What I find interesting in this question is that in my case I would have to have the money in order to figure out the answer.
Right now, I live in Vancouver and have very carefully worked out how I want things to be. I have comfort, challenge, time, money, flexibility, control, etc. I love Vancouver and would not want to try to re-establish what I have now in some other place.
How would I fit a lot of money in with all the rest of life's aspects? I have no idea. I have been through this in a smaller way. I received a sizable inheretance years ago. It was enough to make major lifestyle changes. We bought a second property, travelled a bit extra, and didn't change much at all.
So maybe, like MolsonExport, I would buy properties: Vienna, Hamburg, Marseilles, and New York to start. But, maybe not. I have two properties here and I don't like the hassles of managing the one I rent out. So, who knows. Maybe nice hotels would still be the way to go. Fun to find out though.
In all likelihood, if my husband and I won lottery money our first move would be to stride briskly into the office of the nearest immigration lawyer, where the following exchange would take place:
"Hello there! We understand that the primary requirement for immigration to Canada and/or Scotland is to have more money than God. As we now have more money than God we're thinking Halifax or Edinburgh, although we could likely be persuaded to settle for Toronto or Aberdeen. Make it happen, and call some realtors while you're at it."
I thought Toronto was basically just Charlotte with a slightly busier downtown?
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Discontented suburbanite since 1994
I thought Toronto was basically just Charlotte with a slightly busier downtown?
San Jose has a better skyline than Toronto; that's for sure.
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Originally Posted by suburbanite
I thought Toronto was basically just Charlotte with a slightly busier downtown?
I didn't care for Toronto, but if that was what it took, I'd settle for it. If I thought I could stomach the misalignment of the Parliament building with Metcalfe Street, I'd even take Ottawa.
__________________ "To sustain the life of a large, modern city in this cloying, clinging heat is an amazing achievement. It is no wonder that the white men and women in Greenville walk with a slow, dragging pride, as if they had taken up a challenge and intended to defy it without end." -- Rebecca West for The New Yorker, 1947
In all likelihood, if my husband and I won lottery money our first move would be to stride briskly into the office of the nearest immigration lawyer, where the following exchange would take place:
"Hello there! We understand that the primary requirement for immigration to Canada and/or Scotland is to have more money than God. As we now have more money than God we're thinking Halifax or Edinburgh, although we could likely be persuaded to settle for Toronto or Aberdeen. Make it happen, and call some realtors while you're at it."
If I were going to buy a passport, I think it'd have to be in the EU. I'd probably shoot for Portugal. Ireland would've been a contender too, but they just abruptly ended their passport for purchase program.
I didn't care for Toronto, but if that was what it took, I'd settle for it. If I thought I could stomach the misalignment of the Parliament building with Metcalfe Street, I'd even take Ottawa.
Our former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien briefly floated the idea of demolishing some heritage buildings on Metcalfe Street to improve the sightline.
At this point if and when I move somewhere it will be primarily determined by where my kids settle down. Regardless of whether or not I win the lottery. And hopefully we're not talking about places that are too far apart.
Under the lottery winning scenario, not sure I'd buy properties in a couple of different places. Having properties means maintenance and management - for me that's a hassle.
Plus I just loooove staying in hotels. So if I had unlimited money I'd just as soon stay in a hotel in New York or Paris or Miami for as long as I wanted.
I think this would probably be easier for me than most as I am not very attached to having my own "stuff" and can travel light.
It means little to me to have a pied-à-terre that has my shampoo and my toothpaste in the bathroom, my books in the bookcase, my favourite kind of blanket on the sofa, etc.
I would. The writing is on the wall here that the next twenty years is just going to be an increase in crime and taxes with fewer services.
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5 million eh? I used to think I'd move out of Portland but I'd still probably stay. This city is fcked up, dirty, mildly violent and run by dumb ppl but its still entertaining. Its not even that expensive but our biggest encumbrance is still crazy people on drugs. You can't find a neighborhood that doesn't have broken windows or some psycho living in a tent. I would however figure out how to offshore some of that money to the Cayman Island or some other "friendly" place. If I moved anywhere I'd probably go to Houston, St Louis or back to metro Detroit. Id rather deal with predictable urban gun crime than people experience psychosis on a daily basis.
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Portland!! Where young people formerly went to retire.
This city is fcked up, dirty, mildly violent and run by dumb ppl but its still entertaining. Its not even that expensive but our biggest encumbrance is still crazy people on drugs. You can't find a neighborhood that doesn't have broken windows or some psycho living in a tent.
I thought you were describing Sacramento.
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I enjoy where I work but my company doesn’t allow people to work out of state so I would probably keep my place here, but purchase a condo in Miami.
__________________ “The best friend on earth of man is the tree. When we use the tree respectfully and economically, we have one of the greatest resources on the earth.” – Frank Lloyd Wright
I would become more mobile (again) but upgrade myself significantly in my present city due to having two kids. But depends on how much it was. If say a million dollars I probably would do little more than build a nice well provisioned /fully redundantly engineered but rustic / modern / breathable cabin on my farm big enough for a family getaway (or escape as needed) and not move from my current house at all.
If a bit more I’d move houses in my current city.
If significantly more $ then I might look at the central coast of California or the horse country bluegrass plateau surrounding Lexington, Ky (since Sayre is in town) as primary but hard to say what the plan might be. It would be hard for me to invest too much into housing or an extravagant location that didnt make long term sense.
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Downtown Portland is so bad right now. Every time I think I see improvement it just gets worse. They "cleaned up" Chinatown which is remarkably better but now all the junkies just moved south to the old part of the CBD. It seriously looks like the running man on 4th ave near the mall.
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Portland!! Where young people formerly went to retire.
I would use my money to fix up vacant buildings in my neighborhood and perhaps to build a small greenhouse attached to my house and a larger Conservatory somewhere on the South Side of Chicago.
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