Picking a spot to retire

we looked at new homes over by the East Garrison near Seaside starting at 700K ..must have missed those 300K`s

Those are brand new homes though! And they suck.
Sorry for getting off topic guys. I know this is a different discussion, and there are more factors to consider when selecting a retirement location. I just need to accept that Californias like to complain about their home state, nowadays. And I’ll shut up now.

Living in a beach house in your old age north of shelter cove sounds like a really good way to die in a tsunami. 

Living in a beach house in your old age north of shelter cove sounds like a really good way to die in a tsunami.

 

But Shelter Cove is OK right 

By the time I’m old enough to retire my house will most likely be paid for. However the high cost of living in the Bay Area makes me think I should be planning to move. Maybe someplace where I could get a decent place to live for half of what I sell my house for. I’d like to stay in California but I don’t want to move to Meth Central in order to find affordable housing. I’d like to do some traveling/fishing and I don’t want to come home to a house gutted of copper and appliances. I am a fish and eat guy so I like to catch rockfish, salmon and crab in the salt plus trout, kokanee and mackinaw in the fresh water. Fishing is better on the salt side but between the high winds, high surf and seasonal closures there are more chances to fish in freshwater. I like the mountains but living out my older years in snow country might not be a good idea. I’m thinking somewhere in NorCal or Oregon. Are there any good places that are still affordable?

Were in that same boat and looking at positions with in the government to transfer too. Looking at one as possibility in WA State.

we looked at new homes over by the East Garrison near Seaside starting at 700K ..must have missed those 300K`s

Those are brand new homes though! And they suck.
Sorry for getting off topic guys. I know this is a different discussion, and there are more factors to consider when selecting a retirement location. I just need to accept that Californias like to complain about their home state, nowadays. And I’ll shut up now.

It doesn’t sound off topic to me. Just a few frills and dressing from a different point of view added in. I’m not looking to knock CA, just looking to retire and still be able to afford to fish. I have to face the facts that I’ve spent my life having fun more than saving money. If I stay here I’ll probably have to settle for watching fishing TV. Hopefully I can use the skyrocketing Bay Area House prices to my advantage. I don’t need to live on the beach or on lakefront property. Good trout fishing less than 30 minutes away would be desirable. Maybe a moderate senior neighborhood somewhere.

Living in a beach house in your old age north of shelter cove sounds like a really good way to die in a tsunami.

 

But Shelter Cove is OK right 

Probably.  Evacuation area is really close.  The subduction zone ends at the cape, so its safer and more warning time the farther south you go.  OSU geology department puts the risk of an 8+ magnitude quake or larger on the south end of the CSZ at 33% in the next 50 years.  I did some maff on the back of a napkin and figured that a healthy young person living in the tsunami zone for he full 50 years would run about a 1% increased chance of dying from a tsunami in that 50 year period vs. the same person not living in the tsunami zone.  I haven't bothered doing maff for a retired person who stands to live there for 30 years but it's probably about the same, 1%, because of reduced mobility and more time spent at home than a working person.

1% might not sound like much, but it really is when it is a 1 in 100 chance that you die, simply by choosing to live in a place that gets inundated by deadly waves once every few hundred years.

Living in a beach house in your old age north of shelter cove sounds like a really good way to die in a tsunami.

 

But Shelter Cove is OK right 

Probably.  Evacuation area is really close.  The subduction zone ends at the cape, so its safer and more warning time the farther south you go.  OSU geology department puts the risk of an 8+ magnitude quake or larger on the south end of the CSZ at 33% in the next 50 years.  I did some maff on the back of a napkin and figured that a healthy young person living in the tsunami zone for he full 50 years would run about a 1% increased chance of dying from a tsunami in that 50 year period vs. the same person not living in the tsunami zone.  I haven't bothered doing maff for a retired person who stands to live there for 30 years but it's probably about the same, 1%, because of reduced mobility and more time spent at home than a working person.

1% might not sound like much, but it really is when it is a 1 in 100 chance that you die, simply by choosing to live in a place that gets inundated by deadly waves once every few hundred years.

Is maff the new ciphering????

After 35 years of going over 17 to Palo Alto I had enough.  Just retired, sold the house in Scotts Valley ( in 3 days) and live on the Greenhorn Creek golf course.  10 minutes from New Melones, within an hour of so of many other lakes and rivers and NO Traffic.  Plus my golf game is coming together : )   

2 1/2 hour run back to SV to see the kids closed the deal with my wife.

I was looking at Brookings Oregon, made a ton of runs up there but it just didn't feel right.  I've been going to Oregon for 30 years where my folks live.  Now they say Grants Pass is to crowded and are looking at Idaho..

I Got real tired of arranging my schedule around the massive and increasing everyday traffic. 

Life is good again . 

