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For far more years than I can remember I and now my girlfriend have vacationed in VB. Generally around Seashore State Park.
I've just retired from a IT/Networking position and my girlfriend is a senior Orthopedic RN at a major Pittsburgh hospital.
We were kidding around today about where we would like to retire and I tongue-in-cheek suggested the Hampton Roads area. To my surprise my girlfriend said maybe we could.
I would love something around Shore Drive - between the bridge tunnel and Seashore State Park. I'm guessing the prices would be through the roof. In reality something "safe" by or near the bay in VB or Norfolk would be great. I'm guessing there are many other places that exist that we are clueless about. A two/three bedroom place would be fine.
Another issue is we would probably need to work part or full time and we have no idea what the employment situation in the area.
I think it would be a great place to retire. There are always places to rent or buy, fixer uppers and stuff. The new condo's (if you like new) are nice looking, but I've seen them go up instantly. Chicks Beach is my favorite in that area.
I know many people getting ready to retire, and if there's one thing I stress over and over to them is whatever area you decide to retire in, make sure it has a SOLID transportation system.
You might be able to drive now, or have family that you can depend on, but life can be fickle. Don't go some place in your golden years where you have to drive 15 miles to get to the supermarket, or you have to depend on others to do things for you.
Go some place not only with good transportation, but also good hospitals, doctors (all easily accessible by this public transportation) nursing facilities, etc.
It might be wise to purchase two lesser homes, one in a larger area with said good transportation and medical care, and another in a place that is your ideal location.
If you're set on wanting to explore this area, look at a place near DC (perhaps a duplex to help ease costs) and then a small condo around VA Beach to live in a few months out of the year. Some place where you can make the drive easily (right now at least, but if things were to go south for either you, your significant other, family, etc. you would have your other home near the major infrastructure areas where you could live while you rode out whatever illness, etc. you might have to deal with as you age) and enjoy your golden years without sacrificing the peace of mind that comes with living near the best doctors and ways to get to them besides an automobile.
My bottom line is, as you age it's not the time to be moving away from everything, but if you do, make sure you have plans where you can continue to live as you wish to live without having to depend much on others.
I have to say that the retirement villages for 55 and older are becoming more popular. This area in general (as many have said) has some sort of grocery store, convenience store, strip mall that is accessible without really having to drive. Older folks don't hang out at the mall, the video store or game shop. With everything being purchased online these days, delivered to your door, pharmaceutical delivery and the US Postal Service offering package pickup, older folks don't have to stress driving all over the place to get their errands done. They can concentrate on the cool things they can do in their golden years that I hear them talking about.
I’m not a stranger to drywall, plumbing, or electrical so buying something at auction or a “fix ‘er upper” would not be a problem. I know we could not afford new. It’s just knowing who to talk to and where to go that I’ll need to learn. Chicks Beach and Lynnhaven were exactly the area I was thinking of. If I could find some computer related job around the Norfolk area that would be perfect.
Coconut1 thank you also. The area Erma mentioned has (or used to have) a Farm Fresh market, drugstore and restaurants nearby around Lynnhaven outlet . Not to mention a McDonald's and a Dunkin Donuts a few blocks away. There is a Sentra Health care and the Hilltop Shopping center just a few miles away off 1st Colonial Rd.. I remember bus service also in the area. I certainly agree about not moving away from everything. We would maintain contacts in Western PA so if necessary we could come back. Also we know some folks (my sister for one) who have had great success using the Cleveland Clinic. I guess our focus for now is to be responsible yet have fun.
I’m not a stranger to drywall, plumbing, or electrical so buying something at auction or a “fix ‘er upper” would not be a problem. I know we could not afford new. It’s just knowing who to talk to and where to go that I’ll need to learn. Chicks Beach and Lynnhaven were exactly the area I was thinking of. If I could find some computer related job around the Norfolk area that would be perfect.
