Where you are going to live when you finish full time employment? This is a very important question and the answer can have a major impact on the rest of your life. There is no “right” answer, it’s a matter of finding out what works best for you. 
Before you decide to move to a new suburb, town or city, remember that your support network is generally around where you’ve been living. It’s not that easy to make good friends in a new community where you are the “blow ins” for the first year or two. We are not saying “don’t move”, just be aware of what you’re getting into.
If you are considering a Seachange or Treechange, we have a series of suggestions you might like to consider. Remember if you get a Seachange or Treechange wrong and you have to move back to your original town or city, it’s likely to be an expensive exercise. If it works for you, the benefits are generally a more relaxed lifestyle in a beautiful environment and we know of hundreds of people who have made a successful move
Before you make a Seachange or Treechange, think about these:
- Do your homework before you decide which town to move to. Don’t just go to the town you liked as a holiday destination, or because you have some friends there. It simply may not have the services and facilities you will need as a permanent resident. It’s important that you spend the time to make sure your preferred town is really right for you now, and in the future.
- Do you have any health problems that need specialist treatment? Are you likely to require sophisticated medical services in the future? You should look for a town where you can get the treatment you need. A few local GPs may not be good enough. Because specialists come and go, we suggest you check with the local hospital or medical centre to see what specialists, if any, service the area.
- How easy will it be for friends and family to visit you? Think about transport links to the town of your choice. If you decide to live right out of town at the end of a rough track, don’t be surprised if your friends don’t call.
- Consider the weather. Check what the climate is like all year round.
- Do you have enough money to live comfortably? A professionally prepared financial plan is essential. The sooner you have this done, the better. If you don’t yet have a financial advisor, you should appoint one.
- What type of home do you really need? Is it a large house with lots of bedrooms, a unit, a manufactured home in a park, a small suburban house or a retirement village? Decide what best suits your new lifestyle and remember the maintenance and cleaning.
- Rent before you buy. It is advisable to rent in the town you are thinking about retiring to, before you sell your current home and move. It’s a good idea to live there for 6-12 months to make sure that this is where you really want to spend the rest of your life.
- How easy will it be to make new friends? Do your sports and hobbies make it easy to join clubs where you can meet people with similar interests? Have you thought about doing some volunteer work in your new town?
- Do some serious retirement planning before you retire. We have a number of books that can help.
- Finally, do you really want to move to a new town? Can you achieve a more suitable lifestyle simply by selling your current home and moving to something more suitable in a different part of your town or city? Remember you are moving away from your local networks where you probably have friends, relatives and acquaintances. It’s not easy to replace this local network.
Our book “The Rest of Your Life” contains lots of useful information and advice for anyone thinking about their retirement and where they might want to live. To find out more, just click on http://www.mylifechange.com.au/the-rest-of-your-life