Do You Like or Hate the Neighborhood or Area You're Living In?

I like where I live in the foothills (about 1600 ft elevation) close to 2 national parks. We have been here about 25 years and are starting to think about moving into a nearby city of 100,000. I like the country and I like the city. Wish we could afford both.
 
I've lived in my apartment for fifteen years, my immediate neighbours are nice but I don't get too involved with anybody, it's a great location with my doctor, dentist, optician, shops, park and beach, all within a ten minute walk which, as I don't drive, is a bonus
 

I live in the house where I was born back in 1933. It's in a residential area on the outskirts of the city. As you might imagine, wooded area and fields have slowly fallen to development over these many years, but thankfully, since the late 40's, zoning have limited development to single family homes and NO businesses.

None of the neighbors that I knew as a child are still here and we have little to do with our present neighbors or them with us. Everybody will say good morning but after that we go our own way. I'm thankful as I prefer it that way.
 
I live in a rural setting....small towns near by...it is nice and peaceful, my biggest complaint is that it is too far from good shopping and movies theaters.
 
Love where we live. Great urban setting, good neighbors, central location to friends/family, all the services/retail one could ever want. A fair amount of casual crime - burglaries, mostly - but very little serious crime. When you're a city dweller that's as good as it gets.

We are less than 15 min from our hospital/doctors, a real plus when my DH suffered a stroke years ago at age 50.

Starting to make a list of senior facilities to research/visit, probably will move within the next 5 yrs. Would prefer to stay in the same general area; there are literally hundreds to choose from so it will be a tough decision.
 
I know nothing besides my neighborhood. Seven more years and my family will have been on this farm 200 years. My son family live in the house his great grandfather was born in. There are 5 homes on the farm and the generations just pass them on as time goes by.
Yep I like my neighborhood.
 
Lived her on an off for nearly 50 years.. and have been in this same house for 36 years... so I guess I love it..

I have the best of both worlds... I live in a quiet suburb with all the amenities in walking distance.. YET.. I am able to get into the city of Chicago anywhere I want to go in a 30 minute car or train ride. I can go to off Broadway Plays... and dine at fabulous restaurants... and take advantage of our glorious lakefront, and all the summer festivals in delightful ethnic neighborhoods! I do love the city and the hussle and bustle...and especially all the cultural diversity.. yet, I can return home to peace and quiet at the end of the day
 
Last edited:
Love is to strong. I like where we chose to live in retirement, a neighborhood filled with ethnic and age diversity. I can walk to 4 major grocery stores, & our dentist. About 10 min from 3 differant hospitals. Yet it's secluded enough to enjoy BBQ'ing without animals or people wandering around to see what's cooking.




At one time we lived a block from a beach in the Carribean. Left that to eventually move to a 5 bedroom bi level home on 8 acres of land surrounded by orchards. Even had a summer place in the piney's of N. J. at one time. All concious choices for that time in our lives. Having the good fortune to be able to compare, this is ideal for us at this late stage in life.
 
I am so torn on this. We've been in this quiet neighborhood, small town for 26 years. I really don't want to sound like a snob but my problem is it's an older neighborhood, no covenants and it's become somewhat rundown. People don't take care of their houses and yards. Most do but right next door is an eyesore.
We like our house. It's a good retirement size and one floor, 1/2 acre yard. If we moved it would be to have more privacy, maybe foothills and scenery.
If we stay we would make house and yard more senior friendly.
Any advice from anyone who went through the stay or move decision?
 
hearlady said:
I am so torn on this. We've been in this quiet neighborhood, small town for 26 years. I really don't want to sound like a snob but my problem is it's an older neighborhood, no covenants and it's become somewhat rundown. People don't take care of their houses and yards. Most do but right next door is an eyesore.
We like our house. It's a good retirement size and one floor, 1/2 acre yard. If we moved it would be to have more privacy, maybe foothills and scenery.
If we stay we would make house and yard more senior friendly.
Any advice from anyone who went through the stay or move decision?
Click to expand...

