Facts, Fiction, and the Fast Life at The Villages, FL

In 2006 Central Florida was shocked and titillated to read this headline in the Orlando News: “STDs Running Rampant in Retirement Community“. The community in question being The Villages, the sprawling active adult enclave spanning several towns and home to over 60,000 people. Dr. Colleen McQuade, a gynecologist, was quoted that she “treats more cases of herpes and the human papilloma virus in the retirement community than she did in the city of Miami.” The patients, as old as 80, are “very shocked (to hear the diagnosis)”. Viagra, no risk of pregnancy, and lack of sex education were viewed as the culprits.

That bit of press was a source of merriment to talk show hosts around the country. On the other hand, it is probably a minor activity in a community obsessed with golf and non-stop activities of all types.  Indeed, if you lurk on “Talk of the Villages“, a popular Forum for residents of The Villages, you will find that life there is more typical than sensational. Topretirements has just reviewed 2 books that discuss The Villages.  In “Leisureville”, Andrew Blechman follows his 55+ neighbors to the active adult community. It is a fascinating read but tends to show life there through a (much younger) prism than his former neighbor’s. Here’s how our Topretirements Guide OldNaussau described the book: “Repeatedly, the retirees with whom he speaks, or who speak to him, quite clearly contradict him. He tries to present the Villages, and several other retirement communities, as sterile, lock-step, isolated, vacuous – like the towns in the movie “Pleasantville” or the novel “Fahrenheit 451″ - but the Villagers praise the activities, security, economy, and socializing around them.”

Ryan Erisman’s “Complete Guide to The Villages Florida” is a much more straightforward and factual guide to the ins and outs of buying and living at TV, as insiders call it.  Check out the entire article in our Tips & Picks section, The Villages - Facts and Opinions

Do you Know The Villages? If so, report on what you think, either in the Comments section below, or in the TR Forum - Is Leisureville on or off the Mark

For Further Reference
The Villages CDDs get Proposed Tax-Free Bond Settlement from IRS

Exclusive: The Super Memory Club

Here’s a club so exclusive that even Brooke Astor couldn’t help you get in. It’s the Super Memory Club, restricted by luck and good habits to about 1 in 200 people. And did we mention you have to be 90 years old to be eligible?

Our sister site, Topeldercares.com, has just posted a short article on the Super Memory Club. Some of its members live in the huge Orange County retirement community of Laguna Woods. There they are part of the 90+ Study, a joint project of USC and UC Irvine. The researchers are learning some things about the factors that help some lucky few reach their 90’s without brain deterioration such as dementia. In the case of many of the participants, significant social interaction and the game of bridge are key to their good brain health, along with a healthy dose of the right genes.

For more information:
Topeldercares.com

Asheville and TR Featured in CBS News “Best Places to Retire”

Sunday, May 17. Just about everybody loves Asheville - it’s the #1 Best Place to Retire at Topretirements. It also occupies that position on many other “Best Places” lists. But after watching today’s TV segment on CBS News, even more people might be heading down to western North Carolina.

“Not Your Grandfather’s Retirement” was hosted by CBS’s Martha Teichner and seen by millions. In it she profiled several retirees who were busy enjoying fulfilling retirement lifestyles in Asheville. Some of the folks she interviewed enjoyed lived downtown, where they didn’t need a car. Several volunteered as docents at the Art Museum or the nearby Biltmore Estate. Martha went on to interview the director of Asheville’s Center for Creative Retirement, Ron Manheimer. Ron was quoted as saying “People are saying, Well maybe Florida isn’t the place to go.”  Ron has a point. At Asheville’s Center active adults can choose from an astonishing array of (low-cost) classes, most taught by fellow retirees.

Topretirements - on TV! The show also toured some high end communities and the first golf course being designed by Tiger Woods.  At about 2:20 into the program Topretirements had an ever so brief but glorious moment on national TV. When discussing “best places to retire” lists, a picture of the TR page on Asheville came on the TV as the first such list! To check out the 6 minute segment click on “Videos” above the photo - the program provides some really good insight into Asheville. Here is where you can find the Topretirements review  on what it’s like to retire in Asheville.

The Easier Way to Add an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)

Have you thought about building an addition to your home for one or more of your parents? With them conveniently at hand you could keep an eye on their condition and help with their care. Meanwhile you and possibly your children would get to enjoy more of their company.

