Some of us who are technically “retired” don’t want to stop working at the end of our careers. And, therefore, we continue to work, at least part-time, after we accept the retirement package from the company or firm for which we have worked most of our careers. Sometimes that post-retirement job is related to our experience and expertise, and sometimes we switch gears.
For those who wish to retire to the Southeast and occupy their time with something more than golf or sitting on a lawn chair at poolside, we found an interesting group of charts that show the average pay and adjusted pay, or “earning power,” in cities across the country, including those near golf communities in the Southeast. Although the average and adjusted earnings are for full-time jobs, we expect that part-time employment will yield comparable compensations.
Many of those who retire to the Southeast after successful careers decide to sell real estate in the golf communities in which they take up residence. After all, real estate is all about customer service and follow-through and an organized approach, attributes many of us develop during our careers in sales, marketing, retail and similar jobs. But, according to
Durham, NC, shows up on lists of cities where salaries are highest nationwide.
In the Southeast, Huntsville, AL, ranked second to Durham and 6th overall ($64,700/$70,870). Virginia Beach/Norfolk ($68,180/$68,660) was also ranked in the Top 10, followed by Raleigh ranked #14, Greenville, SC, #21 and Birmingham, AL, #22. Those contemplating a move to Charleston, SC, and a job in real estate might think twice; Chucktown ranked #96 and last on the Tableau list for real estate agent income, with $31,910 in average pay and $33,340 in adjusted pay. (This low pay for agents seems to be consistent for many popular and high-cost real estate cities. In San Francisco, for example, where small and modest homes routinely sell for more than $1 million, average pay in real estate is $63,250 and adjusted pay is a paltry $52,140. That may seem counterintuitive, but these popular, high-priced cities have attracted a surplus of real estate agents trying to cash in on big-ticket sales. A large pie, yes, but split many ways.)
Marketing managers, according to the Tableau.com charts, earn about twice what real estate agents earn across the major markets of the country, and the top three markets for such jobs are all in the Southeast. Surprisingly, Fayetteville, NC, leads all markets nationwide with real pay at $158,280 and adjusted
With so many real estate agents chasing high-priced listings and sales, Charleston ranks 96th in terms of real estate earning power.
I spent my 35-year career in corporate communications, and if I wanted to give up my day job -– which includes writing articles like this one –- I suppose I could look for a part-time public relations position. But I might be the poorer for it, after scanning the Tableau.com list of earnings for Public Relations. PR practitioners earn a bit more than real estate agents do, but to earn at the top of the profession, you need to live up North. Richmond, at #11, is the highest ranked town for PR professionals in the Southeast, with regular earnings of $64,100 adjusted to $66,490 for a slightly lower than average cost of living. Durham and Huntsville show up again, at #s 13 and 14, respectively.
The highest paying market for PR Specialists is where words get slung around with irresistible force -- Washington, D.C.
If the Tableau.com data establishes one thing, it is that Durham, NC, might be a good choice for those who intend to continue their careers into retirement, at least on a part-time basis. On the assumption that you are reading this because you play golf and have at least a passing interest in considering a move to the Southeast, here are a two golf communities in the Durham area that are worth considering.
Governors Club in Chapel Hill, NC, is almost as close to Durham. The community’s 27 holes of Jack Nicklaus Signature golf and proximity to both Duke University (Durham) and University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) make it an educated choice in that area. The community has been celebrating its 25th year and, a few weeks ago, hosted Barbara and Jack Nicklaus at a special anniversary party. For an expanded description of Governors Club and access to current homes for sale in the community, check out our Golf Homes for Sale page.
Hasentree, one of the most recently built luxury golf communities in the Carolinas, is located just to the east of Durham and features a Tom Fazio layout that has garnered local and national praise. The community is set amidst tens of thousands of acres of protected forestland but is convenient to the Interstate roadways that enter and leave both Raleigh and Durham. After the community got off to a rocky start just before the recession of 2008, national builders Toll Brothers stepped in to reorganize everything. Contact us if you would like more information about Hasentree or any of the other fine golf communities in the Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill areas.
To scan the Tableau.com tables for the salaries of different professions by city, click here.