Kailua, Oahu - the best place to retire on earth?

Over the next 20 yrs, millions of people will be retiring and looking for a place to live out their golden years. But where? Florida used to be a popular spot, but I think people are finding it too hot and muggy there, while Arizon is too hot and dry. California is too crowded these days, with 8 lane freeways totally congested at all times.

Let me state a case for Kailua, Oahu. First of all, it's about 80 degrees everyday, all year, just about everywhere on Oahu. Kailua has beautiful beaches that are accessible from several spots, and water that ranges from 70-80 degrees, which means you can swim or wade all year.

Kailua is also very flat near the beach. This means it's great for walking and bike riding. You can ride or walk from your house to the beach, to the deli for lunch, and around town all day.

Also very important - Castle medical center is right in Kailua, so you can get quick help whenever needed.

Shopping - there is plenty of shopping in Kailua town, and the Windward mall is just 10 minutes drive. There is a weekly farmers market for nice fresh produce, and of course you can make the 20 minute drive into town and go do Ala Moana or go 30 minutes over to our largest indoor mall, Pearl Ridge.

Kailua is a quaint little beach town where everybody seems to know each other. After just a few weeks you'll start to recognize faces at the grocery store and around town. That's because people who live in Kailua tend to stay in Kailua. There isn't a lot of reason to go into town, since almost everything is available right in Kailua town.

Kailua Real Estate - you can start around $400k for a nice 2 bedroom condo within walking distance to everything, including the beach. Go all the way up to $20million for an estate on the water. Homes and condos average about $700k - $1million for a decent property. In Hawaii, that's not too high.

If you live in Kailua, you're going to see tourists around, but not the way you do in Waikiki or at a resort - that's because there isn't a single hotel in Kailua. There are several Bed & Breakfast type homes, but most are very small and try to stay under the radar. This means beaches are usually uncrowded, especially in Lanikai and toward the end of Kalama beach.

Kailua rains quite a bit, but definitely more at night than during the day. In the summer it's not too hot, and in the winter it might get down to 65 on the coldest night. The best weather feature is the wind. We call it the Windward Side, and that's because the predominant wind blows into Kailua about 90% of the year, making it a wonderfully cool feeling 85 degrees most of the time. When the wind stops, it does feel hot, but it's nothing like Arizona or Florida.

Where is the best place to retire? If you have about $400k for a condo, or $800k for a house, I would say Kailua.