I'm a good 20 years before I can think about retiring. I love Sonoma County. Been here my whole life minus the military years. My house in Guerneville went on the market 6 days ago. Been looking to get closer to Petaluma for work reasons. The housing market here is freaking mind boggling. Really really out of control. Don't know where we will end up. Looking at out of state options as well.

Super interesting thread. I really prefer salt to lakes, I don't have a golf game, I just want to paddle, fish and dive. Blue water is very attractive, CdM's suggestion has definite merit for me. Gotta think of health care, too. Decisions, decisions.

Another thing to take into consideration is the effect of aging on physical and mental abilities.  Until I was around 65 years old I wasn't really aware of the effect of aging.  Now that I am past 70 the aging process makes itself known almost daily.
My wife and I recently came into an inheritance and are looking for a new place to live.  We both appreciate nature and the outdoors but how we interact with it will definitely change in the coming years.

Another thing to take into consideration is the effect of aging on physical and mental abilities.  Until I was around 65 years old I wasn't really aware of the effect of aging.  Now that I am past 70 the aging process makes itself known almost daily.
My wife and I recently came into an inheritance and are looking for a new place to live.  We both appreciate nature and the outdoors but how we interact with it will definitely change in the coming years.

Absolutely. One of the reasons I don’t think snow country will be right for me. I’ve never driven in a snow storm. Learning how at 68 might not be a good idea. Not to mention shoveling snow and walking on ice.

 
 I'm looking at possibly  next summer for retirement!  Have a place up in Crescent City already.  After 20 years crossing 17 I too am about at my wits end with the senseless  traffic conditions ( I Won't start in on the winter commute!)
  With our property  up north secure I have a more relaxed sense while at my current  job.  Prior to this, I always had a underlying fear of getting laid off, not being to find suitable employment again, loosing house etc.... (I'm sure this fear is not only mine)
  Don't have this fear anylonger☺  we could pack up and head north tomorrow if we had to!   Its a huge relief knowing this.

 Super interesting thread,,

 instead of quoting ,,,

 ConGrats Otobepeligic !!!

thats so cool,

  I'll be right up the road ,,, 

  and second what I have to say about;

       BUYING PROPERTY in MEXICO ,,,

  Oh my ,,,,   


  I've been around down there with that dream for years, and of course did some really deep diving lately.

 Seen and heard of many a Train Wrecks,,  other places where the jungle just took it back after the local " Taxes" picked their bones clean. The Highest of Morida couldn't help one couple after his wife gave the bribe, that was an insult, they lost everything ,

Another in the Yucatan, came back to our pleasant expat tribe to where he had been building, or trying too ,, for 10 years,,  he came back pissed from Cancun. " Fuck those Assholes !!!,, Fuck em!!! "  Big Gregarious well connected Texan saying fuck those guys,,,,

  well,

That night,, 2 jeeps, Federalies ,,  flash lights out in front of his,,, trailer/house, (partial build going on ,,,) 

  They start digging and we all see them throw a bag into the hole.  " DRUGOS!!!" 

The Cuffs go on and off he goes,,,  I heard he got out a week later and never came back,,, 


 ,,, ya, it's rough seas,,,, 


 Get to know people in the area you want to be,,

Lots of things happen down there, and suddenly, people's plans change ,,,

 I had lots of opportunities where people just wanted me to take over for a while or just house/yacht/penthouse sit    as things were getting too hot for whomever for whatever reasons and they have to get out of town ,,,

another,

    Lease a place for 3 to 6 months, there are plenty everywhere for the reason I just stated above. Get the feel of the area,,, the players, find out who's kind of not really in charge but in charge anyway, etc,, I have come across some areas of mainland Mexico that are awesome, but not where you would want to be, and you wouldn't know it, unless you spent some time there. You'll definitely be more in the know if you have boots on the ground,,

 and look around as,

  it changes by the Kilometer ...

  Oh,,

      Maybe this is just La Paz,

     usually starts around 3am,,, 

                        Watch out for BANDA !!!!   

 
 Buena Suete   

Great responses on where to go and what to do when retirement comes. For me, I retired five years ago and live in North Texas. We just moved seven months ago into our custom built home that my wife and I go constructed in a little town of Celina. It is close enough to bigger cities, but far enough out to have some peace and quiet.
Cost of living here in lower than California and we have no state income tax; but we do have high property taxes, which offset the income tax. (Hey someone has to pay for all those multi-million dollar high school stadiums!) Most of the property tax is for the Independent School Districts; and yes they are greedy. But as our population grows we need new schools.

Funny part of me living here is, back about 40 years ago I used to fly over this area and stated to myself it would be a good place to live. Little did I know back them that it is now a reality. It is a bit more crowded but it isn't like the Bay Area. At least our traffic jams move still.

I still like some of your ideas of Los Barriles and I love it there. One of my favorite little hidden gems in this world. I need to go back just to enjoy the area and fish.