Retire There with Gil & Gene

Living in the Silicon Valley, Bill Ross and his family were fed up with the state’s high cost of living, crime, and politics. Wanting to leave the west coast, they searched for a place without the major problems of California but with a friendly community. They found all that plus a quintessential “Main Street” in Boerne, Texas, a town located about 30 minutes north of San Antonio in Texas hill country. Find out why the Rosses chose the Lone Star State on Episode 181 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.Bill’s website is https://www.hillcountryhomesteads.com/. 

For Philip and Sonya Hubbard figuring out where to retire was all about compromise. She wanted somewhere not too cold and he wanted a place not too hot. They narrowed locations down to Europe, then to France, then to Brittany. They had their hearts set on a house with an ocean view in Brittany, but the prices exceeded their range. Ultimately, they found a very nice large house inland in Brittany, in the town of Pontivy. Find out how the Hubbards’  concessions led to peace of mind and joy on Episode 180 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.

Surf, sand and big hair! Would you like to live in a quiet beach community with walkable access to a town with a quaint main street and another known for hosting famous music acts. Rosa and Guy Losa found their way to Bradley Beach, New Jersey, with its neighboring towns of Ocean Grove, recognized for its abundant examples of Victorian architecture, and Asbury Park, legendary for its rock ‘n roll history. All three towns are seaside resorts and the area is less than an hour to two international airports. Find out why Guy and Rose consider Bradley Beach as their dream town come true on Episode 179 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.

At the age of 51, Patricia Brooks had a well paying corporate job in Richmond, Virginia but there seemed to be something missing in her life. She yearned to live in a French speaking country. As someone who was a painfully shy child and still considered herself an introvert, she surprised many, including herself, by moving to the South of France. A few years later, Patricia is living in Ceret, France and loving it. Find out more about Patricia’s courageous move to France on Episode 178 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.Patricia Brooks, founder of The Courage Catalyst, is an Expat Empowerment Coach helping women move abroad confidently and sustainably. Check out Patricia’s informative and funny YouTube Channel about living in France. She is also the author of two books: Live a Bold Life: Your 30-Day Mission to a Fearless Future and Growing Bold: How to Overcome Fear, Build Confidence, and Love the Life You Live.

If you are searching for a charming and historic southern city, AND, near the ocean, investigate Charleston, South Carolina. Keith Lucas, a realtor and YouTube influencer, moved from Florida to a suburb of Charleston and has become a huge advocate of both the city and its state. He is considered a valued expert on retiring in South Carolina and his YouTube channel contains over 200 videos. Will Keith convince you to move to South Carolina? Listen to Episode 177 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.Check out Keith’s YouTube channel, his real estate website (or www.keithlucasteam.com) and his book, Southern Comfort: Your Ultimate Guide to Retirement in South Carolina.

City and suburban residents imagine living in the countryside and some consider purchasing a home on a large parcel of land far from a metropolis. Would you be willing to make such a move to a foreign country? Brits Beth and Jack Haslam’s rural fantasy came to fruition when they purchased a 400 acre estate outside of Toulouse, France. Learn about their journey on Episode 176 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.  Be prepared to laugh and enjoy French countryside living by reading Beth Haslam’s Fat Dogs and French Estates series and other titles. To keep up with Beth’s rural life with animals, French people and acres of land, explore bethhaslam.com.  

Gigi Best Richardson and her husband Skip embarked on a quest to find the perfect location for relocating themselves and their African American bookstore/museum. Their criteria included a place with a rich African American history, abundant cultural institutions, and a blend of natural beauty along with a warm climate. Their search led them to St. Augustine, Florida, a city often regarded as the birthplace of African American history. St. Augustine is renowned for its cultural richness, with traces of heritage at every turn, wonderful sub-tropical temps and 43 miles of pristine beaches. Discover more about the captivating historic city of St. Augustine on Episode 175 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.When in St. Augustine, be sure to visit the Richardson’s bookstore/museum, Best Richardson African Diaspora Literature and Cultural Museum.

Have you given thought to living alone later in life or joining a community of like-minded individuals? Some 50-plus individuals who are seeking this compromise are considering cohousing communities. Cohousing is defined by Wikipedia as “an intentional community of private homes clustered around shared space.” Jude Tisdall has found that a cohousing community can be much more. Jude lives in New Ground, the United Kingdom's first and only cohousing community for women aged 50-plus located in Barnet, North London, England. See what simultaneously living alone and together at New Ground is like on Episode 174 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.Check out The Guardian’s descriptive article about the New Ground cohousing community, ‘We have brothers , sons, lovers - but they can’t live here!’ The happy home shared by 26 women.In 2024, New Ground won a World Habitat award.

