Many consider Houston a retirement destination
Houston might not be the first place that comes to mind when people think about retiring, but interestingly enough, the Bayou City has become a popular destination among retiring baby boomers, and people of all ages.
Whether it’s the allure of the warm climate, the low cost of living, the comparatively affordable housing market, world-class health care, or the absence of a state income tax, Houston has much to offer to people who are retiring.
According to Richard Falgout, a broker associate with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Anderson Properties, the top reason that his clients pick Houston for their retirement is because they want to be closer to family.
“I see a lot of young people starting their families in Houston, and so many people are retiring here to be closer to their kids and grandkids,” Falgout said.
He added, “Affordable housing is also a contributing factor. One of my clients in particular came here from California. She had worked for the State of California for 30 years and could never afford to buy a house there. Then she moved here and was able to buy a home on her pension.”
Houston is also a city that people like to come back to when they are ready to retire. This is true for many of the people who work in the oil and gas industry, who have found themselves in Houston during some point in their careers. Although some might relocate to other cities or end up overseas, they often plan to return to Houston when they are ready to retire.
“There are many people who moved here and loved Houston,” said Falgout. “So, they come back here because this is where they want to retire and live out the rest of their days.”
Another trend that Falgout noted is the desire among retirees to move out of the suburbs and into Houston’s inner city. In many cases, he said that people are looking for lower-maintenance properties, and the ability to take advantage of Houston’s inner-city amenities, like restaurants, shopping, theater, museums, entertainment, and sporting events.
The Woodlands is also an area that many of Falgout’s clients are choosing for their retirement.
“It’s just a great place to live, with miles and miles of walking trails, parks and pools,” he said. “Pretty much anything you have inside the Loop, you have in The Woodlands.”
Cathy Derrick is a Realtor with Bernstein Realty who recently assisted a couple who were retiring to Houston from California.
Their objective was to buy a property with a bit more land than they had in California, and to be closer to friends and family who lived here.
“They actually ended up in Montgomery near The Woodlands, where they could buy 4 acres that were reasonably priced.” Derrick said. “They also wanted to be closer to medical facilities, which they have in The Woodlands. They are also near a state park, have lots of trees, many restaurants close by, and a great quality of life.”
She added, “One-story living was also important to them, so I found them a one-story house that was the builder’s house.”
For this couple, more land as opposed to lower maintenance was their top priority. Derrick said that they wanted to have plenty of room for their dogs, and to live within proximity to a Whole Foods and a pet store.
They are in their upper 70s, and Derrick said that they have a very active lifestyle, and wanted to be able to live in a neighborhood where they would have beautiful places to walk and could enjoy the outdoors.
“They also felt that in comparing Houston to California and to some of the other places that they considered and checked out, that there is a lower cost of living here overall,” Derrick said.
All in all, both Derrick and Falgout agreed that Houston is an easy city for people who are retiring. And, because of its location, residents can take advantage of driving to Galveston for the day, or enjoying a weekend in the Hill Country, as well as numerous other destinations.
For those looking for more of a lock-and-leave lifestyle, there are also many high-rise and mid-rise luxury properties throughout Houston that make that possible.
“Houston is just such an easy environment, and you can get anywhere you want to go from here. If you want to retire and travel, the airports here make it fairly easy to go anywhere you want to go. Plus, there are hundreds of things right here in Texas that you can do that are within driving distance of Houston,” said Falgout.
Although some might relocate to other cities or end up overseas, they often plan to return to Houston when they are ready to retire.