How to Find the Perfect Place to Retire Abroad Part 1

Many articles have been written about the perfect retirement hotspot overseas by many different publications.  However, in truth each recommendation is based on either the preference of the article’s author for what constitutes a nice place to live in in retirement, or certain assumed criteria about the would-be retirees that the author is writing the article about and for.

The reason I say this is because there is no such thing as a perfect place to live in in this world of our – all nations, all cities, each residential neighbourhood and even every individual home has good points and bad points about them.  What’s more, where one person may relish the thought of living in perpetual sunshine in retirement, another person might have such fair skin that a sunny retirement home would be totally wrong for them.

So, when it comes down to it, how to find the perfect place to retire abroad is more about finding the perfect place for you to live in in retirement – therefore, in this article we’ll explore the first five of our top ten thought processes and considerations that you need to go through to discover where you would be most happy living abroad.  On Monday we will publish the final five considerations that will hopefully help you find your ideal place to live overseas in retirement.

1) How Far From Home?

If you believe everything you read you will know that Australia is the best place to live abroad – according to the Country Brand Index that is.  They boast about the fact that it is ‘liveable’ – whatever that means.  However, if you’re originally from the UK and you’re thinking about emigrating to live abroad, Australia could be the worst place for you if you want to retain close ties with family and friends still in Britain.  A 24-hour flight at great expense to see family will not make Australia ‘liveable’ for you!

One of the most important things you need to think about when considering retiring abroad is how far away from ‘home’ you can cope with living.  For those who need or want close contact, perhaps continental Europe is the perfect place to live in retirement, for others who cannot wait to escape everything about Great Britain, maybe the beauty and distance of New Zealand appeals.

2) Is Language a Barrier?

Do you speak a foreign language, could you or would you learn a foreign language and if you cannot converse in anything other than English, how will you survive living somewhere like Portugal where apparently the local language is one of the hardest in the world to learn?  Even if you move to live in Spain where Britons have notoriously made a home for themselves in the South and refused to learn the language in many cases, if you cannot converse with local people in their language you will find that life will be tough at times.

You will be prejudiced against at times, you will misunderstand and miss out on things as a result, you will not be able to make as many good and lasting friendships potentially, and even getting the simplest things done may prove to be a constant headache in your life.  So, seriously think about the language spoken in the nation you’re interested in living in – and think about learning it before you go!

3) Red Tape and Red Mist

Even if you’re a Briton moving within the European Union to a nation where you have no need for a residential visa, you will face red tape.  In fact, many nations such as France and Italy are more famous for their red tape than countries such as Canada and Australia where you have to apply in advance for residential status.  Now, does the thought of queuing for hours or even days to get a tiny piece of paper to legally allow you to drive your car in the nation you’re in drive you potty?  Well, in that case you need to think very carefully about where in the world you can move to and cope with all the bureaucracy associated!

4) Access All Areas!

If you’re moving abroad in retirement you, more than anyone else, will need to think seriously about your mobility ability for the long-term.  I can appreciate that it is something no one wants to contemplate, but the aging effect is cruel and can leave many of us restricted in terms of our ability to get up and out and about as much as we would like.  Therefore, whilst you may dream of retiring abroad and hiding in a remote hacienda in the inaccessible hills above the Spanish coastline, in 30 years time when you’re maybe alone and you’re immobile, how will you do something as simple as get to the shop to get some milk?

You need to be within reach of services and facilities; you also need to be within reach of serviceable roads and transportation links as well so that your family, friends, carers and support network can get to you and you can reach them.  Don’t cut yourself off when you move abroad…

5) Maintain a Healthy Perspective

Part of your reasoning for wanting to find the perfect place to retire abroad might be to escape the stresses of your every day life and find peace, quiet and a healthier atmosphere conducive for relaxation and better mental and physical wellbeing.  To that end, ensure the place you’re thinking about also has good healthcare facilities that you can either access for free thanks to any reciprocal agreement between the UK and your new nation – or where you can afford health insurance that will act as the path for you to gain access to any essential medical services that you may need.

Some nations may only be able to offer you a rudimentary level of care and treatment – and if you’re a permanent resident there, contrary to popular opinion, you may not be able to supplement care by returning to the UK and gaining access to the NHS.  So seriously and fully explore the health care options in your chosen new nation and make sure they suffice for now, tomorrow and the long-term.

On Monday we will publish the final five considerations you need to have in mind when searching for your perfect retirement paradise…