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retirement communities retire

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"It will be our faces you see, not our backs." ~Volodymyr Zelensky

"Israel was not created in order to disappear - it will endure and flourish." ~John F. Kennedy

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Today's Community Review

Kalmia Landing, Aiken, South Carolina

Aiken is in western South Carolina and is the location of Kalmia Landing, a small, homey, lushly landscaped 55+ community with single family homes, condominiums, a clubhouse, tennis courts, a swimming pool, neighborhood get-togethers and more.

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Previous Community Reviews

Pelican Pointe, Elizabeth City, North Carolina

On the northern North Carolina coast, Elizabeth City is the site of Pelican Pointe, a waterfront community popular with baby boomers and retirees. Single family homes and town homes are for sale, and amenities include a clubhouse, a community dock, a lake, a flower garden, walking paths and direct river access.

Mission Royale, Casa Grande, Arizona

In southern Arizona, Casa Grande is the site of Mission Royale, a 55+ neighborhood within a larger, all ages development. Single story, single family homes are for sale, and residents enjoy resort-style swimming pools, a beautiful clubhouse, a restaurant, an 18 hole golf course, fairway views and more.

Forest Lakes Village, Sarasota, Florida

Beautiful Sarasota is on the southwestern Florida coast and is home to cozy Forest Lakes Village, a 55+ community with condominiums, a clubhouse, a swimming pool and more. White sand beaches are about five miles away.

Hot Springs Village, Hot Springs Village, Arkansas

In central Arkansas' lush Ouachita Mountains, Hot Springs Village is the largest gated community in the U.S. and boasts nine golf courses, 11 lakes, two marinas, 30 restaurants and much more. The majority of residents are retirees, and housing comes in a wide range of prices and styles.

Virginia Heritage at Lee's Parke, Fredericksburg, Virginia

Fredericksburg is outside of Washington, D.C. and is the location of Virginia Heritage, a beautiful 55+ enclave within the larger development of Lee's Parke. Single family homes are for sale and amenities include a large clubhouse, two swimming pools, walking trails, a woodworking shop, lighted tennis courts and more.

The Boulders at Sonoma Ranch, Las Cruces, New Mexico

Las Cruces is in southern New Mexico and is the location of Boulders on the Green (The Boulders) at Sonoma Ranch, a gated, 55+ enclave of stylish adobe-style single family homes. Amenities include an 18 hole golf course, a clubhouse, a spa and stimulating mountain views.

Royal Stewart Arms, Dunedin, Florida

Lovely Dunedin sits on Florida's Gulf Coast and is the site of Royal Stewart Arms, a waterfront 55+ condominium community on a strip of land that juts into the Gulf of Mexico. Amenities include a clubhouse, a heated swimming pool with ocean views and more.

Tuscan Village, Lakeway, Texas

Outside of Austin in central Texas, Lakeway is the site of Tuscan Village, a stylish 55+ community with single family homes, town homes, a lovely clubhouse, a yacht club, a public library and more.

Heritage Village, Southbury, Connecticut

Ninety minutes north of New York City in rural Connecticut, Southbury is home to Heritage Village, a quiet, wooded 55+ condominium community with golf courses, swimming pools, restaurants, recreation centers, art studios and much more.

Vineyards on Lake Wylie, Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte is in southwestern North Carolina and is the setting for The Vineyards on Lake Wylie, a waterfront community with town homes and single family homes. Amenities include a private dock and an attractive clubhouse.

Elms of Charleston, North Charleston, South Carolina

Outside of charming Charleston on the mid-South Carolina coast, the Elms of Charleston is a gated 55+ community with single family homes and town homes in a wooded setting. Amenities include a clubhouse, a swimming pool, tennis courts, walking paths, an activities director and more.

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Communities by State

Alabama   Arizona   California   Colorado   Delaware   Florida   Georgia   Nevada   North Carolina   Oregon   South Carolina   Tennessee   Texas   Virginia   Washington  

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Age Restricted Communities 101

The kids have moved out. They have launched themselves into a career, parenthood, home ownership. You decide it's time to downsize. But how? Into where? You're still healthy, active. You're not ready for a continuing care community. The decision can be daunting.

A 55-plus or active-adult community is one option. The only legal exception to non-discriminatory fair housing laws, an age restricted community is run by a homeowners association that offers some exterior maintenance and amenities to its members. Amenities could include a private golf course, sizable clubhouse, 24/7 security, or transportation to and from local hospitals or shopping malls. Housing in such a community can range from modest condominiums to attached homes to luxury estates.

How will you decide? Are you ready for the time it might take? Demand for homes in active-adult communities is on the rise. You'll be competing against other baby boomers, maybe even some Gen-Xers. Start your research a few years before your retirement date. Find a real estate agent that specializes in master-planned communities or senior home purchases. The National Association of Realtors does offer training and certification for senior specialists.

Look at the location. Does it have the right weather? Is it close enough to family? Is downtown too far away or not far away enough? Will you have acclimate? What are local taxes like? Check out the neighbors. Are these the people you want to age with? Make sure you know what services might be available for you as you age. Is your 55-plus community near a hospital, a grocery store, a bank, a pharmacy? Can they get you to the hospital and grocery store once you decide you no longer want to drive? Maybe the community offers grocery delivery? Are there senior fitness classes, personal trainers?

Be sure you understand what amenities you are paying for. Some communities require that you buy an equity membership or hide the cost of that lap pool and golf course in high HOA fees. Inspect your prospective community's activity calendar. Does it have the right mix of leisure and lecture? Are there too many card tournaments and not enough day trips? Do you hate golf, need 39 shuffleboard courts? Is there an activities director?

Understand your prospective HOA. How long is the list of restrictions? Do the board politics give you pause? Will they force you through a long approval process? Will they ask you for bank records and references?

Investigate the community's financials. Are they solvent? How well did they weather the crisis when the housing bubble burst in 2008? And what about the builder? How long have they worked for seniors? Do they understand aging in place? Do they understand the need for zero step entries, wider hallways? Or have they just gotten into the game? Del Webb is credited with inventing the age-restricted community. Keep your eye on what they're building. Other companies to watch are Lennar, Shea, and Taylor Morrison.

Remember, you're not just buying a new house. You're buying a new way of life.

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