We are in our 70s. My husband has Parkinsons, still able to walk with a cane or walker. We love to live near the beach so we can walk every morning. Which part of California? How do we handle the move stepwise? Thank you in advance
My YD and her DH moved to the San Jose area after getting pretty lucrative job offers. Also, they love the 'vibe' of the area.
Having said that, they are both career-oriented and do not and will not have kids.
Their 1300 sf bungalow in Santa Clara cost them $1.6million. And they've PUT another $250,000 into it and it's still not the way they 'want it'.
I think their house payment is around $10K a month.
One thing they hate, tho, is the homeless 'tent cities' that have sprung up everywhere! YD wouldn't let me just go for a walk in the middle of the day, as I am unfamiliar with their neighborhood and there were some very sketchy parts of town.
Having spent a lot of time in VA when another daughter lived there---I'd stay in VA! She lived near the James River and there are walks/trails all along there. And the ocean isn't far.
If you can swallow the extremely high cost of living in CA, then go for it. But that's a heck of a move to make!
What part of CA is the family in that are there? It's such a huge state that makes a difference. I lived in CA in the 60's and 70's. Quite a different place then. I have family there now including a married son.
Not that you need to get overly personal with us but your finances are a definite factor. My husband is from VA so we know about that area too. Can't really compare it greatly to CA.
You might want to take the homeless population into consideration as there are coastal areas believe it or not where they are more abundant. Those areas also have expensive housing. People within CA not wanting to leave the state are also moving to other areas to get away from some of the oppressive conditions that are not being aggressively addressed for the betterment of the general population. Good luck with choices you make.
Here are some other places / providers: https://www.kiscoseniorliving.com/senior-living/ca/san-rafael/drake-terrace/ https://oakmontseniorliving.com/ https://www.kendal.org/ (these folks have a Zen inspired community in Healdsburg but it is very pricey) https://www.humangood.org/ A non-profit is best but they are few and far between with long waiting lists
You added 1 VERY important piece of information in a reply to an answer. You have family in California. Now some follow up questions for you. 1. Will your family be of help to you and your husband. REALLY help. They may say they will but are they busy with their lives and family and work? Where will that leave you if they do not help out at all or as much as they say they will?
2. What support from friends do you have currently? You and your husband must have friends where you are now. You will lose that support system.
You ask "Which part of California?" California is pretty big. If you have family there is that not where you would be moving to? If not then why move? If it is strictly for the beach...if I recall from geography there is a pretty long coastline on the East Coast as well. (And along the Southern portion of the USA as well. )
Your husband has Parkinson's is Dementia a part of his Parkinson's as well? If so he may not handle the move as well as you will. What does he think about the move? And another big question for you...is there any possibility that you will have to place him in care in the near future? If so look at the cost of AL, MC or Skilled Nursing where you are now and in the area where you plan to move.
Just a side thought..walking on the beach may not be a possibility...using a can in the sand is difficult and using a traditional walker will also be almost impossible.
Alabama has beautiful beaches. The cost of living is reasonably low. The climate is warm.
California presents a whole set of problems that you haven't encountered in Virginia. Not just financial ones, either. It's a beautiful state, but be cautious. People are leaving there in droves.
Regardless of whether you move to California or not, do you have a plan for your housing for the rest of your life? Have you thought about Independent Living, and a possible need for Assisted Living or Memory Care as you and your husband age? If he is already using a walker, it doesn't sound like a single family home would be the best choice right now.
I live in the Northern San Francisco Bay Area. A two bedroom plus den, 1650 sq. ft. Apartment in a very nice Independent Living community runs $7000 per month (a comparable rental would be $4-4500/mo). The IL facility includes weekly housekeeping, daily meals, valet car driver, concierge, exercise and activities. The move you are contemplating is a really big deal so make sure it is the appropriate move at this time in your lives.
It is expensive here in Northern Virginia, a 1300 sqf apartment Independent Living in a Continuing Care Retirement Community CCRC after entrance fee around 1 million, monthly rent around $ 6000. May I ask which you live in ? Thank you for your valuable information and advice
Now in case you've forgotten, VA has many beautiful beaches that you could move to and walk on every morning a whole lot less expensive than anywhere in CA would ever be. Or you could check out the beautiful beaches in my home state NC, or SC, or even FL, all of which would be less expensive than CA. I'm guessing there is more to your wanting to move to CA, then just the beaches right? Do you have family there and you're wanting to be closer? So unless money is not an issue then find you a good realtor out in CA and just know that you'll be doing all the hard work and leg work involved in moving as your husband won't be able to help you at all. That is a huge move from one side of the country to the next, and starting over in a state where you know no one at your age might be very lonely for you as your husband gets further along in his Parkinson's. I would think long and hard before making such a significant move.
