Sep 2013
Retire in Asheville?
September 10, 2013 03:57 PM
If you’ve read our earlier posts, you know that we’ve been considering Asheville as a possible place to settle when we come off the road. A couple of months ago, we decided on a lengthy visit here to get to know the place and see if it might become our retirement home. We’ve been here six weeks and have one more to go, so I thought I should provide an update on what we’ve found.
First of all, we’ve thoroughly enjoyed our stay. We’re parked in an excellent RV park atop a tall ridge a few miles north of the downtown area. Most of the parking sites are a little on the primitive side but it’s quiet and peaceful, and the view across the valley of the French Broad River is one of the best we’ve found in the area.
The Smoky Mountain region is one of the most scenic in the U.S., and Asheville and the surrounding smaller towns are interesting and the people are friendly. The weather has been mostly nice, with warm-but-not-hot sunny days and cool evenings. We’ve stayed busy too. We’ve visited and enjoyed downtown Asheville several times, we’ve eaten in some great restaurants and enjoyed almost all the brew pubs and breweries in the area. We’ve toured the Biltmore Estate and driven the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s been a very enjoyable visit.
But we’ve decided it’s just a visit. We can understand why Asheville appeals to so many retirees, but it’s just not right for us. To explain, I first need to talk about the Denver area, specifically the Highlands Ranch area on the south side of the city where our last home was located. Having lived on the south side of Denver for most of the past 18 years, it’s our “norm” by which other places are measured.
The population of the Front Range region of Colorado has exploded over the past 30 years, so much of the housing and supporting infrastructure has been built during that time. The homes are new and spacious with open floor plans, the streets are wide, there are sidewalks on both sides of just about every street, and public green space and walking/biking trails can be found everywhere. The RTD public transportation system provides buses and light rail service throughout the area that is cheap, clean, safe, and efficient. The street and highway system, though sometimes choked during rush hour, is normally convenient and safe. The air is clear and foliage sparse, providing a sense of openness and huge vistas just about everywhere you look. That’s our “norm.”
In comparison, Asheville feels much older, less open, more crowded, and less convenient. The streets tend to be narrow, there are few sidewalks, little public green space, and fewer walking/biking trails than we’re accustomed to. Housing is older, averaging 44.2 years old versus 13.9 years old in Highlands Ranch, the average square footage is considerably less, and, being older, the average condition of homes in the area is not as good. There are some new developments around the Asheville area, but nice homes in these newer developments are surprisingly expensive. After considerable investigation, including meeting with a realtor, we’ve concluded that a nice home in a nice neighborhood similar to what we had in Highlands Ranch would cost around 30% more. We could find a less expensive home here, but it would be a huge step down from what we're accustomed to.
Near the end of my last post, I posed the question regarding Asheville, “Will it become our home, or just another stop along the road?” The answer is the latter—it’s just not right for us. I know it’s the perfect place for many people, but not for us. Honestly, our problem with Asheville is a lot more about us than Asheville. We’ve been spoiled by Colorado.
So we'll enjoy our remaining time here and then move on. That future home is out there somewhere.
Alan
First of all, we’ve thoroughly enjoyed our stay. We’re parked in an excellent RV park atop a tall ridge a few miles north of the downtown area. Most of the parking sites are a little on the primitive side but it’s quiet and peaceful, and the view across the valley of the French Broad River is one of the best we’ve found in the area.
The Smoky Mountain region is one of the most scenic in the U.S., and Asheville and the surrounding smaller towns are interesting and the people are friendly. The weather has been mostly nice, with warm-but-not-hot sunny days and cool evenings. We’ve stayed busy too. We’ve visited and enjoyed downtown Asheville several times, we’ve eaten in some great restaurants and enjoyed almost all the brew pubs and breweries in the area. We’ve toured the Biltmore Estate and driven the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s been a very enjoyable visit.
But we’ve decided it’s just a visit. We can understand why Asheville appeals to so many retirees, but it’s just not right for us. To explain, I first need to talk about the Denver area, specifically the Highlands Ranch area on the south side of the city where our last home was located. Having lived on the south side of Denver for most of the past 18 years, it’s our “norm” by which other places are measured.
The population of the Front Range region of Colorado has exploded over the past 30 years, so much of the housing and supporting infrastructure has been built during that time. The homes are new and spacious with open floor plans, the streets are wide, there are sidewalks on both sides of just about every street, and public green space and walking/biking trails can be found everywhere. The RTD public transportation system provides buses and light rail service throughout the area that is cheap, clean, safe, and efficient. The street and highway system, though sometimes choked during rush hour, is normally convenient and safe. The air is clear and foliage sparse, providing a sense of openness and huge vistas just about everywhere you look. That’s our “norm.”
In comparison, Asheville feels much older, less open, more crowded, and less convenient. The streets tend to be narrow, there are few sidewalks, little public green space, and fewer walking/biking trails than we’re accustomed to. Housing is older, averaging 44.2 years old versus 13.9 years old in Highlands Ranch, the average square footage is considerably less, and, being older, the average condition of homes in the area is not as good. There are some new developments around the Asheville area, but nice homes in these newer developments are surprisingly expensive. After considerable investigation, including meeting with a realtor, we’ve concluded that a nice home in a nice neighborhood similar to what we had in Highlands Ranch would cost around 30% more. We could find a less expensive home here, but it would be a huge step down from what we're accustomed to.
Near the end of my last post, I posed the question regarding Asheville, “Will it become our home, or just another stop along the road?” The answer is the latter—it’s just not right for us. I know it’s the perfect place for many people, but not for us. Honestly, our problem with Asheville is a lot more about us than Asheville. We’ve been spoiled by Colorado.
So we'll enjoy our remaining time here and then move on. That future home is out there somewhere.
Alan
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