There are 19 single story, single family floor plans, and they range from approximately 1,300 square feet to nearly 2,500 square feet with two to three bedrooms and two to three and a half baths. Spanish Mediterranean is the architectural style, and lawns are peppered with crape myrtles, squat palm trees and pine trees. Sidewalks line wide, quiet streets. Many homes have a view of a small lake, the golf course, city lights or nearby mountains.

Prices begin in the low-$500,000s, and the HOA fee is $310 per month. Please verify this with a Realtor as prices are bound to change.

The center of The Oasis is the recreation center, a beautiful 22,000 square foot facility with a 12 foot fireplace, a large ballroom, a fitness center, a library, tennis courts, a swimming pool, a spa and more. Homeowners enjoy a bounty of community events, including potlucks and barbeques. Dog lovers, dart throwers, bingo players, line dancers, yoga devotees, hikers, artists and many more all have a group or event to call their own.

The 36-hole, Ted Robinson-designed golf course sits adjacent to The Oasis. Its fairways are meticulously groomed, and its numerous bunkers, ponds and steams make for challenging play. The views are terrific, too. There is a driving range, and the full-service clubhouse has a pro-shop, a banquet room, a bar and a cafe.

Menifee is booming, having nearly doubled in size during the last decade. It is part of the Inland Empire, an area that encompasses Riverside County, San Bernadino County and parts of Los Angeles County. Primarily residential, Menifee started out as a master-planned community and essentially remains one today. Its Menifee Valley Medical Center is accredited by the Joint Commission.

Summer temperatures are in the 90s. Winter temperatures are in the 50s, 60s and 70s. On average, the city receives 14 inches of rain each year.

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California

California is the most populous state in the United States, and it is the sixth largest economy in the world.

Because it is so long, the climate varies greatly. Everything from deserts, forests and snow covered mountains to the world famous moderate temperatures of Southern California are here. Record temperatures have included a low of minus 35 degrees and a high of 134 degrees.

A string of missions, each built within a day's walking distance of another, runs the length of the state and started appearing in 1769. Juan Cabrillo first sighted California in 1542 and inspired the missions. A few of the most famous ones are San Juan Capistrano (the swallows return every year at the same time), and San Diego (the first one).

A few of California's natural resources include petroleum, timber and natural gas. Industries are manufacturing (machinery, transportation equipment, electronics), aerospace and defense, biotechnology, and tourism. Of course, Hollywood and Disneyland are known around the world. Other famous attractions are Yosemite National Park, the Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco), Point Reyes National Seashore, Sequoia National Park and San Simeon State Park (Hearst Castle).

The lowest point in the U.S. is California's Death Valley at 282 feet below sea level, and the highest point in the Lower 48 is its Mt. Whitney at 14,491 feet above sea level. Outside of Hawaii and Alaska, the state's Lassen Peak is one of the two active volcanoes in the U.S. It last erupted in 1917.

More immigrants settle down in California than in any other state.

Are 55+ Communities Really "Retirement" Communities?

Many people who live in age-restricted communities (usually for people age 55+) are still gainfully employed. So why would they live in what is considered a "retirement" community? Why not continue to live in a standard neighborhood? People still employed choose age-restricted communities for the same reasons as people who are retired do: the safety, amenities and sense of community that one can provide. And whether employed or not, once the kids are grown, it is sometimes nice to live in a neighborhood where small children do not congregate.