my husband and I have just retired and would like to know where a good place to retire without spending a fort

we are looking for mid class retirement living. rent or purchase. but it would have to be near water and a golf course.

Public Comments

1. Middle Georgia ... is beautiful and affordable. Lots of land left... lots of trees.
2. Check out http://www.city-data.com/forum/ You'll hear from lots of people from all areas of the world about the places they live. Lots of people who want to move check out the forum for insights as to possible relocations. Good Luck. Let me know if you find the "Ideal Retirement Spot" so that I can follow you. Just don't tell too many people. ; )
3. Oregon would fit your description. Lots of golf courses, lots of water.
4. best thing to do...buy an RV and go see the nation...u'll find a place along the way... i hear that lake taho is pretty nice..
5. The Villages, Fl. it is like no other retirement place. Not inexpensive but excellent value for your money. It is worth a look. In most other places there really is not a lot of enjoyable activities for a retiree to do most of the time. In most places activities tend to be timed around those still working. Thus, weekends, early evenings and holidays are when most activities occur. In The Villages, activities (golf, tennis, softball, water spots, just to name a few) are scheduled 7 days a week all through the day. I've been here over 5 years, my only complaint is that I wish the days were longer as there are so many things to do that I have to pick and chose the ones I want to do the most as there is not enough hours in the day to do everything I'd like to do. Housing prices vary from under $100K to well over $1M. Typical sale about $250K. You might consider renting to see if is what you want. Most rentals are monthly and are usually booked a year in advance for the winter season. The developer's sales office offers a 3 to 6 night preview rental @ $75 to $125 / night [published summer 2007 rate]. If you don't like it once you arrive, just consider it a hotel and spend your days at the Orlando area theme parks or looking at other nearby developments. That is what I had planned to do, but there was so much to see and do I never left the development during the entire week.
6. It might seem like a strange suggestion, but consider New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina wrecked much (not all) of the city, but rebuilding is in progress. NOLA will probably (eventually) get a makeover like the European cities that were bombed in WWII. New Orleans is one of the world's special places, even after Katrina. It has an ambiance unique in North America and the people here are friendly. All of the things NOLA is famous for (music, food, culture) have returned. Housing was a severe problem after Katrina, but much of the metro area has been repaired and there are numerous real estate sites that you can search for houses in the greater NO area. You can buy an historic home for the price of a 1-bedroom condo in LA. The only New Orleans real estate agents I personally know are Jane Hoogerwerf: jfhoog@aol.com or 504-891-6400 and Christine Ferro: 504-888-9900 or cferro@remax.net. You can drink the water, the electricity & phones work, and services like hospitals, schools, shops/malls and police/fire/ems are operating. There are also golf courses, including one on the PGA tour (English Turn). NOLA stays green all year most years (very rarely freezes). We do pay for mild weather from early November to late April with hot, humid summers but the Florida beaches are 4 hours away by car. You would be part of the rebuilding & rebirth of a great city. You are welcome to write to me if you would like more info. I live and work in NOLA, but not in real estate, travel/tourism, or anything like that (won't try to sell anything to you). Good luck!
7. Kimberling City, Missouri is very beautiful. It is in the middle of the Ozark Mountains. Or a good way to find out a good place for you is to go to www.findyourspot.com and ask the questions they have there, and they will give you a list of "your" 25 hot places to live.
8. Look no farther than Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Lakes, golfing, boating, beautiful ozark mountains, mild winters, quant victorian town. This is where I am going to retire.
9. Check out the Chattanooga, Tn. area. Tennessee has no state income tax, Chattanooga has a good sized lake, it's on the Tennessee River, there's several good golf courses in the area, and it's close to the Smoky Mountains. Housing is not as expensive as it is in some other places, too.