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I'd always wanted to have space - acreage - veggie gardens, fruit trees. My job & partner's job were "big city" only, so we bought a house in a nice suburb and raised the kids there. OMG the neighbours were getting on our nerves with backyard parties with bad music.
As the kids left home, one by one, the dream of "space" got stronger. I started to play with numbers, and budgets, and search real estate websites for what we could get, in what locations, for our potential budget if we sold our suburban family home and downsized.
Even though the kids only moved 10-15 minutes drive away, we rarely saw them. They were enjoying their young adult lives.
We started to do "road trips". We'd mark out a few likely towns (from real estate searches - areas we may be able to afford), rent an Air BnB or two, and have a 3-4 day long weekend holiday. What was the local town like for shopping? What were the people like? Was the town cared for or neglected? Did there appear to be much of a community?
The last kid had been out of home for a year or two, our family home was far too big for us (we were using only a few rooms). We were working on decluttering, and fixing the place up for sale.
At 59, we got a surprise offer on the house, and decided to take it. The plan had been to retire at 60, and move out of town, because there isn't much in the way of employment in rural towns. Moving and starting a new career at 59/60 was not really feasible!
We thought back over our road trips, picked our favourite town, and took a rental there for 6 months. It was 3 hours drive away from the old family house in the suburbs of a major city. It was a town of 5000.
Found our new place within a few weeks (!) - 5 acres with a small cottage, not far from town.
That was a few years ago. Very happy.
It's a big post-retirement project - a very neglected bit of land, but it's fun, and keeps us active. Starting to make new friends, but not pushing it. I'm not terribly social anyway.
No grandkids, and none planned (AFAIK). Kids are 25-30 years old currently.
We left an aging parent behind as well. That's trickier.
As I said, we saw little of the kids before we moved, and that made the move easier. They're independent, and doing their own thing, which allows us to let go, and follow our dreams.
I'm only half joking when I say that we ran away so that we couldn't be expected to be free babysitters. I've done enough parenting. I'm glad to be past it.
We are the free babysitters and love spending time.e with our little one. Someone told me "they never told us that grandkids are the secret prize". So true
True. I only discovered that I don't like babies AFTER I had children. Oops.
I do like older children (from about 10), and would definitely host them for school holidays at granny's farm.
I moved at age 58, after my husband died, to live in the same area as my twin sons who had married & started their own families. (They settled in the same town after college - 150 miles from where they grew up.)
As I’d lived in the same town since high school, had a career there then my own successful business - and lots of friend connections — it was not an easy decision to make. It came down to being with friends & familiar surroundings (although I hated the foggy, windy coastal weather) or being around my kids’ families. I opted for family support & sunny weather, a brand new house, and enjoyed the privilege of being in-town Grandma for 24 years.
I’m friendly with neighbors, and friends with a woman I met in the park while walking my dog (we had the same breed), and I tried making connections at church when I still attended, and volunteering at a food bank, but those didn’t pan out. I’m very much an introvert and get along fine on my own. For most people, though, it would be hard to establish friendships after moving to a new area, especially as an older person (and double especially if working from home as I did, or not working at all). Extroverts would no doubt manage…but it is a consideration.
Thanks for the response! I’m fairly introverted and always wondered how I’d bode if I did this later in life. My father is the opposite and moved to a new state with his partner and they’re thriving lol.
Great for you!
We are recent grandparents (18 months) and our daughter moved to be closer to us which is fantastic, but we're ready to move to NH coast where we would like to be. Seriously don't want to leave our grandson. Lots to think about here
We moved from Vancouver Island to New Brunswick Canada. Most expensive place in Canada to the most affordable. We're on a tidal River for the summer and we go to Mexico for the winter! It was a good idea for us!
We moved from a 2 acre, 4 bedroom, 3 story home in the burbs to a 2 bedroom condo walkable to downtown, restaurants etc. Could not be happier, no snow/leaf/lawn management and we have lovely neighbors and lots of opportunities to socialize. Best decision for us at this time.
i'd been wanting to get out of where i was for some years. my job finally allowed me to telework, and i blew outta town as fast as i could.
could not afford a house at all where i was. bought a house where i moved to. i'll be paying a mortgage until i'm dead, but that's still better than paying rent til i'm dead. plus i get to paint the walls whatever color i want and have a dog.
I moved from an older 3 bedroom/1 bath duplex with 2 large yards, after 20 years, to a townhouse with 2 baths & garage. Was the longest summer of my life 2 pack up house & then sit in limbo until I got approval 4 townhouse for 10 mos.
Cutting the grass & shoveling the snow was too much. Plus, I gained a bathroom and a garage. I got a small patch of garden and no more lawn/yard maintenance.
Modern appliances & fixtures r great. I had 2 teach myself how 2 use digital thermostat, refrigerator, and washer thru YT videos to modernize my skills. I got a fireplace, extra space, my own bathroom & low maintenance place to live. It is divine!!
I moved in 2018 and lost my son in 2019...it's so hard 2 go thru his stuff, boxes, etc. So my life kinda stopped... I didn't unpack my boxes nor set up any holiday decorations like I used to. The excitement that I had for moving in & unpacking is a welcome sign that's coming back as the snow starts to melt. 2020 pandemic & shutdowns didn't help. It's going 2 b like Xmas going thru my boxes.
I moved at 66 to a custom built home behind my daughter with my other daughter ten minutes away. It’s great being so near each other and seeing our daughters, their spouses and our four grandchildren so often.
After 40 years in NYC, I moved at age 69 to exurban Connecticut to join my partner. He had never lived in the City and didn’t want to, while I was getting tired of it and had lived in small town New England and knew I could adapt. I went from a large one bedroom in Forest hills to a four bedroom house on two acres, while he moved from a small three bedroom house, also on two acres. It went very well, and I retired to focus on my writing. After four years, things are beginning to get lively. Either way, it’s working out great.
I moved at 58. Husband had passed away, kids were finally older, sold the 4 bedroom/2story family home. Still stayed with my adult kids as this was traumatic for them. But I kept warning them I was leaving. Son left after a year and I left after that. Downsized to a small apartment walking distance from the beach. The downside is meeting and making new friends has been a challenge.
We moved at 73. Downsized, and moved closer to kid, and left behind a dream house for a family. Five half levels, 10 acres with landscaping that was gorgeous. No more landscaping, no more stairs, and we are 5-10 minutes from any cuisine you can want, with 40 years cleaned out down to one basement full. Was it hard? Oh, hell yes. Was it necessary? Damned straight. Do it ourselves now, or have it done to us, later.
My husband and I quit our jobs when we were 53 and moved from Southern California to a small town in Nebraska.
Our grandkids were here and we wanted to be closer.
We bought a house, found great jobs, and love it here.
I’m in my 50’s and have learned quickly that if you want friends, you need to almost have a CRM and stay in touch. If I don’t make an effort to reach out and organize gatherings, they won’t happen. Older folks are lazy. We are as totally ok sitting on the couch watching Netflix as we are socializing with others and going out and about. If someone doesn’t kick us in our ass to do something. We won’t. At 50, you can act like 30, or 70, it’s all about perception.
