<p>ZeeZee
I have seen fireworks against the clouds. On the pacific ocean setting sun. And when its so foggy that you only saw a muted flash and report. </p>
<p>We have a family Oregon Coast House, out of the tsunami zone, with both an ocean and mountain view. Sunrise and Sunsets are awesome in the spring and fall.</p>
<p>I’ve seen fireworks against the clouds over Lake Michigan - in Chicago - after a thunderstorm.</p>
<p>Also seen them over Lake Union with the Seattle skyline in the background. And over San Francisco Bay with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. And over the Charles River with the Boston skyline in the background. We do like our fireworks and have been lucky to time various trips over the 4th.</p>
<p>BunsenBurner - I suspect Mercer Island etc. might be out of our budget.</p>
<p>MMeZeeZee- I am adding the area north of SF to my research - sounds interesting. Thx! (I was thinking of southern California re the flatlands. Flatlands on rivers in the midwest are definite floodplains!)</p>
<p>Maylin, Mercer Island is still cheaper than comparable nice areas of San Jose, San Diego or Irvine! I priced out COL and real estate a few years ago when DH’s job almost got moved to CA. But if you want perpetual sunshine, it would not work. You only have one retirement, so spend it where you would be happy!</p>
<p>My neighbor bought a winter home on the Big Island. It would actually be nice to be able to spend winter months planting a hedge of bananas to screen your deck from the neighbors. 
Summertime - that I would want to spend around here. :)</p>
<p>As a retirement location, I ruled out Portland due to rain, COL, congestion, general weirdness. Medford/Ashland has been high on my list but still a bit too cloudy for too many months. I have heard several mentions of northern California. What areas are affordable, attractive, with decent healthcare and decent weather?</p>
<p>House wise, you get a lot more for your money in Medford, Oregon than most places in NorCal.</p>
<p>It’s not even close.</p>
<p>If you want to own a house, but don’t need a fancy place and prefer the location…and are looking at $300,000 to $450,000…I would look at Santa Rosa…and parts of Sonoma and Napa. </p>
<p>You would be around 1 hour from SF. You wouldn’t have worry about decent medical care. I like the weather…</p>
<p>You can check it out by using weather.com for the weather…</p>
<p>And places like craigslist, trulia, realtor.com, and zilllow for real estate.</p>
<p>You are probably too young…I’m too young…;)…but my folks and aunt and uncle live in Oakmont. This is a retirement community in Santa Rosa. I’m not sure I would ever live in a retirement community, but it is very nice. They love it there. </p>
<p>[Real</a> estate at 6 Oak Island Drive Santa Rosa CA - Property Details - MLS #21032128 - Realtor.com](<a href=“http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/6-Oak-Island-Dr_Santa-Rosa_CA_95409_M14019-73817]Real”>6 Oak Island Dr, Santa Rosa, CA 95409 | realtor.com®)</p>
<p><a href=“Santa Rosa, CA 3 Bedroom Homes for Sale | realtor.com®”>Santa Rosa, CA 3 Bedroom Homes for Sale | realtor.com®;
<p>If I didn’t want a house and could live in a condo…or a more expensive place…I might choose Northern, or Central Marin or Berkeley. There are many choices…you have to come out here and check out the areas. See what you like. For example…I have friends that love Berkeley and others that hate Berkeley. :)</p>
<p>Thanks, but I guess northern Ca is probably out of consideration, very especially the high cost areas around SF. Since visiting a couple of years ago I have tracked the housing costs in Medford. There are lots of choice in nicer, newer neighborhoods with 3br, 2ba, double garage houses in the range of $175k-$225k.</p>
<p>There are places in the east bay…that might work…probably where shrinkrap lives. But way too hot for me. :)</p>
<p>I understand the appeal of Medford. I think a person can have a nice life there. Real estate prices are very reasonable there.</p>
<p>The thing about finding a place to retire though is…do you need a three car garage? Particulary if there are health issues making driving a car not a good choice.
