Boy, this is a big decision. Do I leave our home (paid for) and move closer to the grandchildren and into a condo where my upkeep responsibilities are much less? I'd have to rent out one or the other until one sold and this marked is sooooo bad! The area I am looking at is away from my community of 12 years and my best friends, but closer to my children and grandchildren. Do my kids help me much - NO! On the other hand, there are 2 nice Memory Care facilities within walking distance of the condos I am looking at and I can walk to town and walk the beach, etc. Haven't talked to hubby about it yet because I'm so uncertain of what I should do. I look at this move as the first move with the rest of my life in mind which makes me feel just a tad bit guilty. I've been sighing a whole bunch since embarking upon this wonderment. Youngest daughter is all for the move; haven't even talked to the oldest daughter yet, but I know she would like it. The thought of leaving my best friends an hour away is daunting and my church and community that I've lived in for 12 years. Boy, all this is scary stuff!
On my vision board I have photos of various condos I have dreams about.
(BTW, Suze Orman, whom I revere, says no to condo purchases. Buy a house if you can or rent.)
I think I read, mothert, that you already live in the beautiful PNW(?)
I now have a house and it is a house that I have come to hate. It was supposed to be a transition house to upward but that will never happen. If H goes to ALF I will be out of this house- IMO far too much for one person. I want to rehab it to a reasonable expectation and then go. Even if I have to stay in the area because of H I don't want to stay here.
Where to go? The Oregon coast is my favorite, or a bit inland, like Eugene. Another area of the country that I am increasingly attracted to is the area of Clearpoint and Fairmount (sp?) I always thought Alabama was too hot but whenever I have visited there I am just blown away by the seafood and the friendly people.
Sweet dreams are made of this! Good luck in your endeavors!
abby, come on down to Alabama. It's a great place to live. We have the mountains in the northern part of the state and beautiful beaches with nice white sand. We lived at Gulf Shores for about 5 years and some of these days I'm going back. It's on my bucket list.
Suze says this, at least to the best of my understanding: Condos have a higher rate of short sale, underwater, foreclosure. Because of this owners bail and the first to go are the condo association fees. So, fewer residents either have to absorb the costs of maintenence or the costs go up, or the services suffer, or any or all of the above.
I don't want another house, and I don't want to try to rent with three companion animals and deal with noise, etc, that may not be covered in covenants. Then there are co-ops, but except in NYC I don't really understand how they work...I think it is a difference between buying an actual apartment as opposed to buying a share in a building or complex. When I get (never) enough money to worry about that then I will worry about that!
Thanks for the warm welcome! Back in the day I had a two week rental in Gulf Shores, right on the coast. Loved it! Don't want to offend, but I usually flew into NO, drove from there and was always glad to enter Alabama and leave the Mississippi area. Just was not for me; the casino factor. Also enjoyed the Destin area but liked the inland better, if that is the right word. One year I got a bonus and spent a week at a hotel/spa- darn, I can't remember the name....
Dauphin Island- if that is the bird sanctuary- get out! I think I went to heaven!
The cost of the Oregon coast is frightening to me and as I get older I appreciate the warmth more.
Yes, Abby - Western Oregon and Washington are very expensive areas to live. The Oregon Coast is really high unless you go down near Coos Bay/Bandon area, but still expensive. Eugene is a college town so you need to like that atmosphere if you go there.
Mothert - that will be a hard decision to leave your home and friends for the last 12 years, a home that is paid for to move near kids that do not help now. Many here have packed up and moved because their kids beg them to, then they move and never see them. They are left by themselves with their friends miles away. Many people like condos but the maint. fees are what would scare me away. If you do move consider renting a house instead of an apartment that way if anything breaks you can call the landlord, or a duplex. Duplex usually have less outside work to do. But leaving a home that is paid for would be hard, no matter what.
One of our "basics of financial management" which we taught our children is to never buy anything with the word "condo" in its name. Years ago we owned a vacation condo. Condos appear less expensive until you add the monthly "condo fee" to your expenses. The condo fees go up and up and up, year after year. On top of that if there is an unexpected expense (say the parking lot needs to be resurfaced), the condo association will charge a "special assessment" - a one time charge that can be really expensive.
I don't know, maybe there are well established condos that are better managed, but I wold certainly want to see a history of their fees and special assessments...
