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The "clique" mentality goes on in all communities. I have seen it all my life, and continue to see it as I age. I am one that hates them and have never wanted to be included in them. I like meeting new people too much. I have found out it is easiest to simply avoid them. I know it is hard but with a bit of effort it can be done, and actually in the 55+ communities it is easier as most everyone there is moving in from somewhere else so there is always someone new to meet. As I have mentioned before this is our second 55+ in the last 8 years. The first one was at about 2900 homes when we left, so we are talking about 5000 people and is to be about 3240 homes at build out, probably next year. The one we are in now is much smaller. It is currently about 135 homes and will be about 810 at build out, not for quite a few years. I saw quite a bit of cliquishness in the first one, but with that many people it was easy to find others to be friends. Here, being much smaller, I have found it much easier to find new people. I have heard that there are a couple cliques but have not experienced them. Maybe it's because since they were building slower those already here were anxious to meet new people. Maybe it was the location.....I'm originally from western PA and maybe I fit in better here than in the south. Maybe it was the mix of where people were from. I just don't know, but I do know that life is too short to hassle with snobby people so if I experience one I will look elsewhere. I have yet to find a lack of really nice people here.
My husband (55) and I (50) moved into our 55 and over community about 6 weeks ago and love it. We now have to watch out for golf carts when backing out of our driveway instead of kids on bikes. Life is wonderful!
My wife and I toured a couple of communities on a lark last winter when we were in Phoenix (Pebble Creek and Encanterra). We are 50 and starting to think about retirement (we both can retire in 7 years). We were pleasantly surprised at how attractive the communities were and how active people seemed to be. Truly seemed like resort living. Personally, I thought Pebble Creek was a better deal with half the HOA for what seemed like comparable amenities. A resident at Pebble Creek said that they were all FIP's (formerly important people) which means nobody cares what you used to do only what you are doing now. Kind of a cool attitude I thought.
My wife and I toured a couple of communities on a lark last winter when we were in Phoenix (Pebble Creek and Encanterra). We are 50 and starting to think about retirement (we both can retire in 7 years). We were pleasantly surprised at how attractive the communities were and how active people seemed to be. Truly seemed like resort living. Personally, I thought Pebble Creek was a better deal with half the HOA for what seemed like comparable amenities. A resident at Pebble Creek said that they were all FIP's (formerly important people) which means nobody cares what you used to do only what you are doing now. Kind of a cool attitude I thought.
I know a few from Pebble Creek and they are as you describe.
The FIP is about right. I only know what a handful of the people where I live did for a living. It never comes up in conversation. We have one that constantly brings it up and we tend to laugh at him.
We moved into SCCL when I was 55. This is Sun City in indian Land,South Carolina. We have enjoyed it here for the most part even though DH is still working long hours. M I would say that people here are about 8-15 years older than we are. Some have been accepting of us while others made our age an issue. I don't let it bother me too much. I know who I am and I won't get into other people's drama.
The weather is nearly perfect here compared to the deep south or the northeast. Not too hot, not too cold. We have lived all over the East Coast and have never found a house that costs so little as far as utilities and property taxes are very reasonable as well.
That being said, we are just getting ready to move again due to hubby getting a transfer. If anyone is seriously looking, our Surrey Crest (with all the bells and whistles) will be going up for sale in September. PM me if you are interested.
Thank you Jimrob1. You have a good grasp of what these places are all about.
I had a dream to relocate not too long ago. Thought NC would be a good place to go. But a few things came along that have changed my mind. At one time NC may have been a cheaper state to live in but I think over the past few years things have changed a lot. What might be cheaper there they make up for in other areas. There is a 2% tax on groceries. There is a vehicle tax. And many other things the average person might not think about till it's too late. I have family in FL and I looked into moving there but it turns out it has become an expensive state. So obviously my biggest problem is lack of money. I feel mad at myself that I wasn't more vigilant with retirement money when I still could do something about it. But at 73 and no huge desire to go back to work (Walmart greeter?? yikes) can't add anything extra to it.
