55+ Communities (to live, price, dangerous)

[elizamary]

Originally Posted by CMTAD

Here's my interpretation - and I could be wrong - so I'd suggest checking with Debbie to be sure:

I hope this helps but I also really recommend checking with Debbie just to be sure. Again, my interpretation could be incorrect and I wouldn't want to mislead you.

Charley

Then I suppose there will go our Social Security raise if this is true

Inflation is live and well

Thanks for taking the time to explain this Charley. I'm not good with the techenical stuff and you explain it well enough to understand.

[gore2008]

Originally Posted by CMTAD

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the forum and have read many of the posts. My wife and I are interested in some of the 55+ communities in Delaware and would love to hear from those currently living in the various communities. We have the same questions you probably had when you considered choosing your community. We'd like to know more about land lease, to know the real story about socialization within the 55+ communities (not what the website or the sales person says), the true costs of heating / maintaining /etc, for a house of around 1600 square feet, etc ... in essence, anything you can share will be helpful to us, and all others seeking the same information.

We were hoping that we could make a clean getaway from the Hudson Valley in New York for a nice 55+ community in Delaware. I do admit I'm a bit nervous having read some of the messages here, so hopefully, future posts will put some clarity into the issues related to the 55+ crowd.

Thanks in advance for the information you share.


Charley

You may want to consider Pennsylvania or New Jersey as well.

In Pennsylvania there are income tax breaks for most folks especially when compared to states with graduated rates such as Delaware on New jersey.

Granor Price Homes has a Bensalem Pennsylvania site the Villas at Chancellor's Glen and Gloucester County Villas at Broad Acres. I prefer the later for pricing starting below 200k, but the taxes are lower in PA.

Their homes feature single-level living with expansion possibilities, having a finished loft space that can be converted into an additional bedroom suite, as well as a full basement and attached single car garage. They are both right around the square footage you want. So in PA the price is just over $200 per saquare foot, and it $100,000 less in NJ.

Gloucester Township, Camden County, New Jersey, New Homes
The Villas at Broadacres is a 55+ Active Adult community in Gloucester Township, New Jersey. The community is near the Route 42 Expressway.

http://www.granorprice.com/communities/villasatbroadacres/

Three other big builders in the Area are KHOV (khov.com), Beazer Homes and Pulte Homes but their pricing per square foot are higher.

[Charley]

Thanks, Gore2008. I think as you read more of my posts, you'll see that I'm pretty decided on Delaware, with one last exception. I do want to pay a visit to State College Pennsylvania only because I've heard excellent things about the area as it relates to retirees.

[elizamary]

Originally Posted by gore2008

You may want to consider Pennsylvania or New Jersey as well.

In Pennsylvania there are income tax breaks for most folks especially when compared to states with graduated rates such as Delaware on New jersey.

Granor Price Homes has a Bensalem Pennsylvania site the Villas at Chancellor's Glen and Gloucester County Villas at Broad Acres. I prefer the later for pricing starting below 200k, but the taxes are lower in PA.

Their homes feature single-level living with expansion possibilities, having a finished loft space that can be converted into an additional bedroom suite, as well as a full basement and attached single car garage. They are both right around the square footage you want. So in PA the price is just over $200 per saquare foot, and it $100,000 less in NJ.

Gloucester Township, Camden County, New Jersey, New Homes
The Villas at Broadacres is a 55+ Active Adult community in Gloucester Township, New Jersey. The community is near the Route 42 Expressway.

http://www.granorprice.com/communities/villasatbroadacres/

Three other big builders in the Area are KHOV (khov.com), Beazer Homes and Pulte Homes but their pricing per square foot are higher.

Are you trying to sell a home?

[JoycieM]

Hi again, Charley! Just a quick note to tell you that State College is beautiful. My son went there for his undergrad degree. There are many activities associated with the college and a great artists' fair held every summer. I love it there but the last time I looked there weren't any communities that we could afford. Before you visit, let me know and I can give you some heads-up about where to go! Just don't plan on visiting during a homegame weekend!
Joycie

[Charley]

Thanks, Joycie,

It looks like the Village at Nittany Glen might be very much like Southern Meadows. Nittany Glen is built by the same builder as Springmill and Spring Arbor. There is also a community called Traditions at Liberty Hill, but I have not yet received cost info from them. It's "in the mail".

I plan to go out in December during the holiday week. I can't imagine that it will replace Delaware as my number one location ... but I've heard so many favorable things that it's worth taking a look.

Charley

[JoycieM]

Yes, very beautiful...but alas...no ocean!

Joycie..

[JoycieM]

Well, Charley, you piqued my interest so I got online and looked at the Village of Nittany Glenn. Since we aren't that far from State College ( about two hours ) we decided to visit there on Friday. Ron has off that day so we are going for a day trip. I am anxious to go since I haven't been in the area since my son graduated two years ago. I love the town, shops and artists' stores. I will report back later in the weekend. It seems as if this community is just getting started. The houses are within our range as well!

I still love so much about Delaware but the toxic waste stuff is a concern. I will have to do some more reading on it. Still...the ocean.....

Take care,
Joycie

[Charley]

Where I live in New York, they've been screaming about the toxic chemicals being sumped into the Hudson River for the last 30 years. While I am definitely NOT and NEVER WILL support a company who engages in the kind of activity, I'm not sure that it would be a reason for me to give up on Delaware. I do want to know a little more as we get closer to decision time.

I'll be very interested to hear your assessment of Nittany Glen. I guess you could put it in the 55+ Communities thread and we'll hope that folks won't be too upset to have a non-Delaware community in there.

Actually, they are built by the same builder that gave us Spring Arbor and Springmill in Middletown, so if you consider Nittany Glen an "example" of that builder's work, maybe having it in the 55+ thread wouldn't be considered too egregious.

I hope you have a great trip to "Happy Valley".

Charley

[elizamary]

[quote=CMTAD;1527282]Where I live in New York, they've been screaming about the toxic chemicals being sumped into the Hudson River for the last 30 years. While I am definitely NOT and NEVER WILL support a company who engages in the kind of activity, I'm not sure that it would be a reason for me to give up on Delaware. I do want to know a little more as we get closer to decision time.

I'll be very interested to hear your assessment of Nittany Glen. I guess you could put it in the 55+ Communities thread and we'll hope that folks won't be too upset to have a non-Delaware community in there.

Actually, they are built by the same builder that gave us Spring Arbor and Springmill in Middletown, so if you consider Nittany Glen an "example" of that builder's work, maybe having it in the 55+ thread wouldn't be considered too egregious.

Hi Charley,
I believe McKee builders are responsible for Nittany Glen.

We had been deciding on DE when Nittany Glen came into the picture. By then we were too exhausted to pursure another venture.
So Southern Meadows was it.

I too had thought about the toxic waste but like you said Charley, it is everywhere.
I did read where DE was not that bad compared to other states and that PA was worse.

Also sounds crazy but state college seemed so far out for us. Yet, I think it is about the same distance as where we are now.
Bottom line, we did not have the energy to search ANYMORE 55+ communities.

Looking back, it was fun but then we got extremely tire. Working, selling our home and looking. 2006 was a year to remember

I will be interested to see what the lot rent is for Nittany Glen. Also, taxes and so on.