Thoughts on moving to 55plus community

[Wile E. Coyote]

I think you need to decide if you are family centric or friend centric. It sounds to me that you are family centric and so developing out that property you own so that both daughters can live on that 'compound' makes much more sense to me.

 

[Happyras]

Could you have the county approve you for 4 or 5 lots and configure the lots so one of those 4 or 5 lots is for your current home?

Then build out a nice rambler for yourself, let DD1 move into your current home and build another home for DD2... then just leave the other 1 or 2 lots undeveloped for now.

Yup, that is a plan. I am actively looking now for some support from my contacts in const and real estate. However, my thought is to plat 5 lots, and build 3 homes, keep the log home and barn with ADU, and let the builder/developer take the 5th lot to build out a spec home (with covenants I write to maintain the privacy) It might cash flow the development to give the developer a lot worth $300K with all utilities in place. I know I can build out 2500 sqft ramblers for about $320/ft on improved lots. $800K/home cost plus land development a whole lot less than $1.7M per home in Trilogy 55+, and much nicer lots!

 

[Happyras]

I might explain....the 3 homes I would build would be one for us, one for the other grandma who is our close friend and needs to move closer as well, and one for our DD2 or to sell for cash flow as needed.

Unfortunately, 30+ years ago this would be super easy to push through the county. My first home I built in 1982 was on 2.25 acres, it was torn down 8 years ago to make way for a huge cracker box development so I know these things can go through. Just, now our local government is just not that friendly to land owners who pay the taxes.

 

[1242Vintage]

We inherited a nice home in a nearby 55+ community. However most of the neighbors are 70+. I’m 59, very active, and have no interest in moving there. Makes an excellent rental though. Easy care and minimal maintenance. And so far … fingers crossed … tenants have been excellent.

 

[Souschef]

I run away screaming from the idea of living in any 55+ community.
I like living in our neighborhood: the cycle of meeting new young families that move in, and watching neighbor kids grow up and move on. It's a nice neighborhood.

The diversity of ages is important to me- "keeps me young".
Surrounded only by others that are "aging out" with my circle of friends/neighbors shrinking with every passing is a no-go.

YMMV -that's just me, and I realize that for many the 55+ is great.

I agree. We lived in a 55 MHP for about 14 years. Many of our neighbors have passed away or suffered from dementia or Alzheimer's.
We moved to a beach side apartment with elevators and a varied demographics.
Every time I go up to the MHP it is like a ghost town.

 

[allan21]

I lived where you're considering moving to.

I can't comment on questions 1,2 and 3. However, I lived in the community you're considering for 9 years after living in a series of houses with acreage and I loved it - best move we've ever made, except maybe for the move to a CCRC last year. This is just my experience, but I unquestioningly and willingly spent way too much time doing house and yard maintenance at those acreage houses. I didn't realize it until we moved. Perhaps we were fortunate but at the 55+ community we had great neighbors and a built-in community with very friendly people and a great variety of clubs / activities in which to participate. I joined a walking/hiking group, started riding my bike again, section hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in WA in 5 years, joined some committees and generally had a much more rewarding social life. I found that living closer to neighbors to be very pleasant. The reason(s) we moved to a CCRC is my wife is 82 (I'm a bit younger) and she was starting to reduce her gardening activities and increase her physical ailments. We moved to the CCRC in Issaquah, WA and it is also a very nice, but different type of living arrangement. The buy-in and rent are quite expensive, but it is a form of long-term care insurance, and you have to be healthy when you move in, or you can't take advantage of the health benefits for x additional years.

 

[Happyras]

I can't comment on questions 1,2 and 3. However, I lived in the community you're considering for 9 years after living in a series of houses with acreage and I loved it -... generally had a much more rewarding social life. I found that living closer to neighbors to be very pleasant. ,,,,

Thanks for your feedback, I fear a small property and unknown neighbor issues could be miserable. But....social life and Family is important to us. We are known to have many fun parties, but the friends we have are not so close now.

Not ready, nor I hope we will ever be ready for the Providence Point style community. I would rather build a compound on my own property for the family. I had a meeting today with very long term friend, a bit younger, who has a RE company and several contacts with developers. He is now working on pairing me with an appropriate developer/builder to explorer some options. I will keep everyone posted, as this might be my favored plan. Or I might go ahead with the development plan AND buy into the 55+ up the road. The subdivision could be fairly profitable and provide options for our kids.

