1 minute ago, mogandave said:

I wasn't there long, but I liked Flagstaff

I'm pretty sure lower cost housing is rare there. The topic is focused on lower budget options. 

How about Salton Sea? 

Flagstaff is high housing cost, and very little economic activity to support it...freezing cold in the winter.  Sucks.  Salton Sea?  Have you seen into the Wild?  Good movie.  Needles would be better, and cheap housing there, but there are good reasons Arizona, and Nevada are much more solid economically,; California is a socialist tax ripoff at every turn.  In fact Needles has tried to join Arizona.

2 hours ago, beavercreek said:

I made an offer on a 1918 bungalow on a 13,000 sf lot in Douglas, AZ.  City water/sewer,  natural gas, reasonable electric...2 bed 1 bath, 1050 sf.  Hardwood floors, hookups for laundry.  About 500 m to Food City, a mile to superwalmart, and a mile to the port for mexico with genuine booze at less than half price of Thailand.  Casino and cheap beer bars in mex. Zero murders in Douglas in most years, but certainly some crime.  Weed is cheaper than cigs, which are 32 per carton at duty free.  I will post a li k if anyone wants to see it.  Nice little house.  And at 4000 feet elevation, no severe heat problems like Tucson and Phoenix.  Sperlings climate index gives it an 84 on a 1-100, with the us average at 53.

 

 

Would that be the one at 1376 E 13th St, Douglas, AZ  85607?

20 minutes ago, beavercreek said:

Flagstaff is high housing cost, and very little economic activity to support it...freezing cold in the winter.  Sucks.  Salton Sea?  Have you seen into the Wild?  Good movie.  Needles would be better, and cheap housing there, but there are good reasons Arizona, and Nevada are much more solid economically,; California is a socialist tax ripoff at every turn.  In fact Needles has tried to join Arizona.

 

I was joking about Salton Sea. One of my sisters live in El Centro for a while and I used to drive through there when I went to see her. 

 

We fished Corbina there a few time when I was a kid.

16 minutes ago, mogandave said:

 

 

Would that be the one at 1376 E 13th St, Douglas, AZ  85607?

Yes.  Owned by a revocable trust..I think the guy has croaked, and his kids are selling it.

10 minutes ago, beavercreek said:

Yes.  Owned by a revocable trust..I think the guy has croaked, and his kids are selling it.

Good luck with your bid.

 

Lot of potential and a nice big lot.

1 hour ago, mogandave said:

Good luck with your bid.

 

Lot of potential and a nice big lot.

Looking in Las Cruces, too, where Hangemhigh was filmed, but AZ is a much more robust economy.  100 miles to TUS, and two stops to CNX.  Vans from the border..probably 25 to the terminal.  Amtrack in Benson to. LA or New Orleans.

Here is a nice one in Ely, Nevada....way, way remote...near the Great Basin area.  14,900.

 

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/26-Connors-Ct_Ely_NV_89301_M14707-96952?ex=NV601968100

I like Gene

8 hours ago, beavercreek said:

Here is a nice one in Ely, Nevada....way, way remote...near the Great Basin area.  14,900.

 

https://www.realtor.cGeom/realestateandhomes-detail/26-Connors-Ct_Ely_NV_89301_M14707-96952?ex=NV601968100

 

Looks like it sold.

 

Geneva Alabama is a nice small town, and not too far from Ft Walton Beach.

 

 

Baby boomers are killing the Early Bird Special.

Mostly talking about Florida.

Not saying it's not horrible, but it's an interesting article --

 

https://www.eater.com/2018/1/29/16929816/early-bird-extinction-florida

Baby boomers are killing the Early Bird Special. Mostly talking about Florida. Not saying it's not horrible, but it's an interesting article --  

https://www.eater.com/2018/1/29/16929816/early-bird-extinction-florida

 

 

 

Your article mentions The Villages. I find the place and concept amazing and get regular emails on houses for sale in my defined price range. Golf carts are the primary transportation mode and they take great pride in the bazillion clubs and activities. Most houses, in addition to a lanai, offer a birdcage. I had no idea what that was until I saw a few pictures. 

 

While not necessarily enticing for us, it is a fascinating concept.

 

And the next level for hip, active retiree living is here . . .

 

https://www.latitudemargaritaville.com

 

 

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Yeah, I'm not knocking the Villages for those that it appeals to and can afford it, but it's not low budget. 

Colorado Springs

  --has Obamacare

  --yes, 4 seasons but more sunshine per year than Las Vegas

  --a quaint city center (inside this growing city) with a variety of shops and restaurants

  --an hour from Denver's regional  airport, pro teams, and great steak houses

  --very close to small, historic Rocky Mountain towns with casinos

  --clean air

  --legal weed (helps the tax base)

  --Garden of the Gods public park

  --Air Force Academy football

1 hour ago, Mac98 said:

Colorado Springs

  --has Obamacare

  --yes, 4 seasons but more sunshine per year than Las Vegas

  --a quaint city center (inside this growing city) with a variety of shops and restaurants

  --an hour from Denver's regional  airport, pro teams, and great steak houses

  --very close to small, historic Rocky Mountain towns with casinos

  --clean air

  --legal weed (helps the tax base)

  --Garden of the Gods public park

  --Air Force Academy football

Places in Colorado often get on lists as desirable and popular retirement places. The legal weed thing is spreading to other states, of course. About Obamacare being on offer, the ACA exchanges are still the law in all the states. The aspect that is more limited and not in all states is EXPANDED Medicaid. 

