Showing posts with label over 55 retirement communities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label over 55 retirement communities. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Myths About Over 55 Retirement Communities

Having living in an age restricted over-55 retirement community for more than nine years, I have noticed that there are a lot of myths about these communities.  As a result, I thought this would be a good time to clarify a few things and dispel some of these myths.

What You Should Know about Active Adult Communities

1.  Many people believe that in order to move into an over-55 community both members of a couple must be at least 55 years old.  However, only the husband or wife needs to be age 55 or older.  Their spouse can be any age.  It is also possible for a resident who is over the age of 55 to have a roommate who is at least age 40, or they can have an adult of any age as their live-in caregiver.  There are also special exemptions for residents who have a dependent adult child who is mentally or physically handicapped, although you may have to provide evidence of the adult child's disability.  Contact the retirement community that interests you to see if they have any specific requirements or limitations, such as whether live-in caregivers can use the amenities.

2.  Often younger people of retirement age believe that everyone in an age restricted community is extremely old.  The truth of this may depend on how old the community is.  For example, the community where I live was founded in the 1960's.  Therefore, there are a number of residents who have lived here for 30 years or longer. Consequently, the median age is 76, although it has been falling in recent years because of the influx of younger retirees. There are thousands of residents who are much younger than the median age.  In fact, the Baby Boomers club is the most popular and fastest growing club in our community.  If you are looking at a new age-restricted community, the median age may even be under age 70.

3.  Sometimes people are hesitant to move to one of these communities because they have the impression that everyone is either a shut-in or that they spend their days sitting on the front porch in rocking chairs.  While there are definitely some shut-ins in any retirement community, the vast majority of people are very physically and mentally active.  In our community, we have a group of synchronized swimmers, horseback riding classes, tennis courts, two busy golf courses and a wide variety of exercise programs including line dancing, circuit training, yoga, water aerobics, and much more.  There is a large group of bridge players and over 200 clubs. There are also regularly scheduled dances throughout the community. 

4.  Another misconception is that your children and grandchildren will not be able to stay overnight in your home with you.  In truth, guests under the age of 18 can legally stay up to 60 days a year.  In fact, when one of our daughters moved to Southern California from another state, she and her two young children stayed with us for about six weeks until she found a job and an apartment of her own.

5.  Baby Boomers who still have active careers may feel uncomfortable about whether they should move into any place labeled a retirement community while they are still working.  However, about a quarter of the people who live in our community have jobs.  Some of them work full-time, like my husband, and others work part-time, as I did until I recently retired.  Not only do many people work outside the community, but our retirement community also offers jobs to hundreds of residents.  These residents hold a wide variety of jobs including positions as gate guards, bus drivers and office clerks.  Many retirees find that working part-time for the homeowner's association is a great way to supplement their retirement income.  In fact, homeowner's associations in retirement communities may be one of the easiest places for retirees to be able to find part-time jobs.

6.  Another mistaken impression some new residents have is that these communities are so safe that the residents do not need to practice good personal security.  As a result, it is not uncommon for people to leave their homes unlocked while they go for a walk, leave their cars unlocked when they visit friends, or leave their purses sitting in plain view on the front seat of their cars.  (I have frequently observed all of these behaviors.) Good personal security is as important in a retirement community as anywhere else.  While these communities usually do have a low crime rate, crime does exist.  It isn't wise to tempt outside visitors and workers in the community by practicing lax security.

I hope this has dispelled some of the myths that you may have had about living in a retirement community!  If you have other questions, please leave them in the comment section and I will modify this article to answer the readers' inquiries.


You are reading from the blog:  baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Public domain photo of a golf course is courtesy of www.morguefile.com


Sunday, January 13, 2013

Over 55 Retirement Communities by Del Webb

If you are looking for a retirement community in the coming years, one over-55 community builder that should be on your list is Del Webb.  This company is one of the top developers of retirement communities in the United States with attractive homes and amenities that appeal to many retirees.  Before my husband and I chose our current retirement community, we looked at some very appealing Del Webb communities.  While we were just looking in the Southern California area, I was surprised to learn that Del Webb builds retirement homes across the United States.  Consequently, I thought my readers would like to know more about what these communities have to offer.

Locations Where You Can Find a Del Webb Retirement Community

Del Webb has retirement communities in Northern California, Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts and Connecticut.  As you can see, they are not limited just to the Sun Belt.  They have communities in nearly every region of the United States.

Typical Community Amenities

A typical Del Webb retirement community has a large, beautiful clubhouse, swimming pools, tennis courts, clubs, classes, social events and volunteer opportunities.  Many of them also have golf courses.  These communities are designed to help residents lead an active lifestyle after retirement.

Examples of  Del Webb Retirement Communities

Below you will find information on two retirement communities that were built by Del Webb, with homes built by Pulte, the major home builder that owns Del Webb.  This will give you an idea of prices, sizes and community amenities.

Solera Diamond Valley in Hemet, California

Prices in this community range from about $225,000 to $350,000.  Homes range in size from 1511 to 2340 square feet and have two to three bedrooms and bathrooms.  Community amenities include a fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, indoor walking track, courts for tennis, bocce ball and pickle ball, hobby rooms, clubs and classes.

Sun City Shadow Hills in Indio, California (near Palm Springs)

Prices in this community range from about $250,000 to $500,000.  The houses range in size from 1321 to 2955 square feet and have two to three bedrooms and bathrooms.  This community has an 18 hole golf course, an 18 hole par 3 golf course, an 18 hole putting course, indoor and outdoor pools, courts for tennis and bocce ball, a library, amphitheater, ballroom, hobby rooms, clubs and classes.
Where to Find More Information
If you believe that you might want to find a Del Webb retirement community in your area, you can get more details at: http://www.delwebb.com/
If you are looking for more places to retire in the United States or abroad, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of this article.  They contain links to hundreds of additional articles on where to retire, financial planning, health issues and more.

If you are trying to choose a retirement community that is right for you, you may also be interested in reading:

Over 55 Retirement Communities by Four Seasons
You are reading from the blog http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com
Photo of palm trees courtesy of www.morguefile.com