is a little short on top golf (unless you join Yeamans Hall ). Of course this depends on how choosey you are about golf. It is a small city, so you have the downsides of that, but it is a world class restaurant town.

Savannah is a pit, IMO. Lot's of crime, giant working port, limited restaurant scene. The islands to the east can be nice from what I hear.

Florida has never been my cup of tea. We looked at SW Florida for a while, and decided we didn't want to live there. YMMV.

Take the hurricane threat into consideration. IMO, if you look at houses in hurricane prone areas, you want to make sure they are up to current building code (many older houses wouldn't be). Also factor in the added cost of insurance (wind, government and supplemental flood). I live in a place where a big hurricane could completely change the character of the area. Such an event is a long shot, but if you can't take that kind of uncertainly, perhaps you shouldn't live near the coast. When in doubt, talk to locals and see how they feel about storm threats.

That's all i can think of right now. Hope this helps.
[/quote]

Thanks, a lot of good info and things to think about that you put in there... Keep em coming!
No one said anything about Oregon or up that-a-way.

[jmtbkr]

We bought in PGA in Palm Beach Gardens last year when the market bottomed out. Couldn't be happier! Yeah, you have to join the club if you want to play on property, but there are alot of less expensive alternatives within 15-20 min drive.
Summers are hot and humid, but we only spend the winter down there, for 5-6 months then come back to NY for the summer.
You are 10 minutes from the beach and the restuants are fantastic. Shopping, movies, theatre all within half hour drive.

[golfheaven69]

[quote name='DLiver' timestamp='1362487302' post='6550307']
There are a lot of factors to consider, and each person weights these factors differently. I have semi-retired to coastal SC and just absolutely love it here. Some of the factors to consider:

Friends/family: how close do you want to be? If you move a long way, you will visit your former hometown less, and fewer of your friends will come to visit. Your preferences for this may vary between spouses. In my community, there are families that spend 3-4 months here and 8-9 months back home (even though they are retired) because one of the spouses misses friends/family so much. The other spouse wants to be here full time. This is a very common situation. Being close to a major airport can help, be there may be times where you want to drive for various reasons.

Weather: there is no perfect weather (except for Hawaii). Where I live, winters are mild, but mid-summer is hot and very humid. I call that our "winter." Being on the coast helps a huge amount, because it is always a few degrees cooler and there is always a breeze. Inland is sweltering. Some people here bug out to the mountains for a few weeks every summer, and that works out well for them. Florida is even worse in the summer, but milder in the winter. If you can't stand humidity, then you may need to go west. Arizona is drier, but you have brutal temps in the summer. which some people can take and some can't. AZ gets pretty cold in the winter, so factor that in. Like I said, weather is always going to be a compromise, and you just have to fit your personal preferences to the right location.

Lifestyle: There are communities/areas that are bustling, and communities that aren't. When you retire, you have a lot of time on your hands. This can be a HUGE challenge for some people. If you both play golf and tennis, and you choose a community with active golf and tennis program, then you will have an instant social life. Some people move to my area partly to be near the ocean, then never go to the beach. My wife wanted to be near the ocean and goes there all the time, so you never know. Hint: if the wife wants to be near the ocean, then put that near the top of your criteria

Ambience: It is weird, but some places just seem to attract complainers. I have visited communities where everyone seems to grouse about everything. Personally, I would have my radar out for this, because retirement should be a happy time, not a time to sue the board of directors because there should be 2 trash pickups per week instead of one. Avoid the perpetually disgruntled at all costs.

Of the areas mentioned by the OP, Charleston is a really really great place with a vibrant tennis community but is a little short on top golf (unless you join Yeamans Hall ). Of course this depends on how choosey you are about golf. It is a small city, so you have the downsides of that, but it is a world class restaurant town.

Savannah is a pit, IMO. Lot's of crime, giant working port, limited restaurant scene. The islands to the east can be nice from what I hear.

Florida has never been my cup of tea. We looked at SW Florida for a while, and decided we didn't want to live there. YMMV.

Take the hurricane threat into consideration. IMO, if you look at houses in hurricane prone areas, you want to make sure they are up to current building code (many older houses wouldn't be). Also factor in the added cost of insurance (wind, government and supplemental flood). I live in a place where a big hurricane could completely change the character of the area. Such an event is a long shot, but if you can't take that kind of uncertainly, perhaps you shouldn't live near the coast. When in doubt, talk to locals and see how they feel about storm threats.

That's all i can think of right now. Hope this helps.
[/quote]


Sure sounds like Hilton Head or very close.

[CDLgolf]

we like north myrtle beach.

[MarkCPA]

Pinehurst / Sand Hills area of North Carolina

More golf than you'll know what to do with. Mild winters - you can play virtually year round.

[therealone]

San Diego area

[ukalum]

I'm dreaming somewhere in Ga, SC, or AZ. I like the idea of a golf community/club like Pinehurst or Reynolds plantation with several courses, and an active membership.

I'm much more of a fan of AZ golf than FL golf, but FL has better winter weather by far.

