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Active adult can be less friendly than a normal neighborhood if you don't take advantage of its systems and capabilities. If you don't use the capabilities they will likely work against you...there is this whole social web you are in the middle of...but not part of. It can actually isolate you.
And it costs a good bit. So why pay to be unhappy?
Thanks. As an introverted female, I assumed that this might be the case and was not particularly interested in an active adult community (except for the child free part). But it is good to verify this with someone who has actual experience.
I am single and live in a 55+ community and love it. However, I'm pretty outgoing and have made a ton of friends -- both single and married - through the clubs and activities I've joined. I would think if you're shy or just don't enjoy being with others, a 55+ with its associated fees would be a waste of money.
I am a retired single who lived in a 55+ adult community for 4 years in suburban Chicago area. First group event I attended, I was the only single! The married couples didn't even sit together. All the women at their tables and the men at their tables. Was so strange I never went back.
Did finally move out and would not go back into that kind of place. Currently i live in a small gated lake community in NW Illinois. We have a wide variety of people living here from the retired group like myself to young people with families and also part timers who are here on weekends in the summer. The retired folks have a very active social calendar. One can participate or not. A very relaxing lifestyle. so i guess each single person really has to decide for themselves what they want to do in retirement. For me , life out here is very good.
I just hate the winters like everyone else. Too cold with too much snow.
Partially like you, I live in a lakeside community. I'm by myself now. We have a mix of ages with most being senior retirees just like me. However, there are some younger families with children and a number of part-timers. There is also a busy social calendar in which I have always chosen not to participate. I'm a bit of a dichotomy; a gregarious antisocial and quite a loner. We're in a beautiful part of the country with teeming wildlife from which I get the most pleasure. Winters are relatively mild and I don't mind them at all. Snow rarely sticks around long, ice storms are infrequent and my larder is always well-stocked and I keep extra propane on hand at all times.
Life is decidedly good!
Last edited by Curmudgeon; 10-03-2015 at 04:57 PM..
Thanks. As an introverted female, I assumed that this might be the case and was not particularly interested in an active adult community (except for the child free part). But it is good to verify this with someone who has actual experience.
There are three aspects of active 55+ living that interest me the most:
1. The childfree part- but how childfree are they really? I recently read the CC&R's for a community that interested me in Oregon. This is the first CC&R I've ever read but if I understood it correctly, a "household" was allowed the residence of a person under age 18 for 45 days a year! This sounds like quite a chunk of time and the information was not specific about whether this applied to one or more under 18. That's a good portion of the summer and/or major holidays, or many weekends.
2. I am an introvert too. I'm not a golfer and don't do arts and crafts. But, I would like to participate in indoor aquatics, yoga, a wine club and a book club without driving anywhere. Most I've looked at have a clubhouse and a library.
3. I look forward to what I consider the benefits of an HOA. Landscaping! I never thought I would find something nice to say about golf but living on a golf course, well, that landscaping is going to be nice and well maintained; probably some nice walking paths. I don't have a dog but it would be nice to be able to walk to a dog park and enjoy seeing dogs at play.
The local experience is that the places are mostly child free. There are a few grandparents who are babysitting grandkids but it is not very common. Kids playing outside is very rare. There are limited hours when guests kids can use the facilities like the pool but they are not much of the day.
The climate has an edge of hostility to kids and the kids often will decide they don't care for it. It is not that anyone says anything...though that does happen...it is more that people wander away from any kid action.
The idea of living in an adult community appeals to me because of the opportunity for making new friends and the availability of activities within the "town"; however, my research indicates that couples are the majority.
I was wondering if there was any way to ascertain what adult communities have a larger population of singles? (I'm partial to Florida)
If you are single...... and reside in an adult community.... can you tell us about it?
I am married, living in an age restricted community, and I prefer single girlfriends. Too many times, when I meet a potential friend, she's velcroed to her husband and I end up with a package deal I don't want. You'll do fine.
