I sold the house I owned right after the crash of 2009. Had I sold it a year earlier, I would have much more money. I think there are advantages and problems with both renting and owning. Condos in my area are now out of my price range. I'm still looking for a mobile in a park. My biggest fear in some dumpy low income apartment (though I know they can be nice but there are waiting lists also) and not being able to have my pets or being in a situation I'm stuck into. These years pre retirement are certainly NOT turning out as I had hoped and I'm beginning to fear retirement wondering what will happen.
My niece just bought a new home which was built a few years ago and never lived in here in the Dominican Republic it is her first house than she has own out right with nothing owning and no taxes. It sometime hard to put your head around buying something that has no sales tax, house tax,and land tax. The house is solid block tile floors iron bars on all doors and window. She paid $25,000 US so she found it cheaper to own than rent she is going to use it as her retirement home. Now she is paying $1,000 Canadian per month in Toronto.
Our house and 25 acres are getting harder and harder for us to take care of. I expect in the not too distant future for us to sell and rent an apartment somewhere, maybe in or near the city where most of our medical services are.
@Sheldon Scott...as we age, we must continue to downsize everything in our lives. My hubby use to want at least 5 acres a all that went with it. i am like nooo you don't, because someday in the near future you are not going want to mow 5 acres, and do maintenance on a house. He is now content doing his wood working in the garage here at our apartment, and letting mainatance guys handle all the other stuff
My Honey loves "puttering" around outside and with his "potted" outside plants, etc. so even though he doesn't need a lot of outdoor space anymore...he still needs a small plot to do his thing on. We are blessed that our Landlord has given us that space and that my Honey can continue to enjoy his "hobby" for as long as he is able to. I agree that downsizing is important at least to us as we have gotten older. Neither one of us likes a whole lot of things cluttering up our living areas, but we do like touches of things that make our place "Home" to us. We keep some of the things that mean the most to us and that we will use or enjoy. Each year it seems I give away, etc. a few more things that I realize we don't use, wear, play, read, or that has lost personal meaning for us. And having less to take care of or clutter up our home has made keeping our place neat and clean alot easier and faster to do...giving us more time for what is still important to us. I pray this is our last "Home" as even the thought of making another move makes me feel sad and to tired!
I've lived here 14 years and it's the longest I've lived in any one house I think but I never thought of this place as "home". My husband died here the first year we moved here and I've been alone here since then except a few years with my ex and then I pretended it was "home" meaning I went through the motions but didn't really feel it deep down inside.
As most of you know, I grew up in a Military family so we moved a lot and for us, 'Home' was something we took with us as a family. After all the years and addresses I had in the service, we bought our first house when I retired from the Air Force in 1994. We did that for the youngest so he could have a 'normal' childhood. We sold it to move here to Nashville in 2009. Made a little money on the deal and socked it away for later years. Too old and set in my ways to buy again, so we just rent. Don't like the landlord or neighbors? We move to a different place. We are so used to packing and moving, I can do it without even breaking a sweat...and I hire the job out now. We are in deep discussion about moving out of state again at the first of the year. I don't think the wife and I will ever be 'settled' again. I could live in a tent, but the wife requires just a tad bit more.
We've been apartment hunting and only saw one place that we really thought would do. But then they spring it on us that particular unit facing the water is spoken for already and we could go on a waiting list for the other side of the building facing the parking lot. As far as the apartment with the view.....needless to say they have stopped taking applications for that side of the building....sigh So I went home, passed a garden centre on the way and guess what I did yesterday.....grin