While their are many advantages to these apartments, they come with some challenges. For one; they take time,money, and effort to design and build. For another, they tend to be tightly regulated by local zoning officials. Mike Kephart, founder of Sidekick Homes, has a better idea for these buildings,   a new solution that can help you get the benefits without the hassles.
Often called mother-in-law apartments, granny flats, carriage houses, pool houses, party pavilions, caregiver cottages, casitas - these are all names for an affordable housing choice some communities are making possible for their citizens. Accessory Dwelling Units, or (ADUs) is the term used to encompass these various local and regional names. ADUs are small independent homes placed in the backyard of a larger home. They provide room for an expanding family, an aging parent or parents, or a young married couple needing help in their first years together. Or, an ADU can just be a fun complement to an existing home as a guest suite or office. Some cities also allow ADUs to be rented providing additional monthly income for a family.

Sidekick Homes’ solution to ADU’s is to provide high quality, pre-designed buildings that are easy and relatively inexpensive to build - and that meet local regulations for these types of buildings.   Their beautiful homes are sustainable, accessible and safe to use for older Americans. Sidekick Homes does not do the building or send you a kit. Instead, they work with quality local builders to provide them with well-designed plans that result in practical buildings constructed at a reasonable price.

Mike has been kind enough to provide Topretirements with a primer on regulations concering ADU’s. His recap can be found, along with more photos and descriptions of his very cool product in action, in our Tips & Picks section. Check it out!  And be sure to tell us what you think in the Comments section at the bottom of this post. Would you, for example, be interested in one of these accessory buildings for yourself?

For further reference:

Sidekick Homes and ADU’s

Kephartliving.com

Best 50+ Communities Awarded at Building for Boomers

Philadelphia - For builders, winning an award at the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) Best of 50+ Housing conference is really good PR. For baby boomers, looking at the winners provides insight into what the housing industry thinks are the trendsetting ideas in home building. If you are looking to purchase in an active adult community, you should check out this list of communities winning awards to make sure you make the best decision. The awards were given out at the April 2009 Building for Boomers and Beyond Symposium to honor excellence and innovation in the design, development and marketing of housing for older consumers.
There were 80 gold and silver winners in a wide range of categories. Many of the award winners were true to the trends noted elsewhere at this conference:

- Slightly smaller homes and community spaces. No one wants to be conspicuously consuming right now.

- More flexible spaces. You might want 2 dining areas, someone else might want 3. You might need 2 home offices,  another baby boomer needs extra guestrooms instead. The savvy builders of tomorrow’s active adult communities are providing flexible designs that let everybody get the spaces they need.

- Greener designs. Rarely will you ever see LEEDs certification in an active adult community, but you will find developers paying more attention to siting, materials, windows and insulation, HVAC, and other low-cost, high return ideas that produce a more environmentally friendly development.

- Smarter amenities. Builders are trying very hard to find the right kind of amenities that will attract buyers. The mix is changing in subtle but significant ways.

Here is a sampling of some of the winners in this year’s competition (Note: Many of the awards went to retirement communities or CCRCs. For this article Topretirements is only reporting on those within our editorial focus - active adult 55+ communities).

Best Active Adult Community (up to 500 homes)
Parkview Court -  Torrance, California. This new development has homes ranging in size from 700 to 1400 sq.ft. Luxury touches include stone in baths and kitchens, balconies, large exterior courtyard. Fitness center/recreation room.  Available from $275,000.

Brookhaven of East Cobb - Kennesaw, Ga.  This silver winner features 2 and 3 bedroom, flexible floorplans. Front porches, oversized masters, and vaulted ceilings.

Best Active Adult Community (over 500 homes)
Sun City Festival-  Buckeye, Arizona  by Pulte Homes Corporation.

Del Webb at Lake Oconee -Greensboro, Georgia by Pulte Homes Corporation. This community of 2 and 3 bedroom homes is south of Athens in the great recreation area near Lake Oconee and the Oconee National Forest.

Best Clubhouse in an Active Adult Community

Heritage at Todd Creek - Thornton (Denver), Colorado. This clubhouse overlooks the Rockies and a sensational 18 hole golf course. Each wing of the clubhouse, branching from the main lobby, has a different activity.

Best Detached Home at an Active Adult Community (up to 2,000 square feet)

Eskaton National Demonstration Home - Roseville, California. The Eskaton Home is a ground breaking project that everyone interested in the future of housing for our older population should be studying.  It is Green-Built certified and has smart technologies, , universal design, and social connectivity in mind.

Best Attached Home at an Active Adult Community (over 2,000 square feet)
Chester River Landing- Chestertown, Maryland. This is a very cool place. It has 49 homes (single family, townhomes, condos) on the Chester River. Almost all homes come with a private boat slip.

What do you think? Give us your ideas for the best active adult communities using the Comments feature below:

For further reference:

The Full List of Winners at the NAHB

Why Not Live in an Award Winning Community

Choosing the Best Retirement Communities

No Social Security Increase in 2010

Update: October 15, 2010 - It’s official - no social security increase in 2010 - $250 payment pushed.
It will be the first time in 3 decades, but there will be no cost-of-living increase for social security recipients in 2010. Following a formula set by law to counter the effects of inflation, beneficiaries can usually count on getting a “raise” every year. Thanks to the economic slowdown, inflation is not a problem at the moment, hence the formula indicates no increase next year.

