Large Retirement Communities Set New Trends

New 2014 communities seem to be getting larger, setting new trends, and older ones have been expanding.  

Buyers have held off for so long during the economic depression.   But in the last 2 years buyers have started doing what they do best:  buying!   And happy builders have responded.

Large builders have large tracts of land on hold and now seems to be the right time for them.   Seniors are retiring at the rate of 10,000 per day.   New larger communities are designed to meet the demand. 

Recently some large communities  are selling out as fast as they go up.   Why is that.

Smarter Marketing Plans Help Make Developers More Successful

Marketing techniques by developers are new and more creative and encourage buyers to become involved in the planning stages.          

New Trends at Large and Small Retirement Communities

Times and markets change.  Since the early 60's we've seen retirement communities come on the scene with the following characteristics:  amenity-rich, large, gated, social.   While these classic features remain, there is a new fresh look emerging.

Both small and large communities need to go with the new trends to keep inspiring new baby boomers.  What are they:

Healthful Offerings:

• More social amenities and activities with an on-site Activities Director - Buyers are also becoming more particular.  They don't want to move unless a community can offer them something unique or spectacular.

• Extending longevity with Education and Recreational activities such as Lifelong Learning and EngAGE programs.

• More socially conscious activities and volunteering opportunities.

Practical: 

• Gated entrances or an organization that encourages looking  out for each other.

• Everything you need on the campus or within walking distance, i.e. grocery stores.

• Communities near transportation to employment centers and/or shuttle bus.

 Upscale living but comfortable:

Lake Pool

• Traditional comforts such as restaurants serving classic food, fishing lakes, Bingo.

• More exotic educational and recreational pursuits -- more yoga, tai chi, spas and massage.   Discussion groups on esoteric topics.  Trendy clubs like cooking classes.

• I would see things trending in the direction of clean design with upscale modern finishes without being too extravagant.  Upgrade if you are appearing out-of-touch or old fashioned. 

Large Communities set the new trends best:

Large communities have the ability to offer some of the following:

1)  Community calendar
2)  On-site Social Director
3)  Newspaper that has club columns
4)  Website that lists activities
5)  Medium to large sized - size is not a determining factor but the #of activities is
6)  Phone recording updating activities for the day
7)  TV channel

Smaller communities that update and offer these same amenities will compete better.  Many smaller builders are still struggling.   It is difficult for them to compete unless they offer something unique and appealing. 

New   over 55 communities--all large and filled with amenities, and selling quickly from large builders:

Photo by Standard Pacific featuring casita

Gavilan at Rancho Mission Viejo - 4 neighborhoods by Shea Homes, Del Webb and Standard Pacific.  They have already nearly sold out.  They describe themselves as relaxing, low maintenance. Yet there are activities galore.
South Orange County, California

Photo by Artists Colony

Burbank Senior Artists Colony  - 10747 Magnolia Blvd No. Hollywood, Ca.  - The original Arts Colony by Meta Housing.  There are now 3 Arts Colonies.  They researched aging and found that seniors wanted to be with like-minded and active in the arts.  This is an arts focused community with on-site theater, clubhouse, art studios.  Lifelong learning, writing classes, poetry workshops, computer, performance choir, fitness and wellness.  Programs provided by EngAGE.  



Jubilee at Los Lunas - 640 Promenade Trail SW, Los Lunas 505-866-1777, New Mexico - 20 minutes to Albuquerque - priced from upper $100's.   Planned 2000 homes

Upcoming large communities:

Photo by Del Webb

Del Webb Lakewood Ranch - Florida - Proposed 1300+ homes (verify) - late 2015






Trilogy Lake Norman - Denver, NC, North of Charlotte, North Carolina - 600+ acres - Resort amenities

Trilogy Lake Frederick

Trilogy Lake Frederick - Shenandoah Valley, Virginia - Proposed 900+ homes for 55+ - Just opened in 2014



Victory at Verrado - Buckeye, Arizona - An over 55 district in the all ages Verrado Community - 4 builders - Planned 3500 homes on 1200 acres - sign up now for grand opening.