[Ezgolfer]

Consider NM ( ABQ), if ocean is not a priority , low on budget and you want to escape intense AZ heat ..
If you have money Socal is the place ...

[2putttom]

East Coast of Florida...... or somewhere taxes don't eat up my benefits.

[LaterOn61]

[quote name='jmtbkr' timestamp='1362774252' post='6572773']
We bought in PGA in Palm Beach Gardens last year when the market bottomed out. Couldn't be happier! Yeah, you have to join the club if you want to play on property, but there are alot of less expensive alternatives within 15-20 min drive.
Summers are hot and humid, but we only spend the winter down there, for 5-6 months then come back to NY for the summer.
You are 10 minutes from the beach and the restuants are fantastic. Shopping, movies, theatre all within half hour drive.
[/quote]
How much are the rates or dues at PGA National?

[act0fgod]

[quote name='retep' timestamp='1362266008' post='6535485']
So, we are 15 years out more or less. Might be able to swing a place now. Figure $500k in todays dollars. we aren't rich, i sold one lung and a kidney. Ha!
Wife loves the ocean. We both love golf and tennis. California is just too much $$$.
Where in Florida ?
Charleston?
Wilmington?
Savannah?
I must be missing a bunch of locations and ideas. Help! We are going to a southern living thing at some point.
[/quote]

Retep,

I'm in the exact position you are with approx 15 years till retirement. We bought a place in Pinehurst about a year ago and have no regrets. If you can find better golf at a lower cost let me know.

I love the ocean so it's not ideal in that respect but figure when we retire the Pinehurst place will be paid off (15 year mortgage) and we'll look to buy another place and it will be on the ocean (Right now the prices in Pac Northwest, Maine or Alaska are reasonable - I'm not interested in FL).

[quote name='Colby327' timestamp='1362274183' post='6536083']
I'd vote South Carolina. There's a lot to love.
[/quote]

Considered SC there are places where you can buy a lot in a golf community for a buck.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303703004577474563368632088.html"]http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303703004577474563368632088.html[/url]

[quote name='Bubb' timestamp='1362351987' post='6540591']
If you want an easy sell for your wife, the two best warm-weather beaches I've seen in the contiguous United States are Siesta Key beach (Sarasota / Bradenton) and the beaches of South Walton between Destin and Panama City Beach. I would choose the latter because of the golf, but the winters will be significantly warmer with the former. I hope to be able to retire to the panhandle someday and my wife is fully on board.

Go play Camp Creek, show your wife the housing in that area, eat at Red Bar, McGuire's, and Louis Louis, and the rest will take care of itself. My only hard-and-fast advice would be to go for warm weather so you don't throw half of your life away. I'm still kicking myself for not making it happen when I had the chance. Life is too short to endure winters.
[/quote]

A guy named Bubb would be the first to recomend this area. Bubba Watson is from the general area as well. There are a lot of people named bubba and billy-bob in this area. You can get some water front property for a good price and the golf is much better than I expected. I think of FL and think flat, that isn't the case in this area. There is some good rolling land and pretty good courses.

[ExProGoingBack]

[quote name='LaterOn61' timestamp='1363062933' post='6594909']
[quote name='jmtbkr' timestamp='1362774252' post='6572773']
We bought in PGA in Palm Beach Gardens last year when the market bottomed out. Couldn't be happier! Yeah, you have to join the club if you want to play on property, but there are alot of less expensive alternatives within 15-20 min drive.
Summers are hot and humid, but we only spend the winter down there, for 5-6 months then come back to NY for the summer.
You are 10 minutes from the beach and the restuants are fantastic. Shopping, movies, theatre all within half hour drive.
[/quote]
How much are the rates or dues at PGA National?
[/quote]

I believe it posted on their website... At least it used to be... Was not crazy expensive... Full golf was about 11k a year from what i remember.

[ProBowler]

Wow no one has mentioned Las Vegas ........great restaurants, great nightlife and shows, great golf and great homes for cheap.

[HackerDave]

Not a big fan of living in the desert. Face it, the #1 thing you need to sustain life is water. They don't have any. Just sayin.....

For year round living, I would think the HHI area would be very nice. Heck, anywhere from Charleston down to Jacksonville would fit the bill. We have had a vacation home in Hilton Head for 18 years and really like it. If I were shopping for a winter home, Naples wins hands down. Sure, the hurricane risk is high but the winter weather is spectacular. Summer is like living on the face of the sun, so that kills the deal for my wife. Hilton Head can get pretty cold in the winter but certainly not horrible. I was down last week and the high temps were in the low 50's and the lows got down to freezing a couple of mornings. Despite that, we were able to golf everyday with just under armour and sweaters.

Another place on my list to take a look at is Austin Texas. They have some big lakes, lots of golf and a town that offers a lot to do year round.

