ShannonS Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 So we basically need to choose a place to live. My husband is active duty US Navy and will be retiring in a few years. We currently live in Honolulu, but retiring here is not really an option financially. I have no idea where to go. I have no family. Dh family lives in Las Vegas but I am NOT raising kids there... So it is almost like there are too many places to choose from. Dh wants to stay on the west coast. I would love to homestead, but I only have a romantic idea about what this entails and absolutely no experience with it. I feel like I am putting out a personal ad lol - "looking for four seasons, good soil, affordable land, somewhat close to a major city and a stable water supply" Perhaps I should take things one day at a time and stop obsessing ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
higginszoo Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 West Coast, land, four seasons ... you might be able to find something in reach of Portland, OR. Western Washington might also have possibilities, along with the accessibility to military installations where you could still go to the commissary, exchange, etc. as retirees (my dad was career Navy and still uses those benes when he's close, though they picked the town where he did his reserve center CO tour back in Desert Storm, so no base nearby). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommytobees Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Well............... What does he do and/or what is he planning on doing when he gets out? That is going to help with many destination choices. And, how long does he have? When we are done (in 5 years IF he gets out at 20) we are talking about several places. We met in Vegas and are NOT going back (you'd have to offer us a TON of money for me to consider it). Dh's "boat-wife" is planning on TN just outside of Nashville. We are discussing Phoenix. But... It all comes down to what is he going to do when he gets out? Also, what do you like? Rain? Sun? Warm? HOT? Cold? Cool? Personally, I've given A LOT of thought to going back to Portland, OR (I went to high school there). But, there aren't any local jobs there for my dh. Just enough sun to keep me warm, but not HOT HOT. As Jerin said, base access.... though I hear that the medical access isn't as easy, but I figure that will work itself out. Good luck! Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 My criteria would be low cost of living and no state income tax. There is a reason lots of people retire to Florida. I believe Washington State has no state income tax, I am not sure what the cost of living is there. Our home in Florida is on a nice lake and it has a pool. The housing market is still terrible there. We bought it as a foreclosure and there are lots of places across the country that we could not have had something nearly as nice. Dh travels for work so employment there really isn't an issue for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShannonS Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 Well............... What does he do and/or what is he planning on doing when he gets out? That is going to help with many destination choices. And, how long does he have? When we are done (in 5 years IF he gets out at 20) we are talking about several places. We met in Vegas and are NOT going back (you'd have to offer us a TON of money for me to consider it). Dh's "boat-wife" is planning on TN just outside of Nashville. We are discussing Phoenix. But... It all comes down to what is he going to do when he gets out? Also, what do you like? Rain? Sun? Warm? HOT? Cold? Cool? Personally, I've given A LOT of thought to going back to Portland, OR (I went to high school there). But, there aren't any local jobs there for my dh. Just enough sun to keep me warm, but not HOT HOT. As Jerin said, base access.... though I hear that the medical access isn't as easy, but I figure that will work itself out. Good luck! Kris Hi Kris He is a CTR...probably not going to have anything to do with it after navy life though...if he has his way anyway. I'd like four seasons. A bit of snow in the winter. No hot summers please. Somewhere I can grow things. Somewhere west of the Mississippi.... Have thought about Colorado Springs, Salt Lake City, maybe Reno/Lake Tahoe area. I have no clue. Dh likes San Diego. I'm not into it, but I could probably be sold on it. What is your DH going to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShannonS Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 My criteria would be low cost of living and no state income tax. There is a reason lots of people retire to Florida. I believe Washington State has no state income tax, I am not sure what the cost of living is there. Our home in Florida is on a nice lake and it has a pool. The housing market is still terrible there. We bought it as a foreclosure and there are lots of places across the country that we could not have had something nearly as nice. Dh travels for work so employment there really isn't an issue for us. I feel ya'. This is one reason I do not want to do California. Maybe Texas? Wyoming would be nice imo but brutal winters and DH says no.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommytobees Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Hi Kris He is a CTR...probably not going to have anything to do with it after navy life though...if he has his way anyway. I'd like four seasons. A bit of snow in the winter. No hot summers please. Somewhere I can grow things. Somewhere west of the Mississippi.... Have thought about Colorado Springs, Salt Lake City, maybe Reno/Lake Tahoe area. I have no clue. Dh likes San Diego. I'm not into it, but I could probably be sold on it. What is your DH going to do? Ohooo, you should really look at the Portland OR area or just outside of it in WA (no state income tax). My Dh is a nuke and at this point he can't decide what he "wants to do when he grows up". He is looking at anything from power plant work :glare: to deployment work (where he goes somewhere else for 3 months and then is off for 3 months) :001_huh:. He has considered a bunch of different things from nuclear work to NOT nuclear work. I suspect wherever we go first will depend on the next job....... but :D I will also say that _I_ don't think he is getting out at 20. We are 1 move away from retirement (2 more years here and then 3 at the next sea duty assignment) and he is already talking about his "next shore command" and EVEN about the sea duty after that. :lol: I can count. He does 3 year rotations. 2+3+3+3 does NOT equal 5. Good luck on finding a place! Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 We know a few miltary families from Hawaii who have recently moved/retired here in Franklin, TN. Not the West Coast, but way better than Vegas ;). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Is either of them looking to go back to school? The new GI bill is a sweet deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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