Thirty-five years gone in the blink of an eye—how did ideal-LIVING grow from a small-town start in Wilmington, NC to becoming the nation’s largest real estate show, and some even say, a global sensation? With such a humble beginning now flourishing into an international success, we’re celebrating by sitting down with our founder, Michael Hackeling. How did his vision conquer a multi-billion-dollar industry, and what does he envision for the future of ideal-LIVING?

Michael, where did it all begin?

“I went to school in upstate New York, where the winters are long and cold. I’m not a big fan of snow, ice, and all that stuff, so I always knew I wanted to move somewhere with milder weather. I returned to Long Island after law school and practiced law there for about six years. Both my wife and I were working—she was an occupational therapist, so she was working, I was working, and we were doing the treadmill thing.

You just hustle, hustle, hustle. You deal with traffic. You pay ridiculous taxes. The cost of housing was insane. Everything was needlessly expensive and burdensome. I was lucky, though. My father-in-law, who had run a company on Long Island for many years, was looking to move his business out of Long Island. He’d had enough of dealing with the government there and labor challenges. After years of legal fees, even though he got everything dismissed, he decided to move the company.

So, he started exploring other states, and I wanted to move south. I told him we’d join him on some of his trips. We started driving south, visiting places like Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina—many areas—on long weekends to get a feel for what each place was about.

Then, on one of the trips, we discovered Wilmington. I loved it. It was a sleepy little town near the water. It reminded me of where I wanted to be—near the beach, warmer weather, slower pace of life. I thought, wow, what a great place.”

So, tell me how ideal-LIVING came out of all this?

“It was dissatisfaction with where I lived. It’s the same dissatisfaction everyone up there has: housing costs are ridiculously high, real estate taxes are outrageous, and there’s constant traffic congestion. The winters are cold, gray, and dreary. Many people want to leave all that behind. In the past, people were locked into these places because of their jobs. But in retirement, they have the freedom to pack up and leave—and many still do.

That dissatisfaction got me looking into relocation. I went through the same processes most people do—looking at relocation almanacs, comparing weather, taxes, crime rates, insurance, and so on. There was a lot of data, almost overwhelming, and while it’s helpful to a point, eventually, you just have to get out there and explore. After narrowing down potential places, you need to visit them, compare, and make a choice. That’s how it all started.”

So, tell me about how the first years went and how ideal-LIVING became what it is today?

“I knew when I wanted to leave that there were loads of other people who wanted to leave, too. So, I was confident I could get a crowd to the show; I just wasn’t sure I’d have enough exhibitors to make it worthwhile. After spending almost a year around the Carolinas, I was able to recruit enough companies or communities for the first show.

We were packed. So many people showed up, with long lines wanting to get in. The ballroom was beyond fire capacity; it was just packed with people. When we wrapped up that show, we had a database of over 2,500 attendees who had shared information about what they were looking for. That initial database provided proof of concept, allowing us to make more sales as we moved forward. And along the way, I had a lot of help from family in launching that first show.”

That’s a great beginning! So, where is ideal-LIVING today, and where do you see it going from here?

“Ah, that’s a great question. Today, ideal-LIVING has become a world-class relocation service for those looking for a premier lifestyle, with a magazine, a website, and the nation’s largest real estate show. And honestly, it’s all thanks to the incredible team of passionate, talented people who’ve helped shape this vision. Right now, we’re running shows in the Northeast Coast, and we’ve hosted in the West before, too- bringing together the best communities from across the U.S. and internationally, all under one roof.

Think about it—if you’re looking to relocate, we’ve done the heavy lifting for you. You can request a relocation guide on our website, browse our community listings, and find exactly where your ‘ideal place’ might be. We’ve made it incredibly easy for you to explore and discover what’s next.

Our shows are both educational and fun, with seminars on everything from tax strategies to life abroad. You can meet representatives from each community, get your questions answered, and even book a ‘Stay and Play’ or Discovery Tour to try it out for yourself. Our magazine keeps readers updated on all thing’s relocation, and with our extensive community listings, you’ll find options from coast to coast and around the world.

The heart of it all is our website-it’s designed to make everything simple and inspiring. Whether you’re interested in U.S. communities or an adventure abroad, you’ll find tax information, cost-of-living comparisons, and a full guide to relocating. It’s all ready and waiting for you. We’ve done all the legwork-so why guess where to relocate or retire?

The future at ideal-LIVING shines bright as we continue growing, embracing cutting-edge digital tools, and ensuring every registered guest gets the information they’re seeking-quickly, seamlessly, and on point. We’re expanding on all fronts: launching new media programs, refining our magazine and social channels, analyzing data for smarter choices, and elevating our website to lead the relocation industry. And yes, AI is definitely on our radar as the next game-changer.

Our commitment? We’ll keep pioneering, blazing trails, and being the ultimate bridge between today and the ideal communities of tomorrow. Whether you’re planning to retire, relocate, invest, or find your next travel destination, we’ll be right there- guiding the way, one exciting step at a time.”

Thank you, Michael, for creating such a remarkable organization that helps so many find their ideal place to call home. And with that said:

ideal-LIVING is your ultimate resource for finding the perfect place to live, retire, or invest. Ready to discover your dream destination? Head over to ideal-LIVING.com now and see just how simple it is to find your next adventure. With the best places to live all in one spot, your search for the ideal lifestyle just got a whole lot easier! Why wait? Your next chapter starts today!

Idea-LIVING- The Best Places to Live… all in one PLACE!