55+ community living?

[Amethyst]

Right, there's got to be a Festivus City somewhere - a development for the rest of us!

I The real estate ads say, "The amenities you want ...", but what if you don't want any amenities except community green space ?

 

[rayinpenn]

LWR has VERY high taxes due to CDDs at least where we looked. That is the only complaint I have after looking. Also a fair way from the beach.

Sarasota...
1. Gets wicked busy ‘in season’ traffic
2. Siesta Key beach(always rated top 10) gets full early

Have vacation owned there for a very long time. I love it there.

 

[bUU]

This discussion about the problems with 55+ communities reminds me of discussions about HOAs and condos, in general. Of course people who shouldn't live in such places will find problems living in such places. They're made for people who should live in such places. I find that people who see such problems are trying to fit themselves, as a round peg, into a square hole, because they wan't some of the advantages of those communities but they don't want to invest themselves fully into the underlying basis for such communities.

We're specifically looking at 55+ communities because we can leverage the fact that one worker can mow 50 lawns in twenty minutes, and because we want the kind of activities that the community offers. The 55+ community we're looking at specifically does keep itself separate from the golf club/course, so while we benefit from the views and the proximity of the golf club's clubhouse restaurant (with 10% discount for HOA members), we won't be getting hit with the costs of maintaining the golf course itself.

 

[mpeirce]

Parking lot full of golf carts. It was a mile away from where I was staying. My hosts were puzzled that I would attempt to walk there.

Have you every walked a few miles outside in the depths of a Florida summer?

It's way too hot and humid to walk outside much at all.

It's fine in the winter, but maybe folks get in the habit during most of the year when they have to drive.

 

[Amethyst]

Agree - walking a mile in southern Florida, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., even in the winter, would have almost anybody soaked with sweat. I was a very sweaty college student sometimes (classes in various buildings).

And if we're talking about central southern Florida, there are not even any ocean breezes to dry (not "cool") you off.

Have you every walked a few miles outside in the depths of a Florida summer?

It's way too hot and humid to walk outside much at all.

.

 

[Dtail]

Have you every walked a few miles outside in the depths of a Florida summer?

It's way too hot and humid to walk outside much at all.

It's fine in the winter, but maybe folks get in the habit during most of the year when they have to drive.

All relative to one's makeup.
We play Pickleball from 10am - 12pm outside even in the midsummer heat.

 

[LakeRat1]

57 now, DW 65 Now, we moved purchased our first home in Ft Myers in a 55+ community 5 years ago after we retired. Started by renting for 4 months, then purchased that same summer of 2015. I was the youngest in our community and have adapted..... I never knew these places existed ..... It is really pretty cool, we have a golf cart, we are able to do as much or as little of the several activities...... The community we are in, you own the land, this is a big plus..... Between the low hoa dues ($125 per month) and low taxes (homestead) our costs are $2200 per year.... Not counting home insurance or electricity...... We really enjoy the community as people are very friendly, several activities, pools, tennis, pickle ball, horseshoes, volleyball, etc.....

 

[imoldernu]

Thanks for the list.

In terms of 80+, do you really expect to live in such a community for more than 15-20 years? Once we reach early 80s we plan to move to more of a CCRC independent living type situation. Even more blue-haireds there but we’ll be blue-haired too if we make it that long!

Ach.
A kindred spirit.

"blue-haireds"... I wish... how about no hair?

 

[Clone]

"blue-haireds"... I wish... how about no hair?

I also am confused about this hair thing!

We bought a place in a 55+ in the Phoenix area. We will snowbird+ there during the pleasant part of the year. Where we are at is gated, with a security guard. About half of the residents are gone during the hot weather. We feel that there will be fewer concerns about problems with the place when we are not there.

We will be some of the youngest in the area, and we are OK with that. Our place is relatively close to the pool/ courts/ clubhouse, so I don't see any need for a golf cart. One of the primary considerations was a parking configuration that would allow room for a trailer with an off-road vehicle on it. Not all places would allow that or had parking that would accommodate that.

 

[Amethyst]

The only blue hair I have seen was on quite young women, and a few young men.

It does seem that a lot of women 60s and older, get what I'd call a man's haircut, with a "puff" of slightly longer hair on the back of the crown. To my eyes, the "puff" elongates the back of the head and makes the forehead look oddly sloping. But it is a very popular haircut in Florida!

