Retired? Take a Trip to Improve Your Investment Outlook

Updated July 2026

If you are retired or even semi-retired, don’t tell me you don’t have time on your hands, as the expression goes. You are certainly not as busy as you were when you had a full-time career, and perhaps children were underfoot, so having time prompts me to make a suggestion:

Go somewhere. Get out of town.

Take a trip not only for fun and happiness but for profit.

And use your so-called vacation from home or your trips to seek out investment opportunities.

This so-called work can be done leisurely, and without a lot of exertion, but it can offer a lot of benefits, perhaps in ways you have not thought about.

One reason to do some traveling came up when Expedia.com released its study by Harris Interactive. It linked vacations and happiness. It found that an amazing 86% of respondents paired the two. Not only that, but people who vacationed three times a year or more were happier than the rest of us.

Expedia did this, of course, to publicize the launch of their upcoming summer sale. What better time to travel cheaper than summers?

But how can you make a trip profitable?

There are many ways.

Why not include some element of a real estate potential investment in your trips? This does not mean you have to go to unpopular places or even think of any extremes.

One way is to do what I do: which is subscribe to a variety of different email sources that alert me to sales and other offers.

Green Bay, Wisconsin, where I have visited, is not a bad place. In addition to a lot of cheese and beer offerings, (the domestic here is generally better than imports), it even has a professional football team.

A company called Micoley.com auction recently sent me an email alerting me to their sale of both single- and multi-family properties throughout the entire state. The real estate auction company specializes in bank auctions. The site said there was even a church on the auction block.

No, you’re not likely to want a church (which is described as “beautiful in a great corner location”) but the company claims its properties often have great visibility from major highways (ideal for some commercial uses or even for changing zoning to add to their value). Or simply single-family homes, at least one of which also has an unusual feature: an airplane hangar, which might just be what some fly-happy renter craves.

Altogether, they are offering 40 properties at auction, with “bids well below list prices,” the company says.

They are priced to sell quickly, it adds.

Whether or not the auction house claims are honest, I don’t know. I do know that they make it easy. You can visit the site or call 866-378-2382 to have representatives of the auction company answer questions.

Are you happy yet? ###

Travel and Investment: A Hidden Connection

Retirement doesn’t mean retirement from financial strategy. In fact, the time and flexibility that come with leaving full-time work can be a powerful asset in building long-term wealth, especially when paired with purposeful travel.

Consider this: the average American retiree spends about 25% of their annual income on non-essential spending, including vacations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS, 2012). That’s a substantial portion of disposable income. But what if that spending didn’t just vanish, and instead generated returns down the road?

Travel is more than recreation. It’s a sensory and cognitive experience. When you visit a new city, you’re not just seeing streets, you’re assessing foot traffic, zoning, infrastructure, and neighborhood stability. These are variables that influence real estate returns.

Take Green Bay, Wisconsin. It’s a place with a stable population, strong local institutions, and a growing tourism economy linked to Lambeau Field and the Packers. That kind of consistency supports long-term rental demand. The U.S. Census Bureau data from 2012 shows Green Bay had a population of 103,524, with median household income at $47,800, above the national average for many mid-sized cities.

Now, imagine combining that data with on-the-ground observation. You visit, walk the blocks, check out abandoned lots, and notice a church on a corner with high visibility. You learn, through Micoley.com’s 2013 auction catalog, that the church was up for sale for $225,000, well below the cost of comparable commercial real estate in the area.

How Bank-Owned Auctions Can Unlock Hidden Value

Bank-owned properties are a proven entry point for investors. When a lender forecloses, it often sells the asset through a public auction to recoup losses.

These sales are frequently underpriced. The Federal Reserve reported in 2013 that residential mortgage defaults had increased by 23% since 2009, leading to a surge in foreclosures. That meant more properties were hitting the market, often at discounts.

Platforms like Micoley.com specialize in these sales. They partner with banks and credit unions across multiple states, including Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana.

For example, in 2013, Micoley listed 40 properties in Wisconsin. One was a 1920s church in Fond du Lac, listed at $225,000. It had been vacant for four years, with asbestos concerns flagged but no structural damage. The site described it as “beautiful in a great corner location,” with access to a major intersection. That kind of visibility makes it ideal for conversion into a boutique hotel, co-working space, or community center.

Another property, a single-family home in Milwaukee, had a hangar attached. The home sold for $78,000. The hangar measured 50’ x 100’, and the listing noted it “could be used for storage, hobby space, or even a small aviation business.” That’s a feature few standard homes offer. For a retired pilot or aviation enthusiast, this could be a rare opportunity.

Here’s the arithmetic worth doing before you get excited about any of these numbers. Say a retiree compares that $78,000 Milwaukee hangar home against a comparable move-in-ready single-family listing at $112,000 on the open market, roughly the final sale price shown in the table below for that same property after resale. The $34,000 gap sounds like pure savings, but bank-owned homes typically need repair work the retail listing already accounts for. Budget the 15% repair reserve mentioned later in this article ($11,700 on a $78,000 purchase) and the real gap narrows to about $22,300, which is still meaningful but a lot less dramatic than the sticker prices suggest.