Here is a listing for a 665 square ft condo 1 bed 1 bath 4 blocks from the beach in Santa Monica for $599k. The taxes alone are $624 a month with an estimated payment of $3884 a month to live in a building built in 1964. This is considered cheap in CA.
I live in Northern California, age 70. I bought my house in 1980, and it is paid for. This is the only reason why I'm still here.
Beachfront property is for millionaires. More like multi-millionaires. I live 25 miles inland from San Francisco Bay, in a suburban town. Rent for a studio apt. runs $2,400. Not to mention the cost of GAS is low right now at $4.93 a gallon. I won't even go into the high cost of utilities.
Before you consider moving from VA (I also lived there at Ft. Monroe and Hampton in the early 60s) you need to take a vacation here first. The level of traffic, cost of gas and food is terrible. A cottage a few blocks from the beach will run you $550,000.
AL facilities around here average about $12,000 a month. If you are lucky to find that.
Was just pondering this morning how the only people that can afford to be here anymore are Boomers with very fat investment portfolios & purchased their homes at least 5 to 10 years ago. The rest of us under 55 have a saying round here “Never made more money, never been poorer”.
I’m in San Diego county. It’s the most expensive area in the state currently. It’s incredibly crowded & only getting worse. It regularly takes me an hour to travel just 10 miles, not even during a commute. Taxes are very very high - even for the retired. We have the highest utility rates, highest costs for water, highest gas prices ( even if you don’t drive or use electric you WILL pay for it via “gas surcharges” & they keep proposing a mileage fee ) Car insurance is insane. Good luck getting home owners insurance… Earthquakes, Fires, Floods, and now tornadoes are becoming a thing. California has extremely dynamic weather despite what instagram says.
The crime is legitimately concerning. I seriously do not know anyone that has not directly witnessed or been the victim of a robbery. There’s more homeless than anyone realizes. The police ain’t in no hurry, and I don’t blame them.
More people have been leaving than coming to the 5th largest economy in the world for the past 3 years. There’s some very good reasons the Golden State has become tarnished.
Human Capital is out of balance. Most regions have inverted productivity - meaning there are more dependents on the system than there are producers.
As soon as my dad passes, I’m definitely out. Gonna make my escape to Arizona, Idaho or Nevada. I hate how congested & overcrowded everything has become.
Now you might have better luck in Nor Cal around Sacramento. The Roseville area has always been nice.
But I wouldn’t do such move without a strong familiar presence or really awesome friends… And a sh*t ton of cash to blow.
Unless you and/or hubby are veterans and could swing getting a rental on a military installation, California wouldn't be a good move. Given your health concerns, consideration of where you can receive everything you need - healthcare supplies/care, finances, has to be more relevant than vibe/amazing-scenery.
IMO, Atlantic-coast beaches aren't quite as nice as Pacific-coast ones but managing one's health forces us to make choices based on circumstance, not preferences.
My husband and I are NYC transplants and live in the Bay Area not because we wanted to retire here but because our only child lives here and we wanted to live near our grandkids. That's the only reason but a good one.
We bought our condo ten years ago thankfully because it would be a lot more money to buy it now. Cost of living is high and housing is high.
Weather is wonderful all year round which we enjoy but again it is very expensive here. I also miss the long standing friendships I had in NYC, you can't cultivate those sorts of close friendships anymore at age 68. And I miss those East Coast friends very much.
I don't regret the move but it is a huge step so I advise to really really think about this.
Might I ask more about why, so late in life, you are considering such a life-changing move? Being by the beach isn't enough. Have you traveled extensively in CA. and do you understand the cost of living and how high it is, especially in the case of care facilities if you are looking to the future.
I am thinking there is a reason for this move. Is family in CA.?
