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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

Sunrise Bluffs, Belen, New Mexico

Belen is outside of Albuquerque in central New Mexico and is the setting for Sunrise Bluffs, a low key 55+ community with single family homes. Residents enjoy a Southwestern-themed clubhouse, an indoor swimming pool, a busy social calendar, dry air and plenty of sunshine.

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Previous Community Reviews

Oaks at Wildwood, Georgetown, Texas

An inviting city outside of Austin in the pretty Texas Hill Country, Georgetown is the setting for Oaks at Wildwood, an intimate 55+ community with low maintenance homes, a well-appointed clubhouse, a heated swimming pool, a book club, a wine club, a sense of privacy and more.

Aberdeen Golf and Country Club, Boynton Beach, Florida

Along the southeastern Florida coast, Boynton Beach is the setting for Aberdeen Golf and Country Club, an all ages country club with a handful of 55+ neighborhoods. Amenities include a championship golf course, a 40,000 square foot clubhouse, an aquatics center and more. Homes sit along canals and come in a wide range of styles and prices.

The Vineyard, Redding, California

Tucked in the shadow of the Cascade Mountains in north central California, Redding is the location of The Vineyard, a verdant, gated 55+ community with single family homes, two lakes, distant mountain views and more.

Winding River, St. Marys, Georgia

Mellow St. Marys is on Georgia's southern coast and is the site of Winding River, a beautiful single family home community popular with empty nesters and baby boomers. Amenities include a handsome clubhouse, a zero-entry pool, nature trails, lakes and marsh views.

Bayside, Selbyville, Delaware

Selbyville is in southeastern Delaware and is the setting for Bayside, a lovely resort community overlooking a bay. Homes feature colorful coastal architecture, and amenities include a golf course, swimming pools, a waterfront area and much more. Oceanfront beaches are four miles away.

Cottages at Innsbrooke, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

In central Tennessee, the nice town of Murfreesboro is the site of the Cottages at Innsbrooke, a snug, peaceful 55+ community with town homes, a clubhouse, a plethora of activities and more.

Abbey Glen, Hardeeville, South Carolina

Very close to famous Hilton Head Island on the southern South Carolina coast, Hardeeville is the site of Abbey Glen, a cozy community with a European flair. Town homes and condominiums are for sale, and amenities include a clubhouse, a swimming pool and more. The development is nicely landscaped with a garden, a fountains and new trees.

Mountainbrook Village, Gold Canyon, Arizona

Gold Canyon is east of Phoenix in southern Arizona and is the site of Mountainbrook Village, a lovely 55+ community with single family homes, "casitas," an activities director, swimming pools, tennis courts, a ceramics center, an 18 hole golf course and more.

Lake Ashton, Lake Wales, Florida

Nestled amid lakes and citrus groves in central Florida, Lake Wales is the site of Lake Ashton, a beautiful 55+ community with single family homes, attached homes and a bounty of amenities, including two golf courses, a nice clubhouse, a swimming pool, a boat dock, a bowling alley, a theater and more.

Creek View, Carlisle, Pennsylvania

In pastoral south central Pennsylvania, Carlisle is the site location of Creek View, a quiet, family-owned, 55+ manufactured single family home community with properties that look site-built. Amenities include a cozy clubhouse, a pond, walking trails, RV parking and more.

Huntington Landmark, Huntington Beach, California

On the Southern California coast, Huntington Beach is a classic beach town and the site of Huntington Landmark, a large, gated 55+ community with town homes, condominiums, two resort-style swimming pools, tennis courts, a putting green and a park-like setting. It is also just a mile from the beach.

Lakeside Village, Blairsville, Georgia

In the mountains of northern Georgia, Blairsville is the setting for Lakeside Village, an age-targeted lakeside community with manufactured homes tucked in the woods. Amenities include RV storage, a marina, a clubhouse with a porch overlooking the lake and more.

Sun City, Georgetown, Texas

Georgetown is tucked in central Texas and is the setting for Sun City Texas, a large, gated 55+ community with three golf courses, a village center, a recreation center, workshops, classes and a wide range of single family home and town home prices.

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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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