Dream cities (or towns) to live in?

[GuestUser8117]

I don't think I will move in the united states. Except if it's in Hawaii. But I've been to Naples 2 times in Florida and I loved it.

 

[Capital]

Boston )

Boston has a small but rapidly growing innovation district of startups, accelerators, and community resources, right on the waterfront. Mayor Menino (although he'll be resigning soon) is incredibly supportive of entrepreneurship, and the number of entrepreneurship-championing universities in the city (both undergrad and graduate) make the city a pretty exciting place to be right now.

Besides entrepreneurship, Boston is a strong city with proud citizens, safer and cleaner than NYC or Chicago, great public transportation, etc. etc. etc.

Not to mention some great schools

 

[Kak]

Visiting or moving permanently? Which islands? I've been to Maui and "The Big Island" - I liked Maui much better but I would love to visit Oahu, Molokai and Kauai.

To the OP:
I have quite a few because I hope to own multiple homes that I rotate living in throughout the year:

Some sort of island house/villa:
- Bora Bora
- Fiji
- Maldives
- Belize
- St. Maarten - I've actually been to St. Maarten once before. We stayed in a villa way up on the hill overlooking the ocean. The view was the best I've ever seen (Trumping any cruise I've been on, Hawaii, Jamaica, and Mexico). Plus the villa was amazing, had a huge tile deck with a standalone bathroom with a shaded couch area, couches in the sun, and an infinity pool. By far my favorite spot yet.
- Anguilla

Some sort of mountain/ski house:
- Whistler & Blackomb in British Colombia. I've been here 3 times and it's amazing. Beautiful view and two great mountains for skiing. The town is a ton of fun with lot's of good shopping and good restaurants. Couldn't pick another for this category.

A city house/apartment:
- New York City - A nice big loft or penthouse preferably - obviously it will be VERY expensive, but I think having a week or two in the city throughout the year wouldn't be all too bad

Yacht:
- A big yacht to take wherever I please. Location really doesn't matter in this scenario

A non-city US home:
- Michigan - Either in Bloomfield Hills so that my kids are able to go to my same school, or on Lake Michigan to have jetskis and a sports boat for fun.
- California - Up in the mountains over looking the ocean, or directly on the ocean.

An International (But on a continent rather than an island) home:
- Monaco
- Libson, Portugal
- Somewhere in Greece or in the Mediterranean where I could have access to the ocean.

That's all I came up with for now. My sights are set high, chuckle at me if you wish!

That is a shit load of houses. Im not saying you can't but I don't think you'll really want that many. Kind of a stuff owns you type of situation.

 

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[InLikeFlint]

That is a shit load of houses. Im not saying you can't but I don't think you'll really want that many. Kind of a stuff owns you type of situation.

Not sure if I will own all 6 during the same time period, will probably own some then sell them and get new ones. But I know what you mean, I would have to hire staff to take car of them year round while I'm not even there.

 

[Kak]

Not sure if I will own all 6 during the same time period, will probably own some then sell them and get new ones. But I know what you mean, I would have to hire staff to take car of them year round while I'm not even there.

Makes sense. I will probably go to crested butte here in the next few years. I will want to go somewhere else within 5 years. Im not going to keep the house.

 

[RBefort]

Heard tons of people rave about Austin for sure, San Diego also. Personally, I have yet to check either of these out. I was also interested in Florida. Probably a bunch of older people there, but I think this would be an awesome place to live?

 

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[Sir Ingenious]

Here's a cool idea of a lifestyle that I have in mind: every few years/months, I'll pack my bags and move to a different location, get myself to take leaps and disrupt my rhythm every once in a while. Kinda like one of those traveling entrepreneurs or bloggers, except in the States.

Don't buy houses but rent them, move in and then unload for a bit. In a few or many months (depending on how much I like the area), pack and ship out. After all, if we do change jobs every year, change grades in school every so often, why not do this with homes/location?

Once you stay for a certain amount of time at a job, location or whatever, you've been branded and your experience will plateau. Why not move and disrupt that rhythm before you hit that plateau? So, when you move into that new city, no one will know you from 2, 5, 10 years ago -- GREAT. Make new connections, reform your identity, etc. Force yourself to evolve every so often with new experiences.

So like, when you don't have to move, it's time to look for a place. When you don't need a new job, it's time to look for a new one. When you don't need to sell your business, time to think of a new startup.

Also, an interest of mine is traveling, so why not live like a traveler and not be committed to a specific area?

 

[Lights]

- Michigan - Either in Bloomfield Hills so that my kids are able to go to my same school, or on Lake Michigan to have jetskis and a sports boat for fun.

I used to live in Farmington Hills, but I never understood the charm of any of the "Hills".

 

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[arcola]

LA and San Fran are 2 of the best cities in the world. I've been to Paris, Beirut, London, Frankfurt, Dubai,

Beirut Lebanon is amazing

 

[Sir Ingenious]

If your thinking about California, I live close to LA, Hollywood, San Diego etcs.

