We are looking for a smaller place with less maintenance, and we really aren't geographically limited in terms of places to live.
Justin was the main reason we continued to live in south-central Wisconsin. We both have some friends in the area, but not a lot of close family. Julia's parents have both passed. My dad passed this year, and my mother isn't necessarily committed to living long-term in Iowa, although she will probably stay there in the short term.
Have we considered staying in Wisconsin? Yes, we know we like Madison, and we would consider living there, if it wasn't the most expensive place to live in the state of Wisconsin. The truth is that we could sell our house and barely afford to trade to a newer two bedroom townhouse or condo. Add in the much higher property taxes and a monthly chunk for an HOA, and living in Madison loses much of its allure.
On the other hand, we know Madison. We've lived in the area for over 40 years. It's a progressive city with great parks, festivals, bike paths, lakes, etc. If we could find the right place that we could afford, we would certainly consider it. But we've been looking at the market for quite awhile without finding anything that tempted us. In the meantime, we are doing our due diligence to see if there might be somewhere else in the country for our next adventure.
What are the criteria that we are examining for our next location? A medium-sized city in a walkable neighborhood, good bike trails, access to hiking (mountains and/or desert), diversity in culture and restaurants, sustainable water supply, sunny climate, less winter, affordable housing, good health care, reasonably low crime, a blue or at least purple state, and a thriving arts/weaving community.
We've done quite a bit of research already, and the four states at the top of our list have both pros and cons. None of them meet all of our wants, but life is about compromises. The three states we will visit this fall include: Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. There are four cities where we will airbnb in apartments and condos to get a better "boots on the ground" feel that can't achieved with internet/Zillow research.
The plan is to blog about each of the cities as we experience them.
On a more immediate note, last night I won my first pickleball medal (bronze) at the second annual Baird's CAPA Cup. It was my partner's first tournament, and we played at the 4.0 level (men over 50). I felt like we both underachieved, losing badly in two out of three games at the start. In the next three games, we were often behind but kept battling, winning each game to qualify for the bronze medal round. Then we won decisively in the medal round. It was a lesson to never give up--no matter how badly things are going.
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Sweaty John
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Comments
As for where to live, allow me to encourage you to look for house-sitting positions. Colorado has lots of large weekend homes that need someone to keep an eye on 'em. Aside from the possible drawback of having to do some maintenance, I've heard of positions - like around Boulder & Jackson, WY - that need a supervisor to make sure the hired help show up.
Tuscon is my fav wintering site. The University keeps things contemporay, the gem & mineral show brings in an international crowd and the swimming pool next to the zoo is heated in winter and open all year. There's lots going on but the heat in summer is unbearable.
Gunnison, CO is a nice-sized town with alot of nearby attractions.It's not yet been discovered and property is still (relatively) affordable. Like Tuscon, it"s HOT in summer.
Grand Junction & Baker City are my two favs in Oregon. Grand Junction is bigger so has more amenities but Baker Ciry is quirkier. House prices are going up as these two towns are getting "known."
Cotronwood, AZ lies at the bottom of the hill below the hippie town turned arts community of Jerome. Just up the street are Sedona and a bit further is Flagstaff. There's LOTS of public land spreadin' out far & wide, but prices are skyrocketing. There's a pretty river rhat flows through town, a small but vibrant downtown and it's not far from many places of interest.
If I had your health and the financial wherewithal,, I'd move every three or four months and range from the Yukon to Mexico.
You might get some ideas from Two Happy Camper's blog. They're young but have been around. They're in the list on the right on my blog.
I'm excited for you!
If it was just up to me, we would be getting temporary residence cards in Mexico and moving from beach to mountains with the seasons. That's presently outside Julia's comfort zone, but it's still on the Plan C list. We ruled Panama out because the beach zone is too hot/humid for me, and the mountains are too wet/chilly for Julia.
And then there're the Blues....
https://newmexnomad.blogspot.com/2022/08/blue-mountains.html?m=1
Regarding Bill’s comment, I don’t believe there is a utopia for me. But I do know that I like to change things up from time to time, and I think we are ready for a new home base. When I was 50, my current place with 2.5 acres was perfect. It has woods, privacy and pole buildings. After living in a condo in the middle of the city in Mazatlán for two months, I realized that I really appreciated not having to drive anywhere. And having a big house, outbuildings and a huge lawn has become a lot of work.