Unique Communities?

C

clobber

Recycles dryer sheets
Joined
Jul 20, 2015
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395
Hi Everyone,

I'm interested in learning about potential unique living communities. I don't really want to limit your responses, but i'm currently thinking of mountain living.

For example, I just came across a community in Winter Park, Colorado where the HOA fees include access to a "club' at the resort base. If you are a skier, that would be a good thing.

This just got me thinking that there must be quite a number of neighborhoods with "extras." Anyone know any good ones?

thanks
 
Florida is ground central for unique communities. Ones for golfers, pilots, horseback riders, even retired post office workers. Word is the postal workers community doesnt allow dogs!
 
We briefly looked into co-operative living communities. On one side are condominiums and the other (which we visited in Chicago area), was like a college dormitory. There was a placein Asheville that we read about where you have your own house but share things like cars and responsibilities.

While not a"community", our DD/SIL suggested we share a house with them. We worked out financial and living arrangements. 3 years later, it has proven to be a great decision.
 
I find so called "intentional communities" interesting. The idea invokes nostalgia for my early twenties. The concept of close nit community, with activities, restaurants, et al is appealing but most 55+ communities are full of very conservative residents. Doesn't fit my profile at all. And golf as a lynch pin doesn't work either. Unfortunately progressive intentional communities sound way too intense - about as much fun as a prison sentence. Gonna stay at home and hope my neighborhood "village" movement stays intact into my twilight years.
 
Mine would end up with three people and a cat.
 
I can understand communities that are based around a central theme, like skiing, golf, airplanes, etc. Could be a good way to facilitate your interests in that theme.

I could never live in a dorm or anywhere without my own space and outside area. I can't stand apts for example, even condos aren't my thing. However, some people like this type high density housing and that is what makes the world go around. Related to this, I dislike any big city downtown living. Might be fun for a visit, but get me out of there back to my own property and single family house.
 
My BIL is near Fort Myers lives in a private airplane community. All(most) the homes are required to have an garage/hanger to accommodate a plane. They taxi down the streets to the runway(WW2 airforce). The stop signs are real low!
 
I spend my summers in my motorhome at what (at least to me) is a unique community. It is called Linville Land Harbor and is located in Linville, North Carolina in the Blue Ridge Mountains, about 30 minutes south of Boone, NC and about a mile form the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is at about 4000 foot elevation and has cool summer temperatures (today in the high 70s when most of North Carolina is roasting in the high 90s).

What is unique is that it started out as a campground where you owned your own lot. As time went by, many people got rid of their campers and built small cabins and cottages. Now there is about 1500 lots and I would guess less than a fourth still have campers and the rest small houses. I am at a camping lot where my motorhome is that is surrounded by small cabins/cottages. Somehow it all works and looks nice, pretty unique.

The neighborhood has its own golf course, heated pool, very nice tennis courts, activities center with many activities and a lake and river (the Linville River) that is stocked with trout for fly fishing.

Most people here winter somewhere else (I spend the winter in Chapel Hill, NC) but probably about 10 percent of the homes are occupied year round.

We love it here.

Jo Ann
 
Sounds like prison.

Or the Army (13 yrs was enough for me).

I would think live-in theme parks would get boring after a while.

_B
 
golftrek said:
I spend my summers in my motorhome at what (at least to me) is a unique community. It is called Linville Land Harbor and is located in Linville, North Carolina in the Blue Ridge Mountains, about 30 minutes south of Boone, NC and about a mile form the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is at about 4000 foot elevation and has cool summer temperatures (today in the high 70s when most of North Carolina is roasting in the high 90s).
Click to expand...

My sister spends Summers at Elk River in Banner-Elk, NC. It's an equestrian community with a Jack Nicklas golf course and a 4600 foot landing strip. The town also has the two highest ski resorts on the East Coast with Sugar Mountain and Beech Mountain.

Most owners keep houses in Florida and commute seasonally. Many working fathers fly in on Fridays, as can be seen in a line of King Airs lining the runway. Western North Carolina has so many things to do, and the university town of Boone is a really nice place.
 
donheff said:
I find so called "intentional communities" interesting. The idea invokes nostalgia for my early twenties. The concept of close nit community, with activities, restaurants, et al is appealing but most 55+ communities are full of very conservative residents. Doesn't fit my profile at all. And golf as a lynch pin doesn't work either. Unfortunately progressive intentional communities sound way too intense - about as much fun as a prison sentence. Gonna stay at home and hope my neighborhood "village" movement stays intact into my twilight years.
Click to expand...

Sheesh... Don... I agree with you almost all the time, but have to differ on this one. Our 55+ park in FL has about the most exciting and non-conservative group of players that we've ever met up with. Don't wanna say wild, but maybe the word "Buzz" describes the activity and interest level. No golf course, but a marina, pool, and bocce, shuffle, and horseshoe courts, billiard room, card rooms, dance floor and parties, cookouts and dances, like you wouldn't believe. Exercise, tai chi, water exercise, line dancing, lectures, painting, computer classes, library and reading groups, crafts, and a dozen other regular activities... all the time. that's just in the park. Other groups for travel, study, golf, tennis, pickleball, bowling and a twice a week Convertible tour group outside the park. The motorcycle touring group is temporarily suspended. All of this in a Park with 350 homes.

