We have zero mortgage debt and three rentals – is it worth dragging our cats across the globe for half the year?

A Reddit user is newly retired at 52, and his wife can work anywhere. The couple is in a really good financial position, including owning a substantial amount of paid-off real estate.

Now, however, they are trying to decide whether to buy a home in Malaysia to spend some time in for a good part of the year. The big question, though, is whether it is worth making the purchase and dragging their cats all the way to Malaysia to live in the property during a portion of the year. 

So, should the Redditor make the purchase?

Always ask if the math works before buying a house 

The first big thing that everyone should do before purchasing a house — whether it is a primary or a secondary home — is to run the numbers and see if the property is affordable and would make good financial sense to buy. 

The Redditor explained that the couple spends $5,000 per month in California, including all of their property taxes, insurance, and other expenses, and has a house they love that is worth $1.8 million and that is fully paid off. They own a total of three rental properties that are fully paid off, and they have a substantial amount of dividend income from their investments so they are earning 6% on $900K.  

Because they don’t spend a lot and his wife still works part-time for 10 to 20 hours weekly, the couple has surplus funds every month and still saves a good amount of money each year. Now, he is thinking about spending some of their money on a home in Malaysia. The couple has found one they like, it is fully-furnished, is on a corner lot, and is 3,000 square feet with four bedrooms and four baths. It’s move-in ready and he said he has the money to buy.  

So, since it seems like they are in a good place financially, and they would not be taking on a major commitment they can’t afford, there’s really no financial reason not to go forward. 

Consider lifestyle issues next

Obviously, if the finances don’t work, you can’t buy a house no matter how well it would fit your lifestyle. However, since the Redditor does have the money to buy his property, the next big question moves to lifestyle issues. Specifically, does it make sense for this couple to make this purchase — especially since he said he could easily rent a property there for an affordable sum and isn’t sure if he would be better off doing that. 

The Redditor explained that he and his wife currently visit Malaysia a lot, as his wife is from there, although she has lived in the United States for 25 years. Her sister still lives in Malaysia, and they already visit once a year. They would plan to live in their new home for five months annually if they go through with the purchase, and the property is low maintenance and near family who can take care of it when the couple is in California. The OP also said he is very close to his wife’s family, and he would leave the house to his niece, who is in Malaysia, when the couple eventually passes on. 

He would, however, have to bring his cats over when they travel there.  

Based on the OP’s description, it seems like the cats are the big sticking point — but he also said he wants to spend five months in Malaysia no matter what. So, it seems like it would be better to have his own house for the cats to live in there rather than trying to find a rental that could accommodate them. Since he likes spending time with his wife’s family and they can afford a property they love, it seems silly not to buy it. 

Of course, the OP may want to run the decision by a financial advisor who can offer insight into how it could affect the couple’s long-term finances. Since the cost of the house is pretty low, though, it seems unlikely it would cause problems to make the purchase — and it could enable both the OP, his wife, and their cats to more easily spend time in retirement with people they enjoy in a place with a lower cost of living so it could be a win/win.

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