Retirement Homes

[G-Man]

Been researching a little.  Would like something either new, or relatively new.  Someplace warm all year is preferable.  An upscale multi-racial community, town, city would be ideal.

I've looked at these 55+ communities with Jimmy Buffets name on them.  New construction in Hilton Head and Daytona.  Most expensive is a single family with 3 beds, 3.5 baths, 3 car garage that has a base price of around $350K. 

Anyone familiar with the above or something comparable?

[bassman]

Have you checked out The Villages in central FL?  House/homes range from $100K to $1M+

[hubcapsc]

My good buddy from Charleston's mother got into one of
those places in Charleston SC. Such a thing is way better
(more pleasant?) than many of the less expensive alternatives.
The kind of care she had there increased with need.

-Mike

[Tundra]

Have you checked out The Villages in central FL?  House/homes range from $100K to $1M+

Also the STD capitol...
  We took a tour there and it did appear nice, just something weird about it. Kind of the "perfect" little man made community, real pretty and fake like Disney land. Almost like in a movie, perfect little community with their own little shopping village and their own restaurants, their own busses for trips. Everybody on golf carts waving and smiling, everyone had perfect teeth and smiles, the staff were all wearing cute little embroidered sweaters with their logo on the breast pocket. It just seemed like the perfect little world in a bubble unaffected by the real world outside their gates?
Apparently folks like it, appears to be thriving.

[Valkorado]

Have you checked out The Villages in central FL?  House/homes range from $100K to $1M+

Also the STD capitol...

65 is the new 25.  Little blue pills considered.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Have you checked out The Villages in central FL?  House/homes range from $100K to $1M+

Also the STD capitol...
  We took a tour there and it did appear nice, just something weird about it. Kind of the "perfect" little man made community, real pretty and fake like Disney land. Almost like in a movie, perfect little community with their own little shopping village and their own restaurants, their own busses for trips. Everybody on golf carts waving and smiling, everyone had perfect teeth and smiles, the staff were all wearing cute little embroidered sweaters with their logo on the breast pocket. It just seemed like the perfect little world in a bubble unaffected by the real world outside their gates?
Apparently folks like it, appears to be thriving.

My SIL and her husband had a place built in a retirement community. I found the same kind of thing. What really creeped me out was, I could walk around the neighborhood and not see a soul. Lots of rules how yards are done, etc. My relatives really like it. I like having kids and families around.

[Romeo]

I’m not interested in any place that has rules that dictate to me how I live. I’m sure I’ll  end up out I the country somewhere unless I can find a spot on some water somewhere that’s I can park a motor home.

[Sorcerer]

Get a copy of the association rules and bylaws. And read then. Some may not allow motorcycles to be ridden on their streets.

[sandy]

First, look at a red state. Have you considered out West? AZ has it all. No snow unless you want to drive 90 minutes. We have all 7 life climate zones in one state. The only state that can claim that. Property taxes are low. Property values are tolerable. We have 7 lakes within a 2 hour drive. West coast is a 6 hour drive. A humid day is 40%.

[cookiedough]

best of luck in wherever you decide to go to and no help here.  I am looking at moving up north AWAY from everyone in a plot of land small 2 bedroom home something simple and small well below 200K.  Not so sure I can wait until age 62 on up would prefer to do it NOW age 50!    

Keep telling the wife we need to do it NOW not wait both of us need a change of scenery.   

[Valker]

Property prices here in my little Texas town are so low that one of my neighbors sold his $450,000 home elsewhere, moved here into a comparable house for $120,000 and just plays with the left over money.

[cookiedough]

Property prices here in my little Texas town are so low that one of my neighbors sold his $450,000 home elsewhere, moved here into a comparable house for $120,000 and just plays with the left over money.

sounds like a nice place to live!       rolling around in leftover dough....   

[Jersey mike]

Been researching a little.  Would like something either new, or relatively new.  Someplace warm all year is preferable.  An upscale multi-racial community, town, city would be ideal.

