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

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Minto Homes - Florida Retirement Communities

Until recently, I had never heard of Minto Homes.  Much to my surprise, however, I learned that Minto is a Canadian company that has been building quality projects for over 60 years.  Over the past few years, they have expanded into the Florida housing market, offering choices in a wide range of prices from about $200,000 to $1,000,000 in master planned communities.

If you are considering a relocation to Florida, there is a good chance that you may see some Minto houses in several of the more popular neighborhoods ... both those that are age restricted for senior citizens as well as those that are open to everyone.  Therefore, I thought it would be helpful to my readers to learn more about this well-respected home builder.

You can also find links to other articles about a variety of retirement communities in the United States and overseas by using the tabs at the top of this blog.

Shown below are the current developments in which Minto is involved.

Mento Homes in Florida

Harbour Isle on Anna Maria Sound

This is your opportunity to live along the beach on a private island in Anna Maria Sound (pictured above).  New homes range from about $380,000 to $500,000.  Although this is not a golf community, there are a number of golf courses nearby.  Within the community you will find a private clubhouse, pool, cabanas, and a marina.  The homes are energy efficient and your homeowner's dues include maintenance, for a carefree lifestyle.

Sun City Center in the Tampa / Sarasota area

This over-55 community contains paired villas as well as single family homes.  Prices for Minto homes in the community range from about $170,000 to $500,000.  There are other builders who also build residences in Sun City Center.  The community has its own hospital and several nursing homes.  There are about 20 golf courses, two indoor pools, an outdoor pool and many other amenities.  Minto offers a stay and play program that may interest you, too.  For just $99, you can stay in a Minto home in Sun City Center for two nights, while enjoying some of the amenities on the property.  This is a great way to decide if this neighborhood is right for you.

Twin Eagles near Naples

Minto has recently completed  two new model homes in this luxury development that contains two highly rated golf courses and a lavish clubhouse.  Single family home prices start at about $500,000 and go up to over $1,000,000.   If you purchase a home from Minto in this community, it currently comes with a free golf membership, although the members are responsible for paying annual golf dues.

Town Park in Port St. Lucie

This is another adult community for those who prefer to live in an age restricted neighborhood.  Home prices are very affordable, ranging from the $200,000's to the $300,000's.  The community offers a wide variety of amenities and is near a number of restaurants and retailers.

Better Business Bureau Report on Minto Homes

In doing research online, I did not find any complaints or angry articles written about Minto Homes.  I thought it was also worthwhile, however, to check out their Better Business Bureau report, just to be on the safe side.

The Better Business Bureau gives Minto Homes an A-.   The BBB has received four complaints about the company during the past three years.  Only one of the complaints occurred in the past 12 months.  Of the complaints that were file, one complaint was over advertising or sales; the other three complaints dealt with problems with the product or service that was offered.  All of the complaint files have been handled and closed by the BBB.

The BBB report goes on to say they they know of no government actions against the company and they have nothing negative to report regarding the company's adertising

Contact Information:

In addition to finding more information on the websites listed in the source section below, you can also call Minto directly at:

1-800-562-9606

Sources for the Information in this Article

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_City_Center,_Florida
http://www.minto.com/florida/new-homes/projects.html
http://www.bbb.org/south-east-florida/business-reviews/home-builders/minto-communities-in-pompano-beach-fl-27003727

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

Photo of Anna Maria Sound is courtesy of wikipedia.org/commons

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Lake Ashton Florida Active Adult Community

The Lake Wales, FL area is lovely.
One of the retirement communities that keeps coming up when I do research on over-55 communities is Lake Ashton, near Lake Wales, Florida.  This master planned community has many of the amenities offered in other age restricted communities, as well as some that are more unique because of the access to the nearby water recreational area.  For those of you who are comparing a variety of retirement communities before making your final decision, here are some features of Lake Ashton that may be of importance to you.

Lake Ashton Amenities

1200 Acres that front Lake Ashton
26,000 sq. ft. clubhouse
Two 18-hole private golf courses
Driving Range
Eagle's Nest Sports Pub
Pro Shop
Boat ramp and dock with slips
RV and Boat Storage area
Indoor and outdoor pools, as well as a whirlpool spa
Movie theater with surround-sound
Bowling alley
Lighted tennis and shuffleboard courts
On-site restaurant and lounge
Ballroom
Library
Game room
Billiards tables
Arts and crafts room, including a kiln for ceramics
Computer lab with internet access
30,000 sq. ft. health and fitness center
Personal Trainer and Nutritionist
Indoor Track, basketball and racquetball court
Weight room and aerobics area
Sauna
24-hour manned gatehouse


Lake Ashton "Green" Retirement Homes

The Lake Ashton community is located in Central Florida between Orlando and Tampa in what is known at the Lakeland-Winter Haven area, near the town of Lake Wales, just off Highway 27.  In addition to the amenities within the community, residents are only about a one hour drive from Tampa where they can visit Busch Gardens.  Within a much shorter drive, residents can enjoy nearby Bok Sanctuary (pictured above), Lake Kissimmee, and Cyprus Gardens.  In the other direction, it is also approximately a one hour drive to Orlando, home of Disney World, Sea World and many other amusement parks and attractions.

This region of Florida, located half-way between the metropolitan areas of Orlando and Tampa, is surrounded by citrus groves and rolling hills, and is dotted with lakes.  It is a fun recreational area for people of all ages.  Lake Ashton is an over-55 gated community that has been designed for adults who want to live an active lifestyle.


The homes are certified "green," which means they have extra insulation, energy saving appliances, and indoor paints and floor coverings that are designed to provide better quality indoor air for a healthier lifestyle.

Homes are also designed for beauty and efficiency, with skylights, custom windows, french doors, art niches, built-in entertainment centers, custom countertops and cabinets, jetted garden bath tubs, and other features commonly found in luxury homes.

