Check out this new property that I just posted on my Web site. It is in Grass Valley.

Senior friendly vacations, tips and web sites

                                                  Courtesy of Hank DiPillo, your Senior Real Estate Specialist.                                                              

Retirement, a life stage that in 1900 represented a meager 3 percent of one™s existence, now accounts for 20 percent of the average adult™s life span. This welcome extension of the retirement years is a result of a 50 percent increase in life expectancy, from 49 to 74 years since 1900. Today, instead of spending an average of only 1.3 years in retirement, adults can look forward to at least 14 years of retirement living. How are these seniors capitalizing on this windfall of free time? Scores are packing their bags and heading for adventure, traveling the open road, flying the friendly skies, and cruising the high seas. Use of the airways, roadways, and seaways by seniors is increasing as discounts, privileges, and other amenities for mature travelers become industry standards.Don™t bother trying to reach granny at home. She™s away on a jet tour of the Orient with her friends. In fact, seniors account for nearly 40 percent of all package tours and one-third of all air travel and hotel stays. Numerous helpful Web sites appear online to assist seniors seeking a vacation rental, a home exchange arrangement, a golf tournament tour package, adventure travel, volunteer archeological projects, as well as educational travel programs. Send me an e-mail at hankd43@yahoo.com and request additional information.I will forward several links you can use to research vacation rentals and other resources. The most options may be found at Senior Search sites which currently list over 1230 exchanges from 36 countries including Arizona, North Carolina, Montana, and Hawaii, plus foreign locales such as Mexico, Costa Rica, the Bahamas, Italy, Australia, and Spain. Also included are discounted Cruise operators, camping, airfares, rental cars, and concert tickets. Many seniors around the country or around the world share the same concerns about the high cost of vacations. To facilitate this group, numerous rentals are highlighted as being œsenior friendly by Home Exchange sites which helps people find a match to swap homes simultaneously or arrange to share visits in each other™s homes. Most exchanges include cars, which provides an enormous savings on rental and insurance expenses. Home exchanges for seniors can be listed for about $65 US funds for a 3 year listing or $100 for lifetime membership. AARP and CARP members receive an additional discount for a 3-year membership. Another senior-friendly vacation site is Age Venture which has extensive worldwide offerings in their Travel Options-Action Adventure section. Included are such adventures as Senior White Water Rafting Expeditions, Roman Holidays, Life Cycles through Europe, Home Stay in China, and Trips for Travelers with Disabilities. An additional senior site features travel tips, accommodations, campgrounds and resources for RVers, travel guides, tours and regional events calendars. This site features travel stories to encourage the 50+ group to experience life firsthand.  Hanks travel tips. Make sure you allow yourself enough time and money to see it all. ¢ Don™t just shop. Explore the landscape, lifestyles and cultures of your travels. ¢ Take comfortable clothing like shorts, jeans, a sweater and one suit. ¢ Use ATM and credit cards for overseas buying. Many stores no long accept traveler™s checks.¢ Ship (don™t carry) your shopping purchases back home to the U.S. ¢ Exercise before you leave. You™ll be better equipped for the walking on vacation. ¢ Carry œextras like a pair of glasses, contact lens, or medications, etc.¢ Arrange with a friend or relative to keep an eye on things back home. ¢ Count the amount of luggage you plan to take. Divide by two and leave the rest. ¢ Count the amount of spending money you plan to take. Multiply by 2. ¢ Know your camera. Practice using the features before you leave. Bring a charger and an extra battery. Remember some countries have different power requirements.   ¢ Carry two phone numbers where someone can be reached in case of emergency. .Take your cell phone but you may be better off purchasing a travel phone for specific countries.¢ Stick to your dietary routine as much as possible. ¢ When using the services of a travel agency, stick to the reputable agencies. Anything that        sounds œtoo good to be true is œtoo good to be true. ¢ Travel with friends if you like. But remember, the reason for œgetting away is just that. Sometimes friends need a vacation from each other. Fifty percent of seniors take at least one trip per year because the benefits are endless. Here are just a few: ¢ Meeting new people who become new friends. (We met a Rabbi and his wife on a trip and have traveled with them several times since.)¢ Getting away from home. ¢ Experiencing a different lifestyle. ¢ Learning new things and seeing unique sights. ¢ Indulging in side trips that give you the real flavor of the vacation location.  Group tours are also a favorite with many senior travelers because they often meet new people.  My wife and I are members of the Sacramento Italian Cultural Society and they offer tours to Italy.  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BY REQUEST AT MY SENIOR RESOURCE SITE:  hankd43@yahoo.com  or call me at 530 272-2660So what are you waiting for? Start planning for a new adventure. You™ll be glad you did.

Welcome to Hank DiPillo’s Blog! This blog will provide you with valuable information, tips, and general insight into the real estate market in Grass Valley. Visit my website at http://HankDiPillo.featuredwebsite.com.