Is This Your Situation: Searching for the Perfect Home to Retire In?

 

The answers to these five questions will help you hone in on your perfect retirement home.

1. Does a single-story home make more sense for me?
As we age, our chances of becoming disabled and losing mobility increase. Choosing a retirement home with a single-story floor plan, a first-floor bedroom or an elevator ensures that stairs never become an obstacle for you. 

2. How much do I hate cleaning the gutters?
If you already hate mowing the lawn, having more time to do it after retirement won’t make you suddenly love it. Finding a single-family community where the condo association handles lawn care and exterior maintenance maybe just the thing.

3. Who’s visiting and who’s living with me?
Want the children and grandchildren to visit? Pick a community with fabulous recreational amenities or a vacation-worthy location. Want to keep visitors to a minimum, minimize the number of extra bedrooms in your new home or buy in a 55+ community.

4. How attached am I to my stuff?
Downsizing sounds better in theory than in practice. Are you ready to let go of your possessions? Do your kids want the family heirlooms? To keep those heirlooms, you’ll need a similar size home to what you’re living in now.

5. Do I want to be near family?
Live long enough and you may eventually need a caregiver. You’ll make that task easier if you live near the person who’s going to help you as you age. In the meantime, how easy do you want to make it for the kids to drop off the grandkids on a moment’s notice?

I can help you find the perfect retirement home. Drop me an email or call me if you want to discuss your options.

 

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8 Crafty, Creative Ways to Meet the Neighbors

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Wondering how to meet the neighbors after moving to a new town? In the past, you would have baked an apple pie and popped on over, but come on, that's so 1950s. What do people do now?

After scouring the craftiest corners of the Internet—from Pinterest to Etsy and beyond—we learned that meeting the neighbors today can be as simple as printing out a few pun-filled flyers, attaching a memorable munchie or gift, then dropping them on doorsteps to work their magic. Here are a few creative ways to meet the neighbors that you can buy for just a few bucks, or (if you're a hands-on crafter) use as inspiration to make your own knockoff.

They're guaranteed to make a memorable first impression.

 

Pop over with a snack

 

Who doesn't love popcorn?

Download a printable template, edit with your new info and attach to a package of microwave popcorn. Clever, right? Also not too costly, and easy to put together when you're also trying to unpack a billion boxes.

 

Make 'em melt with s'mores

 

Even total shut-in neighbors will be tempted to warm up to you once they read one of these cards paired with a bag of marshmallows, a bar of chocolate, and a box of graham crackers. Or, maybe you give a different s'mores component to each of your neighbors and invite them over to share at your firepit.

 

Share whatever you're great at

 

Maybe popcorn or campfire treats aren't your thing. No judgment! These handcrafted tags allow you to gift whatever you desire. Homemade cake's the example given here, but maybe you want to show off your soap-making skills or the dahlias in your new backyard.

 

Make 'em laugh

Hand out these cards to show off your sense of humor and indicate how your expectations are honestly pretty low for a neighbor: Just please don't be a serial killer. Hopefully, they have a funny bone.

 

Kick-start some good karma

 

Pile some cookies on this "giving plate" and pass it on! Since the whole point of the plate is to "pay it forward," this gesture paints you as a generous soul—and a great addition to the neighborhood.

 

Hold a housewarming party

 

Why wait to be invited to the block party when you can throw your own party right now?

If you're the extroverted type, don't stop at simply saying hi. Ask them over already, using these customized housewarming party invites.

 

Feed their coffee addiction

Seriously, who doesn't like a free travel mug?

It's coffee's world. We just live in it, so why not hand out travel mugs to your new neighbors? They will think of you every morning on their way to work.

 

Just give 'em cookies

 

These free printable tags don't bother being cute, they just get right to the point: We're new here. We give cookies. Trust us, it works.

 

 (you could download printable templates at etsy.com)

Article by:  Stephanie Booth

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