Calling All CDA/Sandpoint Snowbirds!! (Boise, Twin Falls: best city, rental homes, HOA)

[banjomike]

I think you may be going to extremes a it too far, Cpl.
8 months in Henderson would be 6 very warm months; S. Nevada is a hot desert with only the depths of winter at temps that are more like spring or fall in other places.

The last time I went through the Las Vegas-Henderson area was during an early September a few years ago, and it was 110º there. When we reached Idaho Falls, the temp was 79º the following day.

You're essentially thinking of living 3 seasons somewhere else with Idaho as your summer residence. If you come accustomed to a really warm environment for 8 months of a year, you could find Idaho uncomfortably cool, I think; I know visitors who come here from Arizona and Nevada often find it colder here than I do in the summers.

I admit to being.a cold weather creature- I don't do well at all in a hot climate. 75º-85º is perfect for me in summer.

[NC_Cpl]

Yeah, I realize they seem opposites, but that kind of makes sense if you're alternating between two different climates, right? What I'm really curious about is whether you know anyone who comes to CDA for the summers only, then returns elsewhere, and how that works for them (tactically). The character of the places is another thing entirely. I'm not as focused on the specifics of the places I've mentioned as much as I am on 1) the thought process behind those who choose to do it 2) what works 3) what doesn't 4) what were the surprises (good and bad) 5) how long do they plan to keep doing it? 6) how will they know when to stop? 7) how significant are the extra expenses? 8) how has it been with making and keeping friends?


That kind of stuff. As for Henderson, I heard from my wife we'd hate the Vegas area, so thats why I threw in Sedona as another option.

[Cnynrat]

I think I mentioned a few posts back that there are folks in the small community down at the lake near us that are basically only here for the summer. Roughly Memorial Day thru Labor Day, but some probably extend that 2-3 weeks on either end. So yes, there are people who basically only summer here in north Idaho. They seem to have been able to develop friendships among the folks who live down at the lake, even though they are only here a short time of the year. I don't think any of the regulars here on the forum have any direct experience with what you are thinking about doing.

Obviously, for what you are thinking about the two locations will have very different climates. My comment about Henderson was more directed at the character because I can't imagine someone who wants to love in a place like NID being happy spending 8 months a year in LV/Henderson.

Sedona is a different matter, but there I wonder if you've really escaped the winter/snow, and I'm not sure the cost of housing is much cheaper than North Idaho.

Dave

[NW Crow]

Other options out there for non-summer or just winter:

Walla Walla WA, Reno NV, Boise, Twin Falls, Mesquite NV / St. George UT, Silver City NM. Yeah there is some not that bad imo winter. If you want none, then ignore. Others might consider.

There are closer together rest of year / summer sets that might have some advantages over pairs farther apart. From Reno, there are less crowded / expensive Sierra summer spots further out than Tahoe area or even into Oregon. From Boise, could summer in far north Idaho or perhaps McCall / Cascade. From Twin Falls, Hailey / greater Sun Valley. St. George into UT mountains or any other north Rockies area. Silver City NM, could stay put for summer too or go north somewhere.

Outside Sedona, there are spots in Cottonwood, Cornville, Camp Verde. Some are cheaper, some lower / warmer. Huge difference usually between big snowfall in Flagstaff and 30-50 miles to south. Temps in summer may be too much for some but not as bad as Vegas. Winter isn't much in those places in my mind.

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by NC_Cpl

Yeah, I realize they seem opposites, but that kind of makes sense if you're alternating between two different climates, right? What I'm really curious about is whether you know anyone who comes to CDA for the summers only, then returns elsewhere, and how that works for them (tactically). The character of the places is another thing entirely. I'm not as focused on the specifics of the places I've mentioned as much as I am on 1) the thought process behind those who choose to do it 2) what works 3) what doesn't 4) what were the surprises (good and bad) 5) how long do they plan to keep doing it? 6) how will they know when to stop? 7) how significant are the extra expenses? 8) how has it been with making and keeping friends?


That kind of stuff. As for Henderson, I heard from my wife we'd hate the Vegas area, so thats why I threw in Sedona as another option.

I have a relative who lives in Livingston, Mt, the keystone city of the Paradise valley, in one of the highest valued, most scenic areas in the U.S.

It cost him a fortune to move there over 20 years ago when he bought an overlook property in the Paradise that was already priced high because it was such a beautiful overlook.

He could afford it, so he built his dream house on the land and retired when he was still quite young. He was happy as a clam for the next 2 decades, until age and arthritis began setting in and made living in the country increasingly hard work and much less pleasurable.

So he decided to sell the place to move into Livingston, where the living was easier. Once the novelty of the majestic scenery had become customary, gazing out on it wasn't the life priority it had once been. It took him quite a while to sell his place, but he sold it for what he wanted to get out of it.

It became someone else's dream house as soon as it was sold, and the sale eliminated almost everything that made him unhappy living in it.

