There are a great many decisions to be made once you are ready to retire. You have worked your entire life, been financially responsible and self-sufficient and now it is finally time for you to enjoy yourself and relax. Now, the only decisions you need to make revolve around how best you will relax and enjoy your retirement. You will decide where to vacation, take a holiday, or even to where you may want to move permanently. While these are all rather large decisions, they all revolve around whatever makes you most happy during your retirement years.
For many, the thought of moving abroad is a distinct possibility. If you are someone looking to move permanently, you will need to research potential locations. There are many things to consider if you are looking to move. First, you will need to find somewhere that offers the surroundings, environment and amenities you want. Then, you will need to decide what areas are most affordable to you and where you will be able to stretch your money the furthest. You still want to be able to maintain or improve your current lifestyle in whatever location you choose.
Before you make any decisions on whether or not you want to or are able to relocate, it is important to examine your financial position. If you are lucky enough to have paid-off your mortgage and have pension annuities at your disposal, you could be in a really advantageous financial situation. If this is where you find yourself, you may be able to have free reign over where you retire. If you are in this position, you were most likely very financially responsible during your working years which means that you can now reward yourself during retirement.
For those who want to relocate and have the means to do so, the first consideration should be where exactly to settle. Determining where to live will depend entirely on what is most important for you. As an island nation, there are plenty of possibilities to be considered right here within the UK. Each area can offer different advantages and you should determine what is most important to you, which will lead you to the right location within the UK.
Those looking for a lively resort, full of amenities and attractions may be drawn to the larger, brasher resorts of Blackpool, Great Yarmouth or Southend-on-Sea. They will also find that property prices in the former two of these seaside resorts are especially competitive, meaning you could get a lot more property for their money here. This is something to consider. You may want to make sure that wherever you relocate, you are able to maintain, or even increase, your current standard of living.
With the highest average annual sunshine hours in the UK, the ever popular retirement south coast resort of Bournemouth is an especially popular choice with retirees. For the same reasons, the English Riviera resorts of Torquay and Paignton have long been a big draw for retirees. So, another consideration is weather. It will depend on how important climate and sunshine are to you. For good road connections to London and the southeast, Brighton, Eastbourne and the Kent coast resorts of Whitstable, Margate, Broadstairs and Sandwich are ideal. Scarborough, Bridlington, Skegness, Southport and Whitby are also well located for city dwellers from the north of England. These are great locations for those retirees who still want to be close to the hustle and bustle of city life. Many retirees want to be close to amenities while others prefer more privacy over convenience. If you are one of those retirees looking for more privacy and a more tranquil location, you can look to the East Anglian resorts of Cromer and Southwold. Further north, Llandudno in North Wales and Lytham in Lancashire are also held in high regard by retirees.
Once you have decided in which environment you’d like to retire, you should start thinking about the type of retirement property that will work best for you. This will depend partly on what you can afford and how much you are willing to spend on your new home. A comfortable, well-maintained apartment commanding a spectacular sea view would be the dream for many. Also worth considering would be a cosy cottage or bungalow, whilst an inexpensive choice would be a mobile home. Really, your choice of where to retire will depend on how you want to spend your retirement and in what environment. Everyone’s ideal location is different but once you find yours, enjoy the retirement you have earned for yourself.