Retirement Communities in CA: Tell me What's to Like/or Not Like (San Diego: condo)

[MeowMeowArfArf]

If anyone has looked around at retirement communities in California and has any information to share, I'd love to read all about it.

I'm starting my research, I'm ready to move, and actually have a little money to spend--up to 500K or so. I love this state--all of it--and so am not sure where to start.

What I do know that I want:

I want to own, not rent
Over 55 community
Condo or Mobile Home OK, as long as I own the lot
Some type of community center
Maybe an arts-and-crafts center
Near a town with some culture
Other people who are well-traveled
little traffic

What I don't need:

golf
gated community--not against it, but it's not a requirement
nursing care
don't want yard work
new construction--prefer previously owned


I don't want to hole up and retire with the Reader's Digest crowd--I'd go to Arizona if I wanted that. I'd like to be in a place where I can take an astronomy class, bird-watching, or join an intelligent book club or foreign-language conversation group. Right now I live in Santa Barbara, and it has all that, but sadly it's too expensive to buy here--and too rat-racy as well. I don't want to be around kids, but I like animals--domestic or wild.

I guess I'm in that stage of life where it seems the whole world has gone crazy, and I want to get away without really getting away. Does this exist? Any part of it?

I am 61, female, for the record.

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

Why not just buy somewhere affordable and then take your classes, etc., without buying into a 55+ community? Look at any college towns, such as Arcata.

[RosieSD]

Check out the Rancho Bernardo and San Marcos areas in Northern San Diego County. There are a number of "over 55" communities in both cities that are very nice and would offer what you're describing and you are close to "culture" and universities in San Diego proper. (This will give you a starter idea of what's available in those areas, but it's not all-inclusive of all of the retirement communities available: http://www.retirensdc.com/OaksNorth.htm).

But, I like NoMoreSnow's suggestion to consider just buying a condo outside of a "retirement" community, since you are young and don't need a golf course.

[nightlysparrow]

There are a number of 55+ condo developments in Thousand Oaks, which is not too far from where you are now. The city has decided to make seniors a priority in city planning, so better things on the way, too. There is a senior center next door to a great library, lots of cultural things to do, shuttle buses, annual art fairs, low crime, street traffic better than in SB, educated population, surrounded by nature, and not too far from LA and all it has to offer, if you desire.

[PeaceOwl]

I agree with Rosie, and San diego is pretty birdy. I would just simply choose the one that is close to the sanctuaries and wildlife areas. There are active birding clubs as well. You can google that.

If you are thinking California, there is also a new 55+ Shea Trilogy in Santa Maria that has good weather and near a lot of nature preserves.

I'm going through the same thing but further north to get closer to our grandaughter.

Try the yahoo birding groups in particular areas that you are interested in, they may have some ideas.