Century Village Deerfield Beach vs. Century Village Boca Raton (sale, coupon)

[ndcairngorm]

During the summer there are of course less activities available than during the winter, but I was here this past summer (stuck here because of the pandemic and not able or wanting to fly) and so had an opportunity to see CVE in the off-season. It was lovely because not as many people about, but there were still all the exercise classes, most of which are drop-in, and there is a summer session of other paid classes. Movies continue during the summer; this summer they were in the party room because the theatre of course cannot be segregated into proper spacing for Covid. The Choraleers (choir) for example, did not meet, but they held zoom meetings. Most of the clubs are not meeting during t he summer, but the clubhouse is still busy, seemingly. Not this year, of course, because of the you-know-what, but normally I understand there are the card rooms, ping pong, spin (ugh) exercises and of course what I call the torture rooms where you can go and do your own thing on the machines - there are zillions of them. The outdoor and indoor pools in the clubhouse continue with aquacize (again, not this year) and all the satellite pools around the different buildings are as usual. So in short, I'd say, tennis, pickelball, shuffleboard, petanke, swimming, etc., are all as normal during the summer and carry on just as usual. Just not this year. The clubs are a different matter because if people aren't there then the membership can't really carry on. A few clubs might be around - Computer Club, several discussion groups, etc. The library would be open (again, just not this year). The art room is still there, even this year, for people to use, as are the woodworking, jewelry, stained glass, etc. Just severely restricted as to how many people can go in at a time.

The CVE bus still goes to the beach every Sunday, on the hour. Of course you can get the public bus to the beach any day of the week. It comes right into CVE and stops at the clubhouse. It's a dollar. The other shuttle buses go various places, on different days of the week - supermarket, mall, etc.

Hope this has been a bit helpful. Cheers.

[radiance09]

This was very helpful! Thank you! So you have to pay to join the clubs? I did not realize that. Also do you think high rises are more desirable than the two-story in case would need to sell down the line?

[Marble cake]

Originally Posted by radiance09

This was very helpful! Thank you! So you have to pay to join the clubs? I did not realize that. Also do you think high rises are more desirable than the two-story in case would need to sell down the line?

Just to clarify, you DO NOT have to pay to join the clubs. Sometimes they may ask for maybe 10 or 20 dollars at the beginning, or, lets say, chorealeers, I bought some things I needed for the club. In the art club you may need to purchase supplies that you would need for the club. But, in general, the clubs are available to all residence free of charge. The classes are different, though. They give classes on various topics. Those have a fee to take the class.

The High rises have a garbage disposal shoot on each floor. Easier to throw away your garbage. The two stories have to take it to a dumpster. Also not all the two story buildings have central air. It appears that the two units nearest the corner do. But the ones inside have a wall insert. But some of the 2 story all have central air if they have a space built into the building for the unit. Ive seen remodeled condos in the two story that are quite lovely. It just depends on the building. I'm not sure if the high rise is more desirable. Perhaps, since all the units in the high rise have central air conditioning and garbage shoots.

I believe either building would be sellable down the line. It all depends on how cared for the unit is. But not having central air in Florida might be a deterrent.

Good luck in whatever you decide to purchase. There is a real estate right in here and I'm quite sure they will more effectively answer any questions you might have about purchasing or eventually selling a unit.

[radiance09]

Thank you so much Marble Cake! I did not realize there were clubs and classes...thank you for letting me know. I am in the middle of a divorce (after a long-term marriage). How easy was it for you to meet friends? Is it cliquish? Thanks for any insight.

[Marble cake]

I already had family here. Also, I’m very active in my church and have formed good friends there. I work a little as well.

Making good friends takes time.

[ndcairngorm]

We didn't know a soul when we moved here. But we are a couple so it's different, of course. Moving as a permanent resident makes it much easier to make friends, because you are there year round and definitely get to know the few other people in your building or wherever, who also stay year round. We made friends in our building but got to know others through the clubs, classes, and other activities that we took part in.

