Where you live and why?

[henzilla]

I spent some time searching this morning for a related thread from years back. Still looking but going to start a new one anyways.

Some of us born and reside in same general areas, if not the same family home for life. Some move for various reasons as well, some multiple times.
Thought we could share the whys and where’s.

I was born in SE Arkansas and we moved to Houston,TX when I was three due to sister being admitted to TX Childrens Hospital needing care not offered elsewhere close. My dad worked in petroleum industry along the Mississippi River and his company had HQ in H town. Stayed in Houston into my early thirties then moved to Austin area, then to current rural location between Austin and San Antonio ( which are getting closer each year).Been here fifteen years.
Now at 65, looking at another big move back to Arkansas. We close next week but will maintain two homes until H retires in 2024.Maybe sooner… No rush to move will be strange, but also allow time to move shop and set up new place. Will let housing market reset, market here still booming and our place appraised almost four times the 2007 value and have had offers several times for a cash sale. I wasn’t ready.


We found a mountain top acreage home and shop this past return of annual Fall Ozarks vacation. We had been looking at smaller places we could lock and leave, bike and RV storage. Had looked at many the last ten years and never had that feeling… this one struck us both hard. Made an offer thinking it was going to be laughed off, but got call on way home it was accepted. Reality kicked in!
We decided to make this our future home and say goodbye to Central TX. Still have family here, others in CA, but they are ready to come visit already H’s sisters headend to Oregon most likely as well. No hard ties and ready for a change.



Small town the size of current home ( population 2000) however has more amenities and new businesses investing. Thirty minutes to I-40 access, located between four state parks and on edge of Ozark National Forest and Ouchita National Forest on southern side. Fifteen minutes to Mt Nebo and Mt Magazine. Riding in any direction is fantastic. We have always felt at home up here.


The shop isn’t as large, but I’m good with downsizing a bit.
It is rural but has fiber internet and strangely city water. Having been on well and rainwater will be different!

This lake we stumbled on years back is the source and five minutes from house

 

[Omega Man]

Looks fantastic Steve! No idea why I am where I am other than too busy to give relocating any real thought. New Hampshire looks good to me and some of the outer/inland areas have price reductions after the Covid "flee".

I hope you have good luck with the move. Certainly already being familiar with the area is a plus.

Could this be the thread you were looking for? https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?100605-If-you-were-retired-and-could-live-anywhere "Tag Cloud" under retirement.

Gary

 

[bigjohnsd]

Twenty-Eight years ago, my wife and two kids (12 and 8) and I drove around the country in our motorhome seeking a place to settle after retiring from the Navy at age 43.


We settled on Spearfish SD at the North end of the Black Hills.

Four Seasons - Small town - University here - Good schools - great scenery - was affordable 28 years ago - a little "Aspenification" has occurred since then.

I don't regret it a bit.

 

[henzilla]

Could this be the thread you were looking for? https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?100605-If-you-were-retired-and-could-live-anywhere "Tag Cloud" under retirement.

Gary

I saw that and meant to go back and look. That may be what I was recalling

 

[crna59]

Was stationed at Madigan Army Medical Ctr. in Tacoma, WA. Loved it up here so much, I decided to stay when I got out of the Army. Spent 17yr. at the U of W Medical Center passing gas and retired 5yr. ago.
This is a very temperate climate and doesn't rain as much as folk say. Doesn't get too hot/cold and can ride all year long! I'm originally from VA..... too much humidity... mosquitos... venomous snakes and can't stand the water. Love to visit the family once/twice a year, but......
So many beautiful places to ride in the PNW!

 

[20774]

Steve, you should have showed a picture from your porch out into the Hill Country!

 

[Visian]

I am a halfback

Born in New York City, moved to south Florida and have now moved halfway back (to western North Carolina). We live here because of the land, the people, the riding and because we could get to this area from Atlanta on Friday afternoon before sunset. We found this area after riding up here in the 70s and 80s, Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground and High Country Cycle Camp were two favorite places.

I found our property in the 90s, riding my oilhead GS up the perfect gravel road. Our elevation is right at 4,000'... not so high to be frigid but high enough for some decent snow.

Our house below is built from cypress, it's a timberframe with structural insulated panels. Very efficient and sited for solar when it becomes practical.

 

[MCMXCIVRS]

I grew up in a small town near Calgary, which is where we live now. We moved into the city 24 years ago, we wanted a larger newer home and affording that and having to continually maintain and service vehicles for the 45min commute each way was not affordable. Our schedules meant we each had to commute at different times and days so that meant two vehicles and related expenses. We built our home in a new community near where my wife's family is and have made it into the home (and workshop) we (I) love today.