I live in a very well run managed community. I am totally responsible for my own home. Homeowners fees are fairly high but include: lawn and sprinkler service, cable and an incredible clubhouse and pool area. Comman areas and main roads are beautiful. Foreclosures and short sales are rare and our development is keeping it's value. I would steer clear of developments still being built. Many are never completed and the ammenities never appear. With almost too many activities going on it would be hard to feel isolated. Neighbors watch out for each other. Our security gates are manned 24/7 and we have never had a break in. Only service not provided is snow removal (I live in Fl.).
About 2 years ago I purchased a 5 year old larger home closer to my daughter. In So. Calif. right now there are many bargain priced homes for sale. The home I purchased was $180,000 less then the original owner paid with many up-grades. The home I left was paid for and I rented the home and the rent from my original home pays my house payment on this newer and larger home....So financially it is a wash. Personally, I think it was a very wise move.
The reason I did this was to be closer to my daughter. Not so much that I expected help from her but, because if something happened to me or I really needed their help they would have to make a 40 mile one way trip to my original home after working all day. I felt this would have been a burden on them more then if I needed their help where I now live less then 8 miles from them.
I would never buy a condo because of the fees. You can hire a gardner for yard work much cheaper then the homeowner's fees. Also, pay for the other work you might need on a house from time to time. Renting a home can be more expensive then purchasing a home. Example: I could rent the home I now live in for much more then my house payment. I have another relative that can't sell their home for what they paid for it about 6 years ago and they are going to rent it and will actually make about $500 a month more then their present house payment. They have a two story home and no longer want to climb the stairs. They are going to purchase a mobile home in a retirement type community. This is something I might consider later.
I had many friends where I use to live and have no friends now. But, that is OK. My original friends were rather uncomfortable being around my dh and I knew it would only get worse.
You maybe need to check out and compare your various options. Cost of buying, cost of renting, location and what is best for you now and what maybe best for you later.
Bama, it all sounds good, except, I cannot live anywhere where coconuts do not grow. We even looked at some real estate on the Gulf coast before we moved here. But...then I could have met you!!
As much as I love this little place in the far dry country of south Hawaii, I am having a heck of a time keeping up with gardening, water system fixing, gutter cleaning, painting, etc etc, since he cannot help anymore. He cannot even wash the car right.
sad I am sad. It was so nice when we moved here 6 years ago, and he was gung ho with building and all.
I love Suze Orman however,she does not know everything.I myself feel that if you love your own home,just pay for lawn/snow care. Here,in Ohio it's about the same cost as condo fee's.
Just be very careful that you choose a place that you will like for the long haul. Real estate is not going anywhere anytime soon. And...that your financial situation will be such that you can afford it later - not just right now. And...choose it for YOU...not your LO, although their needs may be considered.
We lived in a condo for about 12 years before moving here a little over a year ago. We moved because we were on the 3rd floor and we didn't have an elevator. DH fell twice, the second fall meant a visit to the ER where he got stitches over his left eye. He was paranoid there about a woman on the second floor and I hoped the move would end that. Instead his paranoia is now attached to a woman across the street!!!!!!
My husband died 9 months ago and long before he died I had decided that I would sell our house when the time came, a large 4 bedroom where we had lived since 1970. Our daughter lives with me. My idea had been to move into a local condo, but after a visit to California, where one of my two sons lives and where we had lived before moving east, I decided to work toward moving to a condo there. After all these years in this house, a great deal has accumulated. At this point I am selling stuff on eBay, getting rid of our multitude of books on Freecycle, furniture on Craig's List.. it goes on and on. It is a tremendous amount of work but I also know how awful cleaning out a house is, and if I can do no more for my family than this, I will at least not leave them with this mess!
I have found a condo in Walnut Creek to rent by the month, and will drive out (cats and all) and spend a few months there looking around... any advice about locating in a condo to buy in a good area in northern CA is welcomed!! When I find the right place I'll send for our belongings.