Why Your Trip Should Include Due Diligence

Traveling with investment in mind isn’t just about spotting deals. It’s about validating them.

Before you bid, run a credit check at Experian or Equifax. A good FICO Score (720+) can lock in lower APRs on financing. The FDIC reports that mortgage rates for borrowers with FICO Scores above 760 were, on average, 2.1 percentage points lower than those with scores below 620 in 2013.

That 2.1-point spread is not an abstraction. Picture a retiree with a 640 credit score who wants to finance $80,000 of a Wisconsin auction purchase, planning to pay it off over 15 years. Landing in the sub-620 rate tier instead of the 760-plus tier, per the FDIC comparison above, means paying meaningfully more in interest over the life of the loan, money that comes straight out of any rental income the property produces. For that reader, spending a few months before the trip paying down revolving balances to push the score into the mid-700s is worth more than negotiating a few thousand dollars off the auction bid itself.

Use your trip to check zoning laws. Many counties in Wisconsin, like Outagamie County, maintain public zoning maps online. You can verify whether a property’s current use is allowed, or whether a change could increase value. For instance, a residential lot in Appleton may be zoned R-1, but with a variance, it could become mixed-use.

Visit local banks. The Chase branch in Green Bay offers free real estate appraisals for customers. While not a substitute for a licensed appraiser, it’s a starting point. SoFi also offers free property valuation tools for members.

Real Estate Auctions: Risks and Rewards

Auctions aren’t risk-free. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns that auction sales often involve “as-is” terms. You won’t get a home warranty. There’s no inspection period. If you win, you must close fast, often within 30 days.

Still, the rewards can outweigh the risks. In 2013, a 12-unit apartment building in Kenosha, Wisconsin, sold at auction for $1.1 million. The original loan value was $1.8 million. The buyer, a small REIT, used the property as a rental and reported a 6.2% cap rate after five years.

Another case: a vacant lot in Madison, priced at $25,000, sold for $15,000. Six months later, the buyer rezoned it for mixed-use and sold it for $78,000. That’s a 212% return on investment in less than a year.

But not all deals work out. One buyer in Milwaukee paid $98,000 for a duplex with $45,000 in needed repairs. The property sat vacant for two years. It eventually sold for $56,000 after a second auction. That’s a loss of $42,000.

So yes, auctions are high-risk. But with preparation, they can be high-reward.

None of this is a fit for every retiree. If you’re living on a fixed income with little cushion beyond Social Security and a modest pension, tying up a 10% non-refundable deposit and needing to close within 30 days is a real risk, not a footnote. Retirees who can’t absorb a total loss of that deposit, or who can’t cover a five-figure repair bill if the property comes in worse than expected, are generally better served by REITs or rental funds where the downside is capped by what you choose to invest, not by a closing deadline you can’t control.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can retirees profit from real estate auctions?

Yes. Many retirees use auctions to acquire property at below-market prices. The key is due diligence and understanding the risks.

What is the average discount on bank-owned auctions?

Properties at bank auctions often sell for 10% to 40% below market value, according to the Federal Reserve 2013 housing survey.

How do I find property auctions in my state?

Check with your state’s county recorder or sheriff’s office. Many list public auctions online. You can also use platforms like Micoley.com or eBay Real Estate for nationwide listings.

Do I need a real estate license to bid at auctions?

No. Anyone can bid, but you must pay in full at closing. Cash buyers are often preferred. If you plan to finance, work with a lender like Chase or Bank of America beforehand.

Can I visit a property before bidding?

Yes. Most auctions allow pre-auction visits. Check the listing details or call the auction company. Micoley.com, for example, provided site access for all 40 properties in Wisconsin in 2013.

What happens if I win a bid but can’t close?

You lose your deposit. Most auctions require a 10% deposit, which is non-refundable if you fail to close. The FTC warns that auction participants should only bid if they can afford to close.

How do I know if a property has hidden damage?

Inspect the property before bidding. Ask for inspection reports. If none exist, assume the worst. The National Association of Realtors notes that most bank-owned properties have deferred maintenance.

Are there tax benefits to owning rental property in retirement?

Yes. You can deduct mortgage interest, property taxes, and depreciation. The IRS allows passive activity loss rules, which can offset other income. Consult a tax professional like a CPA with IRS credentials.

Can I use my retirement account to buy property?

Yes, through a self-directed IRA. The IRS permits real estate investments in qualified retirement accounts, but strict rules apply. You cannot live in or use the property personally.

How much should I budget for repairs?

Plan for at least 15% of the purchase price. The Consumer Reports 2013 home maintenance guide recommends budgeting for roof, HVAC, plumbing, and foundation repairs, especially on older properties.