Research + In-Person Visits = Happiness

In March 2022, DeDe Gonzalez and her husband, Ray, relocated from Northern Virginia to their ideal home in St. James in Southport, NC, and they could not be happier. But, their journey began several years earlier. About six years ago, they attended an Ideal-LIVING Real Estate Show at Tysons Corner and started receiving the ideal-LIVING magazine. They knew they wanted to retire somewhere their daughters would like to visit.

Two years ago, only two weeks after DeDe (age 58) retired, she began searching in earnest for their ideal location. She researched 26 communities in six states and started visiting communities. "My best friend from high school and I went on many of these trips, and then I narrowed it down for my husband."

But, first, DeDe began with a spreadsheet to compare the amenities, the year the community was established, acreage, number of homes, custom builders, proximity to airports, shopping, medical care, etc. "If I didn't have those spreadsheets, I would have forgotten where I'd been, and everything would have just run together."

She actually visited St. James four times before they decided to purchase. "Everyone in St. James is like us, from somewhere else. I'm very extroverted, and I played pickleball before moving here. We moved in on a Saturday. I met people that night at a neighborhood party, and I was playing pickleball two days later.

It's very easy to meet people. I have made a huge amount of friends, and so has my husband. We love it! I fell in love with St. James, but I didn't realize I would love Southport so much. This is a cute little small town with lots of things to do and great restaurants. We are south of Wilmington and north of Myrtle Beach, so we have access to two airports. We are close to Oak Island, the grocery store, the pool, and the pickleball courts.

"Another thing I love about St. James is that they have four clubhouses with restaurants and poolside service. We also have a marina and a restaurant there. We don't golf, but they have four championship golf courses." DeDe even ordered an emerald green mini-Cooper convertible to jaunt around the community and to the beach. They joined a St. James Mini-Cooper Enthusiast Club.

"The entire process of finding a home is extremely overwhelming. I just never had the time to find the place before I retired because I was so busy working and raising my children. Once I retired, which was way too late, I started going on all of these road trips. So, I think that if people start looking five years in advance, they might be able to find a home for less money than after they retire."