We bought another property way out in rural Northwestern Illinois 11 years ago, with the intention of retiring there.. However, we decided that it was just a bit to rural for a couple of Seniors and now have opted to stay in our suburban Chicago home... Here we have everything at our fingertips.. including pharmacies, medical care, hospitals, grocery stores, shopping malls within walking distance. There.. It's a 18 mile round trip to get to a store.. and 19 miles to the nearest community hospital... with the nearest major medical facility 40 miles away.. Nope.. we are selling the other place and staying put here.
 
hearlady said:
I am so torn on this. We've been in this quiet neighborhood, small town for 26 years. I really don't want to sound like a snob but my problem is it's an older neighborhood, no covenants and it's become somewhat rundown. People don't take care of their houses and yards. Most do but right next door is an eyesore.
We like our house. It's a good retirement size and one floor, 1/2 acre yard. If we moved it would be to have more privacy, maybe foothills and scenery.
If we stay we would make house and yard more senior friendly.
Any advice from anyone who went through the stay or move decision?
Click to expand...
A lot to think about especially when your main complaint is the house next door is an eyesore.

Where would you move to? What would you expect to get as a price for your present home? What would you expect to pay for where ever you think would be the remedy for your present situation?

Unknown if you own with no mortgage. Unknown if your medical needs are well taken care of where you live now. Unknown is how a move would affect the taxes on what your income would be. Several states don't tax soc. sec. or pensions. You have a lot of research to do.
 
Thanks, yes I definitely don't want to get too rural at our age but would like to be in more of a "destination" place . In other words a place people want to visit because there's things to do. This town fits our needs for services but is a bit of a boring place! I may settle for us being the ones who travel to the kids houses.
 
When I weigh the pros and cons staying would likely be best. We do own our home, the eyesore people are nice, and the other factors like taxes, etc are in line.
I think when I actually retire I'll have more freedom to travel and work on projects. Maybe I'll offer to help the neighbors paint their house.lol
 
hearlady said:
When I weigh the pros and cons staying would likely be best. We do own our home, the eyesore people are nice, and the other factors like taxes, etc are in line.
I think when I actually retire I'll have more freedom to travel and work on projects. Maybe I'll offer to help the neighbors paint their house.lol
Click to expand...
You didn't mention if retired and able to travel any time you felt like it. Given the uncertainty in "travel" destinations travel within America is awesome, especially if your health is good enough to hike trails in national parks. Then there are things like 5 star condo rentals that make it possible to enjoy the kind of food you like instead of looking for a clean restaurant. Or like that little town on the western entrance to Yellowstone that has a store that sells everything you need at a reasonable price to have a picnic while watching buffalo graze.

So much is possible all you have to do is set goals and do it. Don't like the wilderness? Las Vegas in the adult entertainment capital. N Y City offers spectacular shows & food
 
Excellent, dynamic community. GREAT neighbors. Wife was born and raised in this town. I was born and raised about 40 miles south. We were married here in 1966. Left for about 10 years. Returned for about 5. Left again for 10. Back in '99 and will die here. Have our grave plots purchased here.

When I came here to college and met my wife, this town was about 25,000. Today, we have topped 60,000. Large State University. Military base next door. All the shopping one would want.

Neighborhood is handy to shopping, medical facilities, etc. Can walk to large Kroger grocery. When taking the dog for a walk, pass by the area's largest hospital. Our cul-de-sac has been pretty stable. Had the home across the street sell 6 months ago. Young Indian couple. He works in the entomology department at the university while she is working on her PhD. They have cleaned and fixed and replaced and worked hard from the day they moved in to make their new home "glow".

Our geographical location allows us to see all four seasons... none too severe. Would not want to live anywhere else.
 
