Episodes

Ted and Kathy Bergman, comedy writers in their 70s, felt they were being forced out of Northern California by the ever growing high cost of living. They researched beautiful, yet inexpensive, places to live and decided on Roatan, an island in Honduras 40 miles off the mainland. So enamored by the Island, the couple moved there without ever visiting it. They love it so much they have remained for five years. Fondness for the locals and expats on the island supersedes their disdain for the bugs a...

Jean Roberts yearned for a home in Spain, but her husband, Adrian, was not so keen on the idea. He was content living full-time in their home in England. Finally, he agreed, contingent upon the property being 30,000 euros or less believing Jean would never be able to meet the challenge. Adrian underestimated Jean’s desire to live, at least part-time, in Spain as she purchased a fixer-upper townhouse in a countryside town in Seville Province. Find out more about the couple's Spanish adventures on...

Guy and Melissa Hoagland desired to retire to an environmentally sustainable place with a temperate climate, a college/university, and to be in a city, but not a big city. The couple landed in Asheville, NC, a place with all of the above and more. They rented for a year to ensure it was a fit. Thereafter, they zeroed-in on exactly the part of town they loved and purchased a home there. Check out what else drew Guy and Melissa to Asheville on episode 127 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.

According to recent statistics, Italy has one of the highest income tax rates in Europe, with the top bracket taxed at 43%. However, for those who are deterred by the high tax rates, there is an option to consider. Italy has implemented a 7% tax regime for select towns in Southern Italy, specifically municipalities with populations under 20,000 in regions such as Sicily, Calabria, Sardinia, Campania, Basilicata, Abruzzo, Molise, and Puglia. In particular, Carovigno, in Puglia, has been highlight...

For many, Boca Raton, Florida is a dream retirement destination with its beaches, warm weather, a classic downtown featuring great shopping, restaurants and entertainment. Solo retiree Mary Ellen Morgan relocated there and is loving it. Although the real estate is somewhat pricey, Many Ellen saves money in a variety of other ways including having dinner during restaurant “happy hours.” Join us as we talk to Mary Ellen about this quintessential Florida beachside town on Episode 125 of Retire Ther...

Bocas del Toro is a province in northeast Panama comprising an archipelago of 9 islands. If you dream of living on an affordable Caribbean island and love boating, this may be the place for you. Doug Marcy and Anne-Michelle Wand were both immediately enamored with the islands and settled there. Traveling everywhere by boat and working to restore the coral in the ocean has given them an idyllic island life. Check out what it is like to live in Bocas Del Toro, on Episode 124 of Retire There with G...

The population of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico rose from 12,000 in 1964 to 300,000 today. That should be no surprise, given the Mexican beach resort city consists of great weather, warm people, reputed excellent healthcare and mountains which offer stunning ocean views. Robert Nelson fell in love with Puerto Vallarta when he began visiting in the 1970s. Living there has been a dream come true for him. Find out more about Robert’s love for Puerto Vallarta, on Episode 123 of Retire There with GIl & Gen...

Chuck and Mary Casselman left San Diego, California to retire in Playa Flamingo, Costa Rica. You may be asking yourself why anyone would leave the beautiful beaches and near perfect weather of San Diego. The Casselmans had enough of California’s ever increasing taxes, high cost of living and horrible traffic. In Costa Rica, they love their beautiful modern home with a pool and the warm people of Costa Rica. Find out more about what brought the couple to Costa Rica, on Episode 122 of Retire There...

What comes to mind when you think of San Diego, California: the zoo, the beach or the weather? For Susan Lewallen it was unquestionably the weather. After working as physicians for over two decades in Africa, Susan and her husband Paul Courtright decided to move back to the States for retirement. Their wish was for perfect weather - not too hot and not too cold. San Diego won out. Find out more about retiring in San Diego, the climate capital of the United States, on Episode 121 of Retire There ...

Imagine being a highly specialized physician on the top of your game in your 40s. You are well respected by your patients but feel overworked and burnt out, can you retire? The answer probably depends on your financial situation. Regina Arvon was a Prenatal Diagnosis and Genetics physician in the San Francisco Bay area when she gave it all up to retire at the age of 47. How was she able to do it? Regina pursued a life of financial independence before discovering the FIRE (Financial Independence,...

Gerri Almand believed she was happily retired, while living in Tampa, Florida and tending to her flower garden until her husband, Michael Hamlin, persuaded her to take some short vacations in an RV. She went from being a reluctant RV wife to selling their Tampa home and completely embracing the full-time RV life. The couple loved this new lifestyle until health concerns convinced them to find a home that wasn't on wheels. After considering some of the many towns they had visited, they concluded ...

Where would you retire if you loved Spain and purchased a home there but the Spanish visa requirements made it too difficult to gain permanent residency in the country? This was Bruce Joffe and Russ Warren’s experience so they relocated to the small inland city of Castela Banco, Portugal. Castela Branco is quaint, affordable, and located not far from their other home in Spain. Bruce and Russ are homebodies who highly recommend inland Portugal. Find out more about their journey, on Episode 118 of...

