7 Great Retirement Towns You’ve Never Heard Of…
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I moved to Nicaragua 10 years ago and live in an adorable two-bedroom, two-bathroom home on half an acre with a beautiful ocean view. That would never have happened in the U.S. I also retired 11 years early. Back home I'd be working until the day I died.
If you’re considering a visit to Europe—or even a move—Madrid needs to be on your radar. A sunshine-filled cultural haven, this friendly city will capture your heart without breaking your budget. The underlying authentic charm and laidback, understated vibe of Spain’s capital proved irresistible to me when I first arrived.
With cerulean blue waters, coral-sand beaches, and lush mountain retreats, the Philippines has much to recommend it as a travel and retirement destination. And if you’re in the mood to celebrate, head to the Philippines this January.
Almost as soon as my wife Suzan and I moved to the little craft village in Ecuador’s northern Andes Mountains that we now call home, we learned about potatoes.
How would you like to have a chance to own a 7-acre Scottish island estate? The cost: $75. The estate is located on the Island of Arran, a land of castles and ruins that date back millennia, as well as towering mountains, home to eagles, and wild coastal waters full of seals.
Most mornings, I stroll over to a nearby bakery to buy half a dozen traditional panes de ripacha. These small triangular shaped breads have been made using the same recipes and stone ovens in Arequipa for over 150 years. They are only one of many traditions that have been kept alive in this bustling southern Peru city for the last few centuries.
For most of us Baby Boomers, our career was intense, long hours with lots of meetings, some bad bosses, and some tough economic times. So when you transition to a post-career income (whether it's to fund your retirement or just to earn some extra spending money), you want to avoid all those things you weren't so crazy about during your career.
What I love about what I do is that I can work from home. Or, really, I can work anywhere there is an internet connection. I don't have to commute. I have the freedom to be anywhere in the world. For the past seven years, home has been the small town of Atenas in Costa Rica's Central Valley. Although in all, I've been living in Costa Rica about 18 years.
Humans have been running around this planet for approximately 400,000 years. But Baby Boomers are the first generation of people who, as a group, will be living 20 to 30 years into their "retirement." And not just "living" but living healthier and more active lives thanks to medical science and the rapid pace of innovation in successful ageing.
It's been 10 years since I came to Mexico City. I never planned on making it my home but after only a few short months, I had fallen for this chaotically romantic and endlessly surprising city. Living in the United States, nothing depressed me more than having to get into my car and drive out to a strip mall to eat Japanese food, or buy toilet paper, or get my haircut.
My journey helping Baby Boomers make the transition from career to portable income began almost 15 years ago. It started first with a few friends who were "aging out" of their careers like I was. They wanted to "pick my brain" on how to get moving in a direction that offered them more independence and flexibility without the inevitable age bias that was palpable in corporate and small-business Ame
Jillian Feibusch knew early on that there was a better life to be had other than living in the craziness of the San Francisco Bay Area. "I was working as a makeup artist for Chanel. Because of the high cost of living, daily commute, health issues, and the intense desire to do something more with my life, I moved to Costa Rica so I could breathe," she says.
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In an Uncertain World, the Last Thing You Should Put On Hold is Your Retirement Dreams… Sharon and Wes Puckett live in a three-bedroom home on a 25-acre parcel of land in the "perfect climate" mountains of Southern Costa Rica. "Our total expenses are about $1,325 a month, which includes our rent. We have simplified, Read more...: Fast-Track Costa Rica: Lifestyle and Opportunity Conference
What if You Had the Freedom to Enjoy the Good Life Anywhere in the World You Want to Be… and Get Paid While You're There? We'll show you how—with 48 hours of hands-on guidance—you can gain the freedom and flexibility to be your own boss… play when you feel like it, work when you want… Read more...: 48 Hour Portable Income Intensive Workshop with Winton Churchill
Nicaragua Tour Travel and Explore in Style With International Living… Past ancient volcanoes and rich, fertile farmland to some of the Americas’ most cultured colonial cities and on to the dramatic, pristine Pacific Coast, join us for 8 eye-opening days and discover… Nicaragua: The Best-Value Retirement Destination in ALL of Latin America International Living’s Discover Read more...: International Living’s 2017 Nicaragua Tour
Mine was in Mexico, in a small city nestled in the hills of the Central Highlands. I had dreamt of Latin America's colonial towns, cobbled lanes, and shaded parks ever since first encountering the literature from that part of the world. The movies I saw confirmed it...There was magic and romance in those places and I wanted in.
Last year I was fortunate to spend some time in one of my favorite places—Tulum, Mexico. I was carrying out an interior design project for two condos that belonged to a client. When the job was finished, I handed them both over to the local vacation rental management company, who promised a 32% to 34% occupancy rate. Not a stellar rate, but not terrible for the first few years of business.
It's a rare child that says, "I want to be a vacation rental owner when I grow up." I'm writing this from the hanging bed of my home in Fiji—Starfish Blue. The breeze is delicious, the view world-class, and the scent of frangipani—my favorite flower on the planet—perfumes the air. I am a delighted vacation rental owner. But I did not start out that way.
This is so simple, yet many people miss it. When people are looking at a number of properties across a few listing sites, it will begin to register with them. If you want to do additional marketing and have a website or Facebook page, this gives people a way to find you without the competition of other rentals.
The wedding of a friend's daughter in Quepos, Costa Rica, set David and Diana Hoyt on a path of discovery to their future dream retirement home. With the celebrations over, the couple decided to extend their trip to check out the country's Southern Zone. There, they promptly fell in love with Ojochal "where the mountains meet the sea."
Italy is the land of ancient culture, magnificent landscapes, and delicious food. So how can you get that bella vita (beautiful life) without the crowds and high price tag? Though big hitters like Rome, Florence, Venice, and the gorgeous Tuscan countryside are well worth the visit, they may not be the best choice for those looking to escape to Italy affordably.
While loving life in Boise, Idaho with friends and family close by, Scott and Nicky Freymond noticed a sense of restlessness a couple years back during the long, harsh winters. They started to research options for a sunnier second home that would ultimately give them the best of both worlds.
