Retirement may mean moving to the sunny beaches of Florida or the Carolinas, or heading to the high desert of Arizona, but the reality for most area residents is that they tend to stay pretty close to home, local experts said.
“For many in the D.C. area, they may decide there really is no place like home,” said Jan Cullinane, former Maryland resident and co-author of “The New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life.”
“In the Washington, D.C., area, there is a wealth of culture, educational opportunities, good medical care, recreational opportunities, and the area is more recession-proof than many places – all reasons people move to a place to retire,” Cullinane said.
| Considerations when deciding where to retire |
| >> Will the area meet your wants and needs five to 10 years in the future? |
| >> What is most important: rest and relaxation in a less populated area or fun and adventure in a vacation hot spot? |
| >> What medical care is available? |
| >> Haw far away are family and friends? |
| >> Is transportation readily available? |
| >> Do you know the area well? Experts suggest renting a house for a couple seasons or a year to test the climate and surroundings. |
| >> Is the local cost of living is affordable long-term? |
When area retirees do move away from Washington they still tend not to go very far. Elizabeth Blakeslee, associate broker at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Washington, said the Eastern Shore and Delaware and Maryland beaches are popular second home and retirement locations, as are West Virginia areas such as Shepherdstown, Charles Town and Lost River.
“Rural Virginia also draws some retirees,” Blakeslee said. “Towns like Middleburg and Charlottesville are popular for retirees.” Wintergreen and Bryce Resort also make the list for those who like skiing and golf.
Cindy Moses, broker and co-owner of Keller Williams Team Realty in Rockville, said the Eastern Shore’s popularity stems from a lower cost of living and proximity to the Washington metro area.
“The Delaware resort communities, such as Bethany Beach, Rehoboth Beach and Lewes, are a better value in terms of a much lower real estate tax rate and the lack of a sales tax,” Moses said.
Moses said her clients who move to areas such as Martinsburg, W.Va., and Frederick, Md., “tend to want to stay close to D.C. and their families, while lowering their cost of living.”
She is often surprised, however, by the number of retirees who choose cold weather destinations. “But this decision is usually based upon the location of adult children and grandchildren,” she noted.
“Think very carefully about how you want the rest of your life to unfold,” Blakeslee said. “And choose a place that meets those needs in terms of lifestyle and cost.”