But as he's aged and his arthritis has worsened, after 8 years of contentment in a small cold mountain town, he decided he would be happier living in a warm climate, so he took the money he made in the sale and bought some property in Arizona about a year ago, where he's now busy repeating everything he did in Montana 20 years ago.

He bought a small RV to commute back and forth while his new place is under construction and plans to keep the RV as his escape capsule to snowbird back in Montana if Arizona proves to be too hot for him in the summer.
Since he made friends in Montana after living there for so long, he won't have any problem finding a place to park his RV; his friends have spots where he can park it for free and stay as long as he wants.

And if he finds he likes the heat of the Arizona summers, he plans to sell the RV after he no longer thinks he needs it.

Basically, all he did was commit a lot of money into a place he wanted to live in after looking around and making the decision to commit his money to it. It became a major life priority.

His first financial commitment paid off because he was happy in his life, and paid off again because he got all the money back with some extra when his plans changed along with his life.

The first jump was the hardest. It meant he was never going to be able to afford some of the things he had once wanted, so they were sacrificed to what he wanted the very most of all.

I can't say how long it took him to establish his priorities, but once they were established, he didn't mess around dithering. He set about getting what he wanted and made it happen.

I'll never know how close he came to matching the perfect picture he had in his mind with the realities of his life. All I know is he was happy back then and is happy now doing it all over again.

[NC_Cpl]

Each reply here gives me more to consider and great perspectives...thanks everyone!


Cnynrat- you make good points about Henderson, and frankly its only on the list because of its proximity to a large city and all that comes with that (good healthcare options nearby, big airport, entertainment and a large senior population which means easier to establish a network of friends (we would be moving there cold - no friends or family in ANY of these places). BUT...the heat and crass nature of slot machines in grocery stores may be too much to take. I am planning a trip to see it in the next month (yes, despite COVID) and may make up my mind in the first hour its not for us. I'm not surprised to hear there are some sunbirds who come up to CDA for the great summers. Wish I could get them in a room and run a small focus group!


NWCrow - you're reading my notes!!...St. George and Mesquite are places I've been looking at videos of on YouTube. Reno not so much, but Carson City - close to Tahoe. I'd really like to benefit from the tax advantages that NV or AZ offer, but trying not to let that overshadow other factors. I checked and the heat in both Mesquite and St G. will be just as bad as Henderson. In that case, NV and its tax advantage may look better than UT. Boise? Maybe....


banjomike - your story about your friend really parallels my thinking process. I don't know what his age is now or was 20 yrs ago. If I was 20 yrs younger I wouldn't be going through this process at all - We'd just pack up and go - we'd be too young to concern ourselves with "retiree thinking." But I'm 63, and while that may not yet be "old," I'm projecting out with this decision, because 70 will be here soon enough. Also, I have moved WAY too many times (19 places, spanning 7 states, over the past 27 yrs. -- no joke!) compared to most (mostly for career reasons which will come to an end next year). I cannot explain how much I'd hate to pack up again in 15 yrs for health reasons (or any reason), say goodbye to everyone we know, and leave. So for these reasons, its become a much bigger priority. Said a simpler way, I'm taking the "long view" and planning for 83, not 63.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Re: Friends: Since we have a "summer place and a winter place" until retirement, I can say that we have just as much activity with friends in NID in the summer as we have during our seasons in SoCal. We know so many people in NID and NW MT now, and many of our SoCal friends have moved away.

Re: NV and UT towns: We usually pass through Mesquite, NV on our way up to NID and back, and it is an absolutely nothing place. If one has to spend summers there, one has to get used to 115 degree days. I'm sure winters are somewhat pleasant, but there is no "there" there. But I would second the St. George consideration. It is a nice town, and the uranium problem seems to have been solved (but check it out). Carson City is a really nice, small town, but it gets cold, snowy winters, so I'd take that off the list.

[Cnynrat]

I second everything CFF says about Mesquite and multiply it by 10!

Dave

[NC_Cpl]

I defer to the experts who've been there! Mesquite is off the list. We've not been overly impressed with Carson City based on YouTube videos. Looks a bit "plain" and unremarkable

[banjomike]

I think you're doing a good job in decision making Cpl.
For sure, it's better to consider a move just as much as is possible than it is to just pack up the pickup and hope for the best in a sudden, spontaneous move.

My relative wasn't impulsive when he moved to Montana; he made several tours around the intermountain west before settling on Montana as his choice of state, then made more trips there before deciding the Paradise Valley was his best place.

A part of that decision was financial; the valley was just becoming known as a rich man's playground/enclave, but wasn't as famous by far as Jackson Hole or Sun Valley. He saw that if he got in early, he could make money on a trophy getaway place if he ever wanted to leave, so that's when he jumped for it.

BY doing so, he caught a rising market just at its beginnings. He was in his late 40s- early 50s at the time, I think- I've never asked, so I don't know for sure how old he was. He's related by marriage, so there are gaps in my knowledge of his younger years.

I'm pretty sure that his first place wasn't purchased with any thought of age as a factor. Aging seems to have caught him unawares.