I just bought a townhome a month ago. Our home is a 5 hour drive from here. It is paid off. I am renting it and the rent will make my mortgage payment until it sales. I am renting it without a lease because if it sales I do not want to be locked into a lease. The renter knows that it is for sale and that it could be sold at any time. I am now about 10 minutes from my daughter instead of 5 hours. She is very helpful with my husband. And did I mention that my first grandchild is here too? Win-win for all of us. We purchased one that has a main floor master and bath and is maintained for me (by the HOA fees of course). I am very happy with my decision and consulted my husband very little. Like someone else said above.....we have to plan for the long term and for what will work for us as a single person when the time comes.
Moving my husband at this time is something I didn't think would be a good idea because he's lived here for 13 years and is familiar with his surroundings and all the neighbors keep an eye out for him. However, I probably could rent this house for as much as my mortgage would be at the condo I like, and when the house sells, pay off the condo. I need to talk to a real estate person who will not be benefiting from my business and who will give me good advice. Oh, boy, I'm just so unsure of what to do. I used to be so spontaneous, but, now, as you all know, I have way too much to think about and it's not all about me.
My husband's aunt has lived in several different accomodations in a local retirement community. I've been shocked by how poorly the apartments/houses were designed for the handicapped. We moved in early stages into a house renovated for handicapped accessibility: http://deeplanguage.blogspot.com/2011/08/looking-back-on-home-renovations-for.html It has made a huge difference in my husband's ability to take care of himself. He hated the idea the whole way through the renovation process, but once we had settled in he told me I was right.
Hah! I got myself all psyched-up for this fabulous condo that I could totally see myself living in in the future. A bit of background - this condo is 50 yards from the Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountain range is right behind that beautiful scene, fabulous, peaceful, nirvana (for me, at least). As is with most of the coastline, the railroad runs right down the coastline and this condo was no exception. That wasn't a problem, I grew up across the street from a railroad line and you get used to it - the view was so worth it. Today I take a look at the local paper where my new home was to be and discovered that a new Coal Distribution plant (will be the largest facility on the west coast) is to be built 60 miles north of the town where my condo is located. This will mean no less than 18 trainloads of coal/day going past my lovely new home to be/day - that's almost 1/hour. Each train will span 1.5 miles long. Coal dust escaping all along the way. After reading up on all the data for this new plant, it is clear to me that it is going to happen within 5 years, no stopping it, etc. I can't believe green, green Washington state would allow this to happen. But, I discovered that one of our US Senators' husband is employed by the company proposing this plant and the other is most likely in the bag, as well. The other (supposedly liberal congressman in our district) is on record praising this plant. So, okay, I don't need to be hit by a 2X4 to get the message, I will not go through with this deal. I've been asking the Lord to tell me what to do and He just did. Not exactly the answer I was expecting, but, sometimes that's the way it is. Guess I'll be staying where I am.
The train frequency would not bother me, but the coal dust ?
H has a friend who retired very well on Bainbridge Isand and is now building on the Juan de Fuca ( I know that spelling is way off), but I have no other way to describe or spell it, other than that it sounds wonderful.
I remember on a HH that buyers were upset that a property overlooked a cemetery, but for me that would be a plus.
Hmmm, a 1.5 mile long train 18 runs/day wouldn't bother you? Abby, you're a saint. And, yes, the coal dust would be the worst part of it, although, I don't like anything about this deal. There's several ALF's and NH's right there close to those tracks and I would think that the coal dust would cause all kinds of respiratory problems - not a good thing at all. You are talking about your friend building in the San Juan Islands; and yes, they are beautiful. The Straits of Juan de Fuca border many of the islands in the chain. The Straits are the way in to the Puget Sound for shipping, Naval vessels, etc. They can be a very mean body of water - also exceedingly rugged and beautiful.
My grandparents homesteaded on San Juan Island. My mother was born there, and I had an aunt and uncle who lived on one of the smaller islands. I spent many summers up there and loved it. Unfortunately, my mother and her sibs hated growing up there so all the land was sold. It's a beautiful area.
Pris, my aunt and uncle had 40 acres on Shaw Island. This was back in the 50s - no running water, outhouse, got water from the well and cooked and heated the house with a wood stove. The only 'modern' convenience was electricity for lights.
I think Shaw is still a bit on the primitive side. Friday Harbor is my favorite spot in the islands, too, PrisR; great boat basin, great food, lots going on there all the time, yep, my fave. Still, a great to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there, too hard getting on and off and too far away from my lo's on the mainland.