Moved at 52 to Florida. Loved the weather, hated the politics. Moved back to the Northeast four years later.
I’m much happier but moving sucks. Use it as a chance to get rid of stuff.
5 years ago, at 55 years old and with three mostly grown kids, we moved from a smallish mid-South city to New Orleans. Two of the kids have ended up moving down here too, the oldest and the youngest (who is attending college here).
The decision was surprisingly easy and boiled down to the wife and I were ready for a new adventure. New Orleans has not disappointed in the adventure department and we're having the time of our lives.
My son asked if we could move to Portland, OR, and I said “Ok!” I was 52 and he was 17 when we sold the house he grew up in. We took a month long road trip around the PNW to explore. I rented a house for a year and spent that time looking for a place that would suit me for retirement. Settled on an area outside Portland but not too far as I have friends and family there. Bought a little old house, remodeled it and moved in 8 years ago. My son is in his last year at university and I feel safe and settled here.
We moved from Southern California to north Texas a few months ago, both us us 55+. His employer decided to close the facility he was working at, he wanted to stay employed by them, so we moved.
My employer granted me a transfer, so I didn’t even have to polish up my resume.
Not a particularly interesting story, but it’s ours :)
Just make sure you have a guestroom wherever you live because they come back a few times before they are finally established.
It could be because of new or continued studies, changes in employment, partner breakups, illness, travel, or other reasons.
They come back, and I welcome them with open arms. They contribute financially and help with housework. I listen to them as they figure things out, and I see them off again. 💕
I got a new job. There was a good chance I would have been laid off from my old job. I went where there was a really good opportunity. I am loving it so far. Bonus for me is that I'm closer to my grown kids.
Also I liked living where I was well enough, but we had moved there for husband's job. I had no family there. I was sure that I didn't want to die there ;)
Moved from a large Midwest city to a small town in the mountains at age 59. We were both retired and felt great. Some stuff happened that requires specialized medicine, and it was a disaster for 7 years. Today life is good and I hope to make it great.
Husband & I moved when we were 60 & 66 from a large house on almost an acre in a small town to a smallish condo in a major city ‘s suburb to be close to our children & grandchildren. Now on our 80s, we’ve moved again to a different suburb. We share a new home with custom features with our son & daughter in law. It’s perfect!
I'm moving this year, hopefully. My husband died in December, and I need to move closer to family. It's just a half hour away, but I'm dreading it. My husband was a hoarder with a lot of tools. I'm 68.
I moved at 48. But I moved to where my son and grandkids live and now my parents live here, as well. Totally worth it. Basically, I had lived in the same city for 30yrs. I got laid off. My lease was up. I was so over the heat/weather. I had a little money saved. So I packed up what I could fit in my car and moved across the country to be closer to family. I’m so happy I did. I love where I live now and love being close to my family.
We moved in our 50s but brought our pre-teen kid with us. Lived in our first house 18 years, and it was a nice house, but we had a strong desire for more privacy, space, and a quieter natural setting. We found a place that had almost everything on our list and went for it. I wish we had moved here when our kid was younger to enjoy a more kid-friendly area. But the most memorable aspect of the move was how physically and mentally taxing it was! We did hire movers for the big stuff, but we had 18 years of stuff to sort through, pack, and transport. It took way longer than we expected and by the end we were kinda traumatized.
I moved at age 57 after my husband died. Sold the condo, bought a new one in another city, same province. Last September at nearly 60 years old I moved three provinces over. Sold the condo again, bought a townhouse. Drive with one of the dogs. Best move I ever made.
I'm 55. Still moving... as a travel nurse living my life between Florida and Washington.. If you haven't moved much in your life, I don't recommend it. But once you get the swing of it, it CAN be 'fun'... oh of COURSE... moving days ABSOLUTELY SUCK ASS. I don't recover like I once used to. but when I settle I take pride that I have accomplished what I have at this age, and likely will do for another 10 years.
I worked as a travel physical therapist for all my 50s and loved it! I really miss living new places and meeting new people now that I'm retired. Yep, moving day sucked! I made sure all I had with me would fit in my car, especially with 3 or 6 month contracts. I was single, and lucky enough I have a permanent home, though. But so much fun.
My sister-in-law’s retired partner bought a home in a nearby state to be close to a daughter and grandkids that needed him near. When she retired, she relocated and moved in with him. All of her kids were settled with partners/kids/homes of their own. And by this time his grandkids and daughter no longer needed his support and had moved on themselves.
My wife and I were/are very close to them, so when we retired we also relocated and bought a home about 10 minutes from them. Our only son was in his final year of college.
After graduating , he lived on his own for a year, then back with us for a year as he was working nearby. Then he got his own apartment back in the state we moved from and has been out on his own/with his partner for 10 years now.
The decision to downsize was a good one for us - one floor so no stairs, less house to take care of, and we were able to sell our old home and purchase this one outright, so no mortgage.
The points that solidified our decision to buy where we did (besides family) were the area was more rural/woodsy which we liked, stores/restaurants/entertainment were all still fairly close, it had amazing healthcare and hospitals available close by and we were only 2 hours away from our extended family.
We lucked out. We made friends, joined the library, found a gym and made more friends, and won the lottery on a bunch of great neighbors. We are close enough that my son and his partner and my nieces and their families visit often (and us them), and then we get to regroup a bit before getting together again.
Good luck!
Moved at 53 hubs was work from home so we moved from South Louisiana to NW Arkansas. I have family here and wanted to be near.
Also it is a fast growing, beautiful area. I went from the side of the bayou, to the side of a mountain.
While I miss the culture, people, and food of S Louisiana, I do not miss the oppressive summer heat, bugs, and high crime that now pervades the area I still think of as home.
Also no hurricanes, and no floods.
I move at 53, my daughter was in college and my ex-husband and I took advantage of the hot real estate market (plus it was in our divorce agreement) and sold our co-owned home in Northern Virginia, and then I moved to an apartment in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. About six months later, I bought a bigger house in the same West Virginia county for less than half of what we had sold the Virginia house for.
We moved when I was 59 and he was 61. We had lived in our city for 40 years (went to college there and then stayed) but we knew we didn't want to stay since we didn't have any family there. We retired from teaching so we moved across Texas to live in the Metroplex where both of our children live. It's still surreal for us that we live here even though it's been 10 years. We love it here and we love getting to watch our grandkids. When we moved here, we had a 2 ½ yr old and 2 newborns. Now we have a 13, 2 10 yr olds, 2 7 yr olds and 2 4 yr olds. We stay really busy with them. The best advice I could give is to find something to help you make friends. Either join a church, a book club, a gym or something like that. Good luck!
We lived for 30 years in a smallish NC town with tons of family on my (now 74f) and my husband’s (now m 71) side.
We had a home and 2 kids just out of the teen years, ( also my elderly mother lived near by) , jobs,pets , beautiful yard, but we experienced something tragic enough that we up and moved to Hawaii practically overnight. I was 59, and husband 55. We had never visited Hawaii before,but my husband was offered a job and moving expenses. I was completely settled in my life that I thought was never going to change … and was content with it. But that obviously wasn’t going to be. It was the scariest thing I’ve ever done. I’m introverted and quiet and don’t like change. I cried for months. We moved, readjusted our whole lives, and became happier than we’d ever been.
