Sorry to butt in, but wanted to say that, a friend of mine bought a place in an over-55 community in Connecticut. I would go and visit him often, and I made friends down there! He's since left (it wasn't his bag, but that's about his personality, not the place). I thought it was great - with reservations. I think social aspect is what those communities have going for them, but that's about it. But that's a very big thing. People who buy into such places are going to have that social/community thing in common, so they really are great for people who like community and social activities. Great to have everything taken care of, of course - shoveling, etc., and to have the community center with the gym, pool, cookouts, library (my friend was the librarian!), all that kind of stuff.

The down side, IMO, is that financially they are very expensive. The houses are not worth at all what people pay for them since they are developments. Also, you have to live by the association rules, and HOAs can be real PITAs.

But, if you have money and really know the rules and can live with a board making decisions for you as part of a group, they do have a very positive side to them, IMO.

We're considering that transition ourselves. We have several friends who have already moved into brand new over 55 developments and I've had the opportunity to spend some time visiting them. The houses were very attractive and thoughtfully designed. Initially I thought I'd never be able to adjust to the tiny yards and the proximity of the neighbors - but DH has recently had some health issues and it's caused me to think about it seriously. Our home is large (5 bedrooms, 4 baths) and on an oversize lot. We've been here over 30 years and are very comfortable. We have contractors to do all the maintenance but we're also ready to downsize. We're realists and in all likelihood I'll outlive DH by many years. This type of community is one where I could easily make new friends and live there as long as I can live independently.

There is a wide range of developments in our area with varying amounts of extras and of course extra $$ in dues - clubhouse, pools (indoor and outdoor), one is adjacent to a golf course. My friends all chose developments with minimal amenities. Only one has a clubhouse but none have pools. The monthly fee ranges from $115 to $175 which covers mowing, and snow removal.

They've found that most of the people moving into that type of arrangement are outgoing and friendly. Part of that might be due to the fact that all three are brand new communities and there's a different feel to a new development. There are community activities even without a clubhouse - card clubs, crafts, walking groups, book clubs...Two of the three communities are near the public library and they utilize the meeting rooms at the library.

As Tibbrix pointed out HOA's can easily be a PITA. So far none of my friends have had issues - but again everything is new. It's important to read the HOA regulations and find out what powers the HOA has. Our state regulates HOA's but I'm not sure if that's everywhere. Some HOA's are very strict - no street parking overnight, all drapes must be white on the outside, no holiday decorations, no exterior modifications, etc. One thing to consider is what happens when a homeowner fails follow the regulations and what can the HOA do legally to compel them to pay.

It will be interesting to see what others think.

Maire

We own a home in Florida that we are currently renting. Not sure if we will ever really use it for ourselves, but it was my DH's dream to own in Florida!

I think it is good advise to read the regulations. We didn't. But since then we have learned about where you can leave your car, and for how long. Our tenants had to give up one car because they needed the garage to store a camper. When we bought the house we stayed there for a week. One of the neighbors came and told us that they don't leave the lights on outside of your home all night. I laughed at the time, but this would be a rule that we had to live by.

If you have a dog, it has to be under 20lbs. But, this gated community is made up of quite a few sections. Each HOA has different rules. I was surprised to see people walking around with big dogs. I assumed the whole community acted as one, but that is not the case there.

The community also has individually owned homes, so they care for it the same as you do now. My house which is a three bedroom ranch style,, is considered a condo. This of course means that everything outside of the house is taken care of by the HOA. (Leak in a skylight, chipping paint, everything is meticulously cared for.)

We also would love to move. I love my house though as it is the perfect size, and when we bought it over twenty years ago I thought that it would be great to keep for two of us. But, as the old timers, we no longer fit into this neighborhood. Homes are being bought, torn down and rebuilt into much larger homes. We truly have nothing in common with the new young families moving in.

We are at a standstill. I will be interested in hearing what everyone has to say too.

I'm so glad others are joining the conversation. I wish the Retirement forum was active and it surprises me that it's not with all us baby boomers becoming empty nesters and downsizing.

We live in a regular neighborhood with no HOA and frankly I'm kind of looking forward to living in a community that regulates exteriors after having neighbors who don't take care of their yards and staring at a camper which moved three times in 25 years.

Other than our two boys and first grand on the way there's nothing to keep us here. The boys are busy with their own lives and we see them once or sometimes twice a month. As is typical, DIL gravitates toward her family who all live 5 min from them, so we don't expect to see our grandchild much either. Friendships have dwindled over the years, especially neighbors as kids went off to college.

