Let's Go See!

So you found a place you'd like to go and check out, you've contacted a few realtors, and now you're ready to go and take a look.  This is the fun part!  There are, however, some things to know before you go.

You've hopefully  been checking the internet, looking at properties online, and also having your realtor send you some listings that he/she thinks fits what you are looking for.  John and I spent many hours doing this,  and even though sometimes we'd get up from the computer cross-eyed, it was a great help and was also a lot of fun.  Eva, our realtor, sent us at least ten listings a week.  We'd go over them separately, then together, and totally eliminate some for one reason or another.  Here's a word of advice, the picture doesn't tell the true story all the time.  There were many properties that looked wonderful, and sounded even better, but when we went to see them, we found out the camera was taken from an angle that really didn't give the true picture.  You just have to go out to see them, and then experience will start helping you weed through some of the jargon.

We were looking for property, not a house. After many trips down to the area not finding something that "spoke" to us, Eva, now knowing exactly what we were looking for, wanted to take us to a property that had a house and two other buildings on it.  We were surprised when she first mentioned it, but she said, this property is exactly what you want, and the house is uninhabitable.  The owners bought it to flip, but didn't winterize it, so the pipes had burst and the entire house was damaged.  We agreed to go and take a look, and she was right!   It was exactly the property we had in mind, in fact it was even better than we thought we'd ever find!   But those buildings! It would add so much work, and money!  We let it go for awhile, and kept looking.  But I'm sure you can figure out what happened.  We never found anything to match that property.  More on this in future blogs.

Here, though, is my most helpful tip when you are going out to look at properties - (or even at houses), take your camera and a notebook!  Since the properties we were looking at were far and wide, we saw about three or four in a day.  We'd go for the weekend, so that meant we'd see about eight to twelve properties on a trip.  You think you can keep it all straight in your mind, I even wrote notes on the property sheets Eva had given us, but I quickly became aware that they all started to blend after we got home. Eventually, I even started writing down in my notebook the numbers of the pictures I was taking to go with each property.  It made our lives much easier later when John and I went over all that information when we got home.  You'll thank me later.

Till next time.

Ten Tips for Picking the Right Retirement Spot

Someone recently sent me this article about how to pick a good retirement spot.  I thought it might be worth adding in here, it's good advice.

It was written by Emily Brandon, USNews.com

Most people retire in the same town where they spent their final working years. But some seek out a new locale with ski slopes or perhaps ocean views. Of course, budget is a big concern. "Many people move close by and move to a smaller home or condo where they have less upkeep," says William Frey, a Brookings Institution demographer. "But they still want to stay close to their children and stay involved in the business world by consulting and remaining close to their clients." Here are some tips for finding a place that fits your budget and interests.


Cost of living.

Moving to a place with lower housing, food, and entertainment costs is an obvious way to stretch your nest egg. "A lower cost of living is the major factor behind retirement mobility," says David Savageau, author of Retirement Places Rated. "I don't know anyone moving from Kansas to Hawaii." Some 22 percent of Americans age 51 and older who moved between 1992 and 2004 did so to save money, according to a recent Center for Retirement Research at Boston College analysis. Estimate how your expenses will change if you move.

Low-tax locales.

Tax rates vary considerably by location. Seven states don't levy an income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. New Hampshire and Tennessee tax only dividend and interest income. And five states have no sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon. Be sure to evaluate property taxes and state and local tax exemptions for seniors.

Healthcare facilities.

Your healthcare needs are bound to increase as you age. Make sure your prospective retirement spot has adequate health and elder-care facilities and a doctor who can treat any condition you may have. "You can call and see how difficult it is to get an appointment," says Michael Perskin, a geriatrics physician at the New York University Langone Medical Center. "If you're on hold for more than 10 minutes or you leave a message on voice mail and you don't get a call back, then you know."

Proximity to family.

Many retirees would like to become more involved in their grandchildren's lives. Living near family sometimes has another bonus: help with lawn care or transportation for grocery shopping-services you would otherwise have to hire. More than a quarter (28 percent) of older Americans who have relocated after age 51 did so primarily to be near children or relatives, Boston College found. "People often migrate toward someone because they have become more disabled or have lost their spouse and they need some support that they are not getting in their current location," says Mark Fagan, a sociology professor at Jacksonville State University in Alabama who studies retirement migration. "They will move toward their children or some friends to help them with their daily life.

Job opportunities.

Many people who haven't saved enough or have seen their investments drop significantly in value will need to work during the traditional retirement years. More than a third (38 percent) of Americans between the ages of 62 and 74 worked in 2008, up 39 percent since 1993, according to the Census Bureau. Although the national unemployment rate has been climbing, cities such as Kennewick, Wash.; McAllen, Texas; and Danville, Va., have added thousands of jobs over the past year. Look for a place that has plenty of part-time job opportunities or consulting work in a field that interests you.

Recreation and culture.

When you're no longer tied to a job, you have the freedom to live in wine country or within walking distance of a beach. Perhaps your ideal retirement spot has plenty of art galleries, golf courses, and hiking trails. College towns often fit the bill and host world-class speakers and entertainers, and they often have an affordable cost of living.

