Showing posts with label Georgia retirement communities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Georgia retirement communities. Show all posts

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Cresswind at Lake Lanier Active Adult Community

A few years ago, a Baby Boomer couple we know moved from Southern California to Georgia, just outside of Atlanta.  They were attracted there because of the affordable home prices and the fact that their grown children both live on the East Coast.  The longer they have lived in the Atlanta area, the happier our friends have become with their new home and the Georgia lifestyle ... despite the fact that they have had to grow accustomed to periodic thunderstorms, occasional snow and an abundance of mosquitoes!  They feel that the beauty of the area and the relaxed lifestyle more than compensates for those minor hardships.

Although our friends did not move into an over-55 community, it would have been an easy option for them.  One popular retirement community that is located about an hour's drive northeast of Atlanta is Cresswind on Lake Lanier.   Lake Lanier is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and is considered one of America's favorite lakes, with several million visitors a year.  The lake has 38,000 surface acres of water and 540 miles of shoreline.  There are numerous golf courses, resorts, restaurants and other recreational facilities located around it.  Being able to retire along the shores of this gorgeous lake is a dream come true for many Baby Boomers.

Amenities at Cresswind

To many retirees, it is not enough to simply have a lake house on the shores of Lake Lanier.  Boomers are also looking forward to an active retirement with a variety of ways to stay busy.  That's exactly what you will find at Cresswind.

Here are some of the features that are making this community especially attractive to active retirees:

Security gated entrance with a stunning waterfall
214 acres of maintained greenspace
Private marina with boat slips for residents
40,000 sq. foot clubhouse
Ballroom
Demonstration kitchen with gourmet cooking classes
Rooftop bar overlooking the lake
Aerobics room
Hobby workshop
Arts and crafts facilities
Learning center
Indoor and outdoor pools
Tennis courts
Walking paths
Billiards
Horseshoe pits
Bocce and pickleball courts
Outdoor movie theatre
Approximately 100 clubs run by homeowners

It is important to note that there is no golf course inside the community of Cresswind, an amenity that many retirees have come to expect.  However, within a short drive there are several gorgeous golf courses that are open to the public.

Home Prices and Features at Cresswind

Home prices range from the low $200,000's to the upper $300,000's for single family homes, which makes this community affordable to many retirees.

Floorplans are available in both two and three bedroom models, some with basements.  Among the features you can expect in your home are:

Granite counters in kitchen
Recessed can lighting
GE appliances
Aritokraft birch cabinetry
Oversized showers
Cultured marble tops in bathrooms
EMC security systems with monitoring included
Shaw Danner hardwood flooring in foyer, kitchen and breakfast rooms
Two car finished garages with LiftMaster garage door openers
Exterior flood lights
3-zone irrigation system             and much, much more!


Because there is no golf course, the monthly Homeowner's Dues are more affordable than in some other communities.  In 2013, they were $269 a month.

Community Recognition

This is an award winning community that has won both local and national recognition:

Named the 50+ Housing Community of the Year in 2012 by the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association.  The community received awards in several categories, including community, building, and marketing.

Chosen by Where to Retire magazine in their July/August 2013 issue as one of the 50 best master planned communities in the United States.

Contact Information:

If you are looking for a retirement community in the Southern or the Mid-Atlantic states, you will want to pay a visit to Cresswind.  Here's their contact information:

Cresswind at Lake Lanier
3007 Scarlet Oak Lane
Gainesville, GA  30504

(770) 532-4926

www.cresswind.com

If you are interested in reading more about the Georgia lifestyle, tourist attractions and places to visit before making a decision, you may want to use this link to books about Georgia from Amazon.com.

If you are currently making retirement plans, you may also want to read some of the other articles linked in the index articles listed below:

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 Lake Lanier courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Soleil Laurel Canyon Active Adult Community in Georgia

If Georgia is your dream retirement location, one of the best master planned communities in the state, according to Where to Retire magazine, is Soleil Laurel Canyon in Canton, Georgia.  Residents in this age restricted, over-55 community can fish in their community's own lake while gazing out at the gorgeous Blue Ridge mountains.