Our house is 4 br, 2.5 baths but not big. We've remodeled the kitchen and baths in the last 5 years so could stay here. DH even talked about adding a master suite to the main level as we both are tired of stairs, but I know we would never recoup the $ if we sold later on. Plus, this area is very congested and I'd like somewhere a little less crowded.

Another big question is we have no idea where we want to go which means visiting numerous places to see if any feel right. I wish this process was easier!

nhbaskets - great layout - I really like how the homes are somewhat staggered which gives you a little more privacy. Two of the developments we looked out had homes in a straight line - when you stepped out the back door you could look up and down the row at all the backyards. Fences weren't allowed and only shrubs that are on the approved list could be planted - none of which would grow tall enough to block the view of your neighbor's patio.

NHbaskets....thank you for sharing your experience. Agree with maire-cate that your development looks wonderful. It looks like HOA's can vary quite a bit and it's very necessary to be informed as to what you can and can't do.

". It looks like HOA's can vary quite a Bit"

Exactly. The HOA of a home we own (as a rental) also covers property taxes, water and basic cable.

I know I would be very interested in checking some out when the time comes... I think the social aspect of this type of community is what makes them so desirable-- especially for those who are relocating to a completely new area!! I think I would want to find one fairly close to a moderate sized city with a good sized university nearby too!

(in one neighborhood where I lived once we had next door neighbors who loved leaving numerous outdoor lights on all night long-- they were on timers- during the couple months where I loved sleeping with the windows open, those shining lights were a pita!! and our houses weren't that close together! I would have appreciated a 'no light all night' hoa rule in that neighborhood!! :)

In the past 35 years, I've tried a variety of living arrangements, from small homes/yards, large homes/yards, apartments/town houses/condos in large cities, and my current too large (2400 SF for a single person - what was I thinking???) townhouse condo. Currently, I am responsible for maintenance of the small, fenced back yard (as well as interior maintenance). All other outdoor areas are maintenance free for me and the HOA fees cover them. The current arrangement was my lead-in to a smaller condo in which I would have no outdoor maintenance, and I'm so ready for that! I will be buying a 1500 SF, 2-BR and den, 2-bath condo on the top floor of an elevator building in a 55+ gated community. There are 10 4-level buildings with 32 units in each building. The HOA fees cover cleaning/maintenance of all common areas inside, all outside maintenance, pool, clubhouse, and water/sewer. The unit I'm buying is in the oldest building (9 y/o). Classes and club activities abound at the community and in the surrounding area. Shopping is within walking distance. My unit overlooks a pond and bike trail, with a nature preserve beyond. It is also part of a larger community of single- and multi-family homes. For an additional very low fee, I can choose to participate in their community amenities, such as more kid-friendly pools when the family visits.

My sister's second home is in the same development and it's in the same area in which I was raised. It's also within an hour from my only child and his family versus a 4 to 7 hour commute on I-95. Being in the DC-Baltimore-Annapolis triangle, 3 miles from the commuter rail, I have access to theaters, museums, and great medical facilities.

So, I'm accustomed to the HOA issues, familiar with the area, and have a ready-made social network. Can hardly wait!

Be aware that in a multi-unit building condo ass'n such as mine, the individual buildings may have written rules that are not included in the HOA covenants, but are binding. For example, the buildings rules may specify whether or not smoking is allowed. Be sure to ask for those rules as well as the HOA covenants.

Hi all. I live in a community that has an HOA,clubhouse, pool, tennis courts etc. I own my home and so im responsible for all the upkeep of the housei tself but the HOA does all the lawn care, pruning, mulching etc. Also they do the snow removal which includes my driveway and walkway to my front door. The city takes care of the streets. I live in what is called a courtyard home. The front of my house faces the street but to enter my drive/garage you enter from a courtyard. This is not an over 55 community but most of the courtyard homes are owned by older folks. Mine is one level living and I love it. Not all the homes are the same throughout the community. There are two level single family courtyard homes, town homes, condos and very large single family homes. Wonderful mix of young families, middle aged and older folks. My HOA is 184.00 with an occasional snow assessment.

There are multiple activities for singles, couples, entire community, bookclubs, card clubs, tennis, pickleball, dinners, etc etc. Great place. I am located in Frederick Maryland.

My sister is doing a long term rental in a 55+ community for a few years until her husband fully retires. The original owners both died and the resale market dropped so the adult children are happy to have a renter. Maybe you could investigate that as option before buying one.