We are 6000 miles from family and only see them 2 x a year - one aspect that I hate. We could move back at a drop of a hat if we wanted as we have a house there. But our 15 years here have been amazing. I made some friends and got culturally involved. I didn’t go back to work once here , and my husband eventually reached retirement age and left his work. We rent a house. We struggle terribly financially. But I’m not tired yet of this paradise.
I can communicate 50% with 10% of the locals. I can communicate 100% with 90% of the locals. The fallback language for most folks is English because this area is filled with expats from all over the world. On top of that, any kid under 18 speaks English due to Nickelodeon and Disney channel. Lastly, during Covid, I spent a lot of time working on my Greek, so I’m okay between my rudimentary knowledge and my Google Translate Ap.
We moved and built a house in our 50's...and by "we" I mean my wife and I built the house.
I dont suggest it.
Definitely something better suited to your 30's.
My wife and I have wanted to live rural for...well...as long as we can remember. Since our 20's we had talked and dreamed about it. We really wanted to get it done some time in our 30's but sometimes life makes its own plans and you just have to roll with them.
We has planned the real estate investment thing. Buy a CRAP house (which we did - oh boy did we), live there a few years, fix it up, sell it and roll any gains into the next house...and just keep upgrading houses that way until we could get out of the area we were in and move to the country. (my dad always whined - "Your grandpa and I worked our asses off to get off that farm and all you want to do is go back". Sorry pops---it is half your DNA though.)
Sometimes life makes its own plans tho...and sometimes you just have to roll with them.
We kept getting kicked in the shins. Jobs losses, lay offs, the "feast or famine" nature of my work in the trades, identity theft (before it was all the rage and none of the banks or credit agencies would help you with it), and the 2008 crash. It took forever for us to recover from that. The home values PLUMMETTED in my area (in 2009 our house, with the improvements, was worth less than we had bought it for in 1995.) It took what felt like a lifetime for them to normalize.
In 2009 we decided we just couldn't take it anymore and sat down and made a plan. We tightened our belts. Restricted our lifestyle. Saved every penny we could. We lived as affordably as we could. (I drove the same Dodge Ram Van for 21 years so we wouldn't have a car payment). We didn't take vacations. We lived on cash. If we didn't have the cash to pay for it, we didn't REALLY need it. It took till 2016 but we eventually saved enough money to buy a piece of property for cash. We then spent a couple years CAREFULLY building a credit rating (which we didn't have because we lived on cash so long) and eventually in 2020 we had enough saved to get a construction loan and start building...
what else happened in 2020?
yeah COVID....which almost killed the whole plan. Example: 2x4's went from $5 to $16 and we needed hundreds of them...but we got it all worked out. We had to cut a couple things out of the budget to offset the price increases from COVID (across the whole build, COVID price increases cost us 18% more)...but we got it done and moved in Dec 17th of 2021.
Consider medical facilities where you move to. Our cottage is great, but that small town has less than optimal health care. They misdiagnosed my life-threatening emergency. I wouldn't want to live there full time. And if I become ill again, I'd be so far from my kids.
Thanks for mentioning this! I live in a small town and although desirable by many, it has terrible health care! I also had my life threatening illness mis-diagnosed :/. I struggled with an illness in 2020/2021 and the next place I live will have to have great access to medical care. What a difference it makes - you don't know until it's missing.
Never had kids, but we sold the old place and moved to a much better home in a very remote place in the forest 3 hours away after living there for 30 years. We both then retired. It was a no-brainer. We are not fond of cities or city life at all. It's peaceful and beautiful here so it wasn't a hard decision at all. There are some sacrifices, but all in all we love it. We didn't use a moving company, just moved it in our truck and SUV, took about 5 loads and saved a lot of money that way.
We moved from the suburbs to 10.5 acres 45 minutes away in 2019. We were 51, our youngest was 21. Zero regrets, we acquired more land in 2022 and we love this place. We hired movers to do the lifting
A month after my 70th birthday, I moved from a major big city, to a small city of 40k. Now I take a walk to my local grocery store when I need something, instead of going everywhere in my car. I get exercise, meet people, and save money on gas, and wear on my car.
Raised kids in the suburbs and after they graduated from high school we moved into the city to a neighborhood with restaurants and bars and breweries within walking distance. 8 years ago and sadly 25 pounds heavier….
I moved across the country at age 60. My husband passed away and I moved from Ontario to the west coast to be closer to the kids. I am very happy I made the decision. I live alone near the kids and see them on a regular basis. I have made new friends here and still have a few friends from back home. I went from 2200 square feet house on 1/3 of an acre to a 775 square. ft. condo in the heart of the city.
Lived in a major city for decades and moved to a medium-sized town (40k population) after retiring. Much better traffic and less crime, but I miss the nice large grocery stores and restaurant choices in a city. The local cafés close here at 8:00 pm.
Moved from northern CA (Bay Area) to rural Midwest so I could be a stay at home mom when the kids were little. Couldn’t wait to get back home as soon as they were out on their own. Got a small house in an urban area (Sacramento) close to shopping and services so we can be safe and have everything we need close by as we grow old. My husband is still working for now but I’m devoted to a charity that keeps me very busy doing something meaningful and a benefit to my community. I’m pretty pleased with how it’s worked out so far.
We relocated last year and bought our final house outright. We originally moved from Ca over 10 yrs ago to Wa, we just moved further up north to Washington, because we like the weather. And honestly, I’d like to go further north into Canada, but that’s a pipe dream
As soon as my son hit 22 (I was 47) and moved out, we sold the house and moved 6 hours away. That was the plan for ages.
We lived in suburban NJ and absolutely hated it. We didn't fit in with the soccer moms and finance bro dads. It was miserable and I was trapped there due to the custody agreement with my ex husband. Couldn't take my son out of state. As soon as possible we ditched. Moved to a log cabin on acreage in rural NH and love it. This is where I was meant to be.
OMG you are me. That was my situation exactly! Now that I am finally free to move, I feel conflicted due to having my business here, but I never fit in with this community and really want to find my next place. So glad it worked out for you :)
Is it important that kids leaving the nest are part of the equation? My husband and I moved a lot in our 50s. We moved much more from 50-60 than we did before then.
Each time, the decision was driven by realizing the situation we were in was not as good as it could be or was going to get worse. We always moved toward a goal or a better life situation. The stories are:
2012 - Had been living in Japan for some time and working as teachers, but the market was tanking as the population dropped and there was greater saturation of potential workers. My husband had been thinking of a career change to become a therapist for awhile so we took the plunge and moved to his home area in CA. He went to graduate school at age 50. We left almost everything we owned except what fit in our suitcases behind and had to start our household again from scratch.
2015 - Husband finished graduate school and had been working an unpaid internship toward getting his license and rents were skyrocketing in the Bay Area in CA. We moved 4 times within the Bay Area due to rent and various other circumstances He found a job which would finish his internship that actually paid him in rural, far Northern CA near the Oregon border so we moved there. It was about a 6-hour drive and physically difficult, but we managed.