When Jo-Anne Bowen looked for a home in the Pacific Northwest, her wish list included an affordable single-story home in a nice community within a short distance of an international airport, as she loves to travel. She landed in the beautiful small city of Vancouver, Washington and her home is only eight miles from Portland International Airport. Jo-Anne’s motto, “spend as little as possible on the necessities so you have as much as possible for the luxuries” has served her well. Learn more about Jo-Anne’s life in the Evergreen State on Episode 173 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.For more information on living in Vancouver, see Jo-Anne’s 2021 Travel Awaits article, 14 Reasons I Decided To Retire In Vancouver, Washington, and check out Jo-Anne’e other Pacific Northwest articles in Travel Awaits.

Michael Andrade had visited every Spanish and Portuguese speaking country in the Americas searching for a retirement destination. The catch was his sole source of income was social security. He landed in Salvador, Brazil, a place he describes as “magical.” Michael’s rent is a mere $400 per month for a one bedroom apartment in an upscale neighborhood near the beach. Check out his vibrant life in Brazil on Episode 172 of Retire There with Gil & Gene. 

Julie Diebolt Price and her husband Gordon spent much of their working years in Southern California, but longed for a change. They initially bought a cabin in Rhododendron, Oregon in the shadows of Mount Hood enjoying years of vacations there. Despite Julie’s firm stance against Arizona, where she had visited her parents for three decades, fate led them to Goodyear. Surprisingly, they explored a model home in Tuscany Falls, a 50+ community, and ended up purchasing one in the very place Julie had sworn never to live … Arizona! 🤣     Discover what changed Julie’s mind, on Episode 171 of Retire There with Gil & Gene. Link in bio. Julie’s website: PhotoTravelWrite.com. Julie is a published author and her photography books include: (1) Baby Boomers' Guide to Digital Photography; (2) 9 Steps to Stock Photography Success: Proven Techniques to Earn Money with Your Photos; and (3) The 10 Most Important Things to Know About Event Photography. She also published 2 coloring books: (1) 7 Continents and Big Cities Coloring Book and (2) Sonoran Desert Animals Coloring Book.

Brits Sallyann Phillips and her architect husband dreamed of designing and building a home on a Greek island. They started visiting the Greek island of Kos and later purchased land and began the process of planning the home. Just prior to the pouring of the cement foundation, Sallyann’s husband passed. She faced a monumental decision - stay in England or start construction of the house and move to Greece. Sallyann’s courageous move proved to be challenging but triumphant. Hear her full story on Episode 170 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.Sallyann Phillips’ books about Kos: (1) Build or bust before Brexit: Home at last in Kos; (2) Just Be Kos: The year I moved; (3) Why Kos: A taste of Greek life; (4) Kos. An expat in the Corona years: The good the bad and the restrictions; and (5) No more thistles and Ticks: How to create a Mediterranean garden.

Beverley and Chris Wood moved from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada to Mexico, where they stayed for 9 years. After a series of unfortunate events, Beverley yearned for more stability in her life and the couple journeyed back to Vancouver, Island. This time, to the small harbor city of Nanaimo, located mid-island. It is important to note that Vancouver and Vancouver Island are very unique places. The biggest difference being Vancouver is a large cosmopolitan city on the mainland while Vancouver Island is an island full of rainforests, small cities, villages, beaches and wilderness. Follow the Wood’s explorations and experiences on Episode 169 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.Beverley Wood is the author of: The Move to Canada Bible and The Move to Mexico Bible. More books by both Beverley and Chris may be found at www.whitedogcreative.com. Keep up with Beverley at www.beverleywood.com.

Are you courageous enough to move across the world to start a new life on rural land? Dani and Evan Benton relocated to Omishima Island, Japan and seem to be loving the challenge. The industrious couple purchased two akiyas (abandoned or vacant houses in rural japan) for a total of approximately $30,000. For income, they remodeled one of the homes and are renting on airbnb. They plan to earn additional income by raising honey bees and from Dani’s photography business. Learn more about the Benton’s enterprising move on Episode 168 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.     The couple’s website is Benton Homestead. To see what they are doing in Japan, including the renovation of their akiyas, visit their YouTube channel.Check out the Benton’s Airbnb page about renting their guesthouse. To help the Benton’s ship their precious belongings to Japan, make a donation on their GoFundMe page. 

