In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age
of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this
financially independent lifestyle, they invite you
to take advantage of their wisdom and experience. |
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Retirement Housing Options Compared
Billy
and Akaisha Kaderli
The
cost of housing is typically the largest part of the monthly budget in any household.
Knowing some housing
choices can make this an exciting avenue to pursue in
retirement. Why limit yourself to only one stationary housing selection? You
have many options.

Our house sit in Antigua, Guatemala
House
Sitting
House
sitting is gaining momentum as more people realize the benefits of having
handpicked and trustworthy sitters care for their home and pets while the owners
travel. Home owners have the security of someone living in their homes and
caring for their pets and gardens while they travel for weeks or months at a
time. Sitters have the benefit of staying in a home in lieu of a hotel in
exchange for living like a local instead of a tourist, and have all the
advantages of visiting foreign locations. Some people manage their retirement
lifestyle as professional sitters, scheduling sits throughout the entire year
and lessening the need for owning their own home.
Pros
There is
a variety of homes around the world available to sit
You are
able to travel and see foreign countries and cities affordably
A way to
meet people and make friends/connections with home owners
Live in
a location not as a tourist but as a local
Not tied
in to owning a home or long term lease or financial obligation
You can
save yourselves money in the housing category of your household expenses
It’s a
turnkey situation
Cons
While
some sits can be for 6 months or a year, this is not a permanent situation.
Eventually, you have to leave the location
You will
need to deal with Visa restrictions in foreign countries
You have
the weight of the responsibility for someone else’s home, and while you have the
option of sitting for pets or not, if you choose to sit pets, you have the
responsibility for the animal.
You may
not speak the language in the foreign country where you are sitting
Some
exchanges require working on the property in exchange for lodging. This could
entail gardening, operating a Bed and Breakfast or feeding horses and livestock,
for instance.

Floor plan from myfusionhome.com
Gen 2
Homes also known as Next Gen homes
Resurging in American living styles is the major trend of multigenerational
living. Now there are designs for homes
that allow extended family to live all together in one home – except with
separate living spaces. It is literally a home within a home, with floor plans
incorporated into the main home in a way that allows it to be a separate space
but also offers direct access from the main house, depending upon the family’s
needs.
Grandparents
can be nearby to help care for children, and conversely, money on adult care for
older parents can be saved because they live with their own adult children.
Pros
Multi-generations of family can live together and still maintain private living
space
Stay
connected with your family on a day to day basis
Save
money by sharing a mortgage, a vehicle, utility bills, Wifi, cable, insurances, etc.
Can be
like an assisted living situation in case grandparents’ health needs require
this
Safety
and familiarity for all involved
Kids can
visit grandparents easily, and the worry about grandparents aging and needing
care is lessened.
Can have
your own pet
Cons
Expensive – prices for these homes range from $300-600k
These
“home within a home” styles are only available in particular communities so
might not be allowed for existing homes without certain permits
If there
are family conflicts, there is very close proximity with no chance to take a
break
This
style of living is not for everyone, might be too close to family – not enough
separation for individual living.

See
the world!
Travel as a lifestyle
This is a very flexible
lifestyle, where you are not attached to
any one particular
housing situation.
You can utilize apart/hotels in any country, which provide maid services, WiFi,
access to a kitchen and include utilities. You might try house sitting for a
while, rent a hotel room for months at a time, rent a flat, a casita, or a cabin
in the mountains, or try being a roommate in large cities like London, Rome or
Paris.
For the most part you can come
and go as you please, depending on your budget, the weather or your desire to
continue traveling the globe. Since there are relatively no long-term financial
commitments, you can be in a beach paradise one month and the Swiss Alps the
next.
Pros
The world is your oyster
- you are only limited by your imagination
It's an economical manner of
living since you are not paying for a mortgage, insurance, property taxes and
maintenance of a home
Opens your perspective of the
world and its peoples
The learning never stops -
languages, culture, food, geography, history
Make friends all over the
world
Opportunities of all sorts
will fall into your lap
The digital nomad lifestyle is
much easier now - banking, getting your news, movies, music is a breeze. Staying
in touch with loved ones is easy through any of the VOIPs.
Cons
Some
people feel groundless, having no definable home base
You
must be aware of visa restrictions in the countries you are visiting.
If
foreign languages intimidate you, or you have no curiosity about them, this
could pose a challenge
You
must travel light and anything you value, you carry with you
If
utilizing medical tourism frightens you, this lifestyle might not be for you

Entrance to a community in the sun belt
Snow
Birding
Snow
Birding as a housing option for those who live in the far north and who want to
get away from cold winter temperatures, and this choice has been around for a long time. People
who are tired of freezing weather will purchase or rent another home, condo, or
manufactured home in a location in the Sun Belt and spend their winters in
warmer climes. Some people choose to winter in places such as
Mexico, whereas
others will go to
Active Adult
Communities in
Florida,
Arizona,
California or
Texas. When the winter subsides up north, the “Snow Birds” return to their home.
Pros
6 months
at one location, 6 months in better climate
Can
still have half a year with family “back home”
Offers
variety to one’s living experience
Can have
a pet accompany them to their winter home
Active
Adult Communities often have a large selection of social activities and
conveniences like tennis courts, golf memberships, swimming pools
Cons
Must
like to travel to get to your second location
Must
maintain and pay for the care of 2 properties, or rent the second one
Will be
away from your regular doctor and must have a second doctor in the winter location

RV parks have lots of amenities
RVing
RVing
has become popular as a lifestyle option because of the variety and independence
that it affords. Far from being simply a “trailer,” some of these recreational
vehicles are like rolling condos complete with Corian or tile countertops, wood
paneling and washer and dryers. Slide outs make a narrow rectangle living space swing out
into complete comfort. Having the independence and familiarity of taking your
home anywhere you would like to travel makes this option attractive. Your front
porch changes, but your home remains the same.
Pros
Travel
offers variety in lifestyle
Self-contained home and all your familiar home attractions - kitchen, bedroom,
living room, bathroom
Affordable living
Is a
social lifestyle
No high
property taxes
Cons
Not in
one stable location must have
mail forwarding address
Maintenance of both car and home
Licenses
for vehicle and trailer must be renewed annually
Have no
bedrooms for children to visit
Fuel
cost could be high
Must pay
camping fees or dry camp
Having
alternatives in your housing choices can open up the world to you. You are not
stuck in one location and with a little bit of flexibility and adventure,
planning for your retirement living can be very attractive and exciting.



Retire
Early Lifestyle appeals to a different
kind of person – the person who prizes their
independence, values their
time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly
follow the crowd.
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