On 1/28/2018 at 3:47 AM, mogandave said:

 

I was joking about Salton Sea. One of my sisters live in El Centro for a while and I used to drive through there when I went to see her. 

 

We fished Corbina there a few time when I was a kid.

Actually, for some folks, Slab City is a reasonable option.

It's not in the US, but it's close. I considered holing up in Rosarito, Mexico. It's just south of Tijuana and San Diego, my home town. It's still an option of course, but I'm more interested in giving Thailand a shot.

Anyway, I could get VA treatment in San Diego if needed, the weather is good and not expensive. There's just a lot of gang activity in Mexico, and it's not really safe.

10 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Places in Colorado often get on lists as desirable and popular retirement places. The legal weed thing is spreading to other states, of course. About Obamacare being on offer, the ACA exchanges are still the law in all the states. The aspect that is more limited and not in all states is EXPANDED Medicaid. 

Prescott, AZ is halfway up the state in low hills, so you don't get the 118F summers, and not as cold as Flagstaff. But AZ is getting expensive as has the NW from CA spillover. To save a lot of money on housing, car insurance, taxes, and have mild winters, then look to Tennessee or South Carolina. That may help with medical costs.  

12 hours ago, Ruffian Dick said:

Actually, for some folks, Slab City is a reasonable option.

I think that's mostly oldsters escaping the winter, no real full-timers, of course it's been probably 20 years since I've been there.

 

Remember "Sunken City"? 

Food map of the USA. For entertainment purposes mostly:

Quote

What is the exact longitude where Chinese food eclipses tacos? 

https://pudding.cool/2018/02/restaurants/

9 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Food map of the USA. For entertainment purposes mostly:

https://pudding.cool/2018/02/restaurants/

I grew up in Virginia and don't remember BBQ being a big thing. Now I know why. You have to go down to North Carolina before hitting prime territory.

On 1/18/2018 at 11:16 AM, Jingthing said:

This might not directly relate to this topic, but I think it's still related.

Amazon is going to build a major new HQ and these are the finalist cities.

Amazon surely would only consider cities with a decent quality of life.

On the other hand, Newark? Some on the list are not super expensive by U.S. standards, such as Atlanta  and Indianapolis.

 

My wild and very likely wrong guess about their final choice is Raleigh NC.

 

 

Not a guess. Any city sector that hosts Amazon will see increases in property and rental values. Then dozens of 'over priced' boutique restaurants and shops. Congested Traffic. Gentrification that displaces low income and the elderly. If you knew the city, invest in property. If you have property, sell and retire.

2 minutes ago, Kim1950 said:

Not a guess. Any city sector that hosts Amazon will see increases in property and rental values. Then dozens of 'over priced' boutique restaurants and shops. Congested Traffic. Gentrification that displaces low income and the elderly. If you knew the city, invest in property. If you have property, sell and retire.

Yeah, I get that, but that wasn't really my point. My point was that it's doubtful Amazon would final list any cities that were horrible to live in. Only one will win but the point was to look at the entire list. The consensus now is that it will probably be one of the D.C. area choices. Those places are already quite high cost.

A thread that has gotten much attention. Repatriation back to the US is not a problem. But "Low Cost" repatriation may be a problem.
"Low cost repatriations" have been suggested , ranging from Alaska all the way down to the swamps of Florida and everything else in between.
Fact: Life in the US is more expensive than in Thailand (no matter where you go).
Returning lost sheep, having lived outside of the US, bare of any financial means, can not expect to get a warm welcome in the US.
The US is not a "nanny-state" when it comes to re-accommodate citizens that have decided to spend their money in some exotic place.
If that's the expectation, you have the "wrong" Passport.
The only thing I find remarkable is the fact that many a staunch opposers of a "Nanny-State" would see themselves as privileged if only they would be citizens of a "nanny-state". (= Wrong Passport).
Final analysis: An american citizen, living in a 3000 Bht rental Shoebox in Pattaya is better off than this counterpart in the US living under a bridge.
America first. Good luck.
Cheers.  

50 minutes ago, swissie said:

Final analysis: An american citizen, living in a 3000 Bht rental Shoebox in Pattaya is better off than this counterpart in the US living under a bridge.
 

True 'dat!

I lived on the street in LA, Phoenix & Vegas and it was not that bad.




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I lived on the street in LA, Phoenix & Vegas and it was not that bad.




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Good for you. But that is not an option many rational sane people would choose if there was almost any other option.

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Good for you. But that is not an option many rational sane people would choose if there was almost any other option.

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There weren’t that many other options.

2 minutes ago, mogandave said:

 

There weren’t that many other options.

 

Glad you survived that. I don't think I would. I don't even like camping. 

Glad you survived that. I don't think I would. I don't even like camping. 

Doesn’t take long to get used to it. Again, really not that bad.