Coconut1 thank you also. The area Erma mentioned has (or used to have) a Farm Fresh market, drugstore and restaurants nearby around Lynnhaven outlet . Not to mention a McDonald's and a Dunkin Donuts a few blocks away. There is a Sentra Health care and the Hilltop Shopping center just a few miles away off 1st Colonial Rd.. I remember bus service also in the area. I certainly agree about not moving away from everything. We would maintain contacts in Western PA so if necessary we could come back. Also we know some folks (my sister for one) who have had great success using the Cleveland Clinic. I guess our focus for now is to be responsible yet have fun.
That is certainly the key to a happy retirement. I plan on an early retirement to have fun and enjoy. Lord knows, nothing was handed to us and we did put away for ourselves.
Yes I know this was posted almost 7 years ago, however hope spring eternal.
We did find a home in Norfolk, (yea!) honest realtor (imagine that,) near East Beach, blocks to the water, not in a flood zone, nice neighbors, home for my wife, garage for me!
Now its "be careful what you wish for"
But first things first, we have to get there. We are basically taking 2 queen size bedrooms, a living room, small diving room with server. Old Heathkit TV I built ( no I did not tell my wife yet the TV is coming !) and assorted clothes and stuff (that means my tool chest, small jacks for the car, ect.) No stove or fridge or washer/dryer. Yes I could probably rent a u-haul but the thought of dealing with the beltway and I95 in something that can't turn or stop gives me pause.
We are thinking about using pack-rat or PODS, its difficult to get a ballpark price. We think the move will be mid/late July. Our families were in the Navy, but neither of us were so I don't think we could use a military discount- although the daughter is in nursing school
Our thoughts were to drive two cars down for the walk-through and closing, then leave one in the garage.
So we're gathering information: moving experience and costs (we live about 420 miles away according to google,) from utilities, internet costs,senior activities, etc.
Appreciate any help, experience,info you may have.
For far more years than I can remember I and now my girlfriend have vacationed in VB. Generally around Seashore State Park.
I've just retired from a IT/Networking position and my girlfriend is a senior Orthopedic RN at a major Pittsburgh hospital.
We were kidding around today about where we would like to retire and I tongue-in-cheek suggested the Hampton Roads area. To my surprise my girlfriend said maybe we could.
I would love something around Shore Drive - between the bridge tunnel and Seashore State Park. I'm guessing the prices would be through the roof. In reality something "safe" by or near the bay in VB or Norfolk would be great. I'm guessing there are many other places that exist that we are clueless about. A two/three bedroom place would be fine.
Another issue is we would probably need to work part or full time and we have no idea what the employment situation in the area.
Appreciate any and all input you could share.
Thanks for reading this!!!
Nothing wrong with that. A lot of retirees here glad to hear that this is someplace you would like to settle down at.
Yes I know this was posted almost 7 years ago, however hope spring eternal.
We did find a home in Norfolk, (yea!) honest realtor (imagine that,) near East Beach, blocks to the water, not in a flood zone, nice neighbors, home for my wife, garage for me!
Now its "be careful what you wish for"
But first things first, we have to get there. We are basically taking 2 queen size bedrooms, a living room, small diving room with server. Old Heathkit TV I built ( no I did not tell my wife yet the TV is coming !) and assorted clothes and stuff (that means my tool chest, small jacks for the car, ect.) No stove or fridge or washer/dryer. Yes I could probably rent a u-haul but the thought of dealing with the beltway and I95 in something that can't turn or stop gives me pause.
We are thinking about using pack-rat or PODS, its difficult to get a ballpark price. We think the move will be mid/late July. Our families were in the Navy, but neither of us were so I don't think we could use a military discount- although the daughter is in nursing school
Our thoughts were to drive two cars down for the walk-through and closing, then leave one in the garage.
So we're gathering information: moving experience and costs (we live about 420 miles away according to google,) from utilities, internet costs,senior activities, etc.
