Retirement is the time when the world becomes your oyster, your playground, your everything! And where you choose to spend your golden years is super important. “You gotta pick somewhere that sings to your soul,” said Dawn Carr, a professor who probably knows a thing or two. WalletHub did a study on this, and I’m assuming they didn’t just throw darts at a map.

Some people want to live in a state where the sun shines all day every day, while some want to be closer to their crazy Uncle Earl. Whatever floats your boat; it’s your time to sail away! But, but, but—before you decide on where to dock your boat all year long, make sure you have given that place several seasons to show you its full personality.

Our experts say that deciding where to live has to be taken seriously, and no, it’s not just an excuse to go on vacation to different places for a few months at a time. But hey, if that’s how you roll, no judgment here! The point is to scope out all the different aspects of your potential new hometown so you can rule out any dealbreakers.

Picking your retirement home is like picking the perfect pair of shoes that fit every morsel of your foot comfortably without giving you those pesky blisters—sometimes you gotta try on dozens of pairs to find the one that feels just right. So, don’t rush into any rash decisions just yet! Do your due diligence and let that research flag fly high!

Now, don’t forget to sign up for that online newsletter that promises to make you richer, and your life smarter and happier—if anyone can do all that, it’s an online newsletter. But before you go strutting around in your retirement shoes while reading that newsletter, make sure you check out the 10 most expensive states to retire in, according to WalletHub, and be glad California didn’t make the cut.

Serious News: cnbc