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