Ach.
A kindred spirit.

"blue-haireds"... I wish... how about no hair?

 

[statsman]

I am rather envious of those who found themselves living in 55+ communities, particularly with smaller yards and/or a lot less outdoor maintenance. DW (66) found zero appeal in such communities, even those touted as "family" communities. When we moved late last year to another state, I asked whether we should consider a 55+ community. The answer was "no". Not just "no", but a rather emphatic "NO".

So, we found what looks like a very nice neighborhood outside of Austin to have a house built. More house than we need, and more yard than we need. To me, this just means more yard work (which is hoisted 100% onto me), more house work, bigger energy bills, and a larger property tax bill. The only saving grace is the house will cost less than 25% of the selling price for our CA house.

 

[Midpack]

I am rather envious of those who found themselves living in 55+ communities, particularly with smaller yards and/or a lot less outdoor maintenance. DW (66) found zero appeal in such communities, even those touted as "family" communities. When we moved late last year to another state, I asked whether we should consider a 55+ community. The answer was "no". Not just "no", but a rather emphatic "NO".

So, we found what looks like a very nice neighborhood outside of Austin to have a house built. More house than we need, and more yard than we need. To me, this just means more yard work (which is hoisted 100% onto me), more house work, bigger energy bills, and a larger property tax bill. The only saving grace is the house will cost less than 25% of the selling price for our CA house.

Every 55+ home that we’ve looked at has been $50/sqft more than comparable mixed gen homes in the same area. They had smaller yards, but the homes were almost as large so they cost more. Property taxes were as much if not more. And HOA costs were 3-4 times higher - they included lawn care, and some home maintenance costs, but I’d rather cut my own grass while I’m still able and I can hire someone to do it whenever I want. We haven’t seen any bargains in the 55+ neighborhoods we looked at, they all cost more! YMMV

 

[Dtail]

Every 55+ home that we’ve looked at has been $50/sqft more than comparable mixed gen homes in the same area. They had smaller yards, but the homes were almost as large so they cost more. Property taxes were as much if not more. And HOA costs were 3-4 times higher - they included lawn care, and some home maintenance costs, but I’d rather cut my own grass while I’m still able and I can hire someone to do it whenever I want. We haven’t seen any bargains in the 55+ neighborhoods we looked at, they all cost more! YMMV

Absolutely. Yes one gets many activities to do, but truly pays for it.
The Villages is 30-40 more per sq ft than our mixed community.

 

[aja8888]

Every 55+ home that we’ve looked at has been $50/sqft more than comparable mixed gen homes in the same area. They had smaller yards, but the homes were almost as large so they cost more. Property taxes were as much if not more. And HOA costs were 3-4 times higher - they included lawn care, and some home maintenance costs, but I’d rather cut my own grass while I’m still able and I can hire someone to do it whenever I want. We haven’t seen any bargains in the 55+ neighborhoods we looked at, they all cost more! YMMV

Do you realize you can cut your own grass and take care of your yard even while living in a 55+ community? Just let the HOA know that and they will take you off the schedule. No problem!

 

[Amethyst]

You're paying for everyone else's pickleboard, shuffleball, etc.

. We haven’t seen any bargains in the 55+ neighborhoods we looked at, they all cost more! YMMV

 

[Col. Klink]

You're paying for everyone else's pickleboard, shuffleball, etc.

This is true if you are among the many that sit in their homes admiring their 60" TV and the landscapers cutting their grass.

If you use the amenities, than, at least for me it is a bargain if I factor in the cost of a gym membership, pools, tennis courts, bocce courts, sauna, whirlpool, and steam bath.

If you do not play golf frequently, look for a place that has a separate social membership and golf membership. Where I live the membership to the club is separate from the HOA for grounds maintenance etc. There are also areas of our development that you has only limited HOA for common areas. There, you have a single family home, and you maintain it.

 

[bUU]

It isn't even worth arguing the technical aspects of the comparison given that by their very nature mixed-generation communities are not in any way comparable to 55+ communities. Just like the generalized anti-HOA argument, this is another case where people who aren't able to see value themselves assume that there therefore must not be value even though other reasonable people do see such value. It seems to be little more than rationalization for a critic's own personal choice and baseless disparagement of the decisions of people who disagree with the critic.

