Del Webb lifestyle cost?

My wife is interested in retiring to a Del Webb or similar community with golf and a wide range of activities. Aside from the home price itself (which is easy to research), does anyone here have a feel for the basic costs of living in those communities, or the average income of the residents?

Thanks...

[Traveler]

You may have already done some preliminary research on the Del Webb internet site (www.delwebb.com) which has some pretty good info on homeowner profiles, etc. So far haven't found much on income levels, etc. but if you look more closely you may be able to cull something from the data presented.

Having said that, I recently did some work with Del Webb in Lincoln Hills (north of Sacramento) and visited the new Del Webb development (groundbreaking is happening right now) in Somerset outside Reno.

Interestingly, Somerset seemed more expensive in terms of homeowners' dues and home prices than Lincoln Hills in normally pricier California. Something, too, I found interesting is that many of the Lincoln Hills residents are still working and plan to for several years to come. Found few fully retired.

I don't know where you're looking but I venture to guess that western Nevada and California are going to cost more than say a similar "active adult" community in Texas, Florida, or Arizona.

We (my SO and I) were looking at Somerset as a possible place to move because of the friendlier tax situation in Nevada, but realized that the positives of any cost savings would be offset by the negatives of the weather. Reno winters, while drier than Tahoe's and the nearby Sierras, are still too long and cold for thin-blooded Californians like we are.

I desperately wish I could stand the climate in Las Vegas - we love our twice-a-year visits and have toured the Del Webb complexes in Henderson several times - it's a fantastic setup. But I don't want to live where I can't stand being outside for more than a few minutes for half the year. I can't take FL either, although I grew up near Ft. Myers. We're going to try to visit the Del Webb near Hilton Head this fall to check it out...

[cute fuzzy bunny]

My dad lives in the one in roseville. We looked at the one in lincoln. Bay area "house millionaires" are moving in at a rapid rate and have kicked the prices up substantially. The units take multiple bids and sell in a matter of weeks.

The roseville one, the residents own the golf course. Its less than half the price of the lincoln course.

As you noticed, old folks rule the roost in roseville, lots of non-retired 50-ish people in lincoln.

Homeowners fees are pretty expensive, and climbing. The house millionaires have taken control of the board in roseville and are renovating and expanding fairly new and largely unused amentities because "they like having them there". A good 20-30% of the people who live there wont be able to afford the homeowners fees in a year or two, when they're expected to double. Comments from the board "they can move, then". Very nice.

Its a great concept if you dont mind paying a few hundred a month in fees, dealing with a little HOA politics, and you want summer camp for old folks.

He's probably going to sell, take his profit from the house and move up north nearer to where I live in the next year.