I've looked at these 55+ communities with Jimmy Buffets name on them.  New construction in Hilton Head and Daytona.  Most expensive is a single family with 3 beds, 3.5 baths, 3 car garage that has a base price of around $350K. 

Anyone familiar with the above or something comparable?

My wife and I are in a similar boat. We’re looking to move in the future, I hate NJ.

The issue is where? It use to be Florida Keys, now maybe it’s somewhere else or maybe 2 places. I think it’s going to depend on where our kids end up. Our son is already off on his own living in Maryland. My oldest daughter just graduated college and is looking for a job in her diploma field and our youngest still has 3 semesters left before she graduates college and moves on to a masters, work or a combo of both.

Figure out where you want to be first and then go shopping. Get familiar with the area, the state and everything else or you could end up very unhappy.

[Dave Ritsema]

We love Prescott AZ. That is where our retirement dreams reside. 

http://www.visit-prescott.com/

[Oss]

The grass is always greener............

giving this one a lot of thought myself but wife wants to be near grandkids

[robin]

We thought about it and with all the traveling around on the bike we have done with this club and on our own we have not found that place we could say i could live here.I like here in Jersey contrary to what others think about my state the only thing pushing us out would be the taxes and taxes in other states have ones that we don't have that add up to what i have here so why go.

[vanavyman]

My wife won't leave the area where our kids and grandkids live here in Virginia.  We are blessed that everyone is local to us.  My wife is a very social person and think she would love the Villages. We have a few friends there and they love it.   Over 2500 groups with music in the town centers and dancing in the streets.  I'd go if she wanted to, but I'd rather move further in the country and get a bigger garage.  But we will probably stay in our current house until we need assistance.  We are close to the beach but 3 hours from the mountains.
Dan

[Wizzard]

Staying right where I am with my family around me. I can always take off somewhere if I want to but I live on a golf course with an HOA and do not mow, landscape or plow snow, so its easy here,  plus I like the change of seasons and I can always take off somewhere for a month if I want to.

[Patrick]

We rented for 15 winters in the Keys. Too expense to buy though so we ended up in a 55+ retirement community on the west coast [Fl].
Love it. Affordable, friendly people. People in here actually stop and talk to each other. There is something to do every minute. 5 yrs ago I would have never considered this. The kung flu has slowed things up a bit, but, not too much.

[Binkie]

I grew up in the Chicago area. I lived in the Detroit area for 27 years when working. When I retired I moved to East Tn because I fell in love with the area from motorcycling down here for 20 years. I bought a small farm in the middle of no where and have no desire to ever move again until someone plants me 6 ft under. My wife’s family is gone. My brother and sister are still alive but I never see them....they don’t like me much. My 2 sons are in different states, Michigan and North Carolina. Grandkids are in Michigan and we see them maybe twice a year. It’s our life and we chose to live it our way but have no desire to change but anyone is welcome to visit....the door is always open.

[scooperhsd]

If I didn't have to worry about MIL, I would have never moved from NC.

Now - Well, when she passes on,  the house goes to my wife. It's not too bad, but I'm really wanting something more modern with more garage (or maybe build a 2 car + upper attic in the back yard), or maybe go find some land and a doublewide in the outskirts of Lawrence (about a 20 minute drive from here), with a 3.5 car garage. High speed internet is an absolute requirement.

What I would really like to do is buy an RV and go see the country fulltime. Going to be difficult to talk the wife into this, though.

[hubcapsc]

they don’t like me much.

I can't relate to that...  ??? ...

-Mikeb

[Rams]

Staying right where I am with my family around me. I can always take off somewhere if I want to but I live on a golf course with an HOA and do not mow, landscape or plow snow, so its easy here,  plus I like the change of seasons and I can always take off somewhere for a month if I want to.

To each their own.   Not knocking it, it's just not for me.   I lived in an HOA ruled community once and that was enough to convince me doing all those things were worth it to me while still being able to roam as I wish.   I respect my neighbors rights and they respect mine.   Works for me.