Single Family homes start at around $150,000, with larger and more luxurious homes selling for up to $450,000.

How to Visit Lake Ashton and Find Out More

One way to find out more about this eleven year old planned community is through their "Great Escape" program.  You can get a special Lake Ashton rate at a nearby Hampton Inn.  During your stay you will have the opportunity to meet current homeowners, get a guided tour, and see the model homes, golf courses and other amenities.

If you want to set up your own Great Escape, call (866) 525-3274 to make the arrangements.

Sources:

http://www.55places.com/florida/communities/lake-ashton
http://www.lakeashton.com/

If you are interested in learning more about your retirement options, you may want to read additional articles from this blog in the section entitled "Great Places to Retire in the United States."  Shown below are all the index articles for this blog.  If you click on one of the titles below, you will find a list of additional helpful blog posts on each topic:

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement


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

Photo of Bok Sanctuary courtesy of www.en.wikipedia.org/commons

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

The Villages Active Adult Community in Florida

If you are thinking about retiring in Florida, one active adult community that you will want to consider is The Villages.  This master planned age-restricted community is located in Central Florida about 45 miles northwest of Orlando.  

This is an ideal location if you have adult children and grandchildren who will be visiting, because they will enjoy the proximity to Disneyworld and the other Orlando theme parks.  However, making it easy for your relatives to go to Disneyland should not be the only reason to consider The Villages!

Income and Demographics of The Villages

As of 2010, the population of The Villages was 51,442.  It is the largest age-restricted community in Florida and the fastest growing small town in the United States.  The Villages is made up of a number of subdivisions or neighborhoods.  Nearly all of the neighborhoods qualify under the Housing for Older Persons Act, which means they are restricted to individuals or couples with at least one person who is age 55 or older residing in the home, and no one under the age of 19 living in the home for more than 30 days within a calendar year.  However, there are three subdivisions in The Villages that do allow children under the age of 19 to be permanent residents.  Overall, about 40 percent of the residents are between the ages of 45 to 64, and over 57 percent of the residents are age 65 and older.

The median household income is about $45,000 to $48,000 ... well within the means of many couples on Social Security with little additional income.

Home Choices in the Villages

The types of homes available in The Villages include manufactured homes, single family homes, and attached homes. Development began at The Villages with a group of manufactured homes in the late 1970’s.  Today there are manufactured homes as well as cottages, patio villas, ranch homes, courtyard villas, designer homes and premier homes.

New construction and pre-owned homes are available for sale in The Villages.  Typical home prices currently range from about $140,000 to over $350,000, although homes can be priced for less than $100,000 or for over $1,000,000.  Some examples of the homes that were available for sale in 2012 were single-family homes with two bedrooms and two bathrooms in the $140,000 to the $160,000 price range, and three bedroom homes starting at $160,000 and going up in price from there.  For buyers who are interested in purchasing a second home in The Villages, there are even some homes for sale that come fully furnished.  

Sinkholes in The Villages

Since this article was originally written, a large sinkhole developed in the Villages and had been repaired.  It made two homes uninhabitable and it is always possible that additional sinkholes could affect more.  Sinkholes are a recurring problem in Florida.  It was also an issue in an article I wrote about Timber Pines, a retirement community in the Tampa Bay area.

Sinkholes do not necessarily mean you should not move into a community.  Most sinkholes can be dealt with by pumping a cement-like substance under the home as soon as a sinkhole is detected.  However, this is not always the case.  If you decide to buy a home in Florida, whether it is in The Villages, Timber Pines or any other community, you may want to have it checked for sinkholes before finalizing the deal. This is particularly true in a band across the center of the  state, moving eastward from Tampa and through the Orlando area. 

Recreational Activities in The Villages

The Villages has a wide variety of activities to offer retirees.  One of the most popular features of The Villages is the concept that residents can play “Free Golf for Life.”  However, the cost of golf is actually included in the homeowners’ dues, so technically the golf is not actually free.  The Villages operates 39 golf courses, 29 of which are nine-hole executive courses.  Those 29 courses are free to play as long as you walk the course.  There is a charge for using a golf cart.  If you play one of the ten country club style courses, you are required to pay a greens fee.

In addition to golf, The Villages has a large number of swimming pools and courts for bocce ball, horseshoes, shuffleboard, tennis, basketball and pickleball.  There are also fitness centers (some of which require residents to purchase a membership), and theaters with stages to accommodate live performances.

Residents may also want to take advantage of the softball fields, polo stadium, woodworking shop, hobby and craft studios, ballrooms or the Lifelong Learning College.  There are several catch and release fishing lakes on the property.  There are approximately 1000 clubs including clubs for people who enjoy bird watching, astronomy, photography, SCUBA diving, or who wish to support their favorite college or pro sports team.

The community also contains two town squares which contain movie theaters, shops and restaurants.  There is free entertainment nightly in the gazebos of both the town squares.  A third town square has recently been completed.

The community is completely self contained with post offices, banks, restaurants and a wide choice of recreational opportunities.

Medical Facilities at The Villages

In addition to the fitness centers located throughout The Villages, new residents can feel reassured that medical care is conveniently located within the community, as well.  Local facilities include The Villages Regional Hospital, Moffitt Cancer Center, a VA outpatient clinic, a long term acute care hospital and senior living facilities.  Several doctors and dentists also have offices in The Villages.

If you want more information about The Villages, you can call 1-800-245-1081.

If you want to read more about other areas to retire, as well as find additional retirement information, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of this page and you will find links to hundreds of other retirement articles, including articles on a number of other places to retire.

If you are looking for a retirement community, you may also be interested in reading:


You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo courtesy of www.en.wikipedia.com/commons