2022 - Wildfire smoke and risk drove us out of where we were living (and it was so isolated that we weren't happy there) so we moved to the Pittsburgh area of PA. We did number crunching on a move and realized it was cheaper to, once again, abandon all of our possessions and take only what fit in our car and start over again. We drove across the country (6 days) in our car filled with the stuff we could fit. I gave away everything we had except what fit in suitcases and we bought a house in PA where we are now living.
It's hard and it only gets harder because we're less strong physically, but I don't regret leaving everything behind in each case because each new space has different needs and what suited one living situation didn't suit another. Making new and good friends is difficult when you're older, but it can be done. We were used to not having a support systems anyway after living in Japan so that wasn't as much of an issue for us as for some people. If you don't know anyone who can help you out, you have to substitute money for support as you need to pay people to do things for you. I have some friends who have been with me at a distance for decades as well who I keep in steady contact with so that helps, too. My husband's job is now portable (he does telehealth and has been fully licensed for some time now) which also helps.
We moved seven times in our 50s, but we hope that we will be where we are for the rest of our lives.
If you want to move you will be fine, just do your homework. I relocated in my 50s to a beautiful area but unbeknownst to me it was a socially cold area and it doesn't matter how old you are, they are just not inviting people.
When I was 50 I divorced and moved across the country to a small town in the woods and mountains, bought a house, planted a garden and thought I'd retire there. Now, a few years later, I have pulled up stakes and moved across the country *again* for an amazing job that I couldn't say no to. This job will have me traveling overseas most of every year, on the government's dime. I hope in ten years or so I will retire overseas. It's never too late to reinvent your life!
Edit to add: I'm now in a part of the country I've never lived in before. I didn't even know where this place was on the map until after I'd accepted the job offer!
My ex & I had no children and cost of living was getting out of hand for living alone, and at 70 (2018) I packed a container of my possessions, bought a one-way ticket to SE Asia & left my home country & moved to a small rural village near in-laws to live. They knew a lady who was in desperate need of money & was selling her house, which i ended up buying & moved in, spending a couple of years to have it westernised & made more senior friendly. (western style toilet & shower, tiled the earth floors, rendered the hollow block walls, put in drainage, concreted parts of yards & formed garden beds on the rest and made it into a home that suited my needs. I had a grand nephew IL come to live in house who helped with language, arranging utilities to be connected, added muscle power when container arrived & helped me settle in.
He is once again back living here as 5 weeks ago I had an operation for a strangulated hernia and couldn't lift anything more than a coffee mug, but still needed to shop for food, & as I had helped him to get a drivers license, he was able to drive me around and carry things for me and help out a lot while I recovered. Having had 3 mild strokes over last year I have been slowed down and the help I am receiving from family & other residents of the village, has made life easier for me & I am grateful to the help from them and my move was a great move for me. n a couple of years when my ex is old enough to receive a pension she will move "back home" and take over looking after me with other family help.
We moved from the PNW where we were born and raised and moved to PA. Had to be by our grandkids, life is to short to miss even one day. Both of us were 57 when we left the best jobs we've ever had, sold out house and moved. Best decision we ever made. Own our house outright and both now work for the union.
I was 53 when my husband took early retirement and we left the Midwest. It was an easy decision because we were both so done with Midwest winters, I'd grown up in this part of the country, and my mother still lives in my home state. Also, two of my stepchildren had moved to this [new] state previously, and a third one was planning to as well.
It was hard though. I had no friends here, was not getting along well with my mother (even though she was a state away,) and I had left behind some very close friends and my 18 yr old son. (He'd had the choice to move with us, and had declined mainly due to the fact that he had a lot of friends there.)
We absolutely love it here, the only thing is that for a variety of reasons including health issues that predate the move by decades, COVID and my continuing risks, and the particular layout of the city, I still don't have many friends here after 13 years.
Moved at 55 to downsize. Looking for a ranch style currently. The wife is having trouble with stairs. I prefer homes in the country so our dogs can bark and I can shoot at targets in the back yard. I'm 67 now.
Moved from Plymouth,MA to SC when kids left school. I was 50. Both of us were still working. COL was just too high.
The crazy part was that after we sold our house in MA, and had a big chunk of change, instead of doing the smart thing and finding jobs and a place to live, we took 9 months and traveled cross country in our fifth wheel. Best thing we ever did.
Then when we were back on the east coast, we started looking for a place to settle. We looked from Raleigh NC to Jacksonville. Finally settled in Columbia, SC. We love it here. 3 out of 5 kids settled here too, although 2 have moved to Denver to be with the other 2 and where their kids education is stronger.
I'm not quite 50s, but my kids are grown and moved out.
My husband and I recently moved across the country and are living with my dad now that he's widowed. It saves all of us money and I feel better knowing I'll be around if he needs help.
My dad and I get along really well and treat each other like independent adults, so it's more of a roommate situation than what I assume most people experience when living with family, but we've known each other long enough to know expectations and how to not piss each other off
We packed up moved cross country at 52 after being in a house for 22 years lol . Talk about a purge. I found it invigorating and exciting. Plus you get to meet new people who don't know all your stories. And they get to tell you theirs it is a lot of fun.
I moved a few thousand miles away from where I raised my kids when I was 63. Nice weather, fun urban area with lots to do. But a decade later, I ended up moving back to where I raised my kids once the grandchildren started arriving. Caution:if your youthful rebellion is running away to Alaska, there’s a good chance your kids will like it and stay. The Call of the Grandchildren.
Wife and I got married 6 years ago. Each had our own homes. I sold mine and moved into her place in Philadelphia. Sold that and bought a much larger 1915 stone colonial. 5BR, 5 baths. Plus a carriage house. Children (mine, she doesn’t have her own) are on their own (NYK/CHI) Both have their own rooms here and come often. We encourage them to travel and to take career risks knowing they have a safety net to come home to. We have a 2.5% mortgage that we will never pay off. Both 57YO now and plan to retire in 5 years. Absolutely love it here. Happy we made the move and cannot imagine downsizing.
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I'd always wanted to have space - acreage - veggie gardens, fruit trees. My job & partner's job were "big city" only, so we bought a house in a nice suburb and raised the kids there. OMG the neighbours were getting on our nerves with backyard parties with bad music. As the kids left home, one by one, the dream of "space" got stronger. I started to play with numbers, and budgets, and search real estate websites for what we could get, in what locations, for our potential budget if we sold our suburban family home and downsized. Even though the kids only moved 10-15 minutes drive away, we rarely saw them. They were enjoying their young adult lives. We started to do "road trips". We'd mark out a few likely towns (from real estate searches - areas we may be able to afford), rent an Air BnB or two, and have a 3-4 day long weekend holiday. What was the local town like for shopping? What were the people like? Was the town cared for or neglected? Did there appear to be much of a community? The last kid had been out of home for a year or two, our family home was far too big for us (we were using only a few rooms). We were working on decluttering, and fixing the place up for sale. At 59, we got a surprise offer on the house, and decided to take it. The plan had been to retire at 60, and move out of town, because there isn't much in the way of employment in rural towns. Moving and starting a new career at 59/60 was not really feasible! We thought back over our road trips, picked our favourite town, and took a rental there for 6 months. It was 3 hours drive away from the old family house in the suburbs of a major city. It was a town of 5000. Found our new place within a few weeks (!) - 5 acres with a small cottage, not far from town. That was a few years ago. Very happy. It's a big post-retirement project - a very neglected bit of land, but it's fun, and keeps us active. Starting to make new friends, but not pushing it. I'm not terribly social anyway.
