USA / West Coast Retirement in the future

Hello all,

Although I have few years left to retire, I am already seriously considering moving/retiring in California. I’ve been to Los Angeles and California to visit my best friends and I love the weather. I wouldn’t say I been to all cities in California, but I’ve been to as far as Barksdale. Having said that, it does not have to be only California (Any other states meets my desires below). If you have experience or living in a awesome place now, I would love to hear.

To tell you little about my background:
I mostly lived in the East coast. I went to school in GA and SC. I’ve lived in the States like GA, TN, NC, SC, and LA, but traveled around the U.S. quite a bit. I lived in Japan for few years and traveled just about everywhere in the world except Western Europe.

I am seeking advice and suggestions from fellow Ducati Motorcycle enthusiast.

My priority/consideration/desires:

1. Good weather- most of California is all year good weather. Too far north isn’t the same? Good weather= more riding (although I ride in the 30’s degree weather)
2. Awesome local roads- California seems to have many awesome local park roads to have fun in the weekends.
3. Few hours from Track (Willow Springs/Laguna)
4. Home Cost- Not too close to major city like Los Angeles- closer you are, higher prices for homes… I like to have a decent size house like 2000-2500 sq feet with 3-4 garages. I am from the east and I am used to paying 150-200k for 2500 sq feet. Lol. I probably be looking at homes around up to max of 400k.

I do like to be in the city in few hours would be great.

5. I love the outdoors (woods) and beach (I don’t have to be next to the beach but few hours to beach would be nice)
6. I prefer not to be in the desert like Barksdale. I spent way too many years in the desert but I guess I can sacrifice if everything else is great.

Any recommendation to cities I should look at?

Thanks.

I hope you don't have Termi's . Yup if purchased prior to 2013.

Take a look at Albuquerque, NM deemed one of the top cities to retire in.
The climate kicks butt with great riding weather from March to November.
We have two race tracks and lots of mountain roads with minimal traffic.
Oh...and termis are OK ;-)

zaster,

Appreciate the info. I frankly never been to NM and its nice to know. I will check it out in April when I am doing the road trip to Willow Springs for California race school.

youngR said:

zaster,

Appreciate the info. I frankly never been to NM and its nice to know. I will check it out in April when I am doing the road trip to Willow Springs for California race school.

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It's a well kept secret...let's keep it that way

Airborne!!!

zaster said:

Take a look at Albuquerque, NM deemed one of the top cities to retire in.
The climate kicks butt with great riding weather from March to November.
We have two race tracks and lots of mountain roads with minimal traffic.
Oh...and termis are OK ;-)

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+1, Albuquerque is a good place for riding. Do they still have dirt-cheap track days at the Sandia track? I remember getting a full day for $65 about 7 years ago. Instead of living in town, check out Tijeras- close to the Sandia Crest and cheap houses.

Another option very good for riding is Dahlonega, GA. A lot of good roads near town. It's also halfway between Deal's Gap and civilization (Atlanta).

youngR - I like your thinking!

There are many options for you in So Cal and a wide range of pricing, riding, etc. A small house in Escondido (near Palomar mountain) are around $250k, which great value compared to LA.

Cheers!

I guess one bad thing about Cali is the gun laws.

youngR said:

I guess one bad thing about Cali is the gun laws.

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Yeah, it's a tough call. I have often thought about where I would like to live if I didn't have to strategically locate myself for professional reasons. I like certain things about CA, but as you mention, I don't like the gun laws and I don't particularly like the cost of living or the traffic. I'd be tempted to move to the middle of nowhere.

Retire to california? are you serious? yes the weather and roads are great there and what else? NOTHING. The whole state will be bankrupt in a few years or need a national bailout due to liberal policies of the last years. It use to be the 6th largest economy in the world now look at it. Its a sanctuary city for illegals. The last of the productive people are moving out. Even Oprah has a person on staff to monitor the hours she stays there so she doesnt get socked by the outrageous taxes (typical lib that says you pay but i have the means so i dont pay). Dont forget 5 dollar gas first. ALSO Remember retirement dollars are fixed and the things that are not in the inflation calculator are going up faster than the space shuttle. OH wait there is no more shuttle program sorry. FOOD GAS AND HOUSING are not in the inflation calculator.

States as bad are MD NY IL and MI. Check out NM TX NV

Yes i know i am in NYC and trying desperately to get out. My job holds me here but i put in transfers for dallas as well as boca . Just tired of my hard earned dollars going to everyone but myself. Phil Michelson is right Tiger left years ago for this reason but wasnt man enough to say it.