Now I'm retired and my wife could be at any time she chooses. She mostly works from home so we could live anywhere we choose. We have no plans to move though, our house is paid for, we have all the space we need, this is as good a place to live as any, and there hasn't been anywhere that we've found that appeals to us more than where we are. We would rather invest in travelling to new and different places by whatever mode is appropriate including our motorcycles.

 

[fmdualexhaust]

I give up. What is the second picture?

 

[Visian]

I give up. What is the second picture?

Are you asking me or Steve?

My second picture is the bare timberframe of our house, made out of cypress wood.

 

[slowpokepete]

I grew up in lower Westchester County, Port Chester, NY.

Married, three kids, then divorced, etc.

I lived in northern Westchester most recently, for maybe ten years, in Yorktown then Mohegan Lake.

My wife and I retired from teaching in Ossining after almost thirty years and moved to Hillsdale, NY, in Columbia County.

We love the quiet life we have here on five acres with lovely gardens and a half acre pond, and a couple of dogs to keep us company.

July 14, 2021 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

SPP

 

[fmdualexhaust]

Are you asking me or Steve?

My second picture is the bare timberframe of our house, made out of cypress wood.

Yes, you.
Thank you.

 

[fmdualexhaust]

I grew up in lower Westchester County, Port Chester, NY.

Married, three kids, then divorced, etc.

I lived in northern Westchester most recently, for maybe ten years, in Yorktown then Mohegan Lake.

My wife and I retired from teaching in Ossining after almost thirty years and moved to Hillsdale, NY, in Columbia County.

We love the quiet life we have here on five acres with lovely gardens and a half acre pond, and a couple of dogs to keep us company.

July 14, 2021 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

SPP

Grew up close to Windham. Always liked Hillsdale.

 

[kbasa]

NorCal. No snow, twisty roads, excellent beer.

Did my time back east, but moved here in 1999 from Boston, having lived all over the country as a kid. We deliberately chose to live here.

I love the geography, I love the NorCal culture, which is not the same as SoCal culture at all. It's been good to us for the time we've been here. Career improvements. Opportunities for career success are plentiful. We came here from Boston, so the change in cost of living wasn't as much, but I'd expect that if you've lived in Texas and moved here, it'd be a tough go once you're much out of your 20s.

It's home. I've been to 49 states and spend significant time in most of them. By the time I was 15, I'd been to half the states and it was apparent that I was a Midwestern kid that really belong in the West.

We intend to retire here as California is pretty kind to retirees, so we'll get to stay in this place we love, close to our friends.

If you're a motorsports enthusiast, it's hard to beat living here in NorCal.

 

[lee]

I grew up inside the Beltway on the east side of DC, DuBois Pa. and Woodsville NH.
Moved to SW Iowa when I was a senior in High School. Debbie grew up in NW Iowa on a farm.
Both of us like living in the Midwest but winter is not much fun because we don't get enough snow for winter activities like snow mobiles.
For a long time we dreamed of retiring in the Texas Hill Country but the summers might be too hot for us.
NW Arkansas would work for us as the weather is fairly moderate and we like the rural feel similar to Iowa. We would not like living near any cities.
Buying another house might be hard for us. We bought our current house in 1998 for 83,000 and I'm guessing it's only worth $160,000 now.
We have a nice house now and worry it would cost too much to buy in a new location. We've been without a mortgage for a long time and don't want to start a new mortgage.
Debbie retired 2 years ago but that's when our retirement funds started to shrink and prices started to go up so we have not looked into relocating.

 

[henzilla]

Steve, you should have showed a picture from your porch out into the Hill Country!

We’re not disliking our location, just more people and 281 becoming a major North South alternative to IH-35. Supposed to be four-six lanes in 10 years.
Part of that view is a nature trust protected ranch below us. There is a house on far hilltop we see lights on occasion
We actually are having a nice color change this year, of course drought induced!

The new Arkansas spot has this pond as well on 20 acres.
I’m in!

 

[lee]

Darn Steve, we're going to miss our April visits to your place.

 

[cajunrider]

My user name does a pretty good job of stating where I'm from...

 

[henzilla]

My user name does a pretty good job of stating where I'm from...

View attachment 90161

Have been on Caddo Lake on the TXLA border paddling with that view! Very surreal quietness and beauty… just don’t fall out of the boat!
Caddo the only natural lake in TX for you out of towners

 

[brownie0486]

Born and raised in NH/Vt., just a country boy. Mustered out of the Corps in 71, moved to Ma. where my family had bought a business while serving. Ended up an investigator for the Comm. of Ma. AG's criminal division investigating organized crime in Ma. and RI. for 28 years.

Been here 18 years in the valley of the sun [ Sonoran desert ] living the dream.