I love in California. I agree it's a beautiful state. However, it can be very very costly. If this isn't a factor then I would encourage you to visit extensively before making a choice. Cost wise, and in every other way (especially politically) NO. Cal near Oregon is much less expensive, much more conservative whereas SO. Cal is much more liberal and much warmer and VERY EXPENSIVE indeed. The middle coast is--well, more in the middle.
I wish you luck. Explore cost of housing on Redfin or other real estate sites that will have your inbox flooded. Things vary from my own SF (don't even look--you are talking millions and millions at present to where my bro was, in a beautiful and historic old trailer park in Palm Springs where 200,000 gets you a palatial old trailer in a wonderful community for a fee just under 1,000 a month for all utilities and land rental BUT summers are so hot you need a hotpad to open the car door.
Just some of my thoughts. Otherwise just wishing you best of luck.
Having said that, they are both career-oriented and do not and will not have kids.
Their 1300 sf bungalow in Santa Clara cost them $1.6million. And they've PUT another $250,000 into it and it's still not the way they 'want it'.
I think their house payment is around $10K a month.
One thing they hate, tho, is the homeless 'tent cities' that have sprung up everywhere! YD wouldn't let me just go for a walk in the middle of the day, as I am unfamiliar with their neighborhood and there were some very sketchy parts of town.
Having spent a lot of time in VA when another daughter lived there---I'd stay in VA! She lived near the James River and there are walks/trails all along there. And the ocean isn't far.
If you can swallow the extremely high cost of living in CA, then go for it. But that's a heck of a move to make!
https://rossmoor.com/about/
Not that you need to get overly personal with us but your finances are a definite factor. My husband is from VA so we know about that area too. Can't really compare it greatly to CA.
You might want to take the homeless population into consideration as there are coastal areas believe it or not where they are more abundant. Those areas also have expensive housing. People within CA not wanting to leave the state are also moving to other areas to get away from some of the oppressive conditions that are not being aggressively addressed for the betterment of the general population. Good luck with choices you make.
https://www.varennaseniorliving.com/
https://oakmontseniorliving.com/
https://www.kendal.org/ (these folks have a Zen inspired community in Healdsburg but it is very pricey)
https://www.humangood.org/
A non-profit is best but they are few and far between with long waiting lists
You have family in California.
Now some follow up questions for you.
1. Will your family be of help to you and your husband. REALLY help. They may say they will but are they busy with their lives and family and work? Where will that leave you if they do not help out at all or as much as they say they will?
2. What support from friends do you have currently? You and your husband must have friends where you are now. You will lose that support system.
You ask "Which part of California?" California is pretty big. If you have family there is that not where you would be moving to? If not then why move? If it is strictly for the beach...if I recall from geography there is a pretty long coastline on the East Coast as well. (And along the Southern portion of the USA as well. )
Your husband has Parkinson's is Dementia a part of his Parkinson's as well? If so he may not handle the move as well as you will.
What does he think about the move?
And another big question for you...is there any possibility that you will have to place him in care in the near future? If so look at the cost of AL, MC or Skilled Nursing where you are now and in the area where you plan to move.
Just a side thought..walking on the beach may not be a possibility...using a can in the sand is difficult and using a traditional walker will also be almost impossible.
California presents a whole set of problems that you haven't encountered in Virginia. Not just financial ones, either. It's a beautiful state, but be cautious. People are leaving there in droves.
If he is already using a walker, it doesn't sound like a single family home would be the best choice right now.
I live in the Northern San Francisco Bay Area. A two bedroom plus den, 1650 sq. ft. Apartment in a very nice Independent Living community runs $7000 per month (a comparable rental would be $4-4500/mo). The IL facility includes weekly housekeeping, daily meals, valet car driver, concierge, exercise and activities.
The move you are contemplating is a really big deal so make sure it is the appropriate move at this time in your lives.
May I ask which you live in ?
Thank you for your valuable information and advice
Or you could check out the beautiful beaches in my home state NC, or SC, or even FL, all of which would be less expensive than CA.
I'm guessing there is more to your wanting to move to CA, then just the beaches right? Do you have family there and you're wanting to be closer?
So unless money is not an issue then find you a good realtor out in CA and just know that you'll be doing all the hard work and leg work involved in moving as your husband won't be able to help you at all.
That is a huge move from one side of the country to the next, and starting over in a state where you know no one at your age might be very lonely for you as your husband gets further along in his Parkinson's.
I would think long and hard before making such a significant move.
