I’ve been asked why Mike & I retired to Virginia Beach, here’s our reasons…

First we made a list of what we wanted in retirement years ago.  At first this list included Florida because of the warm weather, and no state tax on retirement. But Va Beach hit more of our check points. Here is our list:

• Retirement Wish List

  1. Warmer weather than WV.
     • We were really tired of shoveling and driving in over a foot of snow in WV.  We wanted a milder climate but still experience the seasons.  Every once in a while I still enjoy a cool evening with the fireplace on. Virginia Beach is usually ten degrees warmer than WV. We get snow here but it’s mostly only an inch or two and it melts pretty quickly.
  2. Live close to the beach in a low maintenance home, that would appreciate in value if we decided to move later.
     • We found a three year old foreclosure in great shape with a tiny yard several blocks back from the beach. I would have loved a beach front home but the high insurance and home cost would have hurt our retirement savings plan. The lawn only takes five minutes to mow, but has enough room for two small raised bed gardens to keep Mike busy and provide us with fresh veggies through the summer. Also, it has plenty of room for our family and friends to visit us for long weekends. If we had moved to Florida we would see our family and friends a lot less.
  3. Walking distance to shopping, restaurants, grocery stores, bike paths, walking trails, free events, health facilities, activities, within thirty minutes to an airport, and cultural events, and most importantly within several hours of our family in WV.
     • Virginia Beach was the only place that checked all of these items. One of my favorite activities is walking or biking along the boardwalk in the summer and listen to all the free live bands. I also love the quantity of fabulous restaurants Va Beach offers.
  4. Low Taxes and cost of living
     • Va Beach taxes are not low but I think we get our money’s worth with all this area offers. And it balances out for us. Gas is  .50 cents a gallon cheaper here and we are paying less for electricity and gas heat per month.

We also knew the area before buying a home and moving here. We vacationed in Va Beach for over thirty years and have always loved it. If you are thinking about retirement or moving in general make your own checklist and go for it!

My blog/website has primarily focused on wine, but I’m expanding it to my life and experiences in Virginia Beach. I will let you know about the best restaurants, events, activities and anything I find interesting in Va Beach.

Cheers – Carrie