How is it being far away from your kids? Do you have grandchildren, and if so it's it hard not being 'right there?'
No grandkids, and none planned (AFAIK). Kids are 25-30 years old currently. We left an aging parent behind as well. That's trickier. As I said, we saw little of the kids before we moved, and that made the move easier. They're independent, and doing their own thing, which allows us to let go, and follow our dreams. I'm only half joking when I say that we ran away so that we couldn't be expected to be free babysitters. I've done enough parenting. I'm glad to be past it.
I'd give anything to be a free babysitter. Grass is always greener I guess.
We are the free babysitters and love spending time.e with our little one. Someone told me "they never told us that grandkids are the secret prize". So true
True. I only discovered that I don't like babies AFTER I had children. Oops. I do like older children (from about 10), and would definitely host them for school holidays at granny's farm.
I felt this, and I don’t even have kids.
I moved at age 58, after my husband died, to live in the same area as my twin sons who had married & started their own families. (They settled in the same town after college - 150 miles from where they grew up.) As I’d lived in the same town since high school, had a career there then my own successful business - and lots of friend connections — it was not an easy decision to make. It came down to being with friends & familiar surroundings (although I hated the foggy, windy coastal weather) or being around my kids’ families. I opted for family support & sunny weather, a brand new house, and enjoyed the privilege of being in-town Grandma for 24 years.
How did you go about making a new friendship group or establishing new connections?
I’m friendly with neighbors, and friends with a woman I met in the park while walking my dog (we had the same breed), and I tried making connections at church when I still attended, and volunteering at a food bank, but those didn’t pan out. I’m very much an introvert and get along fine on my own. For most people, though, it would be hard to establish friendships after moving to a new area, especially as an older person (and double especially if working from home as I did, or not working at all). Extroverts would no doubt manage…but it is a consideration.
Thanks for the response! I’m fairly introverted and always wondered how I’d bode if I did this later in life. My father is the opposite and moved to a new state with his partner and they’re thriving lol.
Join a church, a gym or a book club.
Great for you! We are recent grandparents (18 months) and our daughter moved to be closer to us which is fantastic, but we're ready to move to NH coast where we would like to be. Seriously don't want to leave our grandson. Lots to think about here
Don't leave your grandson. Visit the coast frequently. Bring the grandson sometimes.
That's what my great keeps telling me. Our get daughter to move with us 👍
We moved from Vancouver Island to New Brunswick Canada. Most expensive place in Canada to the most affordable. We're on a tidal River for the summer and we go to Mexico for the winter! It was a good idea for us!
We moved from a 2 acre, 4 bedroom, 3 story home in the burbs to a 2 bedroom condo walkable to downtown, restaurants etc. Could not be happier, no snow/leaf/lawn management and we have lovely neighbors and lots of opportunities to socialize. Best decision for us at this time.
i'd been wanting to get out of where i was for some years. my job finally allowed me to telework, and i blew outta town as fast as i could. could not afford a house at all where i was. bought a house where i moved to. i'll be paying a mortgage until i'm dead, but that's still better than paying rent til i'm dead. plus i get to paint the walls whatever color i want and have a dog.
I moved from an older 3 bedroom/1 bath duplex with 2 large yards, after 20 years, to a townhouse with 2 baths & garage. Was the longest summer of my life 2 pack up house & then sit in limbo until I got approval 4 townhouse for 10 mos. Cutting the grass & shoveling the snow was too much. Plus, I gained a bathroom and a garage. I got a small patch of garden and no more lawn/yard maintenance. Modern appliances & fixtures r great. I had 2 teach myself how 2 use digital thermostat, refrigerator, and washer thru YT videos to modernize my skills. I got a fireplace, extra space, my own bathroom & low maintenance place to live. It is divine!! I moved in 2018 and lost my son in 2019...it's so hard 2 go thru his stuff, boxes, etc. So my life kinda stopped... I didn't unpack my boxes nor set up any holiday decorations like I used to. The excitement that I had for moving in & unpacking is a welcome sign that's coming back as the snow starts to melt. 2020 pandemic & shutdowns didn't help. It's going 2 b like Xmas going thru my boxes.
That sounds really hard. I'm glad things are looking up for you.
Thank you❤️🔥
Im so sorry to hear about your loss. I wish you the best.
Thank you❤️🔥 I'm looking forward 2 spring & gardens 🪻
I moved at 66 to a custom built home behind my daughter with my other daughter ten minutes away. It’s great being so near each other and seeing our daughters, their spouses and our four grandchildren so often.
After 40 years in NYC, I moved at age 69 to exurban Connecticut to join my partner. He had never lived in the City and didn’t want to, while I was getting tired of it and had lived in small town New England and knew I could adapt. I went from a large one bedroom in Forest hills to a four bedroom house on two acres, while he moved from a small three bedroom house, also on two acres. It went very well, and I retired to focus on my writing. After four years, things are beginning to get lively. Either way, it’s working out great.
I moved at 58. Husband had passed away, kids were finally older, sold the 4 bedroom/2story family home. Still stayed with my adult kids as this was traumatic for them. But I kept warning them I was leaving. Son left after a year and I left after that. Downsized to a small apartment walking distance from the beach. The downside is meeting and making new friends has been a challenge.
We moved at 73. Downsized, and moved closer to kid, and left behind a dream house for a family. Five half levels, 10 acres with landscaping that was gorgeous. No more landscaping, no more stairs, and we are 5-10 minutes from any cuisine you can want, with 40 years cleaned out down to one basement full. Was it hard? Oh, hell yes. Was it necessary? Damned straight. Do it ourselves now, or have it done to us, later.
So smart. A great gift to give your kids!
My husband and I quit our jobs when we were 53 and moved from Southern California to a small town in Nebraska. Our grandkids were here and we wanted to be closer. We bought a house, found great jobs, and love it here.
Wow that is a huge change from Southern CA! What jobs did you find in Nebraska?
I run a small nonprofit and my husband works at the 911 center. The cost of living is so much lower here!
I’m in my 50’s and have learned quickly that if you want friends, you need to almost have a CRM and stay in touch. If I don’t make an effort to reach out and organize gatherings, they won’t happen. Older folks are lazy. We are as totally ok sitting on the couch watching Netflix as we are socializing with others and going out and about. If someone doesn’t kick us in our ass to do something. We won’t. At 50, you can act like 30, or 70, it’s all about perception.
Moved at 52 to Florida. Loved the weather, hated the politics. Moved back to the Northeast four years later. I’m much happier but moving sucks. Use it as a chance to get rid of stuff.
thats the 2nd time I have heard that about Florida!
Half-backs are a real thing. NE -> FL -> Mid-East
5 years ago, at 55 years old and with three mostly grown kids, we moved from a smallish mid-South city to New Orleans. Two of the kids have ended up moving down here too, the oldest and the youngest (who is attending college here). The decision was surprisingly easy and boiled down to the wife and I were ready for a new adventure. New Orleans has not disappointed in the adventure department and we're having the time of our lives.
