Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
One more item on +55 communities…..lots of ambulance runs.
I seldom see or hear ambulances in our 55+ community. I saw and heard a LOT more ambulances and emergency vehicles when I lived in a small city years ago.
Ours is a new community, just a few years old, and still in construction. Eventually, about 600 homes. Most current residents are professional, white, married, and retired, averaging late 60s to early 70s with outliers. We have a good sprinkling of Hispanic, Asian, single, and LGBTQ residents, but I'm not aware of any Black residents so far. The vast majority are from California.
Future plans and if they have the money. Is there debt?
Payroll. How large is the staff. We have over 400 employees. Competitive pay or constant turnover. Turnover is expensive.
Comparisons to other 55+ communities. How much they pay in fees and what they offer compared to the one you are considering. When I moved here it was $430 a year, now $525. Not too bad.
If there is golf, see if it is self-supporting.
Thank you @thinkalot & @moguldreamer, very helpful.
Supplemental question, do some of these considerations (like debt, etc.) apply mostly to older (than 5 years) properties, and not so much to the new ones?
Ours is a new community, just a few years old, and still in construction. Eventually, about 600 homes. Most current residents are professional, white, married, and retired, averaging late 60s to early 70s with outliers. We have a good sprinkling of Hispanic, Asian, single, and LGBTQ residents, but I'm not aware of any Black residents so far. The vast majority are from California.
@TaoistDude - are you able to share the name of the community? Or at least the state/city? This sounds like a good and diverse mix. Thank you!
Thank you @thinkalot & @moguldreamer, very helpful.
Supplemental question, do some of these considerations (like debt, etc.) apply mostly to older (than 5 years) properties, and not so much to the new ones?
The newer they are the deeper you have to check. See if everything that was promised was built and paid for.
Many places promise things and they never happen.
In mine, the original 55+, Del Webb built a Rec Center and a golf course before any homes, other than a few models. The buyers knew they were going to have them. They saw them, not a sign that said future home of golf course.
Thank you @thinkalot & @moguldreamer, very helpful.
Supplemental question, do some of these considerations (like debt, etc.) apply mostly to older (than 5 years) properties, and not so much to the new ones?
Some brand-new ones are purposefully underfunded as well. For example, the developer may say the gate is expected to last 30 years and hence they fund the reserve just a tiny bit, even though everyone knows the gate will last at most 10 years and hence the developer ought to have kicked in more $$$ up front.
Good Lord deliver me from any "planned community" with an HOA. I'll stay on rural acreages thank you very much!
I like being out here where whatever my nearest neighbors do, I'm not worried about it, they are far enough away from me that I can afford to not care.
Many localities have some sort of tax relief for seniors, usually this involves reduction or elimination of that part of the property tax that goes to the local schools, where any kids in the house, if there were any, would go. This varies a lot from state to state and location to location.
One thing to check on in a newer community is what criteria is used to determine when the developer will give control of the HOA to the property owners. I live in a non-age restricted community which currently has about 200 developed lots but with plans for probably 750 total. The homeowners don’t take over the HOA until 95% of the lots are sold and built on, which will be years down the road. In the meantime we are at the mercy of the developer.
Hi nrgs, if you’re looking for a great retirement community with amenities and services that cater towards older adults, I highly recommend you check out Seasons Retirement Communities https://seasonsretirement.com/transition-to-retirement/. They have retirement communities in several locations both in Alberta and Ontario.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
