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The Best Places to Retire in the West

I am pursuing my final career - and I am30,000 people, who enjoy mountain vistas and
quite comfortable working a 40-hour schedulea temperate, sunny, four-season climate
for the first time in my life. I take mythanks to its mile-high elevation. If you
time  and  pick  my  clients  carefully.aren't real fussy, you can find a nice house
for $350k. If you are a little fussy or want
I get to take a day off here and there forsome land, expect to pay $500k or better.
golf, and I travel around the western statesPrescott is an old, established town with
every couple of months. Over the past twohistoric buildings and strong family culture.
years I have been keeping an eye out for theIt's true that absentee Californians have
perfect  spot  to  retire  in the Western US.snapped up a good bit of the real estate up.
But they have been are running around most of
I now live in a small community near the Baythe west buying spare homes and putting them
Area in Northern California. I've lived herein  the  "bank"  for  future  use
for 20+ years, and it has been great. The Bay
Area is vibrant, has a good climate, and isNorthern Baja, Mexico: Don't write this one
home to some of the most creative people onoff too fast, especially if you are in So
the planet. But it certainly isn't paradise.Cal. and want a second home near the beach.
It is not as crazy as it sounds You can live
It is an expensive place to live. Thenear the beach in Rosarito and get an
highways are congested. The boarders of theabsolutely great ocean view or ocean front
US are out of control and that has hithouse for a fraction of the price of a house
California hard. The government islocated two hours north in San Diego county.
dysfunctional, and we pay a premium for that.South of the Border property even has
While we have good weather, it is great halffinancing available from this side of the
the year and somewhat over-rated the otherborder.
half. My business has changed over the past
five years. I can do about 80% - 90% of itHilo Area on the Big Island: One of the best
from anywhere. That's the beauty ofdeals in the United States has been
information  and  communication  technology.discovered and land prices are climbing
rapidly, but guess what? Land in Hilo is
Let me share with you what I have found as Istill inexpensive. If you are looking for a
looked for better working/ retirementslow pace, it doesn't get any slower than
locations  in  the  western  US.Hilo. This area is absolutely beautiful yet
not a prime location for vacation resorts and
- Portland, Oregon area; especiallycondos. Condos on Kauai, Maui, and the other
Southern  Washingtonside of the big island run $500 - $750k, yet
a Hilo acre lot can be purchased for $40 to
-  Prescott,  Arizona$75k, and houses for $150k. If you want some
privacy, like to garden, and have dreamed of
-  Northern  Baja,  Mexicobuilding a hideaway on an tropical island,
there is still time to do it in the USA. It
-  Hilo,  the  big  island  of  Hawaiirains almost daily in Hilo but showers are
short and the 75 to 80 degrees temperatures
-  Boise,  Idahomakes the showers and lush green growth a
real  delight.
Southern Washington: I recently visited a
friend who built his dream house on a fewBoise is rated as the second best city to do
acres in Southern Washington, about 30business in the US by Forbes Magazine. It
minutes from Portland. His 2,500 square foothas a population of about 400,000, and median
house cost about the same as a ¼ acre lothouse prices around $165,000. Boise is an
in the Bay Area. He is within easy drive ofexcellent gateway to the natural beauty of
a good airport and Oregon has no sales tax.the Northern Rockies. For those of you not
He can explore the Cascades and reach oceanquite ready to hang it up, but looking for an
or skiing in a few hours. Yep - it rains ainteresting, affordable small city
lot,  but  not  as  much  as  Seattle.environment, Boise deserves your serious
consideration.
Prescott, Arizona: This gem is home to



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