Appreciate any help, experience,info you may have.
Thanks in Advance, Kind Regards!!
You may find Hampton Roads slightly cheaper then PA or you may find that it cost you more every month based on what/how you buy but overall you should figure it to be a wash....For example all food products are taxed in Va where much are not in PA so your food bill will increase in Va. But PA has some of the highest gas taxes in the nation so you will save on gas in Va if you are the type that likes to drive around allot so honestly you have to base your living expenses off of you personally and not just the national average to find out if you save any money living in VA. But figure you are going from Commonwealth to Commonwealth so don't expect much difference at the end of the month as both places love to tax you to death
I moved away from VA when I retired because I found it very unfriendly to retirees and now I'm homebased out of Florida (retiree capital of the world lol) and by doing so I saved myself a ton of money because now I don't pay state income taxes, or have state tax taken out of my retirement checks or pay any personal property taxes etc like I did in VA and that alone saves me thousands of dollars a year so again you have to figure out what's important for you....
Anyway as far as PODS, they will give you a free quote over the phone, but figure about 100 dollars or more to have the pod delivered to your home in PA, then about a dollar fifty to a dollar seventy per mile transport fees (based on the going fuel prices) from PA to Va then another 100 dollars or more to have it delivered to your house in Norfolk plus you have to pay about 225 dollars per month (every month) for storage fees no matter in you had the pod for 30 days or not...then add in any fees for insurance protection etc if you want/need any which will run about an extra 50 dollars a month on top of that. In Norfolk you will need a city permit to have the pod placed on your property...that's will cost you another 25 dollars or so....you will have to check to see if you need one in PA but PODS will get the permits for you..........PODS are not cheap but it allows you time to load and unload where if renting a truck you are on a very tight time schedule
You may find Hampton Roads slightly cheaper then PA or you may find that it cost you more every month based on what/how you buy but overall you should figure it to be a wash....For example all food products are taxed in Va where much are not in PA so your food bill will increase in Va. But PA has some of the highest gas taxes in the nation so you will save on gas in Va if you are the type that likes to drive around allot so honestly you have to base your living expenses off of you personally and not just the national average to find out if you save any money living in VA. But figure you are going from Commonwealth to Commonwealth so don't expect much difference at the end of the month as both places love to tax you to death
I moved away from VA when I retired because I found it very unfriendly to retirees and now I'm homebased out of Florida (retiree capital of the world lol) and by doing so I saved myself a ton of money because now I don't pay state income taxes, or have state tax taken out of my retirement checks or pay any personal property taxes etc like I did in VA and that alone saves me thousands of dollars a year so again you have to figure out what's important for you....
Anyway as far as PODS, they will give you a free quote over the phone, but figure about 100 dollars or more to have the pod delivered to your home in PA, then about a dollar fifty to a dollar seventy per mile transport fees (based on the going fuel prices) from PA to Va then another 100 dollars or more to have it delivered to your house in Norfolk plus you have to pay about 225 dollars per month (every month) for storage fees no matter in you had the pod for 30 days or not...then add in any fees for insurance protection etc if you want/need any which will run about an extra 50 dollars a month on top of that. In Norfolk you will need a city permit to have the pod placed on your property...that's will cost you another 25 dollars or so....you will have to check to see if you need one in PA but PODS will get the permits for you..........PODS are not cheap but it allows you time to load and unload where if renting a truck you are on a very tight time schedule
Good luck with your move.....
rtandc thank you!!!
As of now the deal is I'm getting a good friend to drive Mr Uhaul on a one way mission, we will follow in his car so he has a way back.
My car sitting in the garage, we drove it down when we did the closing.
My wife has a job at Sentara staring next month. I will look for a part time IT contractor position when we get there.
We will need to plan the tax issue, we don't need a lot of money to live.
We had a opportunity to meet the neighbors, all were very friendly and welcoming.
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