Encore at Eastmark - Mesa, Arizona - AV Homes - 55 community Planned 950 homes in the all ages Eastmark master community on 3500 acres.  Coming early 2015.

This just in:  Parkland Royale - Parkland, Fl - The Sun Sentinel of Broward just reported (Dec 2014) over 700 single homes planned for Broward County in Parkland near Coral Springs, Florida - There is no timeframe released but prices may start in $500,000's.  We have to wait for more information to come out.  K Hovnanian Builders development.


Older communities: 

These can compete well if they are on track with these same new trends.   Some of those are:

Some older communities have had time to solidify and run a good ship of activities and they are ahead of the competition because they are updating. 

• Leisure World of Maryland

Leisure World has all of the signs in the list above.  Recently they remodeled one of their clubhouses with a more updated look.  They are constantly improving their landscaping, restaurants, amenity offerings and more.

They consistently have younger people moving in to energize all the activities, but because it started in the 60's, there are mature and elderly as well.  Age doesn't matter.   They have over 80 clubs and organizations.

Invented by Ross Cortese to be amenity-rich.  What an idea!  A real pioneer.  There are several Leisure World communities throughout the U.S.  See our review of Leisure World Md.

• Sun City Hilton Head, Bluffton, South Carolina

 One of the most active Del Webb communities - over 100 clubs and activities - 14,000 residents - All Sun City communities are large and there are several throughout the U.S.  They started about the same time as the Leisure World communities.   Del Webb was another pioneer of large communities.   The original Sun City is in Phoenix Arizona.

• The Villages - 1000 Lake Sumpter Landing, The Villages, Florida

By Village of Lake Sumpter - This is a popular and well known large community brand in Florida that is continuing expansion and new homes.

Smaller Builders

Smaller builders and communities will always be represented, especially if they offer these additional features to the ones above:

• Upscale and custom design features, i.e. solar, unique materials, custom floor plans etc.
• Highly competitive pricing or Upend pricing due to uniqueness, superior location or amenities, gated and social director.   
• Personal Service
• Appealing to a niche buyer with unique features

You, the baby boomer buyer, want more and you can find the activity you want at a large community.  The future looks bright for retirement communities.


Authority: Carol Fena, a former Realtor,  has been writing about and observing retirement communities of all kinds for 8 years for her website Bestguide-RetirementCommunities.com.   She has a good perspective on their future because she has seen where they have been and what they are like today.  Top Photo by GL Homes Valencia Cove.

Top Seasonal Rentals at Florida Retirement Communities

Knowing where the seasonal rentals are can be a big help for those wanting to get away in winter to a warmer climate.

A seasonal rental at a retirement community is different from a vacation rental.  There aren't as many of them and you need to reserve early before the season starts.  You also need to know the days you want to stay when you call.

September is about the last chance to get a seasonal rental at retirement communities.  If you missed out this year, keep this information handy for next year.

Seasonal rentals are structured to be easy for snowbirds to get away.   That is why most are fully furnished and there is no minimum lease term.

Seasonal rentals at retirement communities offer you more than a vacation condo as there are services that appeal to seniors such as transportation, meals, and social activities.  Some offer assisted living options for those needing those services.

In most cases, all you need is your food and clothes.

(verify all information)

Seminole, Florida:

Seminole Gardens  

Location:  8275 113th St. N, Seminole, Fl 

Contact: 727-397-2534

Minimum Seasonal Lease:  3 Months

Seasonal Rent:   1 Bedroom:  $1220.80

                              2 Bedroom:  $1450.40

Availability: Currently renting from Wait List

Website:  myseminolegardens.com

Description: Co-op condos that have rentals listed on their website.  No pets. No smoking. Currently has a wait list.

