When Amenity-Lite Is the Answer

You are not going to please everyone on HOA fees and amenities. We just moved into a new community that includes front yard maintenance and has limited amenities. The communities' homeowners Facebook page has many complaints about the lack of amenities for this 2000 plus home community. There is a community center with a modest workout facility and two pools and walking trails. As one homeowner noted, apartment communities often have much more and larger facilities. There is also a lot of complaining about the lawn service provided by the homeowners association. In my opinion, they do such a poor job that I elected to do my own lawn even though my HOA dues includes this service.

A lot of the people I know living in active communities are actually rooting for bigger and better amenities - new clubhouse, pickleball pavillion, etc. So to each his or her own - good to know what you want before you buy!

How about writing about communities that are not 55+ specific. We are looking for nice communities that are not 55+

The vast majority of communities are not defined 55+ but many of them are substantially populated by seniors, especially communities that are amenity rich. Those amenities — fitness centers, pickleball courts, golf courses, pools — cost money to maintain (HOA fees), expenses beyond the reach of those in the process of building families and careers. Basically, only retirees with nice pensions and savings can afford it. So those of us worried about sharing their pools with screaming toddlers (not me, by the way) don’t necessarily have to force themselves into the restrictions of 55+ communities.

One approach to exploring communities is look for a community with no or just a few amenities (like walking and biking paths, a small community building) that is within a 10-15 ride from a City Community Center that offers the pool, classes, exercise equipment, and even social events. The cost can be minimal and you land up with the best of both worlds! If you love the outdoors, a sunny, warm, and mild 4 season climate in a small, cultural, lay back environment, check out Santa Fe, NM.

I just wanted to take a moment to point out that - just because you move into a "retirement community" - doesn't mean it is like prison! You don't HAVE to stay put, participate in everything or anything that they offer. If they have things you like to do - that is great!!
However, you are - if you are able - allowed to drive out, meet other people, get involved in other groups and do things that YOU like to do. You can invite other people in - host your book club, knitting group, have band practice, etc with people from "outside."
Its okay! You should stay connected to the rest of the world. I get the feeling that some people feel like it is an ultimate prison sentence. You just need to feel SAFE. Enjoy YOUR life - its your time now!

Hi there,
Anyone out there currently looking at CCRCs (continuing care retirement communities) in Florida? I am starting my search and would love to hear from others who are also doing this search or have recently found their perfect (or as close as you can get to perfect) place. Thanks Roberta

Roberta - My BIL highly recommends the Erickson Communities (there are 2) in Winter Garden (just north of West Palm). My BIL & wife put their names on the wait list after one tour. Look up Erickson Senior Living. They are very well run. My father spent 13 yrs at Maris Grove (in PA) and loved it! I wish they had one in Maine

ERROR CORRECTION - The Erickson Senior Living communities are in PALM BEACH GARDENS and NAPLES, Florida. I am sorry I miss-wrote.

Thanks for the reply about the CCRCs-your reply is the only one I received. I have looked at Erickson but they are a different "animal". They only offer what they call a C contract which means that you do not have fixed costs for all levels of care. That is not so bad if you have long term care insurance (which I do not) but unpredictable otherwise. I am continuing to look in FL. Right now the CCRCs are pretty much shut down to visitors due to this recent surge in COVID. I hope others who have looked at these communities will reply. Thanks

short answer - you don't need hardly any of the amenities and certainly no-one wants to pay for them. Are you really going to use them? Maybe at first there will be 1 or 2 favorites but I can almost guarantee that you won't be using many of them so you will be paying for nothing. Better to realistically determine which ones you really want, and there will only be a few at most, and find a community with those limited few. In time you may not be using any amenities so don't make a big deal out of it.

A few select communities provide the best of both worlds: A long list of amenities AND ultra-reasonable HOA dues. One of the best examples I have visited is Savannah Lakes Village in McCormick, SC, where HOA dues when I checked last year were just $147 per month. Included is access to a huge recreation center with tennis, pickleball, bocce ball, horseshoes, table tennis and bowling. (Residents pay per game for the bowling and a modest annual fee for the tennis and pickleball). For golfers, membership in the two excellent golf courses is also optional and reasonably priced. Residents can pay as they play — $29 per 18 holes, $14 for cart rental — or $3,600 per person annually for unlimited play with cart. (Back of the napkin math tells me that if you average just two rounds or more per week, the membership is a better deal.) Savannah Lakes is home to 2,000 residents and offers lots of clubs and joining opportunities for local volunteering. The community is adjacent to the large manmade Lake Thurmond, with all the water activities you would expect. The community is remotely located but that keeps real estate prices comparably low.

Check out the amazing array of amenities available through Green Valley Recreation in Arizona, and our cost is currently $510.00 a year. Some areas included also have HOA dues ranging from a few dollars a year to about $400, but some of the homes have no HOA. I have lived here for 7 years and LOVE it. I am very active in many aspects of the community, mainly our lapidary club, but also ceramics, movies, card clubs, ,many classes, and on two committees for financial decisions and board policy. It's just 20 minutes from Tucson in a beautiful area.

Roberta, for Type A CCRC communities in Florida, you may want to consider ACTS Retirement Communities. They provide a lot of consumer information on their website and appear to be a reasonable consideration. Best wishes in your search, CCRC’s are complicated and vary greatly in their services and their pricing.