It's still there... but you're right about slowing down... During my last visit back in January, it was fun to see it all still happening. We began to run out of steam at age 74, and are content to watch , listen and remember.

The communities are there... but ya have to go and see what is going on. Not what's available, or what the realtor guides you through. For every senior community like ours, there are five that are mostly passive. Even The Villages has high's and lows...

On site homework is the most important part of the retirement community decision.
 
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I just want a contemplative life in roomy, luxurious surroundings, with my own private garden, all the maintenance and other nonsense taken care of, and without having to subsidize other people's pickleball and bowling. Is that too much to ask?
 
Interesting subject. I know interest-centered communities are becoming the rage for retirement. But I would think it difficult to find a "community" with the same interest-focus and amenities as an individual or couple would want. Sure, you might find a place where you fit in or could use many of the included features. But you would most likely end up paying for things you don't use. That would bother me.

It bothers me that our very amenity-challenged HOA has a pool. While the pool is open 365, it's too cold to swim in for me and only 10% of residents use it. Still, it costs us all a couple of dollars a day to keep it clean and functioning. If I could talk the other residents into it, I would have it bulldozed. When I've even broached the subject at an HOA meeting you would have thought I left a Baby Ruth in the pool.

I guess the challenge would be to find the right mix of activities and amenities that you are willing to PAY for. If you can do that, maybe it's a bargain. YMMV
 
We have lived in Gated communities in SoCAL and FLA for 25 years and for all their faults we much prefer them to regular open street living.


Main reasons we like them are ones that other folks detest.

a) There are no sofas and trucks (on axle stands) in the front yards.
b) The house next door cannot be painted Purple with Yellow Spots
c) The grounds are manicured throughout the whole development
d) No Pot holes in the roads
e) All homes have a good curb appeal

Putting up with the demi gods on the board/HOA is a minor inconvenience. It also gives the nosey busybodies in the communities a place to congregate and commiserate with each other, so I do not have to talk to them.

Having a well rated private golf course on the property helps too as members (of which I am NOT one) tend to be affluent and demand a nice surroundings.
 
True mountain living, as far as I'm concerned, doesn't involve living in gated communities. I've been living in mountain towns for decades, and the real communities aren't insulated. I love the eclectic blend of working folks, millionaires, (a couple of) billionaires, athletes & tourists. It's authentic.
 
Helios said:
Florida is ground central for unique communities. Ones for golfers, pilots, horseback riders, even retired post office workers. Word is the postal workers community doesnt allow dogs!
Click to expand...

One time driving through Florida, I believed I drove through a community of RC enthusiasts.

We have some hobbies, but our introverted nature keeps us from joining any community. I actively participate in this forum, and that's the extent of it.
 
Koolau said:
Interesting subject. I know interest-centered communities are becoming the rage for retirement. But I would think it difficult to find a "community" with the same interest-focus and amenities as an individual or couple would want. Sure, you might find a place where you fit in or could use many of the included features. But you would most likely end up paying for things you don't use. That would bother me.
Click to expand...

hesperus said:
True mountain living, as far as I'm concerned, doesn't involve living in gated communities. I've been living in mountain towns for decades, and the real communities aren't insulated. I love the eclectic blend of working folks, millionaires, (a couple of) billionaires, athletes & tourists. It's authentic.
Click to expand...

I think in my original post, it might have been better if I said "neighborhood" vs. "communities." That is, are there any neighborhoods that might offer unique amenities? I wasn't really after the all inclusive pool, pickle ball, golf, etc." For example, the mountain neighborhood that I previously mentioned. From what I can tell it is just a standard neighborhood with everything from townhouses to SFH (to big SFH). It does have HOA, but that seems to be mostly for trash and snow removal. One of the unique selling points is that living there gets you access to their "club" at the base of the ski lifts. To me, that is a unique amenity for a "normal" neighborhood.
 
MRG said:
My BIL is near Fort Myers lives in a private airplane community. All(most) the homes are required to have an garage/hanger to accommodate a plane. They taxi down the streets to the runway(WW2 airforce). The stop signs are real low!
Click to expand...


That would be awesome if I knew how to fly!


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum
 
Probably not that unique. But a friend lived outside Detroit where there were about 30? homes around a small private lake. There was a dock and a couple of row boats. Their own community swimming pool. No one had fences and all the back yards backed up to the lake. Mainly families with kids.
 
Al in Ohio said:
That would be awesome if I knew how to fly!
Click to expand...

Might be more awesome if you didn't! You may know already, have you tried?

A buddy of mine swears he taught himself to drive a three on the tree. One day he was tripping on acid somebody told him to drive so he did.
 
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