Page 128 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2026

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Why More Retirees Are Choosing
the Coast for Their Golden Years
story by Holly Harrison
and Shannon Stage
photo courtesy of
Vivian Champaigne
The communities along Mississippi’s
Gulf Coast have seen steady population
increases over the past several years with
many newcomers being recent retirees.
Southern Mississippi is frequently
described by national publications as a
great place to spend your Golden Years.
We had a conversation with Vivian
Champaigne of Coldwell Banker
Alphonso Realty in Gulfport who holds a
Senior Real Estate Specialist Designation
from the National Association of Realtors,
indicating she has training and experience
guiding seniors through the process of
buying or selling a home. Champaigne
understands the issues people need to
consider when making important later in
life decisions.
Where do most new homeowners
moving to the Mississippi Gulf
Coast relocate from?
128 | November 2026 People are moving here from all over
the country. We do get a lot of people
from neighboring states, but we have been
discovered and people from coast to coast
are looking for some Southern hospitality
and a slower pace of life.
What do new homeowners want
in a primary residence or a
second home? Are families and
seniors looking for the same
things?
When working with clients, and seniors
in particular, it is important to listen
to what they are looking for and what
they say they need. You cannot make
assumptions. Sometimes you begin with
one agenda and end up elsewhere.
There are things everybody wants in
a primary residence or a second home
here. People are drawn to the beauty of
our beaches, the Gulf waters, and our
warmer climate. They want to live where
they can enjoy the coastal environment,
but they also want to find a home they
can afford and still have some money left
in the bank.
For young professionals or families,
their moves can be work related, or
they want to be closer to family, or they
need to take care of family. They are
most often looking for the right home
within their budget, good schools, and a
neighborhood that fits their lifestyle.
Seniors too are often moving to be
nearer family, but most of the time they
are living on a fixed income and are
moving from places with a higher cost of
living. They are pleasantly surprised at
what they can afford here. They can buy
more square footage for their money than
they can in a lot of coastal communities.
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