The best places for millionaires

1. San Francisco
2. LA
3. La Jolla
4. Laguna Beach(personal fav)
5. Santa Barbra

I dream of a big house on the cliffs in Laguna beach

Nice, that's what I thought as well.

So, you ranked all of those 4 cities above Santa Barbara? Interesting, man.

I wonder: are cities like LA and San Fran awesome when you aren't broke or a slowlaner (well, slowlaners can enjoy big cities too if they have a lot of free time and expense)? Which places are awesome when you live in LA and San Fran, by the way? Santa Monica, Malibu, Beverly Hills comes to mind. Am I right?


LibertyForMe - Amazing pictures, amazing locations. Wow.

I better categorize those cities up in a bit. Good cities and towns are popping up in this thread thanks to you guys!

 

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[arcola]

Nice, that's what I thought as well.

So, you ranked all of those 4 cities above Santa Barbara? Interesting, man.

I wonder: are cities like LA and San Fran awesome when you aren't broke or a slowlaner (well, slowlaners can enjoy big cities too if they have a lot of free time and expense)? Which places are awesome when you live in LA and San Fran, by the way? Santa Monica, Malibu, Beverly Hills comes to mind. Am I right?


LibertyForMe - Amazing pictures, amazing locations. Wow.

I better categorize those cities up in a bit. Good cities and towns are popping up in this thread thanks to you guys!

Well in San Fran, living inside San Fran is awsome!

For LA, it's much different. People forget how diverse LA is. I love LA. Its actually probably the best city in the world if it weren't for the horrid, horrid traffic.

LA is better than even NYC I think. It's so diverse in the ways thatsa matter.

The probablem with SB is that it's isolated. It has nothing that Laguna doesn't offer, and Laguna is dead smack in between San Diego, La, and you can go snow boarding in like an hour and half.



Beirut is the real best city though, if your looking for fun, food, and beautiful women.

 

[GuestUser8117]

Anyone thought about Malaysia? You can get an nice appartment for like $600k with ocean and mountain views, tennis court, a pool and fitness center. Plus it's english speaking. There is really beautiful places where you can live like a millionaire whitout having to be one. Kind of a minimalist lifestyle.

 

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[Get Right]

How about using the WADM but for very generic purposes first (US, Mexico, Guam,..)? After that you could use WADM again refined to states, cities etc. Input your values and then you have some math to go along with the emotions.

 

[LibertyForMe]

Just want to add a little perspective here for all those folks dreaming about the huge house in the great location...

You are completely right. That is part of the reason why I only want two houses, because they are lots of upkeep. Also, even with kids I can't forsee myself needing more than 3,000 square feet max, so the "base home" would be around that size, but the "vacation home" would be something much smaller and simpler.

There is a really cool Monastery near Charleston called Mepkin Abbey (Mepkin Abbey - Trappist Monastery, Moncks Corner, South Carolina) and I went there for 4 days with my church just to experience how monks live. It was VERY insightful, and it was great for me to see how much joy and peace the monks had even though all they had was a small room with minimal possessions. Even if you have no religious affiliation; I recommend doing something like that; the experience was really cool.

Kinda gives you a new perspective.

 

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[Sir Ingenious]

Thanks for recommending cities and towns, ladies and gents!

I edited the original post and listed them by sizes.

 

[Vigilante]

One of the places we are looking at has association dues of $3000 per month. Truly turnkey with world-class amenities. And yes… I hate associations. They usually end up being total communists. However… We might be willing to do it for the right place. If all I have to worry about is watching my kids play in the Pacific Ocean while somebody else cleans my barbecue grill and every morning is out there feeding "my" Koi fish, cleaning the waterfall, and trimming the plumeria bushes back… It's hard to imagine having very many complaints.

 

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[Pinnacle]

I would rent a house in a master planned community called Bridgemill. It is in Canton, Georgia (Georgia being my home state).

I've lived in this community before: my mother rented a very small, but nice house in their lower priced division for about a year. It is a dream community for me. Everything is elegant, plenty of amenities, access to major highways, but tucked away. Restaurants, shops both local and franchised are there. Bridgemill is actually the name of the entire suburb. It is one of those cities within a city.

The other one is a city within a city called Townlake. It is just south of Canton in Woodstock, Georgia.

Both are great places to raise families, but also wonderful for singles and child-free couples.

 

[Stef]

Just want to add a little perspective here for all those folks dreaming about the huge house in the great location...

I feel like I just came from that situation.

The problem is, a huge house needs maintenance. Every week it was something different. The pool. The A/C. The sprinkler system is leaking. Cleaning the damn place. The hot tub outside is not refilling properly. The automatic pool cleaner stopped working. The water bill should be $40 and it comes in at $500 (Oh F*ck! Where's the leak?!) The roof is leaking. Scorpions are getting inside. Blah blah blah... it was a never ending cascade of drama and for me, I've entered a point of my life where I am trying to minimize drama...

