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Deciding where to retire
Deciding on where to retire is a decision millions will face in the coming years. It may be to places like Sarasota or it could be simply down-sizing to a place near "the kids".
Baby Boomers have several choices. They can stay where they are, downsize to more suitable 'digs', move away or even buy a motor home and live everywhere / nowhere. Where's the perfect place is anyone's guess. There can be some method to finding your 'right place'. Sarasota is definitely a great option for many Boomers.
Needs will always change
Studies show people often go through stages of retirement. A person who is 62 will have different needs than a person who is 85. Deciding where to live will change over time and thus people will probably make a move more than one time.
Many dip their toes in the water first - retire slowly. Boomers today have too much ambition to quit and do nothing. For a lot of people, they understand they can work from anywhere. With cell phones and internet access, I could almost sell real estate in Florida from my home state of Michigan.
Your likes and dislikes
Even if you plan to stay in the same place after you retire, it's a good idea to draw up a list of what you want in a community. For me climate was important as was the ability to continue to work. I had live in California and was not interested in returning to the West. I like auto racing so Indianapolis may be a choice because of the small track events.
Make a list ranking perhaps on a 1 - 5 scale of importance. Here are some ideas to consider:
1. State income taxes or lack there of like Florida
2. Average number of days of sunshine
3. Crime rate
4. Average temperature
5. Public Transportation
6. Medical care / hospitals / physicians
3. Find out about the locations you like:
Once you have your list of things you want, research some books and on line. Maybe a past vacation spot is just the place to go.
But, don't automatically move to your favorite vacation destination. If you like Florida or Arizona in winter, you might hate it in summer. You might enjoy the autumn leaves in the Berkshires, but find it brutally cold in winter.
If you can swing it financially, try to live for at least a few weeks each in the places you're considering. Bland recommends spending a lot of time there at the worst time of the year -- when it's most crowded with tourists or students or when the weather is least comfortable. He and his wife spent three winters in a row in Portland, when the weather is at its cloudiest. They liked it anyway.
Remember that you probably will end up selling the house someday, so even though you don't have children, you might want to buy in a good school district, so the home's value holds up.
If you make the wrong decision:
Many retirees move, then discover that they chose the wrong place. This can be expensive and very stressful. Consider this. In the city of Phoenix Arizona, 3 out of every five people who move to the city, move out. Florida has some "in and out" as well. Not many but some who move to Florida learn it's sunnier, hotter and more humid in the summer than they dreamed possible.
Many retirees split their time between two homes, and others live the nomadic life in a recreational vehicle or aboard a boat. They even do that while working part time, Kelly says: "The options for these folks are just all over the board given their interests and the ability to telecommute." | 
