# Transition to Retirement Lessons Learned



## Stevelee (Apr 20, 2021)

My wife and I retired to Florida in December 2018.  We began our retirement process following 40 years of a career involving long hours and extensive travel.  We notified our 3 kids in 2015 of our intended plan to downsize and sell our home of 20 years.   

We started the tough challenge of downsizing the possessions that we had acquired throughout our lives.  That was the toughest job of all. During this time we examined possible options for where we might live.  Our goals were to move from the large 5 bedrooms, 3 level home into a single-level 3-2 home with almost zero maintenance. 

We both grew up in Florida but met and married in Virginia.  Following an overseas posting, we settled in Atlanta for the benefits of a large southern city.  After a year, we settled on a move to Florida.  We started January 2018 in Fort Myers and worked our way up the west coast of Florida before settling on a North Central Florida location. 

In the course of retirement home searching, we dismissed most 55+ communities because of the high HOA and the golf expense (we don't golf).  The real estate market has been a seller's market for some years and we discovered the need to first sell our home before buying a new property.  

It took many months to prep our home for selling, finding a buyer, and getting to the closing.  With cash in hand, we found ourselves in a bidding competition to purchase a Florida home.  During this time, it was necessary to place our household goods in storage.  With a closing date set, we scheduled the movers for December.  Fortunately, the closing and move all went off on schedule.  

I had measured rooms in the new home and knew where everything would fit before we bought the home. In the end, we downsized from 4000+ SF to 1600 SF.  The lesson learned was the need for very careful and detailed planning.  Downsizing and moving to a new city for retirement is a major undertaking and I am quite certain it is my last move.  My wife will likely handle the next move.


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## helenbacque (Apr 20, 2021)

Each of my last 3 moves had been "my last move".  Sometimes life interrupts best laid plans.  I honestly never planned to live this long.  Enjoy your new home.


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## Jules (Apr 20, 2021)

Even if plans change, plans & logic are wise.  Not everyone does this.  Well done, Stevelee.  And welcome.


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## jujube (Apr 20, 2021)

I swear I'll never move again.  I'll burn the house down and throw myself on the funeral pyre.  They can just haul my ashes off with the other ashes.


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## katlupe (May 1, 2021)

It sounds like it was a good and well thought out plan. I grew up in FL also and went back in 1994 but to a different city and ended up coming back to NY. I can't take the heat anymore. Downsizing is never easy, but so worthwhile. By the way, Welcome to our Forum!


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## Buckeye (May 1, 2021)

Looks like the OP is a "one and done, hit and run" poster.   

I made my first absolute last move when I retired in 2008, the second absolute last move in 2015 to the Big Island, the third absolute last move in 2017, the fourth absolute last move in 2019, and I'm still unpacking from the most recent absolute last move now.


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## officerripley (May 1, 2021)

jujube said:


> I swear I'll never move again.  I'll burn the house down and throw myself on the funeral pyre.  They can just haul my ashes off with the other ashes.


Sounds like my husband.


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## bowmore (May 1, 2021)

We had to downsize also. We moved from two 1800 sq ft (3600 sq ft total) to a 1400 sq ft forever home*. *Since most of my wife's furniture and appliances were better than mine, I just had to move my clothes and tools.
Everything else was sold, donated, or given away to neighbors.


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## SetWave (May 1, 2021)

I didn't need to move upon retiring but now, six years later I'm buggin' out. Woo Hoo!


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## drifter (May 2, 2021)

I have made my last move. I am no longer able to ohandle the physical aspects of another move.


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## Nathan (May 2, 2021)

jujube said:


> I swear I'll never move again.  I'll burn the house down ...


Just had that conversation with my wife yesterday.


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## Pixelfun (May 12, 2021)

We're giving ourselves about 2-3 more years at our home in Connecticut, then sell so we have funds. Will move to our Condo in Florida full time, less maintenance and cost. Kids know of our plans but as we all know, this may change at year 2.


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