Rams

[The emperor has no clothes]

My wife won't leave the area where our kids and grandkids live here in Virginia.  We are blessed that everyone is local to us.  My wife is a very social person and think she would love the Villages. We have a few friends there and they love it.   Over 2500 groups with music in the town centers and dancing in the streets.  I'd go if she wanted to, but I'd rather move further in the country and get a bigger garage.  But we will probably stay in our current house until we need assistance.  We are close to the beach but 3 hours from the mountains.
Dan

5 days is not enough to judge. But I loved Roanoke. I could see myself living there. But I ain't moving all my crap. I'll probably die here.

[vanavyman]

My wife won't leave the area where our kids and grandkids live here in Virginia.  We are blessed that everyone is local to us.  My wife is a very social person and think she would love the Villages. We have a few friends there and they love it.   Over 2500 groups with music in the town centers and dancing in the streets.  I'd go if she wanted to, but I'd rather move further in the country and get a bigger garage.  But we will probably stay in our current house until we need assistance.  We are close to the beach but 3 hours from the mountains.
Dan

5 days is not enough to judge. But I loved Roanoke. I could see myself living there. But I ain't moving all my crap. I'll probably die here.

Yes Roanoke is a really nice area.  With the Blue Ridge Parkway and Smith Mountain Lake so close makes it really nice.  Get all 4 seasons.  We have friends that have moved closer to the BRP and less congestion.

[Wizzard]

Staying right where I am with my family around me. I can always take off somewhere if I want to but I live on a golf course with an HOA and do not mow, landscape or plow snow, so its easy here,  plus I like the change of seasons and I can always take off somewhere for a month if I want to.

To each their own.   Not knocking it, it's just not for me.   I lived in an HOA ruled community once and that was enough to convince me doing all those things were worth it to me while still being able to roam as I wish.   I respect my neighbors rights and they respect mine.   Works for me.

Rams

This HOA cost me so little that you would not believe it. And I have great neighbors. I can roam just like I always did.

[Rams]

Staying right where I am with my family around me. I can always take off somewhere if I want to but I live on a golf course with an HOA and do not mow, landscape or plow snow, so its easy here,  plus I like the change of seasons and I can always take off somewhere for a month if I want to.

To each their own.   Not knocking it, it's just not for me.   I lived in an HOA ruled community once and that was enough to convince me doing all those things were worth it to me while still being able to roam as I wish.   I respect my neighbors rights and they respect mine.   Works for me.

Rams

This HOA cost me so little that you would not believe it. And I have great neighbors. I can roam just like I always did.

   

[da prez]

R E N T for a while. May cost a little more in the short run , but less it you do not like the area in the long run. Avoid SSA  and check on HOA. 

            da prez

[scooperhsd]

Staying right where I am with my family around me. I can always take off somewhere if I want to but I live on a golf course with an HOA and do not mow, landscape or plow snow, so its easy here,  plus I like the change of seasons and I can always take off somewhere for a month if I want to.

To each their own.   Not knocking it, it's just not for me.   I lived in an HOA ruled community once and that was enough to convince me doing all those things were worth it to me while still being able to roam as I wish.   I respect my neighbors rights and they respect mine.   Works for me.

Rams

A BIG AMEN to that !!!!

[bassman]

RETARDED GRANDPARENTS
After Christmas, a teacher asked her young pupils how they spent their holiday away from school.
One child wrote the following:
We always used to spend the holidays with Grandma and Grandpa.
They used to live in a big brick house but Grandpa got retarded and they moved to Batemans Bay where everyone lives in nice little houses, and so they don't have to mow the grass anymore!
They ride around on their bicycles and scooters and wear name tags because they don't know who they are anymore.
They go to a building called a wreck centre, but they must have got it fixed because it is all okay now. They do exercises there, but they don't do them very well.
There is a swimming pool too, but they all jump up and down in it with hats on.
At their gate, there is a doll house with a little old man sitting in it. He watches all day so nobody can escape. Sometimes they sneak out, and go cruising in their golf carts!
Nobody there cooks, they just eat out.
And, they eat the same thing every night --- early birds.
Some of the people can't get out past the man in the doll house. The ones who do get out, bring food back to the wrecked centre for pot luck.
My Grandma says that Grandpa worked all his life to earn his retardment and says I should work hard so I can be retarded someday too.
When I earn my retardment, I want to be the man in the doll house. Then I will let people out, so they can visit their grandchildren.

