When the moment to retire finally arrives your life is all set to change forever. Some people get nervous about losing their salary and no longer having a set routine every day. However, others see this as the perfect opportunity to get a lot more pleasure out of their lives.
So what could you do to make sure that your retirement years are the best of your life? Well, for a start you could consider whether moving house could be the perfect move. This is something which a lot of people are now considering, so what are the benefits?
Live Somewhere Smaller
Rattling about in a big house full of memories from the past is one of many people’s biggest fears for their retirement. In some cases, we don’t spend all that much time at home after the kids grow up while we carry on working. It can be a big shock to the system to suddenly find yourself alone in a large house which is now quieter than you ever remember it being. Of course, there is also the practical matter of paying for the upkeep of a large property which you no longer need. It can make a lot more financial sense to move into a smaller house which costs less money to heat, to insure and to generally look after.
Move to a Cheaper House
A popular decision is to use a big property as an important part of the person’s financial retirement plans. If you have a home which is worth a lot of money then selling it and moving to somewhere cheaper can free up a lot of cash for your retirement years. Once you make the decision to sell your current property and choose a reputable real estate agent such as Agent Harvest then you will have a lot of freedom in deciding what to do. Have you always wanted to live in a fancy apartment in a central location or is it your dream to live in a more rural setting? There are few times in life when we have such an incredible opportunity to do what we really want to do. Is staying in the same old house really the best bet for you? For some people it could be but there is definitely something to be said for taking some time to consider whether moving to a cheaper property makes sense for you.
Move to a Different City or Country
Let’s go a step further and consider whether or not you could enhance your life by moving city or by moving to a different country. This can give you some big benefits for a number of reasons. For example, you might feel that making a massive change like this revitalizes you and gives you a hugely exciting retirement. Living in a different culture, learning a new language and trying new food can make life more interesting than ever before. From a practical, financial point of view this could also make sense. If you currently live in an expensive city for work reasons then having the flexibility of living anywhere at all can help you spend a lot less each month. If you are an adventurous sort of person then there are cheap places to retire to all over the world. Latin America is a good example of where you could live a good life without spending too much, while parts of Asia are also popular with retirees looking to add some excitement to their life.
Travel More
Perhaps what you really want to do it travel more once you retire. Anyone who has been stuck in the same job for a long time could feel that now is the perfect time to start travelling. It can be extremely difficult to get away from home for more than a week or two at a time when you are working. However, once you retire the whole world opens up in front of you. Selling your house could give you the cash you need to travel and will also give you a feeling of immense freedom and liberation. Of course, you won’t want to blow all of your money on travelling if you don’t own a house of your own to go back to at some point. Maybe you will decide to invest some of the proceeds of your house sale in a cheaper property. Alternatively, you might think that buying some sort of campervan could give the lifestyle and freedom you crave after so many years of the working life.
Ellen Carter is a real estate analyst who has already worked out her plans for selling her house when retirement time comes along.