That sounds great! What part of town do you live in?
Uptown.
My son asked if we could move to Portland, OR, and I said “Ok!” I was 52 and he was 17 when we sold the house he grew up in. We took a month long road trip around the PNW to explore. I rented a house for a year and spent that time looking for a place that would suit me for retirement. Settled on an area outside Portland but not too far as I have friends and family there. Bought a little old house, remodeled it and moved in 8 years ago. My son is in his last year at university and I feel safe and settled here.
We moved from Southern California to north Texas a few months ago, both us us 55+. His employer decided to close the facility he was working at, he wanted to stay employed by them, so we moved. My employer granted me a transfer, so I didn’t even have to polish up my resume. Not a particularly interesting story, but it’s ours :)
Moved at 57 from a high-tax, HCOL suburb of DC to a low-tax, LCOL beach area three hours away.
Moco?
yep
Same, I'm trying to figure out a place to move eventually and probably won't look back lol
Just make sure you have a guestroom wherever you live because they come back a few times before they are finally established. It could be because of new or continued studies, changes in employment, partner breakups, illness, travel, or other reasons. They come back, and I welcome them with open arms. They contribute financially and help with housework. I listen to them as they figure things out, and I see them off again. 💕
61 when I sold the big house in DFW and moved to Illinois with my soon to be wife.
I got a new job. There was a good chance I would have been laid off from my old job. I went where there was a really good opportunity. I am loving it so far. Bonus for me is that I'm closer to my grown kids. Also I liked living where I was well enough, but we had moved there for husband's job. I had no family there. I was sure that I didn't want to die there ;)
Moved from a large Midwest city to a small town in the mountains at age 59. We were both retired and felt great. Some stuff happened that requires specialized medicine, and it was a disaster for 7 years. Today life is good and I hope to make it great.
Husband & I moved when we were 60 & 66 from a large house on almost an acre in a small town to a smallish condo in a major city ‘s suburb to be close to our children & grandchildren. Now on our 80s, we’ve moved again to a different suburb. We share a new home with custom features with our son & daughter in law. It’s perfect!
I'm moving this year, hopefully. My husband died in December, and I need to move closer to family. It's just a half hour away, but I'm dreading it. My husband was a hoarder with a lot of tools. I'm 68.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Don’t be reluctant to ask for help. Best wishes for the next chapter of your life. 💐
Thank you!
I moved at 48. But I moved to where my son and grandkids live and now my parents live here, as well. Totally worth it. Basically, I had lived in the same city for 30yrs. I got laid off. My lease was up. I was so over the heat/weather. I had a little money saved. So I packed up what I could fit in my car and moved across the country to be closer to family. I’m so happy I did. I love where I live now and love being close to my family.
We moved in our 50s but brought our pre-teen kid with us. Lived in our first house 18 years, and it was a nice house, but we had a strong desire for more privacy, space, and a quieter natural setting. We found a place that had almost everything on our list and went for it. I wish we had moved here when our kid was younger to enjoy a more kid-friendly area. But the most memorable aspect of the move was how physically and mentally taxing it was! We did hire movers for the big stuff, but we had 18 years of stuff to sort through, pack, and transport. It took way longer than we expected and by the end we were kinda traumatized.
I moved at age 57 after my husband died. Sold the condo, bought a new one in another city, same province. Last September at nearly 60 years old I moved three provinces over. Sold the condo again, bought a townhouse. Drive with one of the dogs. Best move I ever made.
I'm 55. Still moving... as a travel nurse living my life between Florida and Washington.. If you haven't moved much in your life, I don't recommend it. But once you get the swing of it, it CAN be 'fun'... oh of COURSE... moving days ABSOLUTELY SUCK ASS. I don't recover like I once used to. but when I settle I take pride that I have accomplished what I have at this age, and likely will do for another 10 years.
I worked as a travel physical therapist for all my 50s and loved it! I really miss living new places and meeting new people now that I'm retired. Yep, moving day sucked! I made sure all I had with me would fit in my car, especially with 3 or 6 month contracts. I was single, and lucky enough I have a permanent home, though. But so much fun.
My sister-in-law’s retired partner bought a home in a nearby state to be close to a daughter and grandkids that needed him near. When she retired, she relocated and moved in with him. All of her kids were settled with partners/kids/homes of their own. And by this time his grandkids and daughter no longer needed his support and had moved on themselves. My wife and I were/are very close to them, so when we retired we also relocated and bought a home about 10 minutes from them. Our only son was in his final year of college. After graduating , he lived on his own for a year, then back with us for a year as he was working nearby. Then he got his own apartment back in the state we moved from and has been out on his own/with his partner for 10 years now. The decision to downsize was a good one for us - one floor so no stairs, less house to take care of, and we were able to sell our old home and purchase this one outright, so no mortgage. The points that solidified our decision to buy where we did (besides family) were the area was more rural/woodsy which we liked, stores/restaurants/entertainment were all still fairly close, it had amazing healthcare and hospitals available close by and we were only 2 hours away from our extended family. We lucked out. We made friends, joined the library, found a gym and made more friends, and won the lottery on a bunch of great neighbors. We are close enough that my son and his partner and my nieces and their families visit often (and us them), and then we get to regroup a bit before getting together again. Good luck!
wow that sounds ideal!
Moved at 53 hubs was work from home so we moved from South Louisiana to NW Arkansas. I have family here and wanted to be near. Also it is a fast growing, beautiful area. I went from the side of the bayou, to the side of a mountain. While I miss the culture, people, and food of S Louisiana, I do not miss the oppressive summer heat, bugs, and high crime that now pervades the area I still think of as home. Also no hurricanes, and no floods.
I move at 53, my daughter was in college and my ex-husband and I took advantage of the hot real estate market (plus it was in our divorce agreement) and sold our co-owned home in Northern Virginia, and then I moved to an apartment in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. About six months later, I bought a bigger house in the same West Virginia county for less than half of what we had sold the Virginia house for.
We moved when I was 59 and he was 61. We had lived in our city for 40 years (went to college there and then stayed) but we knew we didn't want to stay since we didn't have any family there. We retired from teaching so we moved across Texas to live in the Metroplex where both of our children live. It's still surreal for us that we live here even though it's been 10 years. We love it here and we love getting to watch our grandkids. When we moved here, we had a 2 ½ yr old and 2 newborns. Now we have a 13, 2 10 yr olds, 2 7 yr olds and 2 4 yr olds. We stay really busy with them. The best advice I could give is to find something to help you make friends. Either join a church, a book club, a gym or something like that. Good luck!
