OT: Thinking of retiring to Willimantic in a year or two. Cold doesn't scare me.

[UConnDan97]

Don’t want to be surrounded by millionaires. Too each their own I suppose.

If you are surrounded by millionaires without being a millionaire yourself, it tends to make living in that type of neighborhood tougher. I thought that was implied...

 

[DarthGrumpy]

When it comes down to it, there are pro's and con's to everything with the one axiom being that one often gets what one pays for. Thus, it comes down to how each individual weighs the pro's and con's of each. So one man's paradise can easily be another's hell.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Move to Reno, NV. Great weather, no state income tax, 45 minutes from Tahoe, top 10 college basketball team with UConn alum as the Athletic Director and lots of other great reasons. I love it out here.

 

[Jaker]

Reno is a windy, dusty/dirty sagebrush tinder box ready to ignite at anytime. The infrastructure is a joke and the growth is out of control. But yeah, the taxes are a nice perk.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Move to Reno, NV. Great weather, no state income tax, 45 minutes from Tahoe, top 10 college basketball team with UConn alum as the Athletic Director and lots of other great reasons. I love it out here.

This is the most boneyard response. Guy asks for info on Willimantic and gets responses about Reno, Nevada

 

[Robertelamin]

This is the most boneyard response. Guy asks for info on Willimantic and gets responses about Reno, Nevada

Or moving somewhere called Boone North Carolina.

 

[Fishy]

This is the most boneyard response. Guy asks for info on Willimantic and gets responses about Reno, Nevada

Generally, people will give advice as a way of reaffirming to themselves that what they did was the right thing. If you buy the same television that I did, that means I bought the right one and so on and so on.

That’s pretty much why you can wad up most advice and toss it out the window.

However, when someone offers up that they’ve decided to retire to Willimantic, Connecticut, I think we should encourage any and all alternatives. I’ve never been to Reno, know nothing about it and will almost certainly never go there....but even I think this guy should move to Reno instead of Willimantic.

 

[8893]

I shot a man in Reno.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Lived there for 5 years. It was quiet and peaceful. I would recommend Mansfield, but Willi isn't nearly as bad as reputation says it is.

 

[Stinger92860]

You might be the only person contemplating moving to CT in retirement. CT taxes any retirement income you have from pensions, social security, IRA's, 401k's, 403b's, etc. A whole lot of states don't tax that income at all. You have 6% or so less retirement income right off the top. You must really like something about CT or someone here.

It’s possible he has more than enough $ to cover the tax. You can easily live in northwestern CT with 5-10M.

 

[Devland]

Some people like to stay where they are when they retire to stay near family and friends. Some people like to move away when they retire to get away from family and friends. A lot of people retire to places where there are things they like to do. A person who enjoys roasting in the sun moves to a hot sunny state with a nice beach. A person who enjoys skiing retires to Vermont or Colorado. A person who enjoys good beer and wings moves down the street from Willi-brew.

P.S. I even heard about a guy who likes basketball and went to coach a DIII basketball team after he retired.

 

[jibsey]

Aside from everything else the cold is a dealbreaker for me, but Florida for 6mo+would be ideal with a small footprint up here for the summer. I wonder what kind of deal these suite hotels would give for a 3 month rental?

 

[Ukonnfan]

Willamantic.. wow...been there..not my first choice. Maybe there’s parts I missed. Though ECSU Is there. Like where i am.

 

[3rdbass]

I miss Connecticut. All of my family and my best and oldest friends are there. South Florida has become overdeveloped, crowded, noisy, and every crazy national news story seems to have its roots here.

With that said, I'm staying here because Florida has no state income tax, the weather is great, I have a two minute walk to the beach or a $1 trolley ride to Margaritaville and Hollywood Beach. I don't think I could afford CT's taxes, cost of heating (much, much higher than A/C costs) and I simply can't take the cold and snow anymore. Here, ice is something that exists only in your drink.

I miss going to all of the games, too. FWIW, I'll be there for mighty UMass-Lowell to help fill in the lower bowl seats.

Yeah, I'm thinking of moving to St. Pete from Atlanta because I think it is too cold here. Funny how as you get older you just want warmer and warmer weather. Love CT for the people, location and natural beauty but don't miss the snow and the frigid cold.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Might want to check the prices in Westport. The people I know with houses there are CEOs and hedge fund guys.

