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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
Arlington Ridge, Leesburg, Florida
In Florida's Lake Region, Leesburg is the site of Arlington Ridge, a lush, gated 55+ community with single family homes, an 18 hole golf course, a town center, a resort-style swimming pool, a theater, a billiards hall, tennis courts, walking trails and more.
Previous Community Reviews
Bridgewater, Little River/Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Along the northern South Carolina coast, Little River and Myrtle Beach are the setting for Bridgewater, a community with single family homes, attached homes, a nice clubhouse and nearby white sand beaches.
Heritage at Vizcaya, Round Rock, Texas
Outside of Austin in the Texas Hill Country, Round Rock is the setting for Heritage at Vizcaya, a 55+ neighborhood within a larger community. Stylish single family homes are for sale, and amenities include a clubhouse, a lagoon-style swimming pool, an activities director and more.
Whisper Walk, Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton is on the southeastern Florida coast and is the site of Whisper Walk, a large, low key 55+ community with patio homes, villas, clubhouses, swimming pools, planned activities and more.
Lake Caroline, Ruther Glen, Virginia
In east central Virginia, Ruther Glen is the location of Lake Caroline, a wooded lakeside community popular with baby boomers and empty nesters. Single family homes are for sale, and amenities include a lodge, swimming pools, tennis courts, beaches and more.
Brunswick Plantation, Calabash, North Carolina
Calabash sits near the mouth of the quiet, crook-necked Calabash River in southeastern North Carolina and is the setting for Brunswick Plantation, resort community with condominiums, town homes and single homes, most with golf course or lake views. Residents enjoy 27 holes of golf, seven swimming pools, five clubhouses and more.
The Parke at Ocean Pines, Ocean Pines, Maryland
Just 10 miles west of the Intracoastal Waterway in eastern Maryland, Ocean Pines is a large community, and The Parke is a comfortable 55+ neighborhood within it. Single family homes and town homes are for sale, and amenities include two marinas, a yacht club, a golf course, a crabbing pier, a community garden and more.
Bay Island, South Pasadena, Florida
On Florida's Gulf Coast, South Pasadena is the site of Bay Island, a casual, settled 55+ waterfront community with condominiums, a marina, swimming pools, a fishing dock, tennis courts and pretty views.
Mountain Meadows, Ashland, Oregon
Picturesque Ashland, home to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, is in southwestern Oregon and is the setting for Mountain Meadows, an established, leafy 55+ community with a variety of housing options. Residents enjoy pretty views, plenty of social events, a neighborhood garden and more.
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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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