I think I've been seeing the glass half empty, no more like empty, period. I have gotten angry with some of the people (the man who referred to the woman manager as being a Nazi), the woman who can't let go of the past, etc. Having one sister who died from lung cancer and the other one dying from it now, I get angry with the woman down the hall who just can't stop smoking (her words) when she has many health issues. My patience is low. I am becoming the grumpy old woman. Or maybe I already was. A friend of mine and I stopped at a pizza place and the guy behind the counter getting our change all screwed up and making a joke of it. My friend doesn't have a money problem (she's happy to tell you!) and gave the guy a $50 bill, I gave a $10. I don't find it funny when money is not handled right. When you are facing a big bill and wondering how you will pay for it, nothing is funny.
Sorry, I'm off on a tangent. A lot of people are in my boat and handle it better.
Your welcome and I'm sure you handle things just fine. Your right about NC. It was once a reasonable cost of living, but things seemed to have changed. The state seems taxed to death, and the COL is no longer all that reasonable. The cost of house is somewhat cheaper, but not all that much. Rents I hear are very high but that seems to be happening, all over the country for some reason. I don't know what is going on with rents. I will tell you Florida is no longer the cheap place it use to be to live by no means. Hang in There.
I had a dream to relocate not too long ago. Thought NC would be a good place to go. But a few things came along that have changed my mind. At one time NC may have been a cheaper state to live in but I think over the past few years things have changed a lot. What might be cheaper there they make up for in other areas. There is a 2% tax on groceries. There is a vehicle tax. And many other things the average person might not think about till it's too late. I have family in FL and I looked into moving there but it turns out it has become an expensive state. So obviously my biggest problem is lack of money. I feel mad at myself that I wasn't more vigilant with retirement money when I still could do something about it. But at 73 and no huge desire to go back to work (Walmart greeter?? yikes) can't add anything extra to it.
You are right about NC. We moved to SC from western PA and was all agog over the "low property taxes". What they didn't tell you about was everything else. Those personal property taxes will kill you. They we also discovered that there was a bond taken out by the builder that we had to pay back, which wasn't mentioned at any of the sales meetings. Then add on the 8+% sales tax and it really adds up. We figured out that we probably broke even on the taxes between SC and PA. Electric and gas wasn't too bad but water is horribly expensive there as well. So yeah you are right about all things that they don't tell you about. We moved back further north in April (Dover, DE) and overall it appears that it will be cheaper here. No sales tax, no personal property tax, and they allow a much larger deduction on any non-Social Security income from income taxes. SS is not taxed either. Utilities seem to be about the same, although we have not gotten our first water bill yet (comes quarterly) so not sure about that.
The only thing you can do is keep looking. You never know what might come up that will be just right up your alley. Good luck in finding what you need, and doing what you need to do to make your retirement restful.
I'm 61 and retired and am sick to death of the neighbors screaming kids (LOTS OF THEM), the boats, the trailers, the jet-ski's, the dirt bikes, the teenagers, etc.
In theory a mix of neighbors is nice. In practice my neighbors are noisy, inconsiderate jerks and I'm sick to death of them.
So, any comments on life in a 55+ neighborhood? I'm thinking of doing a move to a new town next year and wonder if I should be looking at them.
Most 55 year old neighborhood near me the average age is 75. Heck when I am 61 my youngest kid will be 16 so I dont think they would let me in as they dont allow kids.
Women are having kids in there 40s and men are having kids in their 50s. Seems to me a 55 year old community gets harder to run with no kids allowed.
Most 55 year old neighborhood near me the average age is 75. Heck when I am 61 my youngest kid will be 16 so I dont think they would let me in as they dont allow kids.
Women are having kids in there 40s and men are having kids in their 50s. Seems to me a 55 year old community gets harder to run with no kids allowed.
It would be impossible to run if kids were allowed. How many would want to live here? Who wants the pools and tennis courts filled with kids.
A lot of people in 55+ never had kids and we don't want them around now.
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