1.   Do your homework before you decide which town to move to. Don't just go to the town you liked as a holiday destination. It simply may not have the services and facilities you will need as a permanent resident. We can make it easier, but it's still important that you spend the time to make sure your preferred town is really right for you now, and in the future.o:p>

2.   Do you have any health problems that need specialist treatment? Are you likely to require sophisticated medical services? You should look for a town where you can get the treatment you need. A few local GPs may not be good enough. Our CD lists the medical facilities and specialists serving each town. Because specialists come and go, we suggest you also check with the local medical centre.

3.   How easy will it be for friends and family to visit you? Think about transport links to the town of your choice. If you decide to live right out of town at the end of a rough track, don't be surprised if your friends don't call.

4.   Consider the weather. Check what the climate is like all year round.

5.   Do you have enough money to live comfortably? A professionally prepared financial plan is essential. The sooner you have this done, the better. If you don't yet have a financial advisor, you should appoint one.

6.   What type of home do you really need? Is it a large house with lots of bedrooms, a unit, a manufactured home in a park, a small suburban house or a retirement village? Decide what best suits your new lifestyle and remember the maintenance and cleaning. Generally, if you are selling a city property and buying in a regional area, you may well have a substantial sum left over when the transactions are completed. Have you considered buying a property in your preferred retirement town well before you move there. Click on "Properties 4 sale".

7.   Rent before you buy. It is advisable to rent, or buy an investment property, in the town you are thinking about retiring to, before you sell your current home and move. It's a good idea to live there for 6-12 months to make sure that this is where you really want to live.

8.   How easy will it be to make new friends? Do your sports and hobbies make it easy to join clubs where you can meet people with similar interests.? Have you thought about doing some volunteer work? There are a number of retiree organisations like National Seniors and Assoc. of Independent Retirees which have branches all over the country and provide information, support and social contacts .If you buy or build a home through our organisation, you can be introduced to the presidents of some of the local sporting or social clubs.

9.   Do some serious retirement planning before you retire. There are lots of books giving good advice on how to plan in advance for your retirement. Check out your local book store. We have recently added an excellent comprehensive retirement planning book to our website. It is written by Neil Tucker and can be ordered direct from him off our website. Click on "Planning your Retirement".

10. Do you really want to move to a new town? Can you achieve a more suitable lifestyle simply by selling your current home and moving to something more suitable in a different part of your town or city.