Vision or mobility problems, let alone reaction time can make driving difficult- if not * for you,* then everyone around you! ;)</p>
<p>Nice to be able to stay in your home, because you can still get around by yourself, than have to move to a " facility", where you can’t get out.</p>
<p>I want a good sized garage to use for hobbies. In fact I could almost do without the house and just get a small warehouse. You are correct about changes as we get older. Eventually a house is not going to be a good or even possible choice. Evenually driving becomes an issue. It is really sad to watch people age. My father had a long slow decline. He was on oxygen, went blind and fortunately then died quickly from cancer. The mother in law is in her mid 90’s and very senile. Everyone wants to see her last years as happy as possible but she has declined mentally so that she can no longer recognize her family members. She needs constant custodial care. She is physically healthy and could live like this for many more years.</p>
<p>If I am lucky I hope to have another 20 or more years of reasonable health and capability. That is certainly a long enough period to think about buying a smaller house. Ideally I will be looking for a house that requires little maintenance. Maybe even a HOA with outside maintenance and maybe a gated community where I can leave and travel for extended periods.</p>
<p>I really just want to move one more time. I don’t like moving. My wife wants to move 2 more times…now and when we are 70 to 80.</p>
<p>She’s the boss…so…we might move 2 more times…</p>
<p>Plus…in the back of my mind…she might be right…:)</p>
<p>I am thinking about what both emeraldkity and eadad said.</p>
<p>Eadad, sadly, garage hobbies (or even gardening!) and HOAs sometimes do not mix. A neighbor moved to my neck of the woods because in her previous place she was constantly harassed by the HOA about her front garden (apparently, roses and dahlias do not belong in the front gardens :rolleyes:). Her current neatly manicured yard with a few rose bushes looks like a piece of Butchart Gardens. I certainty would not want to live in a place with such draconian HOA rules!</p>
<p>Her current neatly manicured yard with a few rose bushes looks like a piece of Butchart Gardens. I certainty would not want to live in a place with such draconian HOA rules!</p>
<p>Which is why I didnt buy my grandmothers house in Magnolia.
Great yard & the house had been spectacularly maintained by my grandfather, but did I want to spend every weekend on my hands & knees with manicure scissors?</p>
<p>Now I may be on my hands and knees every weekend in the garden* anyway*, but that is because I like to rearrange things.
;)</p>
<p>“Now I may be on my hands and knees every weekend in the garden anyway, but that is because I like to rearrange things.”</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>My wife is the one who does not want to move. We have lived on Long Island for 20+ years and she likes it. I do not. I have tolerated it and found things I like but now I am done. Good or bad, we cannot afford to retire her so my wife has reluctantly agreed that it is time to move. We have been going through a long, long process of downsizing the junk and getting the house ready for sale. </p>
<p>I would have moved to Medford at least on a trial basis. I thought it was a good choice plus my wife’s brother, sisters and mother are in split between Portland and SF. Instead of moving, we are trying a different approach. We have a truck camper ready to go. The house is under contract and we have rented a self storage place for the remaining junk. The rest of the plans are indefinite. If we close at the end of February, we will head south in a hurry. I would like to go all the way to the Keys. We need to return to the NE at the end of May for the younger daughters graduation for her MA. She is making plans to relocate to SF with her boyfriend. So aside from the older daughter and grandson here on Long Island that should make it easier for my wife to leave. We will head for South Dakota for a one night stay to establish residency and then we will continue on to the West. We want to tour the national parks and eventually will need to consider renting or buying and settling. I have no idea how long we will travel full time.</p>
<p>I do understand there can be lots of issues with a HOA and with retirement communities. I am looking for the best of all possible worlds. I am not at all interested in taking care of a garden and yard. I would be very happy to see that done for me and really would not care if they used roses, dahlias or something else. I want to be able to leave and travel without concerns about the security of a single house. I want my own space and I need reasonable costs.</p>
<p>eadad, I remember your story and I like your story. Your trips sound like fun.</p>
<p>With your situation…I don’t see a rush to buy.</p>
<p>Congrats on having your house under contract.</p>
<p>“I was thinking of southern California re the flatlands. Flatlands on rivers in the midwest are definite floodplains!”</p>
<p>They are here on the west coast, too. The only difference is the volume of vegetation that keeps the flooding from getting too bad. However, most populated flatlands have that potential.</p>
<p>Nobody expected the mudslides. They probably wouldn’t have happened a couple years earlier even with that rain, because of the vegetation.</p>
<p>Glad to hear we aren’t the only ones watching the Fourth of July from under umbrellas…</p>
<p>Re: Floodplains: :P</p>
<p>[Flood</a> watch in effect for Portland & surrounding areas - KOINLocal6.com](<a href=“http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/Flood-watch-in-effect-for-Portland-surrounding/7iUfL3gmC0KLJgKl0wjHxQ.cspx]Flood”>http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/Flood-watch-in-effect-for-Portland-surrounding/7iUfL3gmC0KLJgKl0wjHxQ.cspx)</p>
<p>Ugh, next time I’ll keep my big mouth shut! Nevermind, Weather gods… the northwest is a paradise!</p>
<p>Yeah, earlier today I looked at the 10 day forecast for Portland - ugh.</p>
<p>Its raining but its 55 outside. The daffys have broken ground.
This type of rain where we get 1" or more in 24hrs is called our ‘Pineapple Express’. Typically this weather hits CA and produces heavier rainfall and landslides. We get the leftovers. </p>
<p>By midweek, the temps will drop to the 40’s and the rain will be more of a drizzle and amounts will be about a quarter inch, in 24hr.</p>