Where to Have Life As An Ex-Expat?

[OnMyWay]

10 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

Yeah... been there, done that, have the T-shirts (and flannels and wooleys and wood stoves!)

Actually, since this topic is wandering again a bit, I would prefer to live in Wyoming. What a beautiful and open and free part of the world! Sure... it gets super cold in winter with incredible winds and snows, but it is such a beautiful part of the planet and the air is super clean!

My favorite TV watching now is Yellowstone.  I have always like westerns, and this is a cowboy soap opera.  Gorgeous country!  The 3rd season ended so I started over at season 1.

Wyoming does have brutal weather.  I have a cousin living there and she will post weather reports like "snowstorm closes Hwy XX" in July!

[Tommy T.]

11 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

 

Truthfully, I would enjoy both places.  I love the mountains and outdoors.  However, I have only lived in a real winter for 2 winters, in Northern Kentucky, so I don't think I have lived in a "real, real" winter!

When we went to Colorado in 2017, in May, I thought the weather was very nice.  70's/80's in the day, cool at night.  We stayed in my sister's very nice basement.  Even with heating and heated mattress pad and heated blanket, my wife said she was freezing!  Now, she say she wouldn't mind, but I have my doubts!

Trust me, OMW... The winters in Colorado and Wyoming are brutal. I like Wyoming because it is so sparsely populated and so truly lovely with the mountains. I have no idea about their taxes... Prices for real estate there are still relatively low because there really is not much there - few cities, small infrastucture... 

It is an incredibly beautiful part of the world. The air is so clean and the mountains are incredible. The vistas are outrageous. But it is sooooo cold.... How many more children do you want to make???

But you would need a lot of wood for a stove for heat or gas or electricity  because it gets so cold. Or you just get some heavy covers and you and your girl can snuggle - for maybe 7 months!!! Maybe you can order Food Panda during that time???

 

Edited September 9, 2020 by Tommy T.

[Jack Peterson]

5 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

It is an incredibly beautiful part of the world. The air is so clean and the mountains are incredible.

 Yet you chose to Retire here  one has to wonder why? 

[OnMyWay]

19 hours ago, intrepid said:

Don, I spent my entire life in Western Maryland until we moved to the Philippines.  I still have my home there and was hoping my son would buy it maybe next year. However, his wife left him and their three kids at the beginning of this year.  At the same time my daughter has been begging us to return to the states for her to finish school there with her old friends and also to be closer to our other family.  If I moved back to the states my wife and I wanted the south west coast of Florida.  Maybe Punta Gorda.  My house in Maryland has 5 bedrooms and an apartment above the garage which has also been rented out.  So now we are considering moving back and sharing the house with my son.  Financially, it would benefit us both and I could spend some time with my grandkids also. We are thinking next July for the move and then our daughter will start the 10th grade.  We may stay in Maryland for 3-4 years before moving south. I like the area but like your wife, I don’t want the winters any longer.  I know you recently sold your house in Florida.  What area was that located?  Would you not consider that area again?  I have family in many areas of Florida and a couple friends in Punta Gorda. They like that area and like me they don't to be too close to a major city due to traffic.I’m not too concerned of storms and can easily leave for a nice vacation when there would be a warning.  Other places I have considered are also Las Vegas and Texas.  I also Like NC and outside Jacksonville, Fl.  But I really prefer now to be in tropic area.  It is such a hard decision and I don't really look forward to another relocation and the expense of US prices.

Sorry to hear about your son!  That is rough!

My house in Florida was in West Pembroke Pines, right next to the Everglades.  I was happy to sell it at the price I got, as I would never move to that area.  I moved there for work in late 2002 and left in 2006.  Overpriced, for some reason, as is most of Southeast Florida.  I liked the house, but not the small yard and the 2 HOAs!

Pembroke Pines is almost directly West of Naples, which is an hour or so South of Punta Gorda.  If I moved back to Florida, the West coast is where I would be looking.  Probably from Naples up to North of Tampa.  There are some good deals on houses, especially if you don't desire to be right on the coast.  The storm risk is a bit less in some East coast area.  If you live inland, not in a flood prone area, and have a hurricane proof house, not much worries about the storms.

The hard part is finding and deciding on an area that would safe for my kids and with decent public schools, if those exist.  I don't think I can afford private schools.

[GeoffH]

36 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

But you will need to learn to put vinegar on your French Fries, not ketchup... - hahaha!

I have been putting vinegar on my French Fries for a few years now, ever since my Doctor told me that store bought Ketchup and Tomato sauces had too much salt in them (I still prefer ketchup though!).

[Jake]

I find it very interesting about all the suggestions on where to reside after the Philippines.  However these days, I guess one has to factor in cities and suburbs that are now considered hotbeds for civil unrest.  Think about driving to your kid's school or the local grocery store and your route is being blocked by hooded punks holding baseball bats?  What would be the state's gun laws in order to protect yourself and your family?  

Canada would be a viable choice for me but I would not blame them if they refuse entry for any US citizen seeking permanent residency.  Additionally it's relatively peaceful up there.  I haven't heard anything about police brutality, antifa or blm movement.  If given the opportunity to reside there, I might be able to survive the bitter cold if I had TWO warm bodies next to me.....he, he.  

Edited September 9, 2020 by Jake

[Clermont]

47 minutes ago, Jake said:

I might be able to survive the bitter cold if I had TWO warm bodies next to me.....he, he.  

You'll never live to be an old man Jake. 

[OnMyWay]

58 minutes ago, Jake said:

I guess one has to factor in cities and suburbs that are now considered hotbeds for civil unrest. 

That is definitely a consideration now, but I hope it goes away later.  For the most part, I am not interested in any of the cities that currently have unrest.  Most had issues long before the unrest started.

That is one thing I like about some areas of Florida.  You can be away from cities without really being in the complete boondocks.  Some areas of Texas have very attractive homes and home prices, but the summers can be brutal.  I have a friend from my old job who grew up in NY, moved to Ohio and now lives in Little Elm, Texas, working for Toyota.  He said he likes everything about it except for the brutal summer, like now.  Lots of lakes, fishing, hunting, good schools, and not far from the big city.

I prefer near a coast, if possible.  I grew up on the coast and it seems natural for me.

[Tommy T.]

2 hours ago, GeoffH said:

I have been putting vinegar on my French Fries for a few years now, ever since my Doctor told me that store bought Ketchup and Tomato sauces had too much salt in them (I still prefer ketchup though!).

You didn't mention the sugar, or high fructose corn syrup that is also loaded into ketchup, Geoff? But, I agree... as soon as we moved to USA, I really preferred ketchup to vinegar... But the vinegar is wonderful on the English Fish and Chips!!!

Edited September 9, 2020 by Tommy T.

[Tommy T.]

1 hour ago, Jake said:

If given the opportunity to reside there, I might be able to survive the bitter cold if I had TWO warm bodies next to me.....he, he.  

Sounds like you should move to Utah, Jake...? I believe that is actually still legal there?

Hmmm... I was assuming you meant two female bodies next to you????

Edited September 9, 2020 by Tommy T.