Category Archives: Getting Started
Researching your retirement is commendable. In fact the more you do, the better prepared you will be for your Golden Years. However, eventually you will need to devise a plan on “how to retire”, as addressing merely “when and how much I/we need” would be deemed considerably inadequate.
Your first assignment is to get a good grasp as to when you anticipate retiring. Whether it is six months or six years from today, the sooner you have this date the sooner you can begin with your plan.
Assuming for the sake of this discussion that you have a handle on your financial picture, one must now focus on the sale of your current home, as this often is the biggest road block and source of revenue en route to a happy retirement. In this section we will provide you tips on issues such as preparing your home for sale to negotiating with your local real estate broker for maximum results.
The Martini Theory is a simply analogy that if used correctly, will be your guiding beacon to your future area, community and home. Understanding your objectives and lifestyle requirements and then prioritizing them correctly is essential for being successful in your search. There are many easy pitfalls and distractions along the way that make staying focused very difficult.
“Where to Retire” is that 600 pound Gorilla sitting quietly in the corner. You’ve thought about it, lost sleep about it, dreamed about it and perhaps researched it till you were right back where you started. It is as an important decision as choosing a lifelong mate and critical as saving enough to retire comfortably.
And once you make the decision to head South/West/Wherever and do the research in person, it is imperative to arrive in the land of warm ocean breezes and umbrella drinks fully armed with the correct vocabulary and knowledge of important real estate related terminology.
Retirement Calculator
Cruising to Retirement
Pull out the charts. Check your coordinates. Pack plenty of warm weather clothes. Be sure to have enough cash. Sounds like you are getting ready for a vacation, doesn’t? Well, in a way, you are but, this is a long … Continue reading
Can you afford not to retire?
Day after day, week after week and year after year, you put your work clothes on and trudged off to work. You put up with company politics and survived corporate takeovers, incompetent bosses and sometimes meaningless re-orgs. You did your … Continue reading
Benefits to Using a Realtor on Your Search
In the state of North Carolina, the first step to being able to sell real estate is going to school to get your Broker’s license. I believe that today you must take three classes each requiring 60 or so hours … Continue reading
Defining Communities and Plantations
If you live above the Mason Dixon line, chances are probably good that you do not live in a community that has a master association. Rather, you live in a town and on a street. One of the big lures … Continue reading
Selecting a Homesite for Your Dream Home
The majority of Americans live in densely populated areas, so the concept of finding a community that has plenty of land to build on is a bit foreign. However, if you move south or west, there is a very good … Continue reading
Three of the Most Important Areas in Your Retirement Home
The obvious would be the Master Bedroom, Kitchen and Great Room. We are not talking about those directly, but rather areas that are often overlooked when purchasing/designing your home. Master Bathroom Shower As we age, not many of us will … Continue reading
Don’t Be House Poor
I have seen it, and it is ugly. Good hard working people sell their home for a good profit from years of paying down the principal and then, armed with cash in hand, they head to the land of relaxation … Continue reading
Imagine Your Lifestyle
For the past 30 – 40 years, you have been defined by your family and your job. Now you are staring directly into the barrel of retirement and probably wondering what the heck you’re going to do once the day … Continue reading
The Fears of Moving
During the process of retirement and relocation, we have discovered that many of the folks we talk with not only are nervous about moving from the home they have been in for decades, but they are also anxious about leaving … Continue reading
Your Retirement House
Your Retirement House The majority of people living in homes in America above the Mason Dixon line and in the Midwest had few choices in selecting their current homes. And not just a limited number of homes that met their … Continue reading