Within five miles of the community, retirees can find restaurants, department stores, dry cleaners and other helpful businesses in and around the town of Canton.  The town also has a weekly Farmer's Market from spring to fall, live performances in the Canton Theatre, and fun festivals.  You'll love the charming town square, shown in the photo at the top of this article.

Since Canton is only located about 40 miles north of Atlanta, you have all the advantages of living near that major metropolitan area, as well.  Whether you want shopping, entertainment, sporting events or fine dining, Atlanta has it all.  In addition, Canton is only about a one hour drive from Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, which makes it easy for people who love to travel.

There are tax advantages for people who choose to retire in the state of Georgia.  Retirement income for residents over the age of 62 is exempt from state income taxes up to $35,000 per person.  Social security income is also exempt from state income taxes.  Property taxes are quite reasonable compared to many other states.  For an average home priced at $340,000 in Soleil Laurel Canyon, the property taxes for residents over the age of 62 would currently be less than $1000 a year (in 2013).

The weather in this region of Georgia is also very pleasant.  The temperate climate has an average high temperature of 87 degrees in July and 49 degrees in January.

If Georgia is your top choice for retirement, there are numerous reasons why you may want to consider living in Soleil Laurel Canyon:

Amenities

This beautiful retirement community boasts a number of appealing amenities that are centered around the beautiful 28,000 sq. ft. Craftsman-style clubhouse.  Here are some of the opportunities that await you:

Arts and Crafts Center
Gourmet Teaching Kitchen
Theatre and Performing Arts Center
Fitness Center
Walking trails
An amphitheater
Tennis and pickle ball courts
Bocce Ball
Billiards room
Fitness center
Library
Heated indoor saline lap pool
Heated Lagoon-style outdoor pool
Community garden and greenhouse
3.5 acre fishing lake (this lake is, perhaps, one of the most appealing features of this charming community)

There are also two lifestyle directors on staff who plan a wide variety of opportunities for residents to attend special activities such as social events, trips to area attractions, and movie nights.

Golfers need to be aware that this is not a golf community, which many retirees have come to expect in other master planned retirement neighborhoods.  However, golf is available nearby at the Fairways of Canton golf course that is adjacent to the community.  There are also several additional golf courses in the town of Canton, so there is no reason to give up golf or to ever be bored with your golf choices.

If you are interested in taking classes, including in subjects like art or computers, nearby Kennesaw State University has a Lifelong Learning Institute for adults age 50 and over.

Another amenity that is very appealing to many retirees are all the services that are included in your HOA dues, including complete lawn maintenance, a sprinkler system, home security systems with monitoring and Comcast cable television.  It is important to consider these included services when you are comparing the dues of various master planned communities.

Housing Prices in Soleil Laurel Canyon

The well designed homes in this community are energy efficient and have a number of special features that make it easy to age-in-place, including wide doorways, stepless entries and wheelchair accessible showers.

Home prices range from the low $200,000 range to the upper $400,000's for single family homes in this new home community.  As of mid 2013, less than 350 of the 728 planned homes have been built.

Homeowner's Association Fees in mid-2013 are $265 a month.  This is much less expensive than some other retirement communities, and may be partially explained by the fact that there is not a golf course on the premises.

Contact Information

Soleil Laurel Canyon
102  High Mountain Trace
Canton, Georgia 30114

(678) 880-3071

http://SoleilLaurelCanyon.com

If you are considering retiring to Georgia, you may also want to use this link to order books from Amazon about Georgia retirement.

For readers who are busy with their retirement planning, check out the index articles listed below.  Each one contains an introduction as well as links to a number of articles on that topic.  You should find the information very helpful:

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 the Canton, Georgia town square is courtesy of www.en.wikipedia.org/commons