To Sea or Not to Sea…

The three most common types of areas Americans like retiring to are (and not in any order):

• Lake
• Mountains
• Ocean

Please note that two of the three retirement destinations focus on water – lake & ocean. Let’s see if we can delve into the subject and uncover why moving to water, particularly the sea, is such a popular move for many seeking to retire.

First, Doug’s good friends at PrivateCommunities.com, who promote retirement communities throughout the USA on their website, recently completed a survey of homebuyers who are performing research on where they plan to retire to. This first slide corroborates his insight as to the top three geographic destinations that our clientele is seeking out retirement destinations:

• Beach/Ocean
• Lake (generally inland)
• Mountains

In their survey, PCR included golf as a destination; however, golf is available at the beach, the lake, and mountains. So, for the sake of this discussion, we will stick with the top three destinations. We found it interesting that 76% of those who responded to the survey indicated that they plan to depart their current state. That means 24% are intended to stay in their current state, and you can probably break that down as follows:

• The majority, 24%, will continue to live in their current home for retirement.
• The minority will sell their existing home and purchase another home in their current state.

But hello? Three out of four surveyed indicate they are ready to leave dodge and find a warmer, friendlier, and more economical state to dwell in during their retirement years. Guess as the old saying goes, “Last one to leave New Jersey – Please turn the lights off!“

So, just what is it about the ocean that draws so many? Here is a very un-scientific assessment as to why:

• MEMORIES – did anyone NOT go to the beach as a kid or young adolescent? Some of the world’s most incredible family vacations are spent frolicking and thrashing along America’s coastlines. Be it renting a home, staying at a friend’s house, or securing a hotel for a week. It didn’t matter where you visited if you could run and jump into the ocean, right?
• CASUAL WEAR – You could put your trunks on at 7 am and not take them off until 10 pm. Nobody cares what you wear or don’t wear at the beach. No one cares how your hair looks or whether you shaved or not. Who cares if your shorts or jeans have a hole in them? Being at the beach means you can relax. You don’t need to press your shorts, roll your hair, spend 33 or0 minutes applying make-up, or shave. Why? Because you’re at the beach!
• FAMILY/FRIEND TIME – Just about 100% of all families get along well when enjoying a fun vacation. Whose kids don’t like Pop-Tarts and oranges for breakfast, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches for lunch, and cheeseburgers for dinner? Mom has more time to relax as everyone is close by; Dads spend quality time playing with the kids, and the kids play nicely together.
• WEATHER – One goes to the beach in anticipation of sunshine, which means lots of suns. And beaches, often, provide just that – sunlight. But with the sunshine comes working on your tan, boogie boarding, surfing, fishing, biking, boating, and much more.
• MAJOR ATTRACTIONS – One of Doug’s best friends growing up in NJ was Christopher L. His family owned an amazing (yet simple) beach house in Normandy Beach, NJ (the shore). On Friday & Saturday nights, they’d looked to his older brothers Peter & Johnny to see if they would drive them to the boardwalk at either Point Pleasant or Seaside Heights. Doug & Christopher would save up their nickels and dimes so they could ride the Ferris wheel, play Skee Ball or buy some cotton candy. Was there anything better at the age of 14? And you can’t forget that beaches usually indicate you are not far from miniature golf, go-karts & more.
• FRESH SEAFOOD – Have you ever been to Chicago and had fresh seafood? We think not. Fresh to us is being brought to the surface at 11 am and on our plates at 6 pm. Do we need to continue steamed shrimp, crab cakes, blackened Mahi Mahi, or fresh lobster?

For adults looking to retire, a number of these still come into play. Perhaps one of the most significant benefits for retirees moving to the beach is if they have grandchildren. Whose grandkids wouldn’t want to visit Grandma & Grandpa at the beach? We know plenty of kids will want to visit just to be able to have that free vacation with the family at the beach.

We aren’t sure that with all the information in the following graph, but it shows that 6 of the ten most popular states to retire has an ocean. Doug guesses that Tennessee is the most popular because it offers lakes & mountains and is a shorter drive from many Midwestern states.

If you are considering retiring near the sea, then come down soon and visit the greater Wilmington/Brunswick County area – also known as Coastal North Carolina. Here you’ll find many fantastic retirement communities and all the fun and excitement of a city (Wilmington). Plus, miles and miles of sandy beaches at Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Ft. Fisher, Oak Island, and more.

No wonder Coastal North Carolina is one of America’s top retirement destinations!