Real Estate IRA investors and property owners looking to relocate after retirement know the south has some of the best towns in the county to live.  Many Self-Directed IRA owners are interested in keeping their investments close to their retirement destination.

Real Estate IRA owners are looking for homes at a reasonable price, relative to rental yields, stable or improving employment prospects, and the ability to get into a new property without having to commit $1 million or more into an overheated housing market.

Additionally, it is nice to have favorable landlord-tenant laws and a decent state tax environment. State and local income and property taxes can really eat into Real Estate IRA profits if you are not careful.

And lastly, since many of our clients are here in the southeastern United States, we’re also always looking for great spots that are close to family – especially grandchildren.

The editors of USA Today recently published a useful guide to the top ten suburbs for retirees, primarily using the following criteria:

• Modest cost of living
• Median home prices
• Property tax rates

A number of towns here in the Southeast made the cut:

• Bermuda Run, North Carolina

This charming town in Davie County is one of the most promising suburbs of Winston-Salem. The town was incorporated in 1999 as one of only three gated communities in the state to be designated an official municipality. It recently annexed the nearby Kinderton Village community.

Property taxes are very low at $1,666 per year, on average, based on a median home price of $167,450. Meanwhile, the population is quite affluent, with a mean household income of $108,558. So, there is lots of room for house prices to grow.

• Plantation, Florida

This bustling Broward County suburb just west of Fort Lauderdale is an easy commute from downtown – just down Broward Boulevard. It is home to a lot of city employees and has homes available at a variety of price points.

Homes in this area are on the pricy side: The median home last year listed for $329,250, with property taxes adding an average of $4,122 to the annual cost of ownership. Incomes are relatively low, here, too, relative to house prices, with a mean household income of $79,797.

Florida has some benefits that could reflect well with investors.  The lack of a state income tax means you can enjoy more of the rental income your properties produce.  Florida is also very friendly to investors, from a bankruptcy protection perspective. This is important for Self-Directed IRA investors, as real estate can generate liability if you are not careful – though assets within Real Estate IRAs are not generally considered personal assets at risk in the event of bankruptcy.

• Fairfield Harbour, North Carolina

Fairfield Harbour, in Craven County, is a resort community near New Bern in beautiful coastal North Carolina. Among the chief attractions: The beautiful Fairfield Park golf course. Like Bermuda Run, it is a gated community. The median list price for Fairfield Harbour is $189,900 – well within the reach of the area’s mean household income of $65,903. Property tax is quite low at $1,343.

Fairfield Harbour and the nearby town of New Bern are two of the best kept secrets in America when it comes to affordable coastal living.

• Sunset Beach, North Carolina

This upscale Brunswick County community sports median home listing prices of $324,900, making it one of the pricier areas in North Carolina. The town consists of two mainland neighborhoods and a barrier island, which has about 1,200 homes. The area is home to three golf courses – Oyster Bay, Sandpiper Bay and Sea Trail resort – and the developments around these courses represent the bulk of the residential real estate.

The mean household income in Sunset Beach is $70,992, which means many families are stretching to afford the homes they have now – especially more recent buyers.

Annual taxes of $1,348 make it among the lowest-tax communities on the list.  This is a plus for Real Estate IRA investors looking to relocate.

• Timber Pines, Florida

This small community in Hernando County, Florida offers some of the best freshwater fishing in the country. The closest major cities are Tampa to the south, and Ocala, to the northeast. It is a popular destination for retirees, including many Real Estate IRA investors attracted by the year-round mild climate and the lack of state income taxes on rental income.

The median house price is quite modest for Florida, at $159,900, within easy reach for the average household in the area, which logs an income of $56,974 per year.

For more information on Self-Directed Real Estate IRAs, or to schedule a no-obligation consultation, visit our website at www.AmericanIRA.com. Or call us today at 866-7500-IRA (472).

We look forward to serving you.