Thank you for your advice
https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/M1278685760?fbclid=IwAR0R66EFWLSP0wdQE4Bl79HiEkbWWT8Wcb9LUoWKSQmP8G6LWut9J6Cm84M
If you have $2.735 million to spend, you can live directly on the beach in a condo here:
https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/1-Eastwind-St-Apt-201_Venice_CA_90292_M13254-38529?fbclid=IwAR1_RBuufrU3meD3MyM2Je0ik_mJ04rVAyHR6rPYr8jyq7dysR5fbh72_us
If money is no object, California has great weather. If money is a concern, avoid it.
Beachfront property is for millionaires. More like multi-millionaires. I live 25 miles inland from San Francisco Bay, in a suburban town. Rent for a studio apt. runs $2,400. Not to mention the cost of GAS is low right now at $4.93 a gallon.
I won't even go into the high cost of utilities.
Before you consider moving from VA (I also lived there at Ft. Monroe and Hampton in the early 60s) you need to take a vacation here first. The level of traffic, cost of gas and food is terrible. A cottage a few blocks from the beach will run you $550,000.
AL facilities around here average about $12,000 a month. If you are lucky to find that.
Pay a visit first.
Was just pondering this morning how the only people that can afford to be here anymore are Boomers with very fat investment portfolios & purchased their homes at least 5 to 10 years ago. The rest of us under 55 have a saying round here “Never made more money, never been poorer”.
I’m in San Diego county. It’s the most expensive area in the state currently. It’s incredibly crowded & only getting worse. It regularly takes me an hour to travel just 10 miles, not even during a commute. Taxes are very very high - even for the retired. We have the highest utility rates, highest costs for water, highest gas prices
( even if you don’t drive or use electric you WILL pay for it via “gas surcharges” & they keep proposing a mileage fee ) Car insurance is insane. Good luck getting home owners insurance… Earthquakes, Fires, Floods, and now tornadoes are becoming a thing. California has extremely dynamic weather despite what instagram says.
The crime is legitimately concerning. I seriously do not know anyone that has not directly witnessed or been the victim of a robbery. There’s more homeless than anyone realizes. The police ain’t in no hurry, and I don’t blame them.
More people have been leaving than coming to the 5th largest economy in the world for the past 3 years. There’s some very good reasons the Golden State has become tarnished.
Human Capital is out of balance. Most regions have inverted productivity - meaning there are more dependents on the system than there are producers.
As soon as my dad passes, I’m definitely out. Gonna make my escape to Arizona, Idaho or Nevada. I hate how congested & overcrowded everything has become.
Now you might have better luck in Nor Cal around Sacramento. The Roseville area has always been nice.
But I wouldn’t do such move without a strong familiar presence or really awesome friends… And a sh*t ton of cash to blow.
IMO, Atlantic-coast beaches aren't quite as nice as Pacific-coast ones but managing one's health forces us to make choices based on circumstance, not preferences.
We bought our condo ten years ago thankfully because it would be a lot more money to buy it now. Cost of living is high and housing is high.
Weather is wonderful all year round which we enjoy but again it is very expensive here. I also miss the long standing friendships I had in NYC, you can't cultivate those sorts of close friendships anymore at age 68. And I miss those East Coast friends very much.
I don't regret the move but it is a huge step so I advise to really really think about this.
Being by the beach isn't enough.
Have you traveled extensively in CA. and do you understand the cost of living and how high it is, especially in the case of care facilities if you are looking to the future.
I am thinking there is a reason for this move.
Is family in CA.?
I love in California. I agree it's a beautiful state. However, it can be very very costly. If this isn't a factor then I would encourage you to visit extensively before making a choice. Cost wise, and in every other way (especially politically) NO. Cal near Oregon is much less expensive, much more conservative whereas SO. Cal is much more liberal and much warmer and VERY EXPENSIVE indeed. The middle coast is--well, more in the middle.
I wish you luck.
Explore cost of housing on Redfin or other real estate sites that will have your inbox flooded. Things vary from my own SF (don't even look--you are talking millions and millions at present to where my bro was, in a beautiful and historic old trailer park in Palm Springs where 200,000 gets you a palatial old trailer in a wonderful community for a fee just under 1,000 a month for all utilities and land rental BUT summers are so hot you need a hotpad to open the car door.
Just some of my thoughts. Otherwise just wishing you best of luck.