Each club is different. Most do in fact have some sort of membership fee, because they have expenses. They may bring in speakers - that costs money - they may subsidize the trips that perhaps they organize, some have to rent facilities; in the case of the choir they have to pay a professional director and accompanist, and so on. In each case the fees run from $10/year to around $30/year. The classes run from $25 to $75, depending on the class. Art classes are usually more, discussion or book groups or whatever are the cheapest. The exercise classes are run by CVE and are free. I took a Smartphone 101 class a couple of years ago to learn all about smartphones, and it was the best bargain ever, no matter what it cost! (I think it was $40).

[radiance09]

ndcairngorm,

Thanks for sharing! That was really helpful! I guess my concern is that it will be like high school with cliques. Someone I know just moved to a 55+ retirement community in North Carolina and said that she was very disappointed. Do you think Century Village Deerfield is very cliquish? I don't mind meeting new people and as you say if you are there year around perhaps will be easier, but if the overall mindset is cliquish, that would bother me (too old for that stuff!) Thanks for any guidance.

[ndcairngorm]

I didn't really feel it was like "high school" or some other sort of summer camp or whatever. It just seemed like a place to live. People in the main do their own thing. We just happen to be lucky that there are so many activities from which to choose if you feel like it.

This complex is way too big to be cliquish. There are over 8,000 units. That alone makes it feel like a small village rather than a cliquish neighborhood. Like everywhere we have lived, you have to consciously decide to make friends - unless you just happen to get lucky and find your soulmate just next door. You either have to join something that interests you or end up next to the same person in exercise class, or pass them on the same walk every day, or if you are a religious person maybe you will make your friends there instead of within the complex. There is no norm here.

[radiance09]

Thank you again! That was truly helpful. Be well.

[SavannahMick]

So the original question of this thread was why there was a difference between Boca CV and WPB CV HOA Fees. If you look at the info on different condos for sale in Boca is shows an HOA of only $200+ while all of the other large communities have HOA over $400+?? Boca is also over $400+ but there is a reason why they only advertise the $200+ fee and there is a warning in this you should know!

Boca Raton Century Village owners and Master HOA (which represents the $200+ HOA fee advertised) does not own its own Recreational Facilities. The Club House, Pools, Parking lots and all of that is still owned by the developer and they can charge what ever they want. Many of the large Senior Communities made moves to buy out the Developer and do own their Recreation Facilities (as well as run them). HOA's run by the residents try hard to keep payments down but in situations like Boca you never know when a Developer will raise fees or fail to keep up the Clubhouse and pools. In Boca you are charged the Master HOA of say $230 and then you have a second HOA fee for the Recreation Facilities of like $230 (not sure what they are exactly but this is a solid example). There is a danger in buying into communities that do not own their own Rec areas!

In Kings Point/ Sun City Center for example they made moves to buy their Recreational Facilities to control prices years ago and to also make sure they are kept to certain standards. Years ago the Master HOA (owners) took out a loan to buy but that loan had some type of very large balloon payment due (maybe it was the balance?) in like 2023. This means that they will have to get a new loan to refinance before that becomes due -- not good as they are telegraphing they will be desperate! Not only have they been paying interest on that loan but all the owners now face a huge uncertainty on future monthly fees owed once they decide how to proceed!

Short of this is, find out who owns the Rec Facilities in the condo community you buy into, whether is being paid off or wholly owned, and also make sure you know what the amount of their Reserves are. In South Florida you better have your Condo Reserve fully funded in case of community storm damage. There have been storms that caused damage to buildings that the insurance does nor fix for 1-2 years and during that "down time" you are unable to live in your condo you are expected to pay HOA dues!

Finally, in many of these larger Senior Communities there are over 40 HOA's (that answer to the Master HOA) each in charge of several buildings. HOA officers volunteer their time, bless their hearts, but many seek to become officers out of boredom and a need for power. Before you close on a condo, see if you can hang out near the closest pool to get the scoop on your buildings HOA!

All this being said it is a great option for many people and you should enter with an open mind to meld to your new situation. If some are meddlesome, perhaps its good as they are keeping an eye on things -- for everyone of that personality there are many many more of live and let live seniors around.