The Sandhills looks interesting but I'm not sure about the winters. In my perfect retirement, if I want to see snow, I will have to fly to find it! ;-)

[jmtbkr]

[quote name='LaterOn61' timestamp='1363062933' post='6594909']
[quote name='jmtbkr' timestamp='1362774252' post='6572773']
We bought in PGA in Palm Beach Gardens last year when the market bottomed out. Couldn't be happier! Yeah, you have to join the club if you want to play on property, but there are alot of less expensive alternatives within 15-20 min drive.
Summers are hot and humid, but we only spend the winter down there, for 5-6 months then come back to NY for the summer.
You are 10 minutes from the beach and the restuants are fantastic. Shopping, movies, theatre all within half hour drive.
[/quote]
How much are the rates or dues at PGA National?
[/quote]

Last quote we got just a few months ago was $42k with about $11K back, so it comes out to about $30K up front (equity) and then about $10k/yr.
You still have to pay cart fees and somrtimes they put you on a random course, not the one you wanted.
Still the best deal in the area.

[Lodestone]

I would consider The Villages, in central Florida. Lots of golf. I've been there once, and am returning with some friends. It's not for everyone, for sure.
I live in Upstate NY, not crazy about the taxes, but I love the Finger Lakes. My retirement plan is to live on Keuka Lake, and then winter somewhere warm and golfy. I just don't think I could handle Florida 12 months per year.

But if you want lots of golf, The Villages has it, and, typical for Florida, Easter to Thanksgiving, it gets pretty empty. I have a few winters left before I retire, so I am planning on doing a bit of exploring.

Good luck with your research, and keep us posted on what you find, what you like, and don't like.

[hebsan]

one word: Thailand

[hebsan]

[quote name='Buzzkill' timestamp='1362272196' post='6535947']
Hawaii is right around the corner for me as soon as the San Diego market rebounds. I'm not rich by any means - I won't pay more than 20 bucks for a round even though I love the game.
[/quote]

Where do you plan to play in Hawaii for $20? I'm retired E-6 and have lived here on Oahu for 15 years. Not even the military courses have green fees that are that low.

[dgn]

One place worth considering is [b]Hot Springs Village[/b] here in Arkansas. It's the largest gated community in the US (26,000 acres). There are nine courses in the village, all very nice. Diamante is the one private course, and used to host a Nationwide Tour event. Lots of people from California and the Midwest have moved there. It's very secluded but also very affordable. Just very peaceful and relaxing... I love playing golf there!

http://hsvpoa.org

[ExProGoingBack]

[quote name='jmtbkr' timestamp='1363109951' post='6597867']
[quote name='LaterOn61' timestamp='1363062933' post='6594909']
[quote name='jmtbkr' timestamp='1362774252' post='6572773']
We bought in PGA in Palm Beach Gardens last year when the market bottomed out. Couldn't be happier! Yeah, you have to join the club if you want to play on property, but there are alot of less expensive alternatives within 15-20 min drive.
Summers are hot and humid, but we only spend the winter down there, for 5-6 months then come back to NY for the summer.
You are 10 minutes from the beach and the restuants are fantastic. Shopping, movies, theatre all within half hour drive.
[/quote]
How much are the rates or dues at PGA National?
[/quote]

Last quote we got just a few months ago was $42k with about $11K back, so it comes out to about $30K up front (equity) and then about $10k/yr.
You still have to pay cart fees and somrtimes they put you on a random course, not the one you wanted.
Still the best deal in the area.
[/quote]

Wow.... Didnt know about the $42k upfront....

[Lodestone]

[quote name='dgn' timestamp='1363135544' post='6600669']
One place worth considering is [b]Hot Springs Village[/b] here in Arkansas. It's the largest gated community in the US (26,000 acres). There are nine courses in the village, all very nice. Diamante is the one private course, and used to host a Nationwide Tour event. Lots of people from California and the Midwest have moved there. It's very secluded but also very affordable. Just very peaceful and relaxing... I love playing golf there!

[url="http://hsvpoa.org"]http://hsvpoa.org[/url]
[/quote]

what's the climate like in Hot Springs Villages?

[Tylanthus]

I would buy in Bend, Oregon. Tons of golf, great weather during spring-fall, and you can take trips all the way from Bandon to Chambers Bay during the colder high desert months if you want to golf year round without too much hassle.

[dgn]

[quote name='Lodestone' timestamp='1363166058' post='6602527']
[quote name='dgn' timestamp='1363135544' post='6600669']
One place worth considering is [b]Hot Springs Village[/b] here in Arkansas. It's the largest gated community in the US (26,000 acres). There are nine courses in the village, all very nice. Diamante is the one private course, and used to host a Nationwide Tour event. Lots of people from California and the Midwest have moved there. It's very secluded but also very affordable. Just very peaceful and relaxing... I love playing golf there!

[url="http://hsvpoa.org"]http://hsvpoa.org[/url]
[/quote]

what's the climate like in Hot Springs Villages?
[/quote]

Nice for the most part, especially in the spring and fall. Summers are typically hot and humid, but not at bad as in Little Rock, which is about 45 min. away. The whole area is heavily forested with pine trees which keeps the summer heat a little less oppressive. Winters are fairly mild too. You'll get some cold days in December and January, but snow is rare. The courses are very playable year round.

It's a very well-managed complex with lots of lakes and recreation within the HSV gates. And as I mentioned, the prices are outstanding. Check the website for more information. The golf green fees are extremely low for the quality of the courses too.