@ManhattanBoro My hubby and I are thinking of Riverdale! Huge apartments, very affordable. Well at least compared with other areas of NY metro. I think it’s the best-kept secret.
Riverdale is lovely. My grandma lived in the Arlington, but she died in the mid 1980’s.
Is the Arlington that huge, three-building complex with a pool?
But if he plans to have kids and send them to college, he better put some of the money saved to save aggressively for that, since “low cost in-state public university” option is not as low cost in Pennsylvania as in many other states.
As I’m now planning a trip to see my son who lives in Australia, I am realizing no “budget” retirement for me as plane tickets cost a lot! My original plan was to retire in 2 years, but not in the cards at this point.
Born and raised in PGH and moved out as quickly as possible even though I still have family there. I could never retire there. We will stay in Minnesota as both girls live here and we love being able to be active grandparents. We are 15 minutes from the airport, 10 minutes to the MOA, walking distance to hiking trails and biking distance to multiple grocery stores. Would never walk to grocery store and then have to carry bags homes. Close to multiple universities and cultural events. Plus wonderful access to Uber and Lyft! Mortgages are paid for. We have a lake home in WI for summers. We plan on going away for 6-8 weeks during the worst part of winter but we really love being close to family and friends so we will stay here in our own paradise! 
I decided to check out housing prices in San Diego after seeing it mentioned upthread…and I discovered that I could trade my small East Coast single family house for a slightly smaller condo there. Of course, the cost of everything else there would be as high or higher so it’s clearly not a budget move.
I have no idea what kind of neighborhood this in, but the Great Schools scores are great…not that I care at this point. I sincerely doubt I’d move across the country despite really liking California, but I didn’t know it was in the realm of possibility.
https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/13272-Salmon-River-Rd-Unit-103_San-Diego_CA_92129_M11807-79355
We are interested in looking at coastal North or South Carolina as we have family there and, of course, the golfing is fine. I would love a condo near a beach. That’s my entire goal in life.
I don’t think we would move, although we would spend time there. Our mortgage is very low and my daughters will both undoubtedly stay in the NYC area. My husband is going to retire in two years, although he will be only 55 at that time, so we will have some decisions to make. I believe he is hoping (as am I) for grandbabies around that time and is planning to be an integral part of the childcare strategy.
I would love to go to a redder state, or at least not a place that’s the worst of the blue model and personality. I’ve always said that the extremes are unhealthy and there needs to be some pull back to the center.
In NYC, there are a lot of “uncool” neighborhoods throughout Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx that are very established and middle to upper middle class. They just are not considered cool enough for millennials (yet). Many were built with luxury housing and are a steal in comparison to places like Park Slope or Williamsburg. So I’d explore Forest Hills, Rego Park, Bay Ridge, Ocean Parkway, Sheepshead Bay, Bensonhurst and Riverdale to name a few.
It looks like it's in the Rancho Pensaquitos area, which is 5-10 miles inland from the coast. In general La Jolla Shores is most expensive, with prices above $1000 per sqft. Each town north or west has gradually less expensive housing, as do some of the southern areas that are thought of as less desirable. The Rancho Pensaquitos area you listed is typically under $400 per sqft, which is consistent with the linked property. The least expensive areas are on the order of $200 per square foot. Personally, I wouldn't want to live in the La Jolla or Downtown areas. It's too crowded, with too much traffic. I currently live in the North County coastal area, which is still more crowded than I'd like. However, the weather is outstanding -- comfortable temperatures all year round with little rain, by many measures the best climate in the United States.
@brantly I believe you are thinking of Skyview
@Bubblewrap666 Ah, yes! It’s on Arlington Ave. They are so well-priced that I worry something’s wrong with the complex.
Growing up, I knew lots of kids who lived there. And I spent a couple of summers hanging out at the pool. But that was a looonnnnggggg time ago.
We live on Point Loma in San Diego - sort of in the middle of the peninsula so away from the touristy areas, in a neighborhood of single family homes and elementary schools, etc. It seems like we’re 10-15 minutes away from everything and we love this location. Just far enough outside the flight path so not really an issue, and exactly one mile from the ocean. It’s a smaller house than we left by about 500 sq ft but the garage is much bigger - so we can store lots of packed boxes, plus our winter clothes! And we have our resort style back yard and pool, and some lawn for DH. One story with a few steps that can be ramped if ever necessary. DS is very happy that we own a home in California.
@Data10 - I laughed at “little rain” because my brother is coming to visit for the first time tomorrow, joined by his wife on Friday, and most of my plans will probably get washed out by the approaching front. Crossed fingers. But the climate is overall delightful.
I had tracked the market for a few years before we actually were ready to buy, and we’d been out here for a couple of months a few years back so got to know the neighborhoods. The market was rising when we bought and we had to increase our budget by about $100K. And we still got outbid on three houses before we got this one, which had been in escrow previously but came back on the market because of financing issues with the first offer. I’m pretty sure our offer was accepted because our realtor grew up in this neighborhood and her mother worked with the seller’s mother. Connections! I continued to track the market after we bought and we would have been in trouble and not been able to buy in this area if we hadn’t gotten this house.
Money flow was going to be tight but in the realm of “be careful what you wish for,” my mother passed away literally days after we moved here and left a better than expected estate. It was a surreal time for sure.
The housing market in San Diego is oppressive price wise. I can’t see any way it could be a low budget retirement spot…at all.
But I do love it there!
@thumper1 - I did say we moved from not low budget to not low budget!
San Diego residents have a different definition of “little rain” than residents of most other areas of the US. For example, Wundergound estimates 0.1 inches of rain on Friday and another 0.1 on Saturday. That’s a big deal in SD, but not as big deal in the area of NY where I grew up that averages 40+ inches of precipitation per year.
A friend is in San Miguel de Allende (Mexico) right now, looking at retirement homes. He’s enchanted – I’m intrigued and envious.
@katliamom , google Home Free Adventures, a book and blog by Lynn Martin. They sold their CA home and spent several years VRBO-ing around the world. Inspired by San Miguel de Allende.
@Brantly and @bubblewrap -
Yes, the complex is called Skyview-on-the-Hudson. My grandma and aunt moved there in 1976. My grandma died in 1986 but my aunt lived there until she died about 20 years later. They had a lovely apartment and I always wanted to live there with my grandma but my life took me to LI instead. I was curious so I looked the complex up and there are apparently no units for sale now, but a one bedroom, one bath with a terrace (similar to my grandma’s apartment) went for $199K.