marasan, you are quite inspirational. Keep up the good vibes.
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I know it may not be for everyone, but my Taiwanese wife and I will mostly likely retire in Hualien City. We will be taking the first step in our grand plan very soon by buying a small apartment there- very possibly by this summer. We are looking at the 3-4 million range which seems to be enough, especially since some negotiation is possible in today’s market.
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To retire in Hualien? of course, it looks and sounds good…
but for me who is also planning to retire here as well
I am not going to survive many summers on the East coast
…
My plan is actually to get two places…
one for winter, anywhere, really anywhere on the island
the other one for summer, in a cooler place… mountains, hills, just cooler
with one more key word in that goal… community!
…
So before you invest, let’s talk and see how we can work together
welcoming others as well! ok?
Good for you Marasan.
I’d love to own a property in Taiwan. There’s not many places you can buy an apt here for 3 to 4 million right?
The in-laws have some land and property in MIaoli but they sold the best plot for a song , doh. But then again I would never retire in MIaoli , I would not pay a lot to construct a new home there and I don’t see myself retiring in Taiwan to be honest . Although I’m still here going on two decades almost…
One of the main reasons I don’t want to retire in Taiwan is the extreme heat in Summer . The other has been mentioned and it is the lack of other immigrants /Westerners and distance from Europe.
What Taiwan needs is a retirement town/international resident town. I don’t see any yet but maybe one day it will happen.
Anyways retirement is for rich people 
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We have a place now in New Taipei City. Who knows, maybe we won’t have to sell it eventually. Right now, I don’t see how that would work out financially, but again, who knows?! I know the East coast isn’t for everyone. When you’re old, you wake up early anyway before it’s too hot! Heck, I’m already doing that!
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I would like to have an `ant house’ somewhere . But max I want to pay for everything is 1 million NTD. Would also be better if could rent out when not there.
I could put it behind the in laws but still seems a bit expensive when we have a free place to stay already …If they were near the beach id probably have done it already.
I feel there is potential to work together under some conditions of commitment and input
We own one house and one farm. (the farm is mentioned somewhere in the forum… it’s my cool place!) and we are willing to welcome people
As for the house, we are planning to move out to better fit my job opportunities
There is no hurry
A farm sounds cool would like to have one someday too, Do you have pics of your farm? How much does cost roughly to buy a farm in the south?
Amen to that!
Hualien is nice with coast and mountains but being top spot for typhoons is hard. I love Taitung but it really gets hellish hot.
I would have to look at the options regarding hospitals -bad health- vets -elderly pets- and then teh rest. For retirement health services and transportation facilities would be crucial -you do not see that many 80 year olds driving here, even scooters.
Land and then fixed up shipping container? Maybe two shipping containers- one that you rent out? Don’t laugh until you’ve looked into it!
The in-laws have some land and could do it and get power and water too, just a bit close…to the in-laws lol. Then we’ll be surrounded by taro and rice fields. Not the worst I guess.
Actually there’s even a guy down the road that sells the ‘ant houses’ custom made. Personally I think there’s no need to stick with a container. I haven’t looked into the costing though.
Some good ones
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What about defining a cheap but nice countryside area, looking for houses separately, and creating a retirement community?
so we can share many costs and bring a bit of life to a place in the countryside.
Time for a Trust Level 4: after x years of daily posting and good behavior, you get invited to the secret Forumosan retirement community where you can argue about covfefe all day long I-R-L! 
It would have been nice nice if the houses in Yangmingshan that belonge dto the US army had been set up as elderly homes, since they are one floor only. Couple of tennis courts, a swimming pool, anmd Bob’s your uncle.
Or we can take over the Zhongshing New Village in Nantou, buahahaha.
Seriously, we have plenty of those in teh ol country,. How come with all teh elderly folk here no one has thought of that? It is a huge cash cow, the business writes itself. Cultural issues?
I’d buy a large plot of decrepit houes in Xindian or Tainan, the old one floor ones. Refurbish, rearrange, maybe draw a wall like the old veterna villages used to have. A community within a community. Set up services like nurses and cleaning on site, but give independence to the "tenants’. Arrange for outings every month to cool places say the beach or elsewhere. Wouldn’t allow elderly to go out without chaperone though, I am so heartbroken from picking up fallen elderly neighbors. There is an age where you shouldn’t go out alone.
I think this has some potential as an investment idea, but not as any type of cooperation involving pooling of money together to make a community. Everyone has different ideas and people get grumpy and less willing to cooperate in their old age. Just take a look at this thread when I mentioned Hualien- so much negativity and grumpy old fart attitude. And I don’t think any of us are really that old yet. As a matter of fact, you can take your retirement community idea and stuff it.
Edit: That was a bit harsh. I should have said “up your nose with a rubber hose.”
I fully agree with you
Please notice the word ‘separately’ in my first post
Let me rephrase it
What about defining a cheap but nice countryside area,
looking for and buying land and/or houses separately,
and creating a ‘laowai retirement neighborhood’?
Look at this one … at random
600 pings that is 2900 m2 for 1.6 million
add a container, a fridge for the beer and cabernet sauvignon
all good!
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Well, retirement has to be planned sooner the better. Say, being optimistic, we make it to 65 and get a pension from the ROC government if it is still around. We have to provide for ourselves at least for 20 years more, average lifespan at least in the ol country nowadays being 80 something for women. Guys let’s say 70 something, still leaves 10 years to write the Ultimate Taiwanese Novel, or drink yourselves to a stupor while driving others to stupor with your clever podcast on all things Taiwan.
I have seen those pooling respurces retirments and they work. If you set it up as a business, it works. Many things work as long as you have the cash to make them work.
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Won’t Yangmingshan blow up one day?