 

[skyking1]

My opinion is the jump to tighter lots and closer neighbors would be tough. As much as we like the idea of the social aspects, we are used to a little elbow room. I saw nothing in your post that has any serious urgency to it. Let us know how your development idea goes.

 

[Happyras]

My opinion is the jump to tighter lots and closer neighbors would be tough. As much as we like the idea of the social aspects, we are used to a little elbow room. I saw nothing in your post that has any serious urgency to it. Let us know how your development idea goes.

Yup, I know what you mean. My worst living experiences were living in an apartment while building a house, or a condo. Could not wait to get back some space. Tough to change how we like to live at any age. My buddy came over today and said why would you ever give this up.

 

[skyking1]

I think your friend is right, and you don't need to turn your life upside down for the kids. If your development idea works for you, pursue it.

 

[ychuck46]

We looked at various 55+ communities. Many turned me off for one reason or another, either grossly inflated home prices, the fact that you "leased" the land your home sat on (run like the wind), or the fact they were huge places trying to catch up to The Villages (shoot me now). We currently have a 5K sq ft home on 7 acres and while both are a lot for me to take care of at 70, it is a one story all brick home. We don't deal with any steps, a foresight we had when we moved into it almost 14 years ago.

My suggestion is not to make your decision strictly on the whims of your kids. Their lives could change at the drop of a hat due to work, remarriages, etc, and you might find yourselves far removed from them. Do what is best for you and your wife, particularly since you have done so much for your kids already.

 

[Lisa99]

I lived in the largest retirement community in the US for 4 years. We moved there at the ages of 55 (me) and 51 (my ex).

First year was novel. Always something to do; lots of sun, fun, exercise and play. By year 2, ex wanted to party every single day. Bars, karaoke, square for music every night. The monthly alcohol tab was astronomical and while we could afford it, I disliked it.

The atmosphere highlighted how different we were and how different our life goals were. During his partying he found a younger model who also loves to party.

Fast forward to today. Divorced 3 years, living in a completely different state and happier than I've ever been so it all worked out for the best.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Based on input from locals, Del Webb 55+ communities are better than others.

 

[Happyras]

Based on input from locals, Del Webb 55+ communities are better than others.

I had Sushi with some folks who lived in Dell Web near La Quinta. They said folks were dying to leave there....

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I had Sushi with some folks who lived in Dell Web near La Quinta. They said folks were dying to leave there....

Exactly! they must like it there then.

 

[Gotadimple]

Thanks for your feedback, I fear a small property and unknown neighbor issues could be miserable.

Not ready, nor I hope we will ever be ready for the Providence Point style community. I would rather build a compound on my own property for the family.

The subdivision could be fairly profitable and provide options for our kids.

Living on the eastside of Seattle, I don't see the relative difference between the 55+ community you are looking at in Redmond and Providence Point in Issaquah. One are homes, the other are condominiums. But you also exploring what your current property can do to provide for your children.

Both communities are 55+ (and I've visited both and have friends in both), both have club houses, amenities and activities if you choose to participate. One has a golf course that requires separate membership (or you can just buy a home in Sahalee or Snoqualmie Ridge to get PGA level courses and be done with it).

The Redmond property has over 1500 homes, and a single HOA, the Issaquah property is 7 villages with a little more than 1000 condominium homes, and different HOAs for each village. So as whole there are different finances - and in different states of maintenance. HOA dues are very low in Redmond, and extremely high in Issaquah - a function of how they are managed and financed. Issaquah has been a community since the mid-80's, Redmond not so long ago.

If you need assisted living, you won't find it in either of these communities. Same with skilled nursing care - you need to relocate. That said, you don't need a CCRC if you feel your finances would support in home care when you will need it. Another decision!

Good luck with your continuing research.

 

[doneat54]

No way.
Not me.

 

[Happyras]

I liked the move "55 and Older" about the young couple posing as older to live in the 55+, that is my impression of what it might be like there.
MOVIE INFO
Disguised as retirees, a young couple hopes to save money on rent by moving into a 55-and-over community.

Content collapsed.
Genre: Comedy

Original Language: English

Director: Kevin Armstrong

Producer: Kevin Armstrong

Writer: Kevin Armstrong

Release Date (Theaters): Aug 8, 2013 Original

Release Date (Streaming): Dec 21, 2016

Runtime: 1h 38m

Production Co: Armstrong Filmworks

 

[Wile E. Coyote]

I liked the move "55 and Older" about the young couple posing as older to live in the 55+, that is my impression of what it might be like there.
MOVIE INFO
Disguised as retirees, a young couple hopes to save money on rent by moving into a 55-and-over community.

