When the time comes to retire, choosing where you’d like to live in the twilight of your life can be a difficult decision. As a senior citizen, your needs are different from those of the younger generation. However, Bellingham might just be the place for you.
This is one location where you can be fairly sure you’ll have the best of both worlds. Located in Washington State, approximately halfway between Seattle and Vancouver, Bellingham promises to be a happy blend of the great outdoors and the conveniences of urban life.
In Bellingham, you’ll find that you can live in a multistoried building and still have the choice of fishing for salmon in the creek. With a population slightly over 67,000, Bellingham seems to have it all. Approximately 12% of the residents of this town are over 65 years of age, so as a retired person, you should have plenty of company.
Situated on Bellingham Bay, you’ll find as many as three freshwater lakes here, apart from plenty of streams. Here is a town that has the aspirations of a big city without the problems. There are plenty of boat slips and quays, apart from the Interurban Trail System, which cuts through the town to reach Larrabee State Park.
If you’re fond of skiing, you’ll find that you are conveniently located a couple of hours away from Mount Whistler in Canada. You could also travel further east from Bellingham to Mount Baker, about an hour away.
Looking at practicalities, the cost of a 3-bedroom house in Bellingham is in the region of
$ 170,000. This is considered quite reasonable compared with the prices on the east coast and other areas on the west coast. Major cities located near Bellingham include Vancouver, which is 60 miles away in British Columbia and Seattle, 90 miles away.
You could even get a 4-bedroom house for less than $ 350,000, close to a quay where you may like to anchor a boat. At the same time, you could be within easy distance of a golf course. So even if you’re not already a golfer, this is one sport you could consider taking up.
If you’re keen on cultural pursuits, you’ll be happy to know that the drama department of Western Washington University stages plays on a regular basis. Apart from this, you could drop in to Village Books located in the historic sector of Fairhaven. This is a popular meeting place for discussions.
As a retired person, you may be concerned about your health. You’ll probably find that St. Joseph’s Hospital will take care of your needs, particularly since it has just been expanded to include a new cardiac care unit.
Nevertheless, a number of senior citizens claim that health care facilities have not been up to the mark and have failed to deliver quality care. This has caused physicians to opt out of established networks. As a result, it is a fairly common practice for residents of Bellingham to cross over into Canada, where they have access to more inexpensive prescription drugs. Some even cross the border for dental treatment.
Temperatures vary between 75° and 32° F. It seldom snows in Bellingham, but the city has plenty of rain, for as many as 93 days through the year. Summer temperatures hardly ever cross 80° F.
Most of what you’ve heard so far sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? So, you may be wondering, where’s the catch? You’re right, there is one, if it can be called that. Property prices have been going up. They increased by nearly 10% in 2002 and could expand by another 10% in the near future.
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