I like my little neighborhood. It's in the suburbs and is quiet. The neighbors are friendly. It's a good location, where it is very easy to get to the highways going in all directions. I can walk to the grocery store, a movie theater, a few restaurants, and a light rail station to take me to the bigger cities. We're about 15 minutes from green mountains with big trees and 30 minutes from the ocean. All of the houses in the neighborhood are single-family houses, so we don't get the turnover of apartments or duplexes. It is comfortable.
 
hearlady said:
I am so torn on this. We've been in this quiet neighborhood, small town for 26 years. I really don't want to sound like a snob but my problem is it's an older neighborhood, no covenants and it's become somewhat rundown. People don't take care of their houses and yards. Most do but right next door is an eyesore.
We like our house. It's a good retirement size and one floor, 1/2 acre yard. If we moved it would be to have more privacy, maybe foothills and scenery.
If we stay we would make house and yard more senior friendly.
Any advice from anyone who went through the stay or move decision?
Click to expand...

I'm glad I don't have a covenant. Homes without one are kind of coveted in Phoenix. There are horror stories about people
not being able to paint them the colors that they want to or having their yard one way (like desert landscaping) or not.
I live in an older part of Phoenix, in the past few years the city has been really trying to renovate and improve our downtown. I only live a few miles from there.
The value of houses here have been going up. Of course the downside is higher property taxes.
 
I was raised on asphalt and concrete. It's taken the last 24 years to shake it all out of my psyche. We see no neighbors...only evergreen trees. It's quiet except for Memorial/Labor days when the part timers show up from the cities. Even then...it's not bad and over quickly. Moving to a rural forested location (7 acres) was the smartest thing I ever did...my kids and grandkids say so too. I wish there was water beyond my pool but there are dozens of lakes and streams all around. Watching what happens on the coastlines has given me an appreciation for the interior.
 
RadishRose said:
I like my neighborhood, but not crazy about the city in general, although I don't "hate" it. The town I lived in the longest is nicer, but I couldn't afford to buy there. Well, it's only down the road a few miles, though.
Click to expand...

Your first line is exactly how we feel. LOVE the neighborhood, not the city. We have moved more times then I wish to say. We ended up here due to work. Why stay or Why go really. So we stay for now.
 
I live in a small patio home subdivision with lot sizes 50'x100'. One neighbor has 3 cars and a truck. They park 1 car and a truck in the driveway, one car on the street and one in the front yard. They use their garage as a storage house and it's filled to the brim. They even keep a lawn mower outside tucked behind a bush on the side of the house.

Overall they are quite and nice people, but they should live out in the country with a lot more space. Why anyone would buy a patio home with all their cars and junk is beyond me. The neighborhood as a whole is nice but I just happen to have this situation right next door to me.
 
I live in Fresno, a city of about 500,000. Thankfully I like in NE Fresno which is the best area.

I moved to my house and subdivision in 2003. My house is almost 2,000 sq ft. Which is too big for me after my husband died in 2004. :(


I actually live on the border of Clovis and Fresno so I have lots of shopping/dining options.


I probably have about 3 Costcos and at least 5-6 Targets within a 6 mile radius. Seems there's a Walgreens and CVS on every corner.


Also have 2 Trader Joe's but I go to the one in that is about 1.5 miles from me in Clovis.


My subdivision is nice but boring but I do feel safe here.


Only downside are the very Hot summers in Fresno but winter is nice and I only have to turn on the heat in the morning for about an hour.


I live about 6-7 miles from another member on here...Lon. I don't know if he's replied to this post so don't know his views on this area.

Fresno does have bad air and high crime in the gang infested areas but house prices are cheaper than on the coast.

I don't hate it here but I also don't love it. I do know I won't be here too much longer, I need to downsize.
 
I love it here, would never consider living in a city, unless I was quite disabled. The nearest neighbor is 100s of yards away...what I call "elbow room".

elbow3.jpg
 
I bought this little house about 3 years ago, got it cheap because it's very near a cemetery...in fact it's pretty much IN the cemetery. Has it's own front and back yards and a wood fence all around it. I assume it was once a groundskeepers house. I asked the realtor about that but she said she didn't know. Anyway, with graves immediately to the east and south and being set back a ways from the street, it's quiet. It's in kind of a crummy area, but my immediate surroundings are pretty and nobody bothers me here. My two sons live within a 10 minute drive, my doctor is about 15 minutes away, stores and my bank within walking distance, though I can't walk very far (back problems) so I always drive. I've never lived anyplace for very long, but I consider this my retirement home.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top