And the mountains will no longer have to call us. The beaches still beckon, but we can enjoy those with lengthy visits, not as residents. While we continue to work from our home offices, the views of the mountains will sustain us until we have more free time to explore the valley at length. Another plus: Property taxes and insurance rates are much lower in central Virginia than they are in Northern Virginia. If needed, we could tap into the University of Virginia health care network just over the mountain in Charlottesville. Health care costs 3.4% less than the average in the U.S.-and we’re already taking advantage of a top-notch local health care system. The commonwealth doesn’t tax Social Security, and it has no estate or inheritance taxes. Why not head farther south, to the Carolinas, Georgia or Florida, like many retirees do? With Kiplinger data at our fingertips, we did our research on the best states for retirement, and Virginia gets high ratings. We looked at only two houses, both in the same neighborhood, both overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. During that second week, I decided on a whim to reach out to a Staunton-area real estate agent just to test the waters. The artsy vibe of the town and its people, the love and care they devote to the historic buildings downtown, the local shops and vibrant restaurant scene, and the nearby small towns and outdoor recreation all resonated. One week was to work one week was to play. Feeling a bit cooped-up, we took two weeks in August and rented a condo at a mountain resort near Staunton. We had both been working from home full-time since March. The mountains won in a most accidental way. In one week last summer, Linda and I quietly reached the same decision at the same time: Staunton it is.īeaches or mountains? We grew up Jersey Shore rats, and while the mountains called, the beaches beckoned.
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