There is Life After Real Estate.

LIFE AFTER REAL ESTATE.

After an overall productive 12 years in real estate, I have made the difficult decision to retire - again! During this short but fulfilling second career, I have enjoyed some really good times in real estate and, like many others, have gallently navigated through some tough times in this business in recent years. This time around though, my goal is to pack up and move on from our home in Tupelo, Mississippi - to my paradise which I shall maketh. After entering the business in 2001, I never stood still, and progressed rapidly from rookie agent up through managing broker/owner of a national franchise. My best memories and highlights during these years has truly been helping people achieve the dream of home ownership. There is nothing more enjoyable than handing new buyers the keys to their first home and being witness to the look of happiness and relief on their faces. And along with the associated feelings of a complete sense of accomplishment, nothing has been more satisfying to me. I always believed anyone could sell a house, but to sell a home....it was much more gratifying!

Much like the anxiety associated with finding and purchasing that first home, similar anxieties exist when the idea of retirement finally approaches. For generations of Americans, retirement has always been considered the final installment in the American Dream payout. However, the aftermath of the recent Great Recession and our country's current economic situation has forced many retirement plans to be left on the drawing table.The notion of enjoying a full retirement for many remains just that - a notion. And for some, aside from all it's ambiguity, it has completely dropped off of their "bucket list" altogether.

I can say one thing for certain - if you think you can't afford to retire, then you will never retire! Such negative thoughts like this are the same ones we were taught as real estate agents to always avoid. With a well trained mindset, good agents have learned to overcome many the sales objection.  When these learned principles are applied to their own personal goals, they can overcome their own objections and fears. You may have already entertained the question of retiring or maybe you are not at that point in life yet, but know this - there ARE viable retirement alternatives to many people these days and it just requires some practice in the concept of "out-of-the-box" thinking. Have you ever thought about living overseas?

TRUST YOUR INSTINCT.

In my retirement, my focus will shift towards helping those looking into exploring the options of retirement overseas - and all the benefits that retirement has to offer. Whether it be an exotic tropical location with swaying palm trees or a spectacular view of the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, I can show you that a real retirement is reachable, and even earlier than you might think. As of the date of this post, 7.6% of the entire workforce in the U.S is over the age of 75, and this number is expected to climb as many baby boomers work long past the traditional retirement age because of the beating their retirement plans have taken in recent years. Want to know the realities of living in a developing country? I can provide you the information and insight you need to become an informed retiree. 

Of course, simply packing up and moving to a low-cost-of-living country is not for everybody, it does take substantial planning, both financially and in asset management. For me, even with today's gloomy economic outlook, retirement has never looked brighter. With the onset of the economic decline beginning in 2007, we began to plan, and after 6 years our plans are coming to fruition. We will soon be on our way to
the Philippine Islands in the Southeast of Asia. As a real
estate agent though, my job is not quite finished. I still have one more house to sell....our own!

Naturally, there are many more retirement destinations to choose from besides the Philippines, and many are much closer to the U.S.A. Our choice was based on the current economic growth in SE Asia combined with a low cost of living, and affordable health care. Okay, the tropical climate had a little to do with it! You can study all the collected data, analyze real estate statistics, crunch the cost-of-living numbers, study the weather and more...but nothing replaces your instincts when it comes to choosing your retirenment destination. And with all the technology that is available today, living abroad is not nearly as far removed as it used to be. You should know that most of the information on retiring overseas is freely available and you just need to know where to look. I will be happy to provide you with some basic guidance and information through the links below. Or, if you need a more specific consultation or information package for a particular destination, please contact me privately.  

Please visit me on facebook "Retired in Samar" or my Website to learn about my enchantment or for information about living and retiring in the Philippines. 

 Wanted: Two matching coconut trees properly
 spaced for hanging a hammock.