[Valkorado]

RETARDED GRANDPARENTS
After Christmas, a teacher asked her young pupils how they spent their holiday away from school.
One child wrote the following:
We always used to spend the holidays with Grandma and Grandpa.
They used to live in a big brick house but Grandpa got retarded and they moved to Batemans Bay where everyone lives in nice little houses, and so they don't have to mow the grass anymore!
They ride around on their bicycles and scooters and wear name tags because they don't know who they are anymore.
They go to a building called a wreck centre, but they must have got it fixed because it is all okay now. They do exercises there, but they don't do them very well.
There is a swimming pool too, but they all jump up and down in it with hats on.
At their gate, there is a doll house with a little old man sitting in it. He watches all day so nobody can escape. Sometimes they sneak out, and go cruising in their golf carts!
Nobody there cooks, they just eat out.
And, they eat the same thing every night --- early birds.
Some of the people can't get out past the man in the doll house. The ones who do get out, bring food back to the wrecked centre for pot luck.
My Grandma says that Grandpa worked all his life to earn his retardment and says I should work hard so I can be retarded someday too.
When I earn my retardment, I want to be the man in the doll house. Then I will let people out, so they can visit their grandchildren.

That's funny right there, don't matter how old you are!   

[Jess from VA]

I grew up in the Chicago area. I lived in the Detroit area for 27 years when working. When I retired I moved to East Tn because I fell in love with the area from motorcycling down here for 20 years. I bought a small farm in the middle of no where and have no desire to ever move again until someone plants me 6 ft under. My wife’s family is gone. My brother and sister are still alive but I never see them....they don’t like me much. My 2 sons are in different states, Michigan and North Carolina. Grandkids are in Michigan and we see them maybe twice a year. It’s our life and we chose to live it our way but have no desire to change but anyone is welcome to visit....the door is always open.

Binkie, IMHO you win this thread.   

[..]

Been researching a little.  Would like something either new, or relatively new.  Someplace warm all year is preferable.  An upscale multi-racial community, town, city would be ideal.

I've looked at these 55+ communities with Jimmy Buffets name on them.  New construction in Hilton Head and Daytona.  Most expensive is a single family with 3 beds, 3.5 baths, 3 car garage that has a base price of around $350K. 

Anyone familiar with the above or something comparable?

My wife and I are in a similar boat. We’re looking to move in the future, I hate NJ.

The issue is where? It use to be Florida Keys, now maybe it’s somewhere else or maybe 2 places. I think it’s going to depend on where our kids end up. Our son is already off on his own living in Maryland. My oldest daughter just graduated college and is looking for a job in her diploma field and our youngest still has 3 semesters left before she graduates college and moves on to a masters, work or a combo of both.

Figure out where you want to be first and then go shopping. Get familiar with the area, the state and everything else or you could end up very unhappy.

My riding friend moved to Tampa to be near his kids and grands.

One of them promptly got transferred to VA Beach and will then go to Alaska.

Another moved away as well.

One left.

Your kids will not stay where you move to if their life dictates otherwise.

Remember life happens after you make plans.

[Romeo]

Ive heard Lewes Delaware is a nice spot, just not sure I want to be there. It is located equidistant between where my two kids reside. On near NYC, the other in DC.

[Patrick]

We rented for 15 winters in the Keys. Too expense to buy though so we ended up in a 55+ retirement community on the west coast [Fl].
Love it. Affordable, friendly people. People in here actually stop and talk to each other. There is something to do every minute. 5 yrs ago I would have never considered this. The kung flu has slowed things up a bit, but, not too much. Golf course in the back yard [ we get hit with balls a lot] and 10 minutes to good fishing.