St. Petersburg, Florida:

Carleton Arms Apts of St. Petersburg    

Location:  6699 31st Way South, St Petersburg, FL 

Contact:   877-385-9575

Minimal Seasonal Lease: None (Season starts Dec. 1 thru April)

Seasonal Rent:   Studios: $1600

                             1 bedroom $1800

                             2 bedroom $2000

Availability:  Will know availability at end of September what rentals are available.  

Website:  carletonarmsofstpetersburg.com

Description:  12-15 Minutes to beaches - On Tampa Bay with boat dock. 

Sarasota, Florida:

Alderman Oaks

Location: 727 Hudson Ave., Sarasota  

Contact: 941-955-9099 

Minimum Seasonal Lease Term:  None

Seasonal Rent:  1 Bedroom  $3000+ includes 1 main meal, hskpg, utilities, cable and more

Availability:  Call

Website:  aldermanoaks.com

Description:  Downtown Sarasota near YMCA and Senior Friendship Center.

Miami Beach, Florida:

Imperial Club

Location:  Aventura off Biscayne Blvd.

Contact:    305-935-1801 (ask for Spring)

Minimal Seasonal Lease Term:  None

Seasonal Rent:  $3000 for 1 person; $3900 for 2

Availability:  Call asap - filling up fast - after September probably nothing available

Website:   imperial-living.com 

Description:  Includes 3 meals, housekeeping, utilities

Pembroke Pines, Florida:

Hollybrook Golf and Tennis Club

Location:  9050 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines

Contact:    954-431-6600

Minimal Seasonal Lease Term: Dec-April

Seasonal Rent:   $900-$1600/mo

Availability:  Call asap - listings on website

Website:  hollybrook.net

Description:  Season starts December thru April.  Gated community with two golf courses, pool and activities.  Beach, restaurants, boating.    

Further Option:

Many apartment communities may be willing to do a short-term rental if you are willing to obtain your own furnishings and if they have the availability.   Check about a month or two before you would like to go.  See our Senior Apartments page.

A New List of Top Retirement Communities

I posted last year about a top retirement communities list by John Burns Real Estate, a respected real estate consulting firm.  The post was so popular that I decided I should followup to see if they put out a new most recent list for 2013 (this being 2014 there is no list for this year as yet)--and they did! 

If you read that post you know it was a list of 50 of the top performing master communities in the U.S. 

Out of the 50, I chose only the over 55 (age-restricted) communities to highlight.  I wanted to see how many of our communities (ones listed on our website) were on the list.

I was eager to see the differences from the previous year's list.  There were very few.  So check the post from last year to see the complete list.

The highlights I noted on the recent list (2013) from the previous list (2012) are as follows: 

1) The Villages community in Florida was still #1 and selling is hot!

2) New 55 communities added to the list was small:  only one!  2013 was a great year for over 55 communities--highest sales in years--but still there were not a lot of new ones on this list, but the ones on last year's list were still there and selling very well. 

The only new community listed for over 55 this year's list: 

Rancho Mission Viejo

Rancho Mission Viejo in Southern California was added to this year's list, and most notably Del Webb's community which is already SOLD OUT.    Talk about hot!

One other community good for retirement that was new on the list, but not an over 55 community, was:

 Lakewood Ranch in Sarasota, Florida. 

 This community is appealing to seniors.

3) A notable mention is that Del Webb's Nocatee in Ponte Vedra, Florida is hot!  Selling fast.  This is located near Jacksonville--a very popular area now--employment centers and development!

4) The following communities on our previous years list all made large gains in sales on this year's list:

1. The Villages  in Florida
2. Nocatee  in Ponte Vedra
3. Summerlin in Sarasota, Fl
4. Valencia Reserve in Boynton Beach, Fl
5. Cane Bay  in Charleston, SC
6. The Meadows in Castlerock, Colorado
7. Terra Vista  in Austin, Texas
8. Verrado (stayed the same) in Buckeye, Arizona

5)  All communities I listed on the previous years list (2012) were still on the new list for 2013, but not all made the large gains the above listed communities did (please note that gains in sales may diminish if the community is near sell-out).


