Should you stay where you are or is retirement a chance to upgrade your home? It’s a question many ask themselves as they approach the final years of their career. Many people closing in on retirement have built up considerable equity from their homes, giving them more freedom to find the property of their dreams. As working becomes less of a concern, they have more freedom to choose where they want to live too. It’s a tantalizing combination that can get anyone imagining their options.
Whether or not it’s a good idea to move after retirement really depends on your personal circumstances. Money, family, and health are all factors to consider before making a move, but there are a lot of reasons moving after retirement can be one of the best decisions of your life.
The Home You Always Wanted
Earlier in life, you’re more likely to make compromises in order to find a good community where you can raise a family. If there’s something you’ve always wanted to change about your home, or amenities you’ve always dreamed about, there’s never been a better chance to find them.
Blythwood Homes builds detached and townhome bungalows with design excellence and beautiful craftsmanship as our goals. Our homes come with upscale finishes, opportunities for customization, and appeal to discerning buyers. Get in touch with us to learn more about our homes and your options.
As custom home builders in Niagara on the Lake and around the region, Blythwood Homes believes in building great communities for active adults, starting with good design.
Finding a New Community
When you’re looking for a home where you can raise a family, you’re looking for the right combination of affordability, space, commute time for you and your spouse, and quality schools. But your priorities change as you get older and your children grow up and move out.
There are any number of things you want to get out of your new community: more peace and quiet, less traffic, more neighbourhood amenities, or a closer-knit community where you can really get to know your neighbours.
Our communities in the Niagara Region are ideal for retirees who want something away from the city but still only minutes from the culture and dining that make the city so appealing. Located in quaint towns like Niagara on the Lake and Ridgeway, and only minutes from mid-sized cities like Ste-Catharines and Hamilton, there’s a lot to love about the location.
Feel free to contact us about our communities at any time.
A Place You Love
You know you want to get out of the city, but where do you want to settle? You should find a place you love and plan a visit with fresh eyes again. Take a weekend just to see what life is like in the areas you’re thinking about.
While your lifestyle and preferences will be major factors, you should make sure that there’s plenty to do and sufficient services to provide everything you need. You may even want to go during the winter or a time of year without idyllic weather, so you have an idea of exactly what you’re getting into.
Rather than visit the tourist attractions, spend time exploring. Walk up and down the main street, see what kind of shopping is available, find a place for coffee, and see what the locals are like. It’s important to know that you’ll be able to enjoy the kind of place you’re moving to, that prices are in range with what you expect to pay, and you can see what it’s like getting around by car, train, or bus.
Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Move
If you’re on the fence about relocating, try asking yourself some of these questions to see if a move to that dream destination will really fit your lifestyle.
#1 How will you spend your time?
What have you most been looking forward to about retiring? Exploring your city, travelling the world, volunteering in your community, getting back into a favourite hobby, reinvigorating your exercise routine, spending more time with your family, or maybe a mix of all of that and more?
Focus your question on what you’re going to do every day. It’s one thing to move to free up money to travel, but what are you going to do between trips to worldwide destinations? In your day-to-day life, are you sick of the city’s noise and traffic and crave the peace and quiet of a more countryside setting?
#2 How close are healthcare resources?
Niagara Region is home to a multi-site hospital system, as well as a large number of family physicians, specialists, pharmacists, and other essential healthcare providers. Fast access to healthcare is going to play a bigger role in your quality of life as you get older, and it’s worth thinking about now. As you start having to make more frequent healthcare-related trips, does it still make sense to move so far out into the country? Luckily, Niagara offers both a countryside setting and convenient access to first class healthcare.
#3 How close is your family?
Staying close to family can be really important when you retire, but it depends on what your daily life is like. If you mostly see your adult children and grandkids on holidays, you can go further afield. If you have a closer relationship with a more active daily role in your grandchildren’s lives, it makes a lot of sense to stay closer. If you move to a resort style location you may find that your children will want to visit more often.
Find Your Dream Home
Your retirement is an opportunity to find your dream home. When you work with Blythwood Homes, we go the extra mile to make sure you get the home you’ve always wanted. From move-in ready homes featuring beautiful craftsmanship to customized elements like kitchen cabinets, porches, patios, and sunrooms, now is your chance to enjoy a spacious new home in a vibrant, adult community where you’ll feel right at home. A Blythwood home is a secure investment for the discerning buyer in a master-planned community. Enjoy safety, neighbourliness, and the top-notch amenities Niagara has to offer.