I forgot to say we do the 6 month thing. As liberal as NYS is, I still like the area during the summer. I used to enjoy the winter, no more, can't take the cold anymore. I think we'll be in Florida full time within a couple yrs.

[3fan4life]

The grass is always greener............

giving this one a lot of thought myself but wife wants to be near grandkids

The wife and I have both been talking about where we'd like to live once we're retired.

Florida comes to mind and we were seriously looking for some land before Covid locked everything down.

Cost Rica also comes to mind.

The weather is warm and the beach is still close to the mountains.


She voiced concerns about not seeing the kids and the grandkids.

I told her that if we have a house near the beach with a swimming pool, they will come visit us.

[GiG]

The grass is always greener............

giving this one a lot of thought myself but wife wants to be near grandkids

The wife and I have both been talking about where we'd like to live once we're retired.

Florida comes to mind and we were seriously looking for some land before Covid locked everything down.

Cost Rica also comes to mind.

The weather is warm and the beach is still close to the mountains.


She voiced concerns about not seeing the kids and the grandkids.

I told her that if we have a house near the beach with a swimming pool, they will come visit us.

"if we have a house near the beach with a swimming pool, they will come visit us"...

me too 

[3fan4life]

My wife won't leave the area where our kids and grandkids live here in Virginia.  We are blessed that everyone is local to us.  My wife is a very social person and think she would love the Villages. We have a few friends there and they love it.   Over 2500 groups with music in the town centers and dancing in the streets.  I'd go if she wanted to, but I'd rather move further in the country and get a bigger garage.  But we will probably stay in our current house until we need assistance.  We are close to the beach but 3 hours from the mountains.
Dan

5 days is not enough to judge. But I loved Roanoke. I could see myself living there. But I ain't moving all my crap. I'll probably die here.

Roanoke, VA is a great place to live.

I grew up about 50 miles away and have worked in Roanoke since 1986.

The wife was born and raised in Roanoke.

Our main reason for wanting to live somewhere else is that neither of us like thje cold weather.

Both of us want to spend our old age somewhere that it never snows.

[3fan4life]

The grass is always greener............

giving this one a lot of thought myself but wife wants to be near grandkids

The wife and I have both been talking about where we'd like to live once we're retired.

Florida comes to mind and we were seriously looking for some land before Covid locked everything down.

Cost Rica also comes to mind.

The weather is warm and the beach is still close to the mountains.


She voiced concerns about not seeing the kids and the grandkids.

I told her that if we have a house near the beach with a swimming pool, they will come visit us.

"if we have a house near the beach with a swimming pool, they will come visit us"...

me too 

You and Lulu are welcome to visit Ginger and I anytime.

But you have to bring your own coffee maker. 

[Jersey mike]

Been researching a little.  Would like something either new, or relatively new.  Someplace warm all year is preferable.  An upscale multi-racial community, town, city would be ideal.

I've looked at these 55+ communities with Jimmy Buffets name on them.  New construction in Hilton Head and Daytona.  Most expensive is a single family with 3 beds, 3.5 baths, 3 car garage that has a base price of around $350K. 

Anyone familiar with the above or something comparable?

My wife and I are in a similar boat. We’re looking to move in the future, I hate NJ.

The issue is where? It use to be Florida Keys, now maybe it’s somewhere else or maybe 2 places. I think it’s going to depend on where our kids end up. Our son is already off on his own living in Maryland. My oldest daughter just graduated college and is looking for a job in her diploma field and our youngest still has 3 semesters left before she graduates college and moves on to a masters, work or a combo of both.

Figure out where you want to be first and then go shopping. Get familiar with the area, the state and everything else or you could end up very unhappy.

My riding friend moved to Tampa to be near his kids and grands.

One of them promptly got transferred to VA Beach and will then go to Alaska.

Another moved away as well.

One left.

Your kids will not stay where you move to if their life dictates otherwise.

Remember life happens after you make plans.

Our thoughts were to maybe triangulate.

But we’re a few years from that.

Another idea we have is a motor home for a while. Who knows at this point, just thoughts, ideas and some hopes.