Reference:

My Previous Years Post and List

John Burns List

Views of Incredible Lancaster County Pennsylvania and Amish Tour

I hope you enjoy these photos I took on a recent "side trip" to Lancaster County.  We visited the towns of Lancaster, Bird-in-Hand (where we stayed),  Lititz and Ephrata.

I wanted to get the latest info on the retirement communities of "Lititz" by Traditions of America and "Home Towne Square" by Landmark Homes.  Both communities have beautiful homes in the scenic Lancaster countryside.  Read more about them on my website.  Now on to our Lancaster Tour of the Amish countryside.

Noise and Air Pollution Effects on Seniors

                                           Over 55 Community

Ongoing studies show a correlation between noise pollution and the health of older persons. We have always suspected that air and noise pollution are not good for people as they age and these studies are showing this to be true.      

Blood Pressure Increases for Those Over 65 Exposed to Noise

In one study it was found that high noise levels raise blood pressure on those over 65.  On younger people the effects are negligible in this study.

Noise negatively affected blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and caused more heart attacks and stroke in persons living in high traffic areas. However, in some cases it was not determined if it was the noise or the air pollution caused by traffic.

Some of the noises studied were air traffic, road traffic noise, hospital noise levels, and restaurant noise.

In one particularly interesting study the conclusion was that residential traffic noise was associated with a higher incidence of stroke in people over 64.5 years but not in younger people.*

  *From the European Heart Journal content on noise studies and its effects on heart health.

Over 55 Communities Can Be a Refuge from Noise

There is one place that you can go to get a quieter environment. That place is an over 55 community.  This is the prime reason I like them. I have always liked quiet but now as I age I am finding it a more and more desirable element for retirement. 

These types of communities:

• Have rules and restrictions to protect you 
• Have very few children or teenagers around  
• Have residents that are slower, take more naps, and require more rest

These features overall encourage a more quiet and restful environment.    

You have to know yourself to determine the level of quiet that is right for you.

If you must work in the city--don't live in the city

            See Portland, Maine article on my website

Urban Communities

The opposite of a quiet area would be an urban community with surrounding city noises such as street traffic, loud people and music, sirens and noisy garbage trucks. These communities are very popular now especially since people are living and working longer.  However, if you are worried about stroke or heart attacks, these health studies indicate you may wish to find a quieter environment. 

There are communities located in rural or suburban areas around cities but out of the congestion and noise.  The newer ones are usually located around transportation hubs for an easier commute to jobs in the city.

Avoid:

•  Buying in Locations Near Noise

Even in a quiet residential community if your home is on the busiest road there, you may want to re-think that choice.

In a country community you could get some noise pollution from air traffic overhead if you live near an airport (another study was ongoing for this with a correlation between airplane noise and heart health.)

There are headphones you can wear to deaden noise. I tried out a pair of those on a recent airplane flight and it did make a difference in noise level.  

Some studies aren't sure if the bad effects are due to noise or the air pollution created.

• Noise In Other Situations

I find myself now going to restaurants at their more quiet times (choose 2:30PM right before the luncheon special is over) or shopping early in the morning when no one else is around and staying away during high traffic times.  It is just more peaceful that way.  Now I suspect it really does affect my physiological well being.

• Noises at Night

Loud levels of noise are especially harmful at night because they affect sleep.  Stop by a potential property at night to make sure it is quiet.  If you work in a noisy environment, you may not want to live in one.  Living away from a large city you will have some periods of quiet at night and on weekends. 

Find a Quiet Place to Live 

Take a good look at your prospective retirement home and decide if the air and noises around you will be helpful or harmful to your health.

These studies seem to suggest finding a quiet place to live would be recommended in your golden years.

Travel--It's A Super De-Stressor

This Thanksgiving I visited my daughter in California. We booked a stay in a luxury hotel, the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, with an ocean-front room.

I was determined to have a healthy, relaxing, healing vacation.

 One needs to indulge oneself occasionally.  And what a treat it was.

