Where to retire

Another issue we're tossing around is what we want to do in retirement.

Where?  As I mentioned, I'm not a winter person.  I relocated to Missouri for my wife, and frankly I hate the place.  My wife has agreed that since I've put up with here for so long, we can seek a more favorable location to retire.  

On first thought, it was Texas.  I'm from Texas, and I miss it.  Most of the family I still have is based in Texas.  Maybe most importantly is the I know Texas.  BUT, I've been some other places I liked, and seen even more on TV that looked good.  Much of the country, I've never seen.  Kay longs for a place with a nice view of the ocean, or at least a lake, and I have to admit, there is an attraction to it.  Florida has some beautiful beaches, as does Texas.  I've heard of beautiful beaches on the east coast, but I've never been.  Also, while I like Louisiana, I've really never spent much time on the coast, and the same for the reast of the gulf coast except for Texas and a small chunk of Florida.

Reality Check!  

The coast is subject to hurricanes.  Cabins I remember on the beach in Texas are now under water due to erosion.  The salt rusts your cars and the constant wind blows sand in EVERYTHING.  Probably the biggest issue though is that most coastal home are on stilts (for exceptionally high tides and storm surges) and Kay has limited mobility and has a lot of problems with stairs.

How about a lake?

Not the cachet of the beach, and the image of the quiet lake isn't as attractive as the palm studded sandy beach, but it does address most of the issues with the coast mentioned.  They still have issues, but careful shopping can get around most.

• Many lakes don't actually have "lakefront" property.  Corps of Engineers and some other like keeping the shorelines rustic and pristine, so the best you can hope for is a distant view.  Many lakes are subject to radical changes in water level.  What is a lake front home during high water seasons may be separated from the lake by a hundred yards of mud and muck during dry seasons.
• If the lake has entertainment options nearby, the lake property is probably expensive!  While we expect to be in better financial shape than many baby boomers, frugality is a must!

Water view?  How about...

If you've read my blog, you know I like houseboats.  How about living on a boat?

Many houseboats can't be used in salt water, and most are limited to bays and maybe the Inter-coastal Waterway (ICW), so there won't be views of the surf on the beach, but there will be water. 

How about a sailboat?  Sailboats can handle the ocean, and even cruise down the coast to Mexico, Belize, or Cuba and the Caribbean.  Yep, lots of issues, but it's getting late,so I'll talk about those later.