Retirement Ideas:

With the gradual aging of the "baby boomer" generation, retirement ideas abound as this large portion of the population turns its attention to a possible retirement plan, and a new and very different home to go with it.

For many, one of their ideas for retirement is the prospect of a more simplified life that holds great appeal.

Their retirement plan involves getting away from it all to a smaller, more rural community where property values and property taxes are much more affordable.

Some have taken the first step of investigating property outside their current city, or have even bought a piece of land with the ultimate goal of building their own retirement home there as that time draws nearer.

• You're buying and building at today's prices.

  
  

• Estimates for new home construction, particularly in the ‘red hot' cottage and resort markets are going up.

• You could get in ahead of some significant price increases.

• Giving yourself a long time window for construction means there are few surprises when you're ready to make the big move.

• Major building projects invariably run into unexpected ‘hitches' along the way and a new home is often not completed at the time you first planned it on paper.
• Less urgency in your completion date gives you the luxury of ‘shopping around' for the best deals on workmanship and materials.
• You have the pleasure of using your future retirement home as a weekend or vacation get-away until you're ready to relocate permanently.
• Interest rates are still the best we've seen in decades, but may soon be starting to edge up. Right now, you can still lock in very favourable rates for an extended term.
• You want to be ready to sell your existing home while values remain high.

Forecasts in 2006 predicted a solid market and they were right. However, the market is less certain now.

Why not plan now to take advantage of market conditions when they are very beneficial to you?

Ask a real estate agent for their expert advice in this area. They'll be happy to help you make your move when the time is right.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, who says you have to be retired to move out of the big city?

With Internet access and laptop computers, many people in today's work force can do their job from anywhere. So when the new house is ready, if working is still an option, why not investigate doing it from your new address?

Enjoying lower living expenses with earnings still coming in makes for a more profitable situation to you. Your employer may be happy to help you transition into retirement, otherwise referred to as semi retirement, while saving some overhead costs in the process.

Have these retirement ideas got you thinking?

The bottom line is to explore all your ideas and options to make a decision that's right for you.