Days go by when I am working on my website non-stop writing about communities and places, but I have to admit writing takes its toll on the body. The eyes get a little red and tired. Sitting for long periods disrupts the circulation and breathing. It is my passion, but wish it could be a little less stressful. I need breaks and travel to relieve stress and tension that can affect how one looks and feels.

Even if you live in a place that is naturally relaxing, which is what I recommend on my website for retirement, a temporary change of environment can be good for you.
Travel is a super de-stressor. See what I mean:

Day 1 - Arrival and an immediate booking at Tao Healing Arts Center for an amazing deep tissue massage with Neti.

Day 2 - Breakfast at the hotel. Banana pancakes for him and a 3-egg mushroom, onion and red pepper omelet for me. Feeling better already.

Dinner at Dr. Andrew Weil's True Food Kitchen in Santa Monica that night. The curry bowl is super healthy and delicious. All recipes follow Dr Weil's anti-inflammatory diet. The food is very healthy. This is the way to eat on a healthy, healing vacation. The atmosphere was eclectically satisfying. I wish I had remembered to get a photo.

Day 3 - Breakfast at LePain.  Enjoying the ocean views and sunsets from my room and my daughter and son-in-law's apartment. Calming.

She brought up a website that offered free meditations. I nearly fell asleep listening to it.

 She profoundly loves healthy food.

 We were constantly showered with the fresh fruits and veggies, dips and snacks from where else: the Santa Monica Farmer's Market. Farmers markets are not just for food. They are relaxing and fun and therapy to me, and the one in Santa Monica is huge.

Photo shows snack of tangerines, persimmon, kiwi, candied walnuts, and blueberries.

Doing this the day before Thanksgiving was a special treat since the vendors really outdid themselves with their display of goods. Heaps of goodness everywhere.

Day 4 - Rented a bike to ride along the Santa Monica bike trail which goes right beside the ocean. If this isn't enough to inspire one to exercise, I don't know what it is. Bikers, skaters, walkers etc. were all out moving and breathing the fresh air.

 Take a deep breath. This is the Pacific Ocean clearing out your lungs and filling it with the sea's best air. Dinner that night was in to enjoy the produce we had bought that day.

Day 5 - First, a dip in the outdoor Jacuzzi by the Sea. Completely relaxed we went up to our room and took a long nap. Feels good to stay under the cool silky sheets and sleep. Dinner is Mexican at Border Grill. You must have Mexican food when in California. Again lots of herbs, spices and fresh veggies. I got a photo of my Chile Relleno (I am a vegetarian)

but wish I had gotten some of the restaurant. The walls were a beautiful warm sunset color. In LA everywhere, one feels part of an artistic setting.

Day 6 - An enjoyable breakfast at the hotel.  Just lazing at the ocean in a sand chair, experiencing the breeze. We had fine weather. It was sunny every day. As the day came to an end, the sunsets were full of color. It certainly helped that my daughter was playing soft classical music as the sun melted into the horizon. At night, the air was crisp but not chill. Walking at night along the beachwalk, the sound of the surf and twinkling bright stars carves an indelible streak in your mind and senses calming every fiber of your body. Ahhh

More sunsets...

Day 7 - More massage...
This time at the hotel's spa.

The Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel has everything one could want for a luxury vacation, and their Spa is unquestionably excellent. A "Deep Ocean" massage with Denise (I actually fell asleep) followed by a facial with Nicole. Nicole said my skin was now clean and hydrated. I purchased a Travel Kit which gave a sampling of skin cleansing and moisturizing products and I vowed to treat my facial skin better than before.

Thanksgiving with my daughter and her husband. She is a vegan, so her dinner consisted of Field Roast's Celebration loaf (because we love it and it's easy), a delicious chestnut stuffing, orange glazed sweet potatoes, baked red carrots and sweet oranges, cranberry and apple sauce, sweet potato and hummus pita pockets, and of course vegan pumpkin pie with whip cream and a mini-scoop of real vanilla ice-cream (Coconut Bliss by Lara and Luna.)