As an aside, in Osceola County, Florida, specifically, when you're buying new construction in a 55+ community, the price you pay reflects a $11,823 reduction in impact fees associated with schools.

 

[bUU]

This is true if you are among the many that sit in their homes admiring their 60" TV and the landscapers cutting their grass. If you use the amenities, than, at least for me it is a bargain if I factor in the cost of a gym membership, pools, tennis courts, bocce courts, sauna, whirlpool, and steam bath.

Precisely. If you aren't going to capitalize on what's offered, then don't buy there.

If you do not play golf frequently, look for a place that has a separate social membership and golf membership. Where I live the membership to the club is separate from the HOA for grounds maintenance etc.

Same with the community we're aiming to purchase within.

There are also areas of our development that you has only limited HOA for common areas. There, you have a single family home, and you maintain it.

Ours has a separate association-on-top-of-the-association for those who choose to live in attached homes, which includes siding and roofs within the association.

 

[Amethyst]

Or use their homes as home bases for travel. Or as artists' studio, reading nook, sewing center, baking kitchen...(that would be me). And who like to do their own gardening.

I don't disparage the amenities-filled places; I simply despair of finding a community where I want the types of amenities they provide.

For those of us who find ourselves - throughout life - on the thin edge of various bell curves, the word "community" often equates with "bed of Procrustes." We'd have to stretch or truncate ourselves to fit.

This is true if you are among the many that sit in their homes admiring their 60" TV and the landscapers cutting their grass.

.

 

[audreyh1]

Or use their homes as home bases for travel. Or as artists' studio, reading nook, sewing center, baking kitchen...(that would be me). And who like to do their own gardening.

If you are using your house as home base for travel, then yard maintenance is a huge benefit.

Above and beyond not having to deal with it when at home, have and maintain the yard equipment, etc. We’ve got other things to do!

Included yard maintenance is an absolute requirement for us.

 

[Amethyst]

Yes, that makes sense. We'll never be that level of travelers, though.

If you are using your house as home base for travel, then yard maintenance is a huge benefit.

 

[Aerides]

In S Fla, in the summers from Jun to September, 10 days is about as long as most yards can look ok between cuts. 2 weeks and you begin to look really messy. Longer than that and you're getting letters.

In a regular SFH neighborhood here well over 50% of the homes have yard maintenance contracts, vs. DIY.

One reason we're glad my parents are going into a 55+ is we no longer think it's a good idea for Dad to cut his own grass. At 75, in the 95 degree heat + humidity without a riding mower? Nope there are better ways to exercise.

 

[Midpack]

Do you realize you can cut your own grass and take care of your yard even while living in a 55+ community? Just let the HOA know that and they will take you off the schedule. No problem!

That wasn’t the case in any of the Epcon or Del Webb communities we looked at. I suppose you could take care of your own lawn, but the HOA dues would remain at $250-350/mo. Maybe others are more flexible.

 

[Midpack]

It isn't even worth arguing the technical aspects of the comparison given that by their very nature mixed-generation communities are not in any way comparable to 55+ communities. Just like the generalized anti-HOA argument, this is another case where people who aren't able to see value themselves assume that there therefore must not be value even though other reasonable people do see such value. It seems to be little more than rationalization for a critic's own personal choice and baseless disparagement of the decisions of people who disagree with the critic.

Nonsense. A POV different than yours isn’t automatically “disparagement” - I’m not sure how I could have been clearer without reposting this (below) over and over. The dozen or so 55+ communities we looked at have all been considerably more expensive than mixed gen neighborhoods nearby, and they had much higher HOA fees (and services) too. If that’s what you’re looking and you want to live in a community with a much higher median age, great. If not, that’s a reasonable POV as well.

I am NOT suggesting there’s a right answer for everyone. Obviously there are lots of 55+ communities with happy residents. But that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone, or that those of us who prefer mixed generation neighborhoods are wrong and shouldn’t share a different POV.

 

[audreyh1]

That wasn’t the case in any of the Epcon or Del Webb communities we looked at. I suppose you could take care of your own lawn, but the HOA dues would remain at $250-350/mo. Maybe others are more flexible.

I expect you get charged even if you do your own.