Where to Retire [Paperback]

John Howells (Author)

Book Description

Series: Choose Retirement Series | Publication Date: June 1, 1998

Finding the ideal home base for your retirement years is a crucial decision. It is also a decision that can be confusing if you know you want to move but aren't sure where to look, or what to look for. In this well-researched and completely revised and updated guide, retirement guru John Howells gives the best advice not only on where to relocate in your retirement years, but why you should pick up and move just as life is settling down. Where to Retire provides guidance in the form of clear snapshots of life in hundreds of the most affordable, comfortable, and stimulating places to retire in the United States. This guide contains carefully researched, up-to-the-minute information on where you can live graciously, yet affordably, recreation opportunities to fit every lifestyle, the ideal climates for your health and budget as well as where to find the best health care.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

When the joints start to ache, the salary dwindles, and freedom is yours at last, it's time to reflect upon where you'd like to spend your retirement years. Your obligations are few and the world is your oyster. If you're approaching those golden years, John Howell's guide to retirement living is a boon. It's not about retirement communities, it's about the towns and cities of the United States--what they offer the senior citizen in terms of recreation, culture, health care, and lifestyle; what to expect from their weather; and how much it costs to live in them. Howells investigates the relative tax burdens of each state, looking at property taxes, sales taxes, and whether each taxes pensions and Social Security. He also ranks the cost of living for housing, groceries, and utilities; provides the daily high and low temperatures; and lists the amounts of rain and snowfall across the seasons. From Georgia's Valdosta (population 40,000 and nicknamed "Azalea City") to Washington's Bellingham (18 miles from Canada, views of the San Juan Islands to the west and Mount Baker to the east), Howells paints portraits of more than 150 communities and their surroundings. Doubling as a guide for exploratory vacations and a pointer for anyone looking for a better place to live, Howells's research answers all the relevant questions. --Stephanie Gold

Review

"This careful, detailed book should be required reading for any retiree considering moving to a better area. . . . You won't find a better retirement book than this one."
--Robert Bruss, nationally syndicated real estate columnist

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 380 pages
• Publisher: Globe Pequot; 3rd edition (June 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762702567
• ISBN-13: 978-0762702565
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,176,622 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This could (should) be a much better book., January 9, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Where to Retire (Paperback)

I have lived in or near several of the places reviewed in this book and find the descriptions to be less than 100% and the weather data to be quite different than I experienced while living there. Since I know the data for these places was less than 'on track', I did not have confidence in the information presented for other areas of the country. I recommend "Retirement Places Rated". It seems to present data that agrees with my experience.

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A solid primer - sorting out the best places, December 16, 2003

By 

Allan M. Gathercoal "fdoamerica" (Norcross, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Where to Retire: America's Best and Most Affordable Places (5th Edition) (Paperback)

I took `Where to Retire' with me (along with several good State guides - like Fodor's) when I went on a sixteen day journey through three Southwestern States (Nevada, Arizona & New Mexico) where I was looking for "the place" to relocate and semi-retire. Howells' guide gave me a `leg up' on the destinations that were `definite maybes'. The guide was extremely valuable in leading me to destinations I would not have considered without the guide. (Las Cruces and Ruidoso in New Mexico and Bisbee and Ajo in Arizona).

I found Howell's writing to be friendly and informative. He succinctly describes the best side of each of his selection, but, and I consider this a detraction, seldom does he point out negative aspects or flaws a community, town or city might have.

Sadly, there is no web-page references, appendixes or references that could give you additional information on his locations. He omits information as basic as Chamber of Commerce contact information, or the names of the main newspapers.

Finding a new place to live is a lot like dating - most places leave you wishing for more, a few are provocative enough to warrant placing them on your "maybe list" , and one, or at best two, will tantalize you enough to want to come back for more.

So, if you are at the beginning of your search for a new place to live, then this guide is a great first step. "Where to Retire" will speed up your search and give you a general feel for various places. This guide needs to work in tandem with other guides such as a State, Region or Country guide. Recommended 3.5 stars.

53 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Almost but not quite, January 21, 2000

By 

Nancy (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Where to Retire (Paperback)

I found the information and the slant of this book both useful but it didn't supply enough information. It might be retitled Where men may retire. The descriptions seem to stress activities as golf and fishing, which to my mind are more male activities. I would have liked more extensive information about cultural activities and availabilty of libraries. These are touched on but not in enough detail. The bulk of retirees are women and their needs differ from men and couples. More information on specialized services, such as public transporation,would be desireable. The of attitudes of native residents is touched on but not in depth. My experience with some of these areas has been very negative.

Over all this book is a very good place to start. It deals with areas that are not normally thought of as retirement destinations. Weather, housing prices and taxes are often described. The author also provides addesses for more infomation. Websites would have been helpful.