Pro and Cons of 55+ community?

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Forum -> Inquiries & Offers -> Moving/ Relocating

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amother

OP ↓

Wed, Sep 11 2024, 1:02 pm

What are the pluses and minuses of 55+ communities?

What are somethings you wished you knew before you moved into one?

amother

↑ OP

Wed, Sep 11 2024, 6:26 pm

Bump

amother

Red

Wed, Sep 11 2024, 7:05 pm

Not 55+ yet but #1 con to me is that you are part of an association and have to deal with their shenanigans.

amother

Silver ↓

Wed, Sep 11 2024, 7:14 pm

Depends on what you are looking for and why you are moving.

My parents retired to a senior community because they were moving anyway tp a new area and wanted a condo.

They liked all the activities, classes and support that was provided. The place had multiple pools, walking trails, golf course, a bus that went around the development as well as to nearby shopping centers.

The quality of any HOA is going to depend the specifics. Most people who live in a condo are fine with living with a condo as they never get in trouble and appreciate having all of the maintenance left to the HOA.

amother

Grape ↓

Wed, Sep 11 2024, 8:22 pm

Someone told me that if I'm the type to get annoyed at the HOA, I'm too young to move there.

amother

Mocha

Wed, Sep 11 2024, 8:25 pm

Rules
No shabbos elevator
Fees

amother

Tan

Wed, Sep 11 2024, 8:48 pm

Not for me
I like a balanced variety
So yes to condo living
And noisy grandkids 🥰

amother

↑ Silver ↓

Wed, Sep 11 2024, 9:06 pm

amother Mocha wrote:

Rules
No shabbos elevator
Fees

Most of the developments are in the suburbs and people are on the ground floor.

People appreciate that there are rules so they don’t have to deal with obnoxious neighbors. I have never known anyone who had an issue with a rule of a condo they are living in. And condos are run by the people living in them so they can run for the Board or go to meetings if they want changes. 🤷‍♀️

It costs money to live anywhere and so in a well run condo, you are paying for amenities and you are also paying for someone else to handle maintenance. It takes money and energy to handle gardeners, maintenance people and handymen. My father is happy not to have home maintenance to deal with.

amother

Smokey ↓

Wed, Sep 11 2024, 9:21 pm

Where are we talking about 55+ in condos with elevators? The 55+ communities I know are privately purchased detached houses on both sides.
Yes there are rules in the community but following the rules and having oversite is what makes it such a nice place to live. There is no heimish shmi dri. A properly run community has systems in place for garbage gardening and snow plow. The communities can be neat and well taken care of suburban gated communities. With waterfalls walking /biking paths,gyms and pools

amother

↑ Silver ↓

Wed, Sep 11 2024, 9:28 pm

amother Smokey wrote:

Viewing "rules" as a negative is a very odd criticism of condos.

Most people - especially people over 55 - WANT to have rules that make their home a nice place to live. They don't feel circumscribed by rules because they don't do things or want to do things that are "against the rules".

The Rules generally keep the place quiet and clean. Honestly if someone has issues with the rules of a well run condo development for seniors (or really anyone) I wander what kind of a neighbor they are because I have lived in a condo for many years and never have done anything which caused a complaint

amother

↑ Grape

Wed, Sep 11 2024, 9:32 pm

Rules include what kind of succah you can build ( I think only cloth kind), how big it can be ( very small) and how long it can be up ( minimal).

amother

Acacia

Wed, Sep 11 2024, 9:33 pm

It’s a bungalow colony. Everyone is up everyone else’s business.

amother

↑ Smokey

Wed, Sep 11 2024, 9:58 pm

What communities are we taking about that have 55+ in condos??

amother

Apricot

Wed, Sep 11 2024, 10:02 pm

amother Smokey wrote:

My patenys own a condo in a 55+ community in Florida. The condos are in buildings with several floors.
And they have annoying HOA rules.

Not everything is fairways and Enclave.

Thet love it though. Its like camp for adults.

amother

Vermilion

Thu, Sep 12 2024, 4:41 am

My 8n laws live in a retirement village. Ni elevators. Each couple has like a small bungalo,2 bedrooms, 1.5 bath, a kitchenette and living / dining area and a lovely little bwckyard. Attached on both sides.
They are well above 55. The pros for this specific place is thst it also has a facility for frail care. So my father in law, who has demrntia and parkinsons is in the medical building on the grounds and has 24/7 care.
There are activities my MIL is living. She keeps on saying that she shoild have moved years ago.
But not at 55. That young to move. In my opiniin.

amother

↑ Silver

Thu, Sep 12 2024, 9:07 am

amother Vermilion wrote:

That is a specific type of facility which is generally not a destination until people are older - well above 55.

Even with the 55 plus type of developments, most people don't move into them when they are 55 unless they have some kind of unusual circumstances - e.g. one of the spouses is older and retired and the other isn't working so has the ability to move.

In my personal experience, people move into the 55 plus communities without medical facilities when they retire - typically 65 - some because they want to move to a warmer climate and some because they want an easier life style.

My aunt and uncle moved into the type of facility you are describing when they were significantly older than 55 - more like 80 when they had become frailer and so weren't able to live independently as easily as most people are in the regular over 55 communities. There was also some kind of guaranteed medical care as they needed it so the amount they needed to "buy into" the property was higher than just purchasing a condo.

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