Best Places to Retire

Best Places to Retire

Best places to retire in the US

Settling in Savannah


When you are getting older and retirement is all but knocking at your door, you need to make an informed choice about where you’d like to settle down. Why not consider Savannah in the state of Georgia?


The history of Savannah goes back quite a long way to 1733 when it was founded by James Oglethorpe. The historic quarter of Old Savannah consists of a patchwork of houses interspersed by parks. 22 of the 24 that stood originally are still in evidence today, clothed in wisteria and ivy. Live oaks provide plenty of shade, with Spanish moss completing this charming picture.


Savannah has a population of over 131,000, with 8% of its residents being over the age of 65 years. The average price of a 3-bedroom house for a single family here is around $204,000. There’s an elegance and old world charm to this place, where mansions that were in a state of ruin a few decades ago are now fetching millions of dollars. Apart from these, smaller properties have also attracted several buyers.


Retired people are increasingly being drawn to the more recently developed suburbs near the golf courses or along the seaside. Homes in neighborhoods with gates are generally within easy distance of the Atlantic Ocean and the Savannah River, apart from picturesque trails for walking, tennis courts and golf courses.


Property prices in these areas vary between $200,000 and $2 million. Residents who live near the water have a view of the wetlands that attract a number of birds. The catch here is that along with the birds, you are likely to find alligators in the wetlands as well. But take it easy, there’s no need to get upset.


The fact is that the alligators tend to stay in their own lagoons until they are fairly large. When the time comes they are taken away by the town authorities. So there’s nothing for you to worry about! Just a rather unique feature to this increasingly unique town. The crocodiles are in good hands and so are you!


Most residents of Savannah tend to stay there around the year, so you will find it easy to make friends. Apart from that, most of the natural environment has been preserved. This is in stark contrast to Florida where developers tended to clear it away.


If you’re looking for nightlife, culture and sophistication, you’ll find it in Savannah. You can also offer your services as a volunteer for a number of activities. You could get involved in raising funds for the new annexe to the Telfair Art Museum. Another area where you would be welcome is in repairing homes for old people through United Way.


You’ll even find a magazine called Coastal Senior, which covers news about events taking place along the coasts of South Carolina and Georgia.


Medical care is provided by the Memorial Health Hospital network, which is held in high regard, particularly for rehabilitative and cardiac care.


Although both the city and the state are financially secure, Savannah is one place where you may feel the pinch as far as taxes are concerned. You’ll find income tax and sales tax being charged at 6% each, while property tax is levied at 1.7% of the assessed value of your property. This again is taken as 40% of fair market value. You could say it’s quite a price to pay, but if you love Savannah enough, perhaps you wouldn’t mind it too much.


If you acquire property in Savannah and are prepared to spend a fair amount on land and construction, you stand a good chance of ending up with a fine house and an excellent view of the wetlands, while the value of your property could be over a million dollars. Pretty good, wouldn’t you say?

For more information:


http://www.savannah.com/


http://www.savcvb.com/


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah,_Georgia


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