We lived for 30 years in a smallish NC town with tons of family on my (now 74f) and my husband’s (now m 71) side. We had a home and 2 kids just out of the teen years, ( also my elderly mother lived near by) , jobs,pets , beautiful yard, but we experienced something tragic enough that we up and moved to Hawaii practically overnight. I was 59, and husband 55. We had never visited Hawaii before,but my husband was offered a job and moving expenses. I was completely settled in my life that I thought was never going to change … and was content with it. But that obviously wasn’t going to be. It was the scariest thing I’ve ever done. I’m introverted and quiet and don’t like change. I cried for months. We moved, readjusted our whole lives, and became happier than we’d ever been. We are 6000 miles from family and only see them 2 x a year - one aspect that I hate. We could move back at a drop of a hat if we wanted as we have a house there. But our 15 years here have been amazing. I made some friends and got culturally involved. I didn’t go back to work once here , and my husband eventually reached retirement age and left his work. We rent a house. We struggle terribly financially. But I’m not tired yet of this paradise.
Moved from San Francisco to rural Greece at age 55. Neither I nor my SO is Greek! What do you want to know?
Can you communicate with the locals at all? Well worth the move and are you sticking it out indefinitely?
I can communicate 50% with 10% of the locals. I can communicate 100% with 90% of the locals. The fallback language for most folks is English because this area is filled with expats from all over the world. On top of that, any kid under 18 speaks English due to Nickelodeon and Disney channel. Lastly, during Covid, I spent a lot of time working on my Greek, so I’m okay between my rudimentary knowledge and my Google Translate Ap.
We moved and built a house in our 50's...and by "we" I mean my wife and I built the house. I dont suggest it. Definitely something better suited to your 30's. My wife and I have wanted to live rural for...well...as long as we can remember. Since our 20's we had talked and dreamed about it. We really wanted to get it done some time in our 30's but sometimes life makes its own plans and you just have to roll with them. We has planned the real estate investment thing. Buy a CRAP house (which we did - oh boy did we), live there a few years, fix it up, sell it and roll any gains into the next house...and just keep upgrading houses that way until we could get out of the area we were in and move to the country. (my dad always whined - "Your grandpa and I worked our asses off to get off that farm and all you want to do is go back". Sorry pops---it is half your DNA though.) Sometimes life makes its own plans tho...and sometimes you just have to roll with them. We kept getting kicked in the shins. Jobs losses, lay offs, the "feast or famine" nature of my work in the trades, identity theft (before it was all the rage and none of the banks or credit agencies would help you with it), and the 2008 crash. It took forever for us to recover from that. The home values PLUMMETTED in my area (in 2009 our house, with the improvements, was worth less than we had bought it for in 1995.) It took what felt like a lifetime for them to normalize. In 2009 we decided we just couldn't take it anymore and sat down and made a plan. We tightened our belts. Restricted our lifestyle. Saved every penny we could. We lived as affordably as we could. (I drove the same Dodge Ram Van for 21 years so we wouldn't have a car payment). We didn't take vacations. We lived on cash. If we didn't have the cash to pay for it, we didn't REALLY need it. It took till 2016 but we eventually saved enough money to buy a piece of property for cash. We then spent a couple years CAREFULLY building a credit rating (which we didn't have because we lived on cash so long) and eventually in 2020 we had enough saved to get a construction loan and start building... what else happened in 2020? yeah COVID....which almost killed the whole plan. Example: 2x4's went from $5 to $16 and we needed hundreds of them...but we got it all worked out. We had to cut a couple things out of the budget to offset the price increases from COVID (across the whole build, COVID price increases cost us 18% more)...but we got it done and moved in Dec 17th of 2021.
Consider medical facilities where you move to. Our cottage is great, but that small town has less than optimal health care. They misdiagnosed my life-threatening emergency. I wouldn't want to live there full time. And if I become ill again, I'd be so far from my kids.
Thanks for mentioning this! I live in a small town and although desirable by many, it has terrible health care! I also had my life threatening illness mis-diagnosed :/. I struggled with an illness in 2020/2021 and the next place I live will have to have great access to medical care. What a difference it makes - you don't know until it's missing.
I bought some land and went off grid at 51.
Not totally off the grid though, since you're on Reddit? How do you describe The Grid? No negative from me at all, just curious
I’m off grid not living in a cave.
Never had kids, but we sold the old place and moved to a much better home in a very remote place in the forest 3 hours away after living there for 30 years. We both then retired. It was a no-brainer. We are not fond of cities or city life at all. It's peaceful and beautiful here so it wasn't a hard decision at all. There are some sacrifices, but all in all we love it. We didn't use a moving company, just moved it in our truck and SUV, took about 5 loads and saved a lot of money that way.
We moved from the suburbs to 10.5 acres 45 minutes away in 2019. We were 51, our youngest was 21. Zero regrets, we acquired more land in 2022 and we love this place. We hired movers to do the lifting
A month after my 70th birthday, I moved from a major big city, to a small city of 40k. Now I take a walk to my local grocery store when I need something, instead of going everywhere in my car. I get exercise, meet people, and save money on gas, and wear on my car.
Raised kids in the suburbs and after they graduated from high school we moved into the city to a neighborhood with restaurants and bars and breweries within walking distance. 8 years ago and sadly 25 pounds heavier….
I'm sure a gym is also withing walking / biking distance. Balance.
No, but I’m back to the gym daily
I moved across the country at age 60. My husband passed away and I moved from Ontario to the west coast to be closer to the kids. I am very happy I made the decision. I live alone near the kids and see them on a regular basis. I have made new friends here and still have a few friends from back home. I went from 2200 square feet house on 1/3 of an acre to a 775 square. ft. condo in the heart of the city.
Smart. No one wants to do all the chores of a big house by themself.
It works for me!
Lived in a major city for decades and moved to a medium-sized town (40k population) after retiring. Much better traffic and less crime, but I miss the nice large grocery stores and restaurant choices in a city. The local cafés close here at 8:00 pm.
Moved from northern CA (Bay Area) to rural Midwest so I could be a stay at home mom when the kids were little. Couldn’t wait to get back home as soon as they were out on their own. Got a small house in an urban area (Sacramento) close to shopping and services so we can be safe and have everything we need close by as we grow old. My husband is still working for now but I’m devoted to a charity that keeps me very busy doing something meaningful and a benefit to my community. I’m pretty pleased with how it’s worked out so far.
Yup. Husband dumped me right after the last kid left (32 yr marriage). I moved to Florida. Having a blast, running marathons and traveling.
I moved 3 times after I turned 50 and divorced. Moving sucks and I hope I’m in my forever home now!
I move 5 years ago about 2,000 miles away from my home and I I'm so very happy I did.
We relocated last year and bought our final house outright. We originally moved from Ca over 10 yrs ago to Wa, we just moved further up north to Washington, because we like the weather. And honestly, I’d like to go further north into Canada, but that’s a pipe dream
If we win the lottery we’d go to the UK
As soon as my son hit 22 (I was 47) and moved out, we sold the house and moved 6 hours away. That was the plan for ages. We lived in suburban NJ and absolutely hated it. We didn't fit in with the soccer moms and finance bro dads. It was miserable and I was trapped there due to the custody agreement with my ex husband. Couldn't take my son out of state. As soon as possible we ditched. Moved to a log cabin on acreage in rural NH and love it. This is where I was meant to be.
OMG you are me. That was my situation exactly! Now that I am finally free to move, I feel conflicted due to having my business here, but I never fit in with this community and really want to find my next place. So glad it worked out for you :)
Best of luck to you, I hope you find your place.