Have you watched the Yellowstone series and imagined roaming free on wide open land in Montana? Real estate agents Will and Angie Friedner moved to Whitefish, Montana where they enjoy living near Glacier National Park, lakes and a Rockwellesque downtown. The couple even have a YouTube channel, Living in Montana, and a book, Moving to Whitefish, Montana, where they explain what it is like to move to and live in Montana. To find out more about life in and around Whitefish, listen to Episode 167 of Retire There With Gil & Gene.Angie Friedner is a real estate agent with Glacier Sotheby’s International Realty and Will Friedner is with Montana Life Realty.

Celebrate the New Year with Gil & Gene! Tune in as we reflect on the remarkable growth and transformation of the Retire There podcast throughout 2023. We share behind-the-scenes happenings, key 2023 statistics, revisit standout episodes, and offer a sneak peek into the exciting plans for 2024. If you value the Retire There podcasts, consider supporting Gil & Gene by making a $5 donation at at buymeacoffee.com/retiretherepod. Each contribution helps cover the production expenses of the show. 

Kevin Cavanaugh spent his junior year of college abroad at the University of Seville in Spain. He immersed himself in Spanish, becoming fluent in the language. This was the beginning of his love affair with the country, but little did he know that his time there would play a significant role in deciding where to retire. His language skills allowed Kevin to seamlessly move to Alcala la Real, a small town in southern Spain where few inhabitants speak English. Hear about Kevin’s calculated move to his dream location on Episode 165 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.

As retirement neared, Paul and Cheryl Thornton moved from Delaware to Florida, believing it would be their “forever” home. While Florida is a great location for cruise enthusiasts like Paul, he hated it - the weather was unbearable and the drive to relatives in the northeast was too long. When it came time to retire, Paul sought somewhere with a temperate climate, a reasonable driving distance to the northeast, and near a city with professional football and basketball teams. After extensive research, Paul zeroed in on the Charlotte, North Carolina area. The couple purchased a home in Mooresville, North Carolina, a town located about 30 miles from Charlotte with more reasonable home prices than the city. Hear Paul profess his love for Mooresville and cruising on Episode 164 of Retire There with Gil & Gene. Check out Paul’s award winning podcast: The Joy of Cruising.Paul’s four books: The Joy of Cruising: Passionate Cruisers, Fascinating Stories; Cruising Interrupted; The Joy of Cruising Again; and White Man’s Disease A Memoir.

After Wendy Whitcomb Marsh’s husband died at age 54, she retired and decided to leave California with her three children, two of which are autistic and the third who is physically disabled. But where to go? Wendy decided to head north to Salem, Oregon’s capital city located between Portland and Eugene. Salem has been called the most Oregon part of Oregon, with its scenic vistas and vineyards, old growth forests, crystal clear streams, and plenty of room to roam. To discover more about Wendy’s move to The Beaver State, listen to Episode 163 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.Wendy’s adult autism consulting service is Adult Autism Assessment & Services. For more information about Wendy, including descriptions of her books on adult autism, visit WendelaWhitcombMarsh.com. Her books are also available on Amazon.

In this special episode, we chat with David Pogue about decluttering and disposing without adding to landfills. David is a six-time Emmy winner for his stories on CBS Sunday Morning, a New York Times bestselling author, a five-time TED Talk speaker, host of 20 NOVA science specials on PBS, and creator/host of the CBS News/Simon & Schuster podcast Unsung Science. He was also the New York Times weekly tech columnist from 2000 to 2013. David’s New York Magazine article My Quest to Downsize Without Throwing Anything Away. A big house full of belongings – could I find them a new life? was the catalyst for this episode. David shares specific organizations he used to ecologically remove unwanted belongings. For more information on David Pogue, check out his website. His book, How to Prepare for Climate Change: A Practical Guide to Surviving the Chaos, includes a chapter on where to live. Go to David’s Amazon page for a list of his many books.Here are some organizations which may aid in donating or selling your items: Facebook Marketplace: The classified-ad section of the social network that specializes in helping individuals and businesses sell items locally. Buy Nothing Project:  The organization encourages giving of consumer goods and services in preference to conventional commerce. There are many local Buy Nothing groups on Facebook.AptDeco: An online marketplace that eliminates the hassle of buying and selling furniture.Renovation Angel: America’s premier recycler of luxury pre-owned kitchens and renovation items.