Now, before anyone says "Oh, why not just hire a pool guy? And a maid? And the landscapers? And this? And that?" -- I DID ALL THAT -- the problem is, those people need to be managed as well. I remember my cleaning lady did the cleaning, but the fact she was in the house was an inconvenience. I remember having to fire/rehire pool guys who weren't doing their job. I remember the landscapers missing a week.

So for all these folks that claim they want X houses in X locations, I wonder-- have you even owned a house?

I suppose I could have hired a personal assistant to handle all this BS but even that to me, feels like more drama, and more management. Employees and contractors, whatever you want to call them, always require management. A house is no different.

i understand exactly where you are coming from. It is best to hire a staff manager, but you are right, you still need to micro manage all the employees which becomes a hassle.

i personally hate the fact that the maid comes twice a week and the Gardner once a week, I feel uncomfortable in my own house. I have friends that have their maid there 5 times a week, plus other staff members. I guess you can't have one without the other...

 

[InLikeFlint]

I used to live in Farmington Hills, but I never understood the charm of any of the "Hills".

Apart from the fact that it is one of the wealthiest area codes in the US, it also is a very beautiful area. Lots of well kept houses, lots of lakes around for water sports, Detroit is nearby for major league sports, and Michigan experiences all seasons. Not to mention the grade schools around are phenomenal, even the public schools.

 

[Lights]

Apart from the fact that it is one of the wealthiest area codes in the US, it also is a very beautiful area. Lots of well kept houses, lots of lakes around for water sports, Detroit is nearby for major league sports, and Michigan experiences all seasons. Not to mention the grade schools around are phenomenal, even the public schools.

I was only there for my high school years, and my high school years were miserable...I had to support my family, and get them out of bills at times . Working 50 hrs + high school = disaster. But in my freshman/sophomore years I was the typical nerd who dreams of going to Harvard/Yale, and only hang out with the Asian nerds. I was fat, ugly, depressed...

It's like two lifetimes ago now.

 

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[InLikeFlint]

I only associate with Asian nerds *all Hill schools have those*

My school has a ton of students who board from China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, India, Russia, Germany, and Romania so I know lots of asians! I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say you are Chinese, am I correct?

 

[RBefort]

I like the idea of keep moving around from city to city. Think I definitely need to do this, as I like change. Doesn't fit my current situation now. I agree with Lights...Las Vegas would be fun to be in for awhile, even though I have been 4 times already. I enjoy poker a lot though, so I am not sure if I would like the city so much if I didn't play. I really like the fact of all the tourists, always people to meet who are happy and on vacation, so forth...heard cost of living is really cheap there as well. This doesn't factor in all of the gross, degen people you see (homeless beggers on every sidewalk and bridge).

 

[Lights]

My school has a ton of students who board from China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, India, Russia, Germany, and Romania so I know lots of asians! I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say you are Chinese, am I correct?

No.
Just white with Native American (25%). I have black hair from the Native side (last year it was bleach blonde, then ginger, but it's black again), but green eyes, pale skin.

People think I am Arabic, which isn't too surprising. Although, really I don't fit in with any "nationality", since I can relate to everyone equally... except Indians from India (unless they're under 30). People are people, and I modify my personality to fit in.

 

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[Sir Ingenious]

Here ya go TEDxPhnomPenh - Colin Wright - Extreme Lifestyle Experiments - YouTube

'Colin Wright is a 25-year-old serial entrepreneur, minimalist, and blogger who moves to a new country every 4 months based on the votes of his readers.'

I just watched all of it. Amazing.

Thanks, man.

 

[Genium]

I am fortunate enough to say that I live in one of the best places in the US, in my opinion... Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ, specifically Scottsdale. Other than 3 months of the year, this place is gorgeous, and its not just the weather that makes me happy, its the people around you, the entrepreneurs, business people, there is success all around, and taking in that lifestyle everyday that happens all around you is just motivating.

I have to say, I am going to stay here forever, at least for part of the year, whether that be 6 months, or 2 months, once I am wealthy enough to have 2/3 houses.

However, in the summer months, and maybe even for half of the year, I want a house in these two places:

- Naples, Long Beach, California... These houses are beauties, built right along a canal that runs in a full circle, your yacht is backed up right to your private dock right outside your place. They go for a couple million each, on average. I just got back from a vacation here, mid July, mid 70's during the day, absolutely beautiful, and the area and people are super nice. Gotta have it.

- Laguna Beach. I haven't been here yet for vacation, but I have done research and looked at pictures and from what I have seen and heard, the area is one of the nicest, if not the nicest in southern cal. Beautiful homes on the hills right up to the ocean. Ughh, amazing... weather is to die for, just like naples. of course.

As MJ said, keeping up on 3 houses would be a bitch, so I would have my family and my girlfriends family rent the places out that we aren't living at, or figure something out like that. They could help keep the place super tidy and handle all the maintenance people, even on my bill, in exchange for free rent. Hassle free for me and my lady

Things I take into my perfect places:
-weather
-the people that live there
-the shops/ambiance
-quality of neighboring houses/properties
-access to airports to travel
-water access, preferably beaches. Must be able to have a boat at least at one of my places

Back to work. Cant get to these places without making money