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The title of your thread states "Northeast." Winter is the same all over the Northeast - cold and snow. Five months, maybe 4 1/2 if you're lucky some years. If this is a concern, you will definitely not want Northeast.
We are mostly retired. Our family is mostly here. I have a love-hate relationship with the climate. Spring-summer-fall are heaven. I do not mind humidity. These days right now are glorious, just wonderful, cool clear sunny crisp, warm in the sun. Can't beat New England at times like this. Yet I have not forgotten winter. Many retirees up here are mostly not afraid of winter. We stay in when it's bad outside. Or if athletic there's skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, hiking, etc. We have tons of cultural things to do from book clubs to theater and concerts and art shows and author/writer readings, coffee hangouts, etc. Many are snowbirds. I"m so tempted to move south when we're in the middle of Feb. but we won't do that. We actually love Maine most.
Thanks for your comments!
Coming from 40 years in Chicago, and now in Stamford, snow per se doesn't bother me but the amount does. I quickly looked up the stats and the average snowfall for NYC, Chicago and Boston is 25, 36, 42 relatively. That is a pretty substantial difference especially when one considers accumulation of snow if it doesn't have a chance to melt due to persistently cold weather. Thus my concern. Thanks again for sharing with me your experiences. I agree that for three seasons, the northeast has simply wonderful weather.
20k max for combined property taxes and utilities? If you play your cards right you could theoretically live on Long Island if you lived in a condo or a smaller sized home. Yeah, your not going to be able to live in a 4 bedroom home in a up and coming community like Babylon or Huntington but yeah you could afford to live on Long Island on that income.
If you want urban and less snow just stay near NYC. Spring comes to that area a few weeks earlier than to Boston and it has less of a winter. You won't like most of the places we've mentioned because they are not that urban.
I can't help you because I am not a city person so I just can't relate. I'd be somewhere on the CT shore, not in an urban area. You could just find something in FF Cty and I think you'd have what you're looking for. Otherwise you're getting suburbia and semi rural.
20k max for combined property taxes and utilities? If you play your cards right you could theoretically live on Long Island if you lived in a condo or a smaller sized home. Yeah, your not going to be able to live in a 4 bedroom home in a up and coming community like Babylon or Huntington but yeah you could afford to live on Long Island on that income.
Would you have any specific suggestions regarding LI? I took a brief look at Great Neck but I couldn't find any inventory that would fit my budget. I am retired so all costs is a draw down on savings but it is worth it if it brings a satisfying retirement with it.
Also you mentioned condo. I've lived in a condo for the last 35 years. Should I even be considering a single family at this stage of my life. Thanks again for your suggestion!
If you want urban and less snow just stay near NYC. Spring comes to that area a few weeks earlier than to Boston and it has less of a winter. You won't like most of the places we've mentioned because they are not that urban.
I can't help you because I am not a city person so I just can't relate. I'd be somewhere on the CT shore, not in an urban area. You could just find something in FF Cty and I think you'd have what you're looking for. Otherwise you're getting suburbia and semi rural.
Thanks for sharing these additional thoughts. It is very helpful. Stamford is a nice place but for me it feels like a temporary compromise. Less of a community and more of a place to live that is more affordable than other areas in Metro NYC. I'm strongly considering Montclair based upon many recommendations from different sources, but I have to come to grips with becoming a single family home owner after living in a condo for most of my adult life.
Coming from 40 years in Chicago, and now in Stamford, snow per se doesn't bother me but the amount does. I quickly looked up the stats and the average snowfall for NYC, Chicago and Boston is 25, 36, 42 relatively. That is a pretty substantial difference especially when one considers accumulation of snow if it doesn't have a chance to melt due to persistently cold weather. Thus my concern. Thanks again for sharing with me your experiences. I agree that for three seasons, the northeast has simply wonderful weather.
When you're retired, whether you get 25 inches or 25 feet of snow doesn't matter. You don't have to go out. You sound like you can afford to have your grounds kept up. A good circle of friends and activities is what matters. So it's not a matter of "how much" snow, but whether you want snow and cold at all in your life. (IOW, some areas in the Northeast have a little more winter, some a little less. But winter is winter. Do you want these kinds of winter at all?)
When you're retired, whether you get 25 inches or 25 feet of snow doesn't matter. You don't have to go out. You sound like you can afford to have your grounds kept up. A good circle of friends and activities is what matters. So it's not a matter of "how much" snow, but whether you want snow and cold at all in your life. (IOW, some areas in the Northeast have a little more winter, some a little less. But winter is winter. Do you want these kinds of winter at all?)
I wanted to rep you but it wont let me. You have the exact piece of it. We here in MA have a very good state to live and even retire in if you do not mind the occasional 3 foot snow storms. Points to be made here are in standard of living, cost of living, health care, activities, people in general, Red Sox, Patriots, and Bruins (Celtics if you like basketball). We have oceans and mountains in easy drive. We have good food and decent roads. All of that makes my decision harder when I do retire. I will need to find a place to replace most if not all should I decide to move.
Cape Cod. Property taxes are minimal compared to the rest of MA, winter temps are milder and a lot of snow storms miss us. Plenty of artists, shops, galleries, walking trails and the traffic here on Memorial Day or July 4th doesn't 't come close to everyday Boston traffic.
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