We moved from the south of England to the North East where we lived in our own semi detached. with a single breeze block between us neighbours drove us mad and we bought a detached. No noise but plenty of expense. at 75, with great trepidation we downsized to a two bed apartment in a block of ten. It was only three years old, well insulated and pretty quiet. The big plus is we own the lease, have a management company and a thick rule book. Any big trouble and tenant or owner is contacted by the company. Fingers crossed we will see our days out here. One alarming thing in Britain is the number of semi's that are now rented. Building standards in the fifties, sixties and seventies were atrocious, sound proofing abominable and you haven't got a rule book or backup.
I couldn't cope with the cold and rain in the North east @Jim Nash . Brrrrr.....!! Good thing your new apartment is well insulated.
Holly there is a misconception about the weather. Yes summers are cooler than the south but we lived in Cambridge. I moved up here in December and went south each weekend for two months. Cambridge was colder and being low and flat it was damp. My daughter lives in Romsey Hampshire. Again its damp and cold in winter and they are constantly ill with colds.
LOL, Jim, I'm a Northerner ...A true northerner, born and raised on the West coast of Scotland . Much as I love my childhood home, here in Herts, which as you know is just south of Cambridge, it's much much warmer, and nowhere nearly as wet as the North, in fact comparatively it hardly ever rains here... and while the north is knee deep in snow most of the winter we get perhaps a foot of it for a week or so...very rarely anything more...
When I retired in 1998, we bought a home in the High Desert on a new 30-year Mortgage, which I paid off in 12 years by paying extra on the principal. Now my wife and I rattle around in a 2800 sq. ft. single-story California Ranch style home, with 4 Bedrooms, 2-1/2 Bathrooms, a 3-Car Garage with added Workshop, and a 500 sq. ft. Game Room. Our rent is $0.00 per month and our mortgage payment is $0.00 per month. Cheers, Hal
Well Holly...I'm married, but we could use you for light housekeeping in exchange for free room and board, no salary. But first, tell us a little about yourself and submit a full length picture. Cheerio... Hal
Retirement planning included selling our bi-level 5 bedroom home on 8 acres of property in the north east & paying cash for a 3 bedroom home ranch style home in the southwest. No maintenance stucco exterior with a tile roof. No stairs to climb, window cleaning at eye level, no snow to shovel and maybe best of all no arthritic pain associated with cold and dampness.