Would you (or do you) live in a 55+ community? (divorce, divorced, long distance)
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.
If you want other activities, how about starting a few yourself? Might be a good way to meet other people in the park who are your age and are hiding away in their homes. I started a tai chi group. The first few times it was just me by myself, but after that others started joining and now we have 3-4 regulars. Put a sign up at the HOA office or in some spot everyone sees, and see what happens.
Yes, this might be a good idea. I'll have to see if the board agrees to this.
It took some adjusting our heads to get around living in an older 55 + community, actually the very first one built in the USA back in 1960 by Del Webb. Some of the residents are well into their 90's and there is a little creepiness to it, but we do enjoy the quiet, the larger yard, the very nice neighbors we do have, and all the clubs they offer. The pools are awesome and so is the new gym. We enjoy our new/old home that we took down to the studs and rebuilt with newer design products. Our taxes are lower here and so is the HOA. The people here do not care what kind of car you drive or how much money you have or don't have. No Jones family to keep up with. We play Led Zeppelin and they play Benny Goodman, hahahah.
I think Del Webb is a bit different in that it's more upscale and offers more and nicer amenities. I had a friend who lived in a Del Webb 55+ place in N. CA and they even had a nice restaurant inside the community. He paid $300 a month I think in HOA which seems steep. It seemed like the houses were pretty cookie cutter but that isn't unusual in CA (or even in AZ).
Misty: I do feel badly for you. I can imagine myself in your position and I would be VERY unhappy. If the realtor actually misrepresented the facts to you, you may have some recourse. I would explore this option and see if anything like compensation or return of money can be done. I would never ever move to a mobile home park, no matter what. If I were truly being harrassed by neighbors, and I know this does happen, I would move to a rental apt. for awhile and get some perspective before jumping in to another house. Much is dependent on your mindset and how you think about your present situation. There seems to be some good, along with the bad. If I could, I would try to be away from home as much as possible, and to start looking for somewhere else to live. Good luck to you.
I agree that they shouldn't have given you inaccurate info about the bus schedule. Good reminder that those are the type of things everyone should look up for themselves. It just takes a minute and can save you from a big mistake, as you've just shown us.
Again, while aggravating, this is not a matter of it being a 55+ community, per se. You're just as likely to encounter someone giving misleading information in an apartment building, or in a mobile home community for all ages, or anywhere you'd move. Realtors and sales people sometimes don't know if bus lines have been cancelled, and, of course, sometimes people say misleading things to make a sale.
Why not do your community a favor and see to it that bus schedules are available at the HOA office? Put a stack there that they can hand out.
If you really hate the place, maybe you can rent out your unit and find another place to live.
I ended up in one out of desperation and panic. It did not help that the realtor misled me. Had I read the newsletter in advance, I would not have moved here.
It has its positives. It's very quiet and a lot cheaper. However, the surrounding area is not good, even if this particular "park" is. I live in a place that is nice enough, but took a real hit in terms of the neighborhood and place itself. However, that meant more money in the bank. I've always lived in traditional houses and now live in a mobile home. You'd be surprised at how far they have come, but still. There is a stigma attached to it and I don't know that I'll ever get over that.
What bugs me the most is the fact I was not told the truth about the activities. I do not enjoy Lawrence Welk potlucks. I thought that people would be more like the person who suggested I move here. They aren't.
Anyway, each time I drive in and see the sign "senior park" I cringe. I don't even know that I'd feel comfortable inviting anyone over if for no other reason than that sign.
I'm not the type that would have even lived in a gated community, but now I do.
Anyway, would you move to one and, if you live in one, how do you feel?
Nope. Never. No 55+ and no gated community. However, I would consider moving to a trailer park if no reasonable alternative exists.
Misty: I do feel badly for you. I can imagine myself in your position and I would be VERY unhappy. If the realtor actually misrepresented the facts to you, you may have some recourse. I would explore this option and see if anything like compensation or return of money can be done. I would never ever move to a mobile home park, no matter what. If I were truly being harrassed by neighbors, and I know this does happen, I would move to a rental apt. for awhile and get some perspective before jumping in to another house. Much is dependent on your mindset and how you think about your present situation. There seems to be some good, along with the bad. If I could, I would try to be away from home as much as possible, and to start looking for somewhere else to live. Good luck to you.
Thanks and I totally agree with you and I wish I'd had someone like you to tell me this back then. It was my therapist who advised I pursue this. I am not blaming her, just stating the facts. I do wish she had advised I rent, even if it meant staying at one of those extended stay places for a month.
He *did* misrepresent the facts. He did the same thing when I gave him the listing to sell my house. He painted a rosy picture leading me to believe I'd get what I paid for it and then some. He WAY over priced it. Then his boss came into the picture and priced it at around $110K less than he did. I was devastated! This would have meant a loss to me of around $60K had I listened to his boss. So I ended the listing agreement and hired someone else. HOWEVER, due to the ongoing vandalism (highly unusual in that neighborhood and due to psycho neighbors) I kept having to make concessions and drop the price.
I'd always had my doubts about mobile homes (they do not appreciate) but I figured that nothing was going to appreciate anyway for a very long time so it made no difference. The whole process of looking for a place to rent seemed so daunting.
I don't know that there is anything I can do at this point. According to one web site I found, based on comps, I would stand to lose $80K if I walked away from this place!!! However, I think it more likely that I'd stand to lose $20 or $30K at this point. Just from when I bought it the price dropped about $60K in one month according to Zillow! I am NOT a rich person.
I am just going to hang in here and hope for the best. As to compensation, highly doubtful. He'd just say he never said that or that I must have misunderstood.
I agree that they shouldn't have given you inaccurate info about the bus schedule. Good reminder that those are the type of things everyone should look up for themselves. It just takes a minute and can save you from a big mistake, as you've just shown us.
Again, while aggravating, this is not a matter of it being a 55+ community, per se. You're just as likely to encounter someone giving misleading information in an apartment building, or in a mobile home community for all ages, or anywhere you'd move. Realtors and sales people sometimes don't know if bus lines have been cancelled, and, of course, sometimes people say misleading things to make a sale.
Why not do your community a favor and see to it that bus schedules are available at the HOA office? Put a stack there that they can hand out.
If you really hate the place, maybe you can rent out your unit and find another place to live.
This was not about bus schedules. This was him telling me that every two weeks a private bus took us to one of two towns of interest. This was about activities offered through this community.
They could have cut the service do to no interest or went out of business! Does the City have a Bus service? I know here my Apts are not on the route BUT for $1 more they will come & get those that want to use the service. & of course the Bus you come home on will drop you off.
I wouold think that like anyhting else one has to do their own inspection and research on any place you move to.I mean we hear all the time about people who vactio i a spot and later move there to find living there is quite different.Such things as private buses avilablity spoken of should be in writting or ikt can disappear in a instant .
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.
