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After selling our home in Arizona, we debated the many options out there and chose a 55+ community.
We had a $1500 per month mortgage plus $130 per month (water, sewer and trash), $30 per month HOA fees
and $285 per month for electricity. In addition, we had pool and landscape maintenance minimum $150 per month. for a total of $3200 plus per month. Our property was assessed for $2100 per year or another $175 per month. We have been living in Arizona for 21 years, one of the lowest cost retirement states in the country. Our property taxes amongst the lowest in the country. Weighing a cost of approx. $3375 per month, we decided to look at other option.
My wife of 47 years and I set out to find lower cost options including RV's, lower cost homes, i.e. Sun City, and the 55+ Adult communities. The RV option petered out quickly as we looked at fuel and insurance costs, RV park rents, disposal and water, and other factors. The one factor which weighed heavily, was lack of proximity to health center.
Lastly, my wife refuse to drive in case of an emergency. Buying another home presented many of the same costs as our original home with a lower costs but still over $2500 per month.
Over the years we became friendly with Seniors and they all said there biggest concern was to live longer than their money. With that in mind, we looked at the Adult 55+ Communities and found the old Desi/Lucy trailers were no longer present. They had two clubhouses each with heated pool, hot tubs meeting facilities, libraries and laundry rooms along with common mailboxes. Most had a security gate and tv cameras that gave residents a greater sense of low crime security. In fact, most leave their doors unlocked during the day. The major attraction was the cost! Housing is mostly manufactured homes with many types and sizes. We were especially attracted to a 3BR, 2 BR 1345 sq.ft home at a cost of $79,900 Our all in purchase price was $83,000 after sales tax and fees. The home was move in ready with an open layout plan, AC/Heating and all LED lighting. Because we bought a new home, our lot rent was waived for 6 months. Lot rent with water, sewer and trash is approximately $750 per month and property taxes of $ 675.00 per year. Our last cost is utility costs that averages $120 per month. Our total cost here in our retirement community is approximately $951.00 per month.
Compare our traditional home was approx. $3375.00 per month vs. $951.00 per month here in our community/ This allows us to have more disposable income and costs my wife could survive on in the case of my death. There are negatives here as well including average age of the residents, minor restrictions, etc. but the plusses outweigh all of the negatives, thus far.
I don't want to make this about Santa Fe, by any means, except that I was just there for the first time a few weeks ago. I had no preconceived notions and yet, my experience mirrored yours. I expect there's a sizeable percentage of wealthy ex-Californians residing in those boring pueblo-style homes.
I would love to have one of those boring adobe homes....but for me, it is the cold winters. Just cannot do it.
I will most likely stay in Texas, move to a lock & leave condo, and rent at an extended-stay apartment for summers in Santa Fe. Love the culture and feel I mix well with the oldsters living there.
We bought in a 55+ retirement community in Buckeye AZ. We liked the idea that 50 yards from our home was a family neighborhood (across the street) with kids and a 1/2 mile is an elementary school. Best of both worlds, near people of all ages, but living in a active adult community.
It's funny but the one and only positive thing I can think of re: retirement/over-55 communities is that there would not be any kids in the neighborhood, LOL. I'm just not a fan of those sights and sounds. Give me a neighborhood of only nice quiet adults any day.
However, everything else about a retirement community makes me shudder and so I will keep my SFH and cross my fingers that the people on either side of my property don't ever sell to a family with kids. I'm fairly safe though: One couple is baby boomer age but they have no plans to leave until both of them are six feet under; he has a woodworking business and his shop is on their oversized property. The other neighbor is a couple in their 90s and so there's a definite risk there. However, their house is on a corner and is almost all side yard and practically no back -- so very little is allowed to be fenced -- not really appealing to anyone with young children but good for empty nesters.
The only downside to my current no-neighborhood-kids scenario is when it snows but to be honest, kids don't do things like shovel snow or rake leaves anymore anyway. They didn't do those things even when I lived in neighborhoods where there were kids, and it's been that way since the 1990s. Kids here don't "work", lol
Many young people are not having children or end up following their careers to states far away from their parents. The statement "ever hear of grandkids" appears to assume that every older person can expect to have grandchildren nearby for regular interaction and is quite out of touch.
We live in an “unplanned” community, which is actually a very small town near a major University. Most of the residents are in their 40’s to 80’s. A lot of people are close to retiring or have stepped away from the rat race. A few families still have school age children. Some have grandkids. Others are child-free or have grown children who have moved away.
We have all of the necessary amenities nearby. It’s quiet, safe, and somewhat diverse. Housing, if you can find something, is affordable. Most people are well-educated.
Some of us, who are more socially active, have been encouraging artists in our circle to move here. It’s actually working.
We do have a few problems, like any real place, but it’s more interesting to have room to improve than to live in a fantasy land.
Many young people are not having children or end up following their careers to states far away from their parents. The statement "ever hear of grandkids" appears to assume that every older person can expect to have grandchildren nearby for regular interaction and is quite out of touch.
well when we were living in an over 55 community, we saw quite a few kids, from neighbors grand kids. The woman next door frequently had hers overnight. Of course some people have no gks. & some are adult & live far away, but in most communities, I think there will be someone with young kids around, on occasion.I prefer to see them on an intermittent basis, because they can get noisy.
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