Best place for early retiree couple (Sacramento, Irvine: apartment, condo, house)

[cstleddy]

We arrived in Orange County (Irvine), California from Minnesota 3 yrs ago when my husband convinced me to "retire" and move to a warmer, drier, bug-free climate. We've been waiting out the housing market in an apartment and educating ourselves on the OC area but are still undecided as to where to settle down. We'd like to pull the trigger in 2008 (either buy a home or get outta Dodge).

We'd appreciate your input...

• She's 45 and he's 60.
• No kids and jobs are not a concern.
• Love the climate (warm/dry/no bugs).
• Want to stay in Central or SoCal. Not too far inland (Irvine gets HOT in summer!)
• She's a foodie (love to eat and cook good food) and would like to garden.
• He's a car nut and audiophile.
• Have dog, like to stay fit, walk, bike, go for drives, and check things out in our area.
• We are grounded, down-to-earth, but also upscale (former Yuppies/DINKS).
• Looking for city/neighborhood that has a good vibe, culture, good eats. A place where we can be locals/regulars and hang out...A place where there's a sense of community or a real neighborhood feel...Looking for a place where $700k gets you more than 1200 s.f. condo next to The 5.

Where should we be looking? Thanks.

[Charles]

Not in any order, just the sequence I thought of them. Here's where I'd consider (and I would surely consider these places when I retire at my goal age of 95). I'd also look to see if there were major medical facilities there. There probably are. Same for an airport that connects to a hub like LAX. There's a lot to like about these places. Beautiful, perfect weather, close enough to LA if you wanted to do something big city, variety of homes. Near the college at SLO offers all the academic, cultural and intellectual activities associated with a university town: so positive.

Carpenteria
Montecito
Ventura
Solvang
Morro Bay
San Luis Obispo
Goleta
Cambria
Grover Beach
Arroyo Grande

[goozer]

Why limit yourself to southern/central California when there are so many beautiful spots up north too. If I was retiring to California tomorrow and I could afford it, I would choose Mendocino.

[cstleddy]

Originally Posted by goozer

Why limit yourself to southern/central California when there are so many beautiful spots up north too. If I was retiring to California tomorrow and I could afford it, I would choose Mendocino.

We came from Minnesota to get away from the cold/frost/snow. We just assumed that the area north of the central coast would be cold and wet.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by goozer

Why limit yourself to southern/central California when there are so many beautiful spots up north too. If I was retiring to California tomorrow and I could afford it, I would choose Mendocino.

Sure, I agree. There are lots of nice places to retire in and out of California. One (of many besides weather) other thing to consider when retiring is taxes. Colorado for example exempts from state tax the first $20K of each pension. Property taxes are about 2/3 to 3/4 of California's. Also estate planning; how might Medicare eligibility be handled differently in each state, for example.

[Huckleberry3911948]

where.... is very important, sounds like you got a plan
on early retire. common pitfalls not to make
move out to the boonies.
built you dream house with a resale value of 10 cents on a dollar
yank your retirement and start a business with it.
start co signing for the kids
why?
moving .....
you will get sick and old and will be far from medical support system
as you get older friends are more important they will be light years away from you
and your dream home
starting a biz.....
majority of start up biz fails then you got no retirement if you blew your wad
as start up money
co signing......
as the kids move well into adulthood you will be faced with a choice-- do golden
years or be a permaparent, decide now, its a one way trip

ps s. cal has an excellent geriatric medical infrastructure.
not so everywhere back east. you may not have kids but some co sign
for nephews.

[cstleddy]

Yes, indeed there are some very nice places around the country. We traveled for the past 10 years to places that we thought would be nice to live/retire. We've also lived in other climates (like the CA desert). SoCal and possibly the Central Coast are at the top of our list. We just really value the wonderful year-round climate and lack of bugs and would like to make a go of it here. Unfortunately we were a day late and a dollar short and arrived just as the CA housing market was sky-rocketing.

[jeffredo]

Midwesterners in SoCal can be so ignorant about the rest of the state!. Northern California (not the Bay Area) is much cheaper and once you get inland a few miles the weather is much, much warmer (the Sacramento Valley is blazing hot in the summer). And it's a hella lot prettier, calmer and with nicer people than Southern California. And $700,000 would get you an amazing home. If you are from Minnesota there is NOTHING short of Lake Tahoe that compares to you winter weather.