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I now live in a small
community near the Bay Area in Northern California. I’ve lived
here for 20+ years, and it has been great. The Bay Area is
vibrant, has a good climate, and is home to some of the most
creative people on the planet. But it certainly isn’t paradise.
It is an expensive place
to live. The highways are congested. The boarders of the US are
out of control and that has hit California hard. The government
is dysfunctional, and we pay a premium for that. While we have
good weather, it is great half the year and somewhat over-rated
the other half. My business has changed over the past five
years. I can do about 80% - 90% of it from anywhere. That’s the
beauty of information and communication technology.
Let me share with you
what I have found as I looked for better working/ retirement
locations in the western US.
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Portland, Oregon area;
especially Southern Washington
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Prescott, Arizona
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Northern Baja, Mexico
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Hilo, the big island of
Hawaii
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Boise, Idaho
Southern Washington: I
recently visited a friend who built his dream house on a few
acres in Southern Washington, about 30 minutes from Portland.
His 2,500 square foot house cost about the same as a ¼ acre lot
in the Bay Area. He is within easy drive of a good airport and
Oregon has no sales tax. He can explore the Cascades and reach
ocean or skiing in a few hours. Yep – it rains a lot, but not as
much as Seattle.
Prescott, Arizona: This
gem is home to 30,000 people, who enjoy mountain vistas and a
temperate, sunny, four-season climate thanks to its mile-high
elevation. If you aren’t real fussy, you can find a nice house
for $350k. If you are a little fussy or want some land, expect
to pay $500k or better. Prescott is an old, established town
with historic buildings and strong family culture. It’s true
that absentee Californians have snapped up a good bit of the
real estate up. But they have been are running around most of
the west buying spare homes and putting them in the “bank” for
future use
Northern Baja, Mexico:
Don’t write this one off too fast, especially if you are in So
Cal. and want a second home near the beach. It is not as crazy
as it sounds You can live near the beach in Rosarito and get an
absolutely great ocean view or ocean front house for a fraction
of the price of a house located two hours north in San Diego
county. South of the Border property even has financing
available from this side of the border.
Hilo Area on the Big
Island: One of the best deals in the United States has been
discovered and land prices are climbing rapidly, but guess what?
Land in Hilo is still inexpensive. If you are looking for a slow
pace, it doesn’t get any slower than Hilo. This area is
absolutely beautiful yet not a prime location for vacation
resorts and condos. Condos on Kauai, Maui, and the other side of
the big island run $500 - $750k, yet a Hilo acre lot can be
purchased for $40 to $75k, and houses for $150k. If you want
some privacy, like to garden, and have dreamed of building a
hideaway on an tropical island, there is still time to do it in
the USA. It rains almost daily in Hilo but showers are short and
the 75 to 80 degrees temperatures makes the showers and lush
green growth a real delight.
Boise is rated as the
second best city to do business in the US by Forbes Magazine. It
has a population of about 400,000, and median house prices
around $165,000. Boise is an excellent gateway to the natural
beauty of the Northern Rockies. For those of you not quite ready
to hang it up, but looking for an interesting, affordable small
city environment, Boise deserves your serious consideration.
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