According to the AARP, beneficiaries have received automatic cost-of-living every year since 1975. The increase in 2009 was 5.8%. Controlling inflation should be a good thing for retirees because it means the prices they pay for goods and services are not increasing.

A “no increase” result has implications for Medicare beneficiaries who payPart B premiums.   Approximately 3/4 of recipients are protected from increases in their Part B premiums: their premiums cannot go up more than the dollar amount of their Social Security increase. The remainder of recipients can probably expect an increase in their premium from $96.40 to $119 in 2010.  Premiums for drug coverage could also go up.

About one in four (or about 11 million) beneficiaries are not protected from a Part B increase because they:

• do not have Part B premiums withheld from their Social Security income, or

• have a higher income and therefore pay a higher Part B premium, or

• recently enrolled for Part B.

For further reference:
AARP article on Part B Premiums

Congressional Budget Office blog on Zero Increases

When Should I Start Taking Social Security

Boomers in the City - the Urban Lifestyle Beckons

The urban retirement lifestyle represents a perfect fit with what many baby boomers are looking for in a retirement lifestyle. Baby boomers want to be close to employment possibilities, they would like to reduce their dependence on the automobile, and they are very interested in participating in a rich and diverse community. Builders of 55+ communities have been listening, and many new choices are attracting buyers.

Granted, the urban lifestyle doesn’t appeal to everyone. Most people, 85% of them, will not move anywhere in retirement. But about 15% of retirees will relocate; either locally (10%), or at some distance (5%).  Of the 15% who will relocate, presumably mostly of whom are from the suburbs, a small but significant percentage will retire to a city.  Those who choose an urban retirement tend to affluent.  Many will purchase a pied a terre for occasional use in the city, but other baby boomers will sever all local ties and move to a city.

Living in the city is seductive for many folks.  You can live in a sleek apartment in a hot neighborhood. Walk downstairs (or take the elevator) and a world of great restaurants, galleries, museums, parks, and every other kind of attraction awaits you. You can live in an exciting environment with diverse neighbors, not just the folks whose idea of a stimulating discussion is that incredible putt they made on 18. Not to mention great shopping and maintenance-free living. And if you decide to go on vacation, you just lock and leave.

At the recent National Association of Homebuilders “Building For Boomers & Beyond” Conference in Philadelphia, a quartet of architects and designers discussed the latest urban lifestyle trends.  Speakers at this session included: Bill Kreager of MITHUN (Seattle), Rick New of DTJ Design (Boulder), Doris Pearlman of Possibilities for Design, and John Westrum of Westrum Development (Fort Washington, Pa)  A highlight of the session was their review of award-winning urban developments in Seattle, Boulder, and Philadelphia - cities whose downtowns have been very successful in attracting baby boomers.  The projects ranged from modest density town homes to very high density condo towers. The buildings tend to attract non-traditional people looking for an exciting lifestyle. Buyers represent a wide variety of ages and include both couples and singles. Some of the projects were new construction, while others were conversions from previous uses.  Roof decks, gyms, pools, and other amenities are usually part of the development. Almost all were sold out soon after completion, indicating how much interest there is in this type of urban retirement.

Seattle:

Magnolia Townhouses - 28 units per acre

Ravenna Cottages - 6 cottages and 3 carriage homes - 32 units per acre

Mosler Lofts -This community has won numerous awards. It is a high rise over stores in a thriving neighborhood

Boulder:

One Boulder Plaza - A mixed use redevelopment project overlooking popular Pearl Street totaling 390,000 sq. ft. Apartments are above restaurants and retail. The developers sold 28 of the units in an afternoon (although that was a few years ago). Prices range from $380,000 to $1 million plus.

Philadelphia:

Parc Rittenhouse - A former Sheraton Hotel that towers over very popular Rittenhouse Square.  Apartments range from 400 to over 7500 sq. ft.

Liberty Tower - A former commercial building near Logan Square that is loaded with amenities.  Apartment sizes go from 1150 to 15,000 sq. ft.

10 Rittenhouse - New construction on Rittenhouse Square. Features a beautiful indoor pool along with every other amenity. As with many other of these Philadelphia high rises, owners are a mixed group including pro athletes, middle aged professionals, as well as baby boomer retirees.

Symphony House- New construction near Kimmell Center.

Domus- 290 luxury apartments in the University Center that integrates residential, commercial, and public recreation areas.

See Also:   Best Retirement Cities

Is a city retirement in your future? Please share your viewpoint in the Comments section below.