Pacific44 coffee, a next chapter notebook and active community guide overlooking a landscaped neighborhood.

Finding Your Next Hometown

Retirement planning is also place planning. A look at what to consider when deciding where the next chapter of life should happen.

5 min read

For years, where we lived was often decided by work.

The job was here. The commute was there. The kids needed a certain school. Family was nearby.

Then somewhere in our 50s and 60s, the question changes.

If work no longer gets the final vote, where do we actually want to live?

Start With the Life You Want

Before comparing home prices, start with an ordinary week.

Do you want walkability? Golf? Restaurants? Trails? An airport nearby? Four seasons? No snow? A strong sense of community? A lock-and-leave home so you can travel?

Those answers are more useful than simply searching for the lowest taxes or the warmest weather.

Try Before You Commit

Active-adult communities can be appealing because the social infrastructure already exists: clubs, activities, fitness, neighbors who are in a similar stage of life.

But community culture matters as much as the amenities.

If possible, rent first. Spend time there in the least glamorous season. Drive to the grocery store. Visit the clubhouse. Talk to residents. See what the place feels like on a Tuesday morning.