I kind of agree with Mark. I am not a Cali hater either. I was born in Orange county and travel there occasionally for work and have close friends in the Bay Area, but that being said I don't think I'd do CA myself. TX and FL have some good points - weather, laws, cost of living (depending on where you are within the state), etc. I'd look at those or the Carolinas if it were me I think. I have lived in TX and FL before as well so I know a bit about what I'd be getting into and both of those would be decent, IMO. I'm with Mark on NYC though. I can't stand NYC. The places I would avoid after living in DC for 15 years would be places that are similar in cost of living and general congestion - NY, LA, DC, etc. I also wouldn't go north at all. I'm done with cold weather. I'd look for decent cost of living, warm climate and not too crowded, but that's just me. Oh, and good golf courses. Maybe AZ?

mark419ny said:

Retire to california? are you serious? yes the weather and roads are great there and what else? NOTHING. The whole state will be bankrupt in a few years or need a national bailout due to liberal policies of the last years. It use to be the 6th largest economy in the world now look at it. Its a sanctuary city for illegals. The last of the productive people are moving out. Even Oprah has a person on staff to monitor the hours she stays there so she doesnt get socked by the outrageous taxes (typical lib that says you pay but i have the means so i dont pay). Dont forget 5 dollar gas first. ALSO Remember retirement dollars are fixed and the things that are not in the inflation calculator are going up faster than the space shuttle. OH wait there is no more shuttle program sorry. FOOD GAS AND HOUSING are not in the inflation calculator.

States as bad are MD NY IL and MI. Check out NM TX NV

Yes i know i am in NYC and trying desperately to get out. My job holds me here but i put in transfers for dallas as well as boca . Just tired of my hard earned dollars going to everyone but myself. Phil Michelson is right Tiger left years ago for this reason but wasnt man enough to say it.

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Appreciate the info and knowledge. I think I will stay away from Northeast for sure. NM TX NV is all good choices. I have somewhat connection with TX, so that will be a good choice but I want to check out NM as zaster mentioned above. Maybe I was just California dreaming.

Maybe some of the CA guys will chime in with some better info. I know a lot of people love it. My friends in the Bay area are in love with living there and I know folks in San Diego that wouldn't leave for anything. That being said, I know the cost of living in both SF and SD is ridiculously high (like Northeast high) so if it were me going into retirement I'd want to get the house right near the 18th green in nowhere, warmstate and pay cash for it so I could spend the rest of my money on greens fees and carbon fiber doodads for my bike.

Capt CF said:

Maybe some of the CA guys will chime in with some better info. I know a lot of people love it. My friends in the Bay area are in love with living there and I know folks in San Diego that wouldn't leave for anything. That being said, I know the cost of living in both SF and SD is ridiculously high (like Northeast high) so if it were me going into retirement I'd want to get the house right near the 18th green in nowhere, warmstate and pay cash for it so I could spend the rest of my money on greens fees and carbon fiber doodads for my bike.

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For sure on the cost of living. If I move to CA, I would not stayin in the city or very near. I would try to find a nice home outside of the city (country) area that I can drive to city if I wanted or ride around mountain parks or few hours from track.

almost forgot young r congrats on being close to retirement and still riding.

mark419ny said:

almost forgot young r congrats on being close to retirement and still riding.

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I still have few years left. I only have to do 20 years since I am in the military, but feels like 40 years. If military decide to promote me to a General then I have more years to go. Hah! (not that I can or would)

I was born and raised in NY (Manhattan and Long Island) but I live in Los Angeles now

i ride 40 plus weeks a year, it was over 80 this weekend, Im in the San Fernando Valley, just by the start of Mulholland Highway, it is a incredible place to ride, you can take it down to the beach in 20 minutes if you take one of the straighter canyons or 60 minutes if you prefer to explore them all. Since you are talking about retiring, i will not talk about commuting to work where the traffic can be unbearable.

i have been very fortunate, that i have been in all 50 states, some many times and i honestly will retire here too for the riding weather.

it is not a cheap place to live, but it is no where as expensive as San Francisco or NYC. most other areas would be less expensive, but there is plenty of affordable housing out here if you are willing to look around a bit

feel free to contact me offline if you have questions.

ScottJon makes a good point that I forgot about. You won't be commuting so in some cases congestion/traffic pattern stuff won't apply to you. You just won't ride toward town between 7 and 10 am.

and 4-7 PM

Capt CF said:

ScottJon makes a good point that I forgot about. You won't be commuting so in some cases congestion/traffic pattern stuff won't apply to you. You just won't ride toward town between 7 and 10 am.

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