Day 8 When the day came to check out of our hotel, we were rested, happy and felt fabulous. This proves my theory that travel is de-stressing and in my opinion anti-aging.

Every day a new sunset.  Enjoy the holiday season with travel.

Back to Comfortville: The Over 55 Community Lifestyle

There's a fine line between the intergenerational communities, whatever kind, and the over 55 communities, that when you cross it, you are happier.

My husband and I began enjoying the lifestyle of an over 55 community ten years ago and still do today. If I moved again I would prefer this type of community. But that's me. I want to tell this story to help you better understand what type of community is for you.

Two years ago my daughter and her husband moved to another state on an assignment, and they asked my husband and I if we would like to move into their condo while they were gone. We jumped at the chance.

Her condo is in an urban environment and the majority of the population is in their 30's. They are also young professionals with lots of discretionary spending money.

This type of area attracts entertainment, restaurants and services of all kinds.

Our 55 condo is in a suburban setting. So the temporary move into her condo would be like night and day.

Benefits of the move:

• A change of scene would be nice
• Try out the urban lifestyle
• Be around younger people
• Easier shopping
• Huge number of restaurant choices and all walkable
• Every convenience nearby
• Bookstores and coffee shops
• Cutting edge clothes and furniture stores
• Stimulating

We very much enjoyed our time there (nearly 2 years). Everything literally was walkable. We shopped, we went out to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, and usually at a different restaurant every night. We enjoyed fine dining and sophisticated stores that were not walkable near our suburban 55 community.

We occasionally went back and spent a day or two at our 55 community to catch up on mail, etc. But we always looked forward to going back to the urban environment. It wasn't sleepy like our 55 village.

But after thoroughly enjoying this environment for 2 years, things began to change. My husband's health was becoming an issue. He could no longer walk the mile to the farmer's market, stopping for coffee along the way, on a Saturday morning that we so much enjoyed.

He began to get out of breath. Then one sunny afternoon he tripped on the sidewalk. A much younger couple rushed over to help. He was ok but shaken up and somewhat embarrassed. I was upset and concerned. We bought his first cane which he uses more and more to this day. But it also made him feel more conspicuous in the younger environment.

The urban environment that we were enjoying so much was becoming less available as we could not get around like before. We loved the young people, but they were becoming more obviously accommodating to our ages by opening doors, letting us go first in lines and other things one would do for the "elderly." I began to feel uncomfortable.

We began going back to our over 55 community more often. We realized we got more rest there than in the midst of the constant noise created by trucks, cars, and people in the city. It was darker at night, quieter all day, and many seemed to be having the same challenges that my husband did. Some people had canes (although most did not). Seniors were trying to stay fit (were still very active). Some were in wheelchairs, and no one noticed because it wasn't that unusual. We were all in the same boat, and I found that incredibly comforting.

The young faces, the squealing kids, and hot singles out for a good time, were all gone.

I am still, knock on wood, feeling very young and fit, but my husband has some health issues. It was becoming too hard for him to keep up with young people just starting their work lives.

After the past 2 years of an "exciting" lifestyle, we have moved back to "comfortville," our over 55 community. We still had with us our more chic clothing, our more discriminating dining palate, and our tons of books from B&N that was once just a block away. Sure we miss it. Living there was a gift that we truly appreciate, and we have our amazing memories, but we can't go back. That was a time we will always remember, but we are happier now.

A New Appreciation for the Benefits of an Over 55 Lifestyle Community

This is something we didn't expect to gain from our experience: We now enjoy our over 55 community more. We appreciate it more. We don't take it for granted anymore. We see all the advantages and benefits more clearly.

The urban lifestyle we enjoyed taught us to look around and broaden our span of attention thus we began finding some rather interesting restaurants right in the area of our community. We have to drive to them, but that is preferable now. (Our recent acquisition of GPS is very helpful in this regard.)

Our urban lifestyle taught us to reach out beyond the borders of our 55 community for more excitement, but at the end of the day, the quiet peacefulness and serenity of our over 55 refuge wins hands down.