Which Is Better: An Established 55+ Community Or a New One?

I have mentioned this before that some 55 communities are built within a master planned community. For example: Del Webb in Ponte Vedro, Fl. is within the community of Nocatee, Victory in Verrado, AZ is part of the larger Verrado community. Chances are restaurants, stores and health care facilities will feel more comfortable in providing services to a much larger and diverse community. However, it could also affect your HOA and assessments fees being part of the larger community. Some developers are building 45+ restricted communities like Del Webb Festival in AZ.
Purchasing a home in a more established community you may find homes on premium lots that more then likely would cost you much more in a new community. I know this may not have anything to do with the community just one other thing to consider that older community homes have landscaping and window treatments already installed verse the cost of a new build.

Bruce makes good points, whether buying a home in a 55+ community or elsewhere. I have had 3-4 appointments with builders over the last year or so, to explore building a home. I felt like I was buying a used car. Everything was an extra, and sometimes the prices quoted changed from the beginning of a meeting to the end of the meeting. In one of my last meetings, even gutters were an option! Towel bars, etc. were supposedly "options" that the design center would explain in the next step. I was recently offered a model home for the special price of $449K-$469K, which was listed a week later on realtor.com for $429K...(already dropped to $400K). I was told that comfort height toilets in a 55+ community are an "extra," and that if I want to customize I should buy the stripped down model and then do the work myself. I suppose that makes sense if the real estate taxes are based on a closing price that is inflated for options. On the other hand, it is wasteful to tear out new rugs, laminate and formica to replace with hardwood, granite or quartz, etc.. The builders would not offer allowances instead of putting in their basics, saying that they weren't custom builders so they had to sell complete packages. Lot premiums for desirable locations added to the prices significantly and most advertised prices didn't include any homesite. One builder didn't offer a landscaping package, since it was too much "bother" for them if the grass or plants died. There are obvious pluses to buying new and having new mechanical equipment, a new roof, etc. I'm just not sure I want to wheel & deal with a builder!.

Kate, you need to find a reputable custom builder. Not an easy task these days. Good luck!

I was appalled when I looked at a Del Webb community near Charleston, SC, to find out that everything in the model was an extra. To make a home look anything like the models, you needed to drop another $100,000 - $150,000. That did not include lot premiums. I think comfort height toilets were included. Anyway, I walked. A handheld shower wasn't even an option. To me, that's a necessity, not an option. Granted, I built my last home with a custom builder, but I was amazed at the limited range of options.

From Thomas: Have you done or considered doing an article on the concept of visitability (https://visitability.org/)? When I look at a lot of the 55+ community websites rarely do the homes appear to have even one entrance without steps so that someone on a wheelchair could visit. I would think in the concept of a 55+ community people would realize that at some point their is a good chance many will develop mobility impairments and having the majority of homes in a community have a least one stepless entry would be a selling point. If more sites like yours highlighted this need perhaps more developer would wake up to this need.