Public transportation.

Retirees often reach a point when they can't or no longer want to drive. Consider the cost and quality of a town's public transportation system and how to get around without a car. AppalCART, a regional bus service in Boone, N.C., for example, provides free local transportation. And retirees who join Walnut Creek, Calif.'s Senior Club ($7 annual dues) are eligible for a minibus service that offers transport within the city limits for $1 each way.

Housing needs.

Downsizing into a smaller house or condo goes a long way in stretching your retirement budget. "There's a lot of money tied up in your home, and sometimes there is someplace else you could buy a home and free up some of those assets," says Michael Goodman, a certified financial planner and president of Wealthstream Advisors in New York. Retirement communities and assisted living facilities aim to cater to baby boomers' changing needs and whims. "As you age, you are going to be less able to maintain a large home and [keep up the grounds], and you may be looking for a smaller place with less maintenance," says Fagan. "Rent in a place for a while to see how well you really like it."

Weather.

To some, it's important to not have to shovel snow or defrost a car. But warm climates also come with the downside of larger air-conditioning bills. Think about whether you want four distinct seasons. Some retirees can get the best of both worlds by maintaining or renting a residence in the north and then heading south for the winter.

Amenities.

Of course, you'll want to cover the basics, including the crime rate and quality of healthcare facilities. But don't forget about things like libraries, Internet and cellphone access, shopping, religious institutions, and senior centers. If you plan to travel on a regular basis, look for a place that's near an airport or train station. Some cities, including Boston, Princeton, N.J., and Washington, have developed nonprofit associations of seniors who pool their resources to stay safely in their homes longer. These aging-in-place communities typically provide a range of services, including affordable door-to-door transportation, home maintenance and meal services, and even a daily check-in phone call for an affordable annual fee.

Questions for a Realtor - Part 2

Continuing our discussion with Sue, our friend who is a realtor, we asked her how does she go about finding out what her client is really looking for.

Sue said many people are not exactly sure what they want and don't want, but a good agent should be able to draw out this information. People usually do have some ideas, but as the search progresses, their likes and dislikes get narrowed down so that the realtor can now concentrate on what items are really important. It's an educational process, Sue said, and rarely do two people have the same taste, even the couple searching for their retirement property or home. Mostly her insights come from the feedback she gets from her clients while walking through the house, or walking around the property. She will then ask her clients a lot of questions, thereby identifying what their most important criteria are.

Sue inspires clients to have confidence in her. She lets them know that she truly has their best interests at heart, and she works hard to help her clients find out what they want, especially within themselves!  This should be the goal of the realtor you hire.

So now on to a situation that may seem a bit difficult.  I asked Sue, what if you begin working with a realtor, and then feel that your personalities aren't compatible, or that he/she just isn't working hard enough for you.
Her advice, Go To The Manager.  She said that is what the manager of the office is there for. (Who knew?)   She suggests being kind about it, saying the realtor you are presently working with is a nice person, but that you feel you need someone else to work with.  She feels it is very important to trust your realtor, to know they will put your interests first, that they truly are working for you, the buyer, and not for the seller, and is someone you genuinely like.

I would like to thank Sue for her time, and her help in clearing up these issues.  If anyone has any questions you would like to "Ask a Realtor", please send them in.

Till next time.

Questions for a Realtor - Part One

I was wondering, and thought you might be also, how people go about finding the right realtor for them. And what if you are working with someone, but realize you're not exactly hitting it off. What should you do?

I posed these questions to two realtors I know. One is a former neighbor, Sue, who is also 'building her retirement' in another (warmer) state, and is going through many of the same issues I - and maybe you - are going through. The other is our realtor, Eva, the one we were very lucky to have found when we began our search for retirement property. She is, however, still digging out from under a ton of snow, and the last I spoke with her, she still had no electricity. We'll have her thoughts and answers another time.

Sue, however, had this advice for us: Start your search online, and then call a few offices in the area, she said three, and ask these questions:

1. How many years have they worked in that office and how many years have they lived in the area?
A person who has lived and worked there a long time will know the nuances of an area and will have invaluable knowledge that a new person would not have.

2. How many years experience as a realtor do they have?
Sue didn't want to discount the enthusiasm a new realtor may have, she knows there are many newbies who would do a good job and work very aggressively for you, but she also felt experience is a BIG plus, not only with drawing out what you are really looking for, but also with negotiating a good deal!

3. When you go on vacation, or have to be away, who takes care of your business?
Now, this is a question I would not have thought of, nor would I have thought it was important, but Sue assures me it is. A customer wants to be able to reach their realtor pretty much at all times if there is a question or an issue. And if the realtor needs to be away, it is very important to have someone standing in for them to answer your question or help with an issue. She felt very strongly about the realtor you hire having a back-up plan.

In my next post, we will talk about how a realtor figures out what it is you are really looking for, and what to do if you start working with a realtor, then find out you aren't happy with them and you want to work with someone else.

Till next time.