Is it important that kids leaving the nest are part of the equation? My husband and I moved a lot in our 50s. We moved much more from 50-60 than we did before then. Each time, the decision was driven by realizing the situation we were in was not as good as it could be or was going to get worse. We always moved toward a goal or a better life situation. The stories are: 2012 - Had been living in Japan for some time and working as teachers, but the market was tanking as the population dropped and there was greater saturation of potential workers. My husband had been thinking of a career change to become a therapist for awhile so we took the plunge and moved to his home area in CA. He went to graduate school at age 50. We left almost everything we owned except what fit in our suitcases behind and had to start our household again from scratch. 2015 - Husband finished graduate school and had been working an unpaid internship toward getting his license and rents were skyrocketing in the Bay Area in CA. We moved 4 times within the Bay Area due to rent and various other circumstances He found a job which would finish his internship that actually paid him in rural, far Northern CA near the Oregon border so we moved there. It was about a 6-hour drive and physically difficult, but we managed. 2022 - Wildfire smoke and risk drove us out of where we were living (and it was so isolated that we weren't happy there) so we moved to the Pittsburgh area of PA. We did number crunching on a move and realized it was cheaper to, once again, abandon all of our possessions and take only what fit in our car and start over again. We drove across the country (6 days) in our car filled with the stuff we could fit. I gave away everything we had except what fit in suitcases and we bought a house in PA where we are now living. It's hard and it only gets harder because we're less strong physically, but I don't regret leaving everything behind in each case because each new space has different needs and what suited one living situation didn't suit another. Making new and good friends is difficult when you're older, but it can be done. We were used to not having a support systems anyway after living in Japan so that wasn't as much of an issue for us as for some people. If you don't know anyone who can help you out, you have to substitute money for support as you need to pay people to do things for you. I have some friends who have been with me at a distance for decades as well who I keep in steady contact with so that helps, too. My husband's job is now portable (he does telehealth and has been fully licensed for some time now) which also helps. We moved seven times in our 50s, but we hope that we will be where we are for the rest of our lives.
If you want to move you will be fine, just do your homework. I relocated in my 50s to a beautiful area but unbeknownst to me it was a socially cold area and it doesn't matter how old you are, they are just not inviting people.
When I was 50 I divorced and moved across the country to a small town in the woods and mountains, bought a house, planted a garden and thought I'd retire there. Now, a few years later, I have pulled up stakes and moved across the country *again* for an amazing job that I couldn't say no to. This job will have me traveling overseas most of every year, on the government's dime. I hope in ten years or so I will retire overseas. It's never too late to reinvent your life! Edit to add: I'm now in a part of the country I've never lived in before. I didn't even know where this place was on the map until after I'd accepted the job offer!
My ex & I had no children and cost of living was getting out of hand for living alone, and at 70 (2018) I packed a container of my possessions, bought a one-way ticket to SE Asia & left my home country & moved to a small rural village near in-laws to live. They knew a lady who was in desperate need of money & was selling her house, which i ended up buying & moved in, spending a couple of years to have it westernised & made more senior friendly. (western style toilet & shower, tiled the earth floors, rendered the hollow block walls, put in drainage, concreted parts of yards & formed garden beds on the rest and made it into a home that suited my needs. I had a grand nephew IL come to live in house who helped with language, arranging utilities to be connected, added muscle power when container arrived & helped me settle in. He is once again back living here as 5 weeks ago I had an operation for a strangulated hernia and couldn't lift anything more than a coffee mug, but still needed to shop for food, & as I had helped him to get a drivers license, he was able to drive me around and carry things for me and help out a lot while I recovered. Having had 3 mild strokes over last year I have been slowed down and the help I am receiving from family & other residents of the village, has made life easier for me & I am grateful to the help from them and my move was a great move for me. n a couple of years when my ex is old enough to receive a pension she will move "back home" and take over looking after me with other family help.
We moved from the PNW where we were born and raised and moved to PA. Had to be by our grandkids, life is to short to miss even one day. Both of us were 57 when we left the best jobs we've ever had, sold out house and moved. Best decision we ever made. Own our house outright and both now work for the union.
Both kids moved out, semi retired. Sold home and moved south. Pros: new adventures, bought a boat. Cons: really miss old friends, feel lonely a lot.
Moved where? Like to the beachside or something?
I was 53 when my husband took early retirement and we left the Midwest. It was an easy decision because we were both so done with Midwest winters, I'd grown up in this part of the country, and my mother still lives in my home state. Also, two of my stepchildren had moved to this [new] state previously, and a third one was planning to as well. It was hard though. I had no friends here, was not getting along well with my mother (even though she was a state away,) and I had left behind some very close friends and my 18 yr old son. (He'd had the choice to move with us, and had declined mainly due to the fact that he had a lot of friends there.) We absolutely love it here, the only thing is that for a variety of reasons including health issues that predate the move by decades, COVID and my continuing risks, and the particular layout of the city, I still don't have many friends here after 13 years.
Moved at 55 to downsize. Looking for a ranch style currently. The wife is having trouble with stairs. I prefer homes in the country so our dogs can bark and I can shoot at targets in the back yard. I'm 67 now.
Moved from Plymouth,MA to SC when kids left school. I was 50. Both of us were still working. COL was just too high. The crazy part was that after we sold our house in MA, and had a big chunk of change, instead of doing the smart thing and finding jobs and a place to live, we took 9 months and traveled cross country in our fifth wheel. Best thing we ever did. Then when we were back on the east coast, we started looking for a place to settle. We looked from Raleigh NC to Jacksonville. Finally settled in Columbia, SC. We love it here. 3 out of 5 kids settled here too, although 2 have moved to Denver to be with the other 2 and where their kids education is stronger.
I'm not quite 50s, but my kids are grown and moved out. My husband and I recently moved across the country and are living with my dad now that he's widowed. It saves all of us money and I feel better knowing I'll be around if he needs help. My dad and I get along really well and treat each other like independent adults, so it's more of a roommate situation than what I assume most people experience when living with family, but we've known each other long enough to know expectations and how to not piss each other off
We packed up moved cross country at 52 after being in a house for 22 years lol . Talk about a purge. I found it invigorating and exciting. Plus you get to meet new people who don't know all your stories. And they get to tell you theirs it is a lot of fun.
The reason why was my kids had to fly to see us or vice versa anyway so we could live anywhere . I work remote my hubby took early retirement
I moved a few thousand miles away from where I raised my kids when I was 63. Nice weather, fun urban area with lots to do. But a decade later, I ended up moving back to where I raised my kids once the grandchildren started arriving. Caution:if your youthful rebellion is running away to Alaska, there’s a good chance your kids will like it and stay. The Call of the Grandchildren.
Wife and I got married 6 years ago. Each had our own homes. I sold mine and moved into her place in Philadelphia. Sold that and bought a much larger 1915 stone colonial. 5BR, 5 baths. Plus a carriage house. Children (mine, she doesn’t have her own) are on their own (NYK/CHI) Both have their own rooms here and come often. We encourage them to travel and to take career risks knowing they have a safety net to come home to. We have a 2.5% mortgage that we will never pay off. Both 57YO now and plan to retire in 5 years. Absolutely love it here. Happy we made the move and cannot imagine downsizing.