Content collapsed.
Genre: Comedy

Original Language: English

Director: Kevin Armstrong

Producer: Kevin Armstrong

Writer: Kevin Armstrong

Release Date (Theaters): Aug 8, 2013 Original

Release Date (Streaming): Dec 21, 2016

Runtime: 1h 38m

Production Co: Armstrong Filmworks

I looked at some 55+ condos in 2017 when I was 55ish because they were cheaper and better managed than elsewhere and I wanted to imagine downsizing (still haven't done that). The realtors just told me I was too young. I guess those communities trend a lot older for the most part (mid-70's to start).

They are no longer a bargain in this area.

I like my own neighborhood with it's mix of young and old.

 

[pb4uski]

Our condominium neighborhood in Florida is not 55+, but other than kids of current residents I can't think of anyone under 55... no families in the neighborhood though a couple have rented for short periods of time. We had a young family rent next to us for a few months while they were waiting for their house to be completed and it was a joy to hear young kids playing on the lawn.

We are currently renting a single family home in a Del Webb 55+ community in Texas and are planning to buy a house and move here. Plenty to do. As I type this DW is at a fabric and fiber meeting (DW is an avid quilter). We both golf and there are 3 active golf course within 3 miles as the crow flies. Yesterday I golfed and there were 134 participants and tee times were every 8 minutes from 7:30 am to 12:02 pm.

 

[folly]

Did you every live in the dorm at college? In an big old house with roommates? Well retirement communities seem to be a bit like them. It is fun at first but gets old after a while. My mother lived in a independent housing building that had a common dining room and bus. She loved it until she turned 90 and lost most of her vision. She moved to a small house on my brother's property. She never goes outside. Her vision problems cause her to have anxiety about leaving the house. Then my brother passed. She is still there with his widow in the big house. My point is to look around. Just moving to a 55+ community may not work when you are 70, 80, 90. Sounds like a new development so everyone with probably get old together. How's that going to be when the whole street is 90? Just think about it. On the other hand you have to start downsizing and cleaning up all those years of stuff that you no longer need. Moving is a great way to do that! I live in a resort/retirement town. I struggle with the high school type drama that I encounter. We got the showoffs, the drama queens, the loud, the bullies, etc. Where I am we have a huge shortage of working age people. I also own a couple of condos in a 62+ building as rental. Some of those people can be very difficult. Seems like when you put a group of old people together you get so many egos, too many chiefs!

 

[audreyh1]

In our 55+ neighborhood people usually have left by the time they reach their mid-to-late 80s or start encountering mobility problems. They usually move to be close to children or into an assisted living or some other facility.

We’re fairly isolated here in way south Texas and this is a predominantly winter second home type neighborhood, so I’m sure that drives it.

 

[Midpack]

Seems like a new 55+ community, made up of many early 60-something’s could be very nice for a decade or so. But I suspect it would become pretty grim 20-30 years later, ever driven around an old Del Webb community - looked very depressing to me. So as long as 55+ isn’t a forever home, might be a good option. DW and I looked at 55+ communities because we liked their ranch floorplans, but we deliberately chose a mixed gen neighborhood. I hang out with seniors plenty, I don’t want to compare health issues, revisit the good old days, argue brain dead partisan politics, or one up grandchildren stories 24/7 - that’s what I’d imagine socializing in 55+ communities becomes. YMMV

 

[audreyh1]

In our community people chat mostly about travel and travel plans in addition to latest neighborhood happenings.

It’s a second home neighborhood for most and has a lot of RV facilities so travelers dominate and people are always coming and going. Nothing grim here yet and new homes are still being built and new people still moving in. We also have pretty good turnover on existing homes and so more new people moving in. I can’t say that the community has aged overall. Many of the older folks we knew 10 years ago here moved away.

You really don’t know what people are going to talk about in any given community.

 

[Texas Proud]

Is there room to build a smaller home on the property with the amenities you want and let your daughter live in the larger home with the grandkids? Maybe no need to subdivide and they could rent it out after you’re gone.

This is what I was thinking.... plus another home for DD2 if she has a family similar to DD1...