There are three aspects of active 55+ living that interest me the most:
1. The childfree part- but how childfree are they really? I recently read the CC&R's for a community that interested me in Oregon. This is the first CC&R I've ever read but if I understood it correctly, a "household" was allowed the residence of a person under age 18 for 45 days a year! This sounds like quite a chunk of time and the information was not specific about whether this applied to one or more under 18. That's a good portion of the summer and/or major holidays, or many weekends.
2. I am an introvert too. I'm not a golfer and don't do arts and crafts. But, I would like to participate in indoor aquatics, yoga, a wine club and a book club without driving anywhere. Most I've looked at have a clubhouse and a library.
3. I look forward to what I consider the benefits of an HOA. Landscaping! I never thought I would find something nice to say about golf but living on a golf course, well, that landscaping is going to be nice and well maintained; probably some nice walking paths. I don't have a dog but it would be nice to be able to walk to a dog park and enjoy seeing dogs at play.
And I'm not after anyone's husband!
I'm also planning to retire in Oregon and the golf course communities are of interest. The ones in central Oregon are usually not 55+ and are smaller with some amenities but limited organized activities. The communities are often next to the Deschutes River so you also have access to river walking trails. One concern might be if the community allows short term rentals -I prefer to have established neighbors. It seems to be a trend in some parts of Oregon for investors to buy homes and then rent them out as vacation rentals. Bend, Oregon is now limiting the number of short term rentals and imposing other restrictions. My current city does not allow short term rentals in residential zoning areas as this is considered commercial use.
There are three aspects of active 55+ living that interest me the most:
1. The childfree part- but how childfree are they really? I recently read the CC&R's for a community that interested me in Oregon. This is the first CC&R I've ever read but if I understood it correctly, a "household" was allowed the residence of a person under age 18 for 45 days a year! This sounds like quite a chunk of time and the information was not specific about whether this applied to one or more under 18. That's a good portion of the summer and/or major holidays, or many weekends.
2. I am an introvert too. I'm not a golfer and don't do arts and crafts. But, I would like to participate in indoor aquatics, yoga, a wine club and a book club without driving anywhere. Most I've looked at have a clubhouse and a library.
3. I look forward to what I consider the benefits of an HOA. Landscaping! I never thought I would find something nice to say about golf but living on a golf course, well, that landscaping is going to be nice and well maintained; probably some nice walking paths. I don't have a dog but it would be nice to be able to walk to a dog park and enjoy seeing dogs at play.
1) As for the "childfree" part, there are at least THREE different sets of regulations that might come into play - Federal law, state laws, and the local CC&Rs. Our local CC&Rs allow no stays over 30 or 60 days. I do not remember which one off hand. However, there could be some cases where this is overridden by other regulations such as the Federal ADA regulations.
In reality, there are VERY FEW kids living in 55+ communities, even on short term stays. And generally, the few that are there for a month with their grandparents for a month in the summer are generally welcomed rather than scorned by people in the neighborhood.
2) There are so many activities that appeal to introverts. If you want to join a social club, you are welcome to join. If not, no one harasses you at all. We all have our own interests. My usual activities
are:
Playing bocce.
Seeing the two a month movies at the recreation center (free).
Attending the weekly lectures of the local forum club. About 75% of the topics interest me.
Attending a lot of the medical lectures sponsored by the various regional hospitals.
Hiking through the desert.
Swimming outdoors 12 months a year.
Using the various gyms in the area (trying that out, not sure I like that yet.
3) I like having no outdoor responsibilities. I do have a 8x12 ft space that we are responsible for xeriscaping but that is done and might require an update every 10 years.
I believe that owning a dog is pretty essential. The older people who walk their dogs are generally in a lot better condition that non-owners as they are out walking 2x a day. I don't own a dog but do walk with the neighbor with a dog as she has been unable to pick up after it due to her back.
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