The big houses on the water are expensive, but the smaller houses near the water are way less than the Cape. Plus there are other towns nearby. Un-renovated 1400 SF ranches that are "walk to the beach" are around $1M now many spots on the Cape. It's nuts.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Yes Westport, MA. And yes they are on the water. But there is not a lot of inventory in town that is not on or near the water. I’ve looked for reasonably priced rentals in the area and have never had much luck.

South County, RI is still a decent value imo, but getting less so every year—precisely because of the invasion of CT people (including our former head coach; the one who is in the HOF).

Wife would put a bullet in my brain if I even suggested RI. We live a bit more than a mile from RI and daughter went to school in RI K-8. It's full of Rhode Islanders...and that's a deal breaker. Plus it's arguably managed even more poorly than CT. It's like they compete.

 

[Excalibur]

South County, RI is still a decent value imo, but getting less so every year—precisely because of the invasion of CT people (including our former head coach; the one who is in the HOF).

We were thinking of a second home there, but anything remotely affordable stays on the market for about 3 days

 

[01Neaggrad02]

I've been down in NC for 20 years, and am considering retiring near Storrs. I like the fact that there is a bit of a downtown area with some historic nature. Seems house prices are cheap, although taxes are stiff (in all of CT). Never been there. Any thoughts how it may compare to say New Milford or is it more like Park St/Maple Ave in Hartford? I'm not keen on the Simsbury/Glastonbury suburbs, although I want to be safe at 11 o'clock at night if walking.

Willimatic.... WHY??????????????????????????????????? if you are serious and want to be close to Storrs try Conventry.....

 

[superjohn]

Generally, people will give advice as a way of reaffirming to themselves that what they did was the right thing. If you buy the same television that I did, that means I bought the right one and so on and so on.

That’s pretty much why you can wad up most advice and toss it out the window.

However, when someone offers up that they’ve decided to retire to Willimantic, Connecticut, I think we should encourage any and all alternatives. I’ve never been to Reno, know nothing about it and will almost certainly never go there....but even I think this guy should move to Reno instead of Willimantic.

Reno is a really strange place but they do have an awesome police force...

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

Willimantic? Thoughts and prayers

 

[Chin Diesel]

Willimatic.... WHY??????????????????????????????????? if you are serious and want to be close to Storrs try Conventry.....

Getting a small home on Coventry Lake wouldn't be a bad option.

 

[freescooter]

NC is a nice state Stay south

Oh please. The south is still the south and wii always be the south. They call it the Bubba problem.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Getting a small home on Coventry Lake wouldn't be a bad option.

If I was retired and teaching part-time at UConn or even Eastern, that's where I would live. Relatively quiet lake, easy access to both universities and local necessities, a reasonable drive to Hartford, Providence, and Boston for an urban ecape and Bradley for a quick break down south when the snow gets too much and elsewhere in the summer.

 

[Jaker]

i recommend Pittsfield Mass.

 

[dennismenace]

To anyone considering moving to CT from a prosperous state, property there has become so cheap, it is worth considering. It is literally peanuts. With 5% mortgages, it isn’t easy to find comparable locales at a better price. I can live in nice CT towns for the same price as marginal NC towns. The situation has finally flipped.

CT is in a death spiral and I am going to buy a tremendous property there for pennies on the dollar in the next 2-3 years. Huge homes in Hartford and Tollland counties are selling at 50% of reproduction cost. It’s a great opportunity. CT’s proximity to so many things will pay off eventually. It’s a long term goldmine in my opinion.

How much of a "long term" do you have if you are already retired? As for the 50% of reproduction costs; that is because many of the houses were made long ago with plaster walls and ceilings, hardwood floors and even tongue in groove pine sub-flooring. I just went through this with my homeowners insurance company. Even though they evaluated it based on building the exact house today I would never rebuild it there if it burnt down. I'd take the money and run. Insurance has nothing to do with fair market value; it's replacement cost and in addition the personal property (furnishings) is a factor of the real property replacement value. So a house can have a selling value of $180K, replacement value of $350K and furnishings of $240K. So if a total loss for say a fire you get $590 to go shopping. Another thought: If your house is destroyed in a riot (arson etc.) I don't think it is covered. I'm not an insurance guy so if we have a BY agent please comment. Considering the downhill direction CT is heading I don't think home ownership in a failing city is such a hot idea.