[MINNIEMEME]

I understand now .But like someone else said why would you want your child to be the only one .that be a real shame for the child.no friends

[gypsychic]

The other thing is, even if they can't force you out, this is going to be a VERY hostile environment for your children. I would just move, if I were you.

[Grasonville]

Originally Posted by MINNIEMEME

I understand now .But like someone else said why would you want your child to be the only one .that be a real shame for the child.no friends

The other people don't have grandchildren that come visit?

(I HATE HOA RULES and would NEVER buy in a place that had them - but if they were told (in writing) that the community was no longer over 55 only - then why be forced to move?)

Also - the real estate market is changing and newborns - 2 or 3 year olds don't need "neighborhood" friends.

[doggiebus]

It seems like you might have brought this on your own. The majority of the residents of this community moved there to be amongst people their own age without all the issues of regular family oriented neighborhoods. I think they have the right to force you out. If I moved to a 55+ community and then children started playing making noise outside my house, or children at the pool while I was looking to lay out in the sun in peace in quite. I would be upset, as this is why there are 55+ communities to get away from children (I am sure there are many other reasons.). Sorry its a little harsh, but they should have the right to live in 55+ communities. And you shouldn't have moved there to begin with.

Originally Posted by Ann20077

Does anyone have any information concerning living in a 55 + community for over 5 years as a young couple and are being force out because we started to have our children in 2006.

Thank you

[cmsvmom]

I used to belong to a swim club in northern NJ which had the ever popular 'adult swim". This meant that everyone under the age of 18 had to get out of the water for 15 minutes every hour. Because most people under the age of 35 were accompanying people under the age of 18, they got out of the water too, since the kiddies had to be supervised.

The kids would get a snack, and crowd the picnic area where most of us would grouse about the "adult stand". Because that is all the old folks would do. Stand. In the water. And chat. A few would do laps. I never liked going in during adult swim because the old ladies would give me dirty looks if I did actual swimming anywhere but in the deepest part of the pool.

This was put in place because at peak hours seniors do not like being bombed by crowds of splashing kids. I understand this, but these folks would scream for this to happen all the time. It was ridiculous. At the end of the 15 minutes you'd see 5 old people enjoying an olympic sized community pool while 50 kids were waiting on the edge.

At the end of adult swim, they would give a one minute warning so the old people could get out of the way before the kids got back in the pool - but they never did. Then they'd complain when the kids jumped back in, all pent up and ready to splash around. (the kids weren't doing anything wrong, this was just normal behavior)

I appreciate that people want peace and quiet, but I have seen how mean some 55+ folks can be about being entitled to their little exclusive thing so it would not appeal to me. I'm 52. I wouldn't consider one of these places unless I needed assisted living.

The price tags on those communities look very attractive to young people, but in general, they are not a good fit for the long term, especially if you raise a family.

[HockeyMom72]

Originally Posted by cmsvmom

I used to belong to a swim club in northern NJ which had the ever popular 'adult swim". This meant that everyone under the age of 18 had to get out of the water for 15 minutes every hour. Because most people under the age of 35 were accompanying people under the age of 18, they got out of the water too, since the kiddies had to be supervised.

The kids would get a snack, and crowd the picnic area where most of us would grouse about the "adult stand". Because that is all the old folks would do. Stand. In the water. And chat. A few would do laps. I never liked going in during adult swim because the old ladies would give me dirty looks if I did actual swimming anywhere but in the deepest part of the pool.

This was put in place because at peak hours seniors do not like being bombed by crowds of splashing kids. I understand this, but these folks would scream for this to happen all the time. It was ridiculous. At the end of the 15 minutes you'd see 5 old people enjoying an olympic sized community pool while 50 kids were waiting on the edge.

At the end of adult swim, they would give a one minute warning so the old people could get out of the way before the kids got back in the pool - but they never did. Then they'd complain when the kids jumped back in, all pent up and ready to splash around. (the kids weren't doing anything wrong, this was just normal behavior)

I appreciate that people want peace and quiet, but I have seen how mean some 55+ folks can be about being entitled to their little exclusive thing so it would not appeal to me. I'm 52. I wouldn't consider one of these places unless I needed assisted living.

The price tags on those communities look very attractive to young people, but in general, they are not a good fit for the long term, especially if you raise a family.

in having looked at some of these 55+ communities now, I would not want to live there myself at 58 years old. I would say the average age is probably around 70 and the few people who were even close to my own age were, well, old grouches, if you know what I am getting at.

Besides, I wouldn't be working with 5 and 6 year olds if I didn't want to be around children. I like children. I hope I never get so "old" that I cannot say that.

My personal advice to this couple would be to move. It simply is not worth putting up with what they will have to put up with.

[cmsvmom]

They really are great places for active adults, and for some this is a good option. But they really are not valued for being places to raise kids. The priorities just aren't there, and a lot of people have a been there done that attitude about young families and just don't want any part of it.

As for me, I prefer mixed ages. I worked with children for so many years, and I want to be part of a general community. Gated and HOA I don't mind, but age restrictions do not interest me as a future granny (hopefully not the immediate future!!!)

[Bobby South Fl]

Everyone is missing the point....Ann didn't purchase a home in a 55 and older community. She purchased her home in a community that at one time was 55 and older. How was she to know that the community would go back to 55 and these ridiculous bylaws would apply to her. I speak from experience because I'm going through the same thing. I know for myself I would of never bought my home back in 98 if I knew it was going to become a 55 and older community again. Imagine if your neighborhood formed an association and decided to pass a bylaw that your now a 55 and older community. That's basically what happened

[HockeyMom72]

Originally Posted by Bobby South Fl

Everyone is missing the point....Ann didn't purchase a home in a 55 and older community. She purchased her home in a community that at one time was 55 and older. How was she to know that the community would go back to 55 and these ridiculous bylaws would apply to her. I speak from experience because I'm going through the same thing. I know for myself I would of never bought my home back in 98 if I knew it was going to become a 55 and older community again. Imagine if your neighborhood formed an association and decided to pass a bylaw that your now a 55 and older community. That's basically what happened

and her family. I understand that the rug was swept from under her, but apparently there were enough older people already living there that voted this in. I would try to sell and move to someplace where she and her family will be welcome.

I know even at my age of 59 I would not want to live in a community of 55+. If I was in a community where it came to a vote, I would vote no because I also prefer to live in a mixed age group community.

Where I now live now, there are mostly seniors (and snowbirds). The few young families with children are constantly harassed, even more so when they invite their young friends to come over to play. It is not an ideal situation and most of these young families are looking to move. It is becoming a 55+ community, by default.

When we bought our first home many years ago, there were few young families around. My daughter used to cry because she had nobody to play with in the neighborhood. I used to take her to parks all the time so she would have other kids to play with and would not be all by herself. They need to be around other children to develop and learn social skills. I even put my daughter in preschool so she would not be so isolated.

It is very unfortunate, but I do know where she is coming from. I sold my house when my daughter was 8 and her little sister was 3 so we could be in a more family oriented neighborhood.

The best thing to do is move.

[House4Sale]

with young children, why the hell would you want to be living in a senior community?? "55+ ers" have worked all their lives and at this stage of the game, they deserve a more serene lifestyle and you and your children need a more youthful lifestyle. You'll have plenty of time to live in a senior development when YOU GET OLD and when that happens won't you WANT some peace and quiet without babies crying, skateboards flyin'? You will be a senior before you know it. Move somewhere else.