Buying vacation and retirement homes in Carlsbad, San Diego makes $ense. When most people think of downsizing for retirement, they usually start looking for what's the cheapest place possible rather than where they'll be the happiest. I understand living on a fixed income takes planning, just remember the personal cost involved.
Think about it...Would you rather be able to take a walk on the beach pretty much any day all year long? OR, Be stuck indoors hiding from the snow, sleet, rain, or scorching sun? In the end, isn't it more important to actually like where you live?
Often times folks will move to where they think homes are the cheapest, but are they really saving? And is money is the only factor you should be taking into consideration? What about your happiness and well being, aren't they important too?
Before you decide where to buy a 2nd or retirement home, explore your lifestyle.
Many of us in the United States are living in homes 2-5 times the size of the ones we grew up in, and with way more stuff than we use. Why do we need that much space?
For many who've been married 40 or 50 years, I’ve heard its to keep the distance between them and their spouse. (Yikes!) I've also heard the excuse they have way too much stuff to fit into a smaller home. If you have rooms full of furniture, clothes, tchotchkes, accumulated over a lifetime that are collecting dust or sitting in boxes, let it go. Donate, sell, consign, give it away. Don’t be trapped by your stuff!
While you're taking pencil to paper, think about how much that Mc Mansion costs to keep up even if you did buy it in some parts of the country for way cheap. What does it cost to heat, cool and keep up a 3,000-4,000 square foot home in a northern state where the tax rate per $1,000. can be 3-4 times that of California? Then there's maintenance, landscaping, cleaning, and utilities which can costs exponentially more than a smaller home/condo.
Ask yourself honestly ~ Do I really need all that space? Yeah, I guess you do if you’re snowed or rained in for days at a time, but is that what you want to be dealing with in your retirement? Maybe there’s a better way?
What if you could have your retirement cake and eat it too?
Wouldn’t it be great to live in a place where you could stay outdoors and active all year long? You'd get to use your yard/patio 365 days a year!
San Diego being a destination city has so much to see and do, plus you're within a couple hours drive to Los Angeles, the desert, mountains, Mexico and 5 different airports.
Of all the California beach houses for sale, San Diego has some of the most affordable.
Carlsbad, CA is my favorite and I also love Encinitas, Cardiff & Solana Beach. It's a Lifestyle that can't be beat with great beaches, shopping, restaurants, art and athletic events, yoga, massage and healthy foods, museums and attractions.
If you're like many of my clients who come from out of town, you want to buy a vacation or retirement home now and take advantage of the historically low interest rates. Then you can rent it out until you're ready, or start using it right away.
Talk to your financial advisor about your retirement options, and when you're ready to explore San Diego real estate options, I'm here to help. When buying your 2nd home, retirement or investment property, I'll work with you, to find the best home for your budget ~ And Lifestyle. Together, lets make your dream retirement a reality.
Jane Naskiewicz
760-390-0888
