[TrudyM]

We have been thinking of doing the following in the first few years of retirement. (starting Jan 2012 if we can sell the house next summer) We don't want to commit buying a place My husband may want to go back to work, contract for six months to a year after the initial break.

The Plan.
Drive leisurely across the country seeing the sites and ending up in TV with our car and our most loved possessions. (I.e. my good knives and my stain glass art stuff) Looking at our closets I think we could take half and still leave enough clothing in my son’s attic to never need to bring any with us when we visit.)


Jan Feb March - Rent a condo in Hawaii (Hubby is from Honolulu) as we can rent in Waikiki for less than TV for those months. Hawaii is also warmer in the mid 70’s and it looks like TV is in the low to mid 60’s those months, and you guys all say it is crowded, hard to get T times ect. ( I find Hawaii boring)

July and Aug - Stay with son in Seattle area.

The other 7 months rent in TV.

Storing a car in TV would cost about $100 a month.
Obviously we would have to rent a car in Honolulu for the three months. (Will cost us between $600 and $700) a month. And store our second car in Seattle ($1000) or rent for the two months ($1400)

The only problem is we would have no address. I mean we could use my Son’s or rent a postal box. But what about Car insurance et all. We would have to store my husbands comic book collection and our art at my sons, but reading this board you guys have convinced me that all the rest of the accumulated stuff should be gotten rid of.

Is this just a weird idea?

Trudy

[villages07]

not totally weird, but financially (not sure about legally)...maybe you would be better off doing a full year rental in The Villages and "sub letting" the place for JanFebMar.

That would make Florida your permanent home (no state tax), yearly rentals are pretty reasonable, but you would have to have the legal ability to do the sublet from the owner. You would take in the high season rental fee and that would offset the cost of annual rental. For instance, a house that rents for $3,000/month in high season might have a $1,800/month rental fee for a yearlong contract.

[TrudyM]

That would solve the residency issue, without having to sublet. Looks like allot of the rentals available are being rented out by snowbirds who might like a one rental none peak.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by TrudyM

We have been thinking of doing the following in the first few years of retirement. (starting Jan 2012 if we can sell the house next summer) We don't want to commit buying a place My husband may want to go back to work, contract for six months to a year after the initial break.

The Plan.
Drive leisurely across the country seeing the sites and ending up in TV with our car and our most loved possessions. (I.e. my good knives and my stain glass art stuff) Looking at our closets I think we could take half and still leave enough clothing in my son’s attic to never need to bring any with us when we visit.)


Jan Feb March - Rent a condo in Hawaii (Hubby is from Honolulu) as we can rent in Waikiki for less than TV for those months. Hawaii is also warmer in the mid 70’s and it looks like TV is in the low to mid 60’s those months, and you guys all say it is crowded, hard to get T times ect. ( I find Hawaii boring)

July and Aug - Stay with son in Seattle area.

The other 7 months rent in TV.

Storing a car in TV would cost about $100 a month.
Obviously we would have to rent a car in Honolulu for the three months. (Will cost us between $600 and $700) a month. And store our second car in Seattle ($1000) or rent for the two months ($1400)

The only problem is we would have no address. I mean we could use my Son’s or rent a postal box. But what about Car insurance et all. We would have to store my husbands comic book collection and our art at my sons, but reading this board you guys have convinced me that all the rest of the accumulated stuff should be gotten rid of.

Is this just a weird idea?

Trudy

This plan sounds too complicated for retirement.

Yoda

[Dayton]

This sounds like a great plan to me! This is very close to what we are currently doing.

Don't worry about the permanent address. Either use your son's - or if you want to use a state that has no state income tax - you can do that, too. We have used a place in Pensacola, Florida. Military people and people who are full-time RVers do it all the time. You are set up with a street address and mail forwarding.

Don't be swayed by those who aren't adventurous enough to try. I say GO FOR IT! And enjoy!

[salpal]

If you don't want to use your son's address (best idea). There are mail forwarding services. They will provide you a street address (theirs) and forward your mail as you direct. Considering your multiple locations, you son could probably best keep track of you.

I an envious of your plans!!!

[eweissenbach]

Originally Posted by TrudyM

We have been thinking of doing the following in the first few years of retirement. (starting Jan 2012 if we can sell the house next summer) We don't want to commit buying a place My husband may want to go back to work, contract for six months to a year after the initial break.

The Plan.
Drive leisurely across the country seeing the sites and ending up in TV with our car and our most loved possessions. (I.e. my good knives and my stain glass art stuff) Looking at our closets I think we could take half and still leave enough clothing in my son’s attic to never need to bring any with us when we visit.)


Jan Feb March - Rent a condo in Hawaii (Hubby is from Honolulu) as we can rent in Waikiki for less than TV for those months. Hawaii is also warmer in the mid 70’s and it looks like TV is in the low to mid 60’s those months, and you guys all say it is crowded, hard to get T times ect. ( I find Hawaii boring)

July and Aug - Stay with son in Seattle area.

The other 7 months rent in TV.

Storing a car in TV would cost about $100 a month.
Obviously we would have to rent a car in Honolulu for the three months. (Will cost us between $600 and $700) a month. And store our second car in Seattle ($1000) or rent for the two months ($1400)

The only problem is we would have no address. I mean we could use my Son’s or rent a postal box. But what about Car insurance et all. We would have to store my husbands comic book collection and our art at my sons, but reading this board you guys have convinced me that all the rest of the accumulated stuff should be gotten rid of.

Is this just a weird idea?

Trudy

Doesn't sound at all weird to me. A couple potential tweaks I might add: If you were to buy an inexpensive villa or manufactured home in TV, it seems to me that the rent you could expect for the high months (jan - mar) plus July/Aug, would pay your mortgage, or alternatively, replace the interest you could otherwise get on your money. That would leave you with a home in the villages for the time you choose to spend that would be minimal in cost and cheaper than rent. It would also provide you with a permanent address in a no state tax state. Also, if you bought a home with a garage, that would solve your car storage problem in TV and free up an additional $100/mo.

Your auto options seem very expensive to me, $600-$700/mo. rental cost, and there should be alternative options, though I am not certain what they would be. Maybe someone else could help with ideas on that.

Good luck it sounds idyllic if the details can be ironed out - and the details can ALWAYS be ironed out!

[TrudyM]

The IRS says they determine it on a case by case basis, but overall you are a resident in whatever state you reside 6 months or more and if there is no such state then in which ever state you reside at least 120 days in the aggregate. So that would make us FLA residents.

This plan is a little complicated. We are just scared that if the economy goes south again and we have purchased a home and then have to go back to work we will be stuck with the expense two places. The value of our retirement investments has finally come back but we had almost no income from them in 2008 and 2009 (partly as they were all in stocks but still),
So I am trying to only count on pension and social security, and holding my sons mortgage. So only a little over half of our original planned retirement income.

It is all a little scary. Once the paycheck stops, it stops, and it's a long time from 63 to death (we hope). I guess I am just negative as I have not been able to reacuire regular employment since my 2008 layoff. I was raised on stories of the great depression and how the only thing you can count on is your own brain and willingness to work.

Allot of you are pretty savy and very supportive and I appreciate your input.

Trudy