How much thought have you invested in thinking about where you will live during your retirement years? Ryan Frederick, an expert in the field of aging with a particular focus on the role of place, believes that where you live can have a major impact on many aspects of your life. Find out more, as we interview Ryan Frederick, author of Right Place, Right Time , on Episode 117 of Retire There with Gil & Gene. Ryan Frederick’s book is Right Place, Right Time: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Home f...

Happy 2023! In Episode 116, Gil & Gene discuss how the Retire There podcast continued to grow and evolve in 2022. In the episode, we discuss what goes on behind the scenes of Retire There, 2022 statistics, the press we received, highlights of episodes from 2022, and what is upcoming in 2023. If you enjoy the Retire There podcasts, please make a donation at buymeacoffee.com/retiretherepod . Each cup of coffee costs $5 and goes towards bringing you more Retire There podcasts in the future. An arti...

Would you like to live in a small European city with a surprisingly mild climate and views of a beautiful lake and stunning mountains? Many people who could afford to live anywhere, including Freddie Mercury, adopted Montreux, Switzerland as their home. Lynn Denton went to Montreux for a job, but ended up loving it and staying after retirement. Find out what keeps Lynn in Montreux on Episode 115 of Retire There with Gil & Gene. From Lynn’s airbnb Montreux Music BNB you can see views of the Lac L...

Joy and Brent Fletcher were living in Berkeley, California but dreamed of retiring in wine country. Of course, they thought about the nearby Sonoma wine region, but it is prohibitively expensive. Then, they stumbled upon the town of McMinnville in Oregon’s wine region and fell in love with the area. They purchased a home in McMinnville and are enjoying the beautiful wineries, charming downtown, low congestion, and slow pace. Find out more about life in Oregon wine country on Episode 114 of Retir...

Does living in a small, quaint village on a bay in the Algarve sound dreamy? It’s still doable but, as housing costs rise and the ever growing number of expats invade Portugal, the best way to find a reasonably priced home may be to have your feet on the ground and locate property by word-of-mouth. Brits Karen and Nick Telling went on holiday in the former fishing village of Carvoeiro and soon found themselves settling there. On Episode 113 of Retire There , Karen explains that she was smitten w...

Is it attainable to live on a beach in New York City without going broke? Sharon Lew has proven so. Sharon grew up near the water on Long Island, but spent most of her adult life in Manhattan while having a beach house in Fire Island, New York. In an attempt to be on the ocean, near Manhattan, and without debt, she sold her Fire Island home and purchased a fixer-upper apartment in Rockaway, Queens. She loves hearing the sound of the surf and the security of having low monthly costs. Find out mor...

Do you long for an inexpensive oceanfront city? There aren’t many left in the States, so check out Huatulco, Mexico. The town is quaint, friendly, affordable, clean and a naturally beautiful place on the Pacific Ocean in southern Mexico. Cindy and Fred Ouellette settled in Huatulco four years ago. They love it, think it’s “almost heaven,” and say they live a great life on Social Security alone. Check out why the couple loves the lesser-known city of Huatulco on Episode 111 of Retire There with G...

Would you enjoy a small getaway house, near New York City, for under $150,000? Check out some of the former bungalow colonies north of the city. Marcy Kahn, and her wife Diane Churchill, found such a place in the northern Westchester County town of Mohegan Lake, just 50 miles north of their Manhattan residence. Their community, the Mohegan Woodlands Cooperative, includes a swimming pool, rights to the private lake, tennis courts, and, soon, pickleball courts! Find out more about living in a bun...

Do you wish to live in Panama, but find the housing prices of Panama City, Boquete or Coronado too costly? Try David, a fairly large city, with a small town feel due to its low population density and lack of skyline. Joyce Barr retired to Panama and has lived in several Panamanian cities, but recently moved to David for its low rental costs. Learn more about Joyce’s love of Panama’s people and places on Episode 109 of Retire There with Gil & Gene . Learn about Joyce Barr’s company, BLAST! Tours ...

Do you fantasize of having a home right on the beach? Oh, you don’t have millions to plop down on a seaside place in the States? Perhaps you should explore Mexican beach towns. Brighton and Kat West started living their dream after they purchased a beachfront home near La Paz, Mexico. For under $200,000!! Find out more about the couple’s Mexican oceanfront retreat on Episode 108 of Retire There with Gil & Gene . West’s popular Youtube channel Almost Retired in Mexico and his site AlmostRetiredIn...

Is it possible to live in two of the most expensive areas of the world? Yes, but it helps to be organized and frugal. Regina Ang and Sue Davies, high level stressed out executives blissfully retired in Clementi, Singapore and Jersey City, New Jersey. In Singapore, housing is pricey but expenses may be saved by food shopping at wet markets and dining at hawker centers. In the New York City area, the couple cut costs by crossing the Hudson River to move from Manhattan to Jersey City. Learn more ab...

Dave Hughes and Jeff McKeehan had independently moved to Arizona to escape freezing winters. Jeff contends that “snow is for snow globes.” When they got together, they searched for a place that would support their love of playing music and gardening. They chose Chandler, Arizona for its proximity to Phoenix enabling them to enjoy all of its culture but far enough to avail themselves of less pricey real estate. Find out more on Episode 106 of Retire There with Gil & Gene . Read Dave’s book on The...