When we left a warm southern state to move to Maine to live close to family and watch grandchildren grow up, our friends wondered whether we were "directions challenged." Searching for a home in Mid Coast Maine, we stumbled upon a gem of a 55-plus community that meets our needs in every respect. That was 11 years ago and not a day goes by that I don't feel grateful to have discovered this heavenly community. It's the best of two worlds for us: family nearby and a genuine community of supportive, interesting friends and neighbors our age. It's the way life should be, as the saying goes in Maine.
3
Moving to Florida may be desirable and apparently less expensive, but considering the congestion, the hurricanes and accompanying insurance costs, is it really worth it?
2
My in-laws live in a community like this in MD and love it. I just wish their house didn't have so many stairs. Shouldn't designs for 55+ communities involve accessible housing?
4
South Florida has been changing for the better in terms of health care, expansion of hospitals, better trained medical infrastructure, etc. Century Village IS NOT THE ONLY PLACE. Florida is ranked number one for affordability, desirable amenities, weather, and even better in health care and assisted living availability. The older generation may move back to be close to the younger members of the family, but not the majority. I see this every day and know what I am seeing as a pattern.
2
Ugh. I don't mind getting old, but the last thing I want to do is surround myself with other old people. I like living in a neighborhood populated by Millennials and young families. If this is your cup of tea, enjoy. I will never be a part of it.
14
Despite the fact that there are main floor masters much of the square footage are on the second floor and difficult to access
High HOA because of shared amenities that are infrequently used by most.
Common exterior walls. Too much closeness
This story like a great advertisement for the developers. NYT can do a lot better.
10
I have friends who live in these types of communities in North Carolina and Arizona and they love it. Unfortunately, seniors who want to down-size and remain in the New York metro area have little choice and the communities that are being developed (including those mentioned in this article) don't offer any school tax relief for its residents. They pay the whole amount in spite of the fact that the homeowners will not be sending any children to school.
1
I'm childfree and I love paying for schools and students. They are the future, you know?
10
If I were those people moving to yaphank I'd make sure to check the water. Brookhaven Lab is a hop, skip and jump from that development. My dad died at 68. He used to haul atomic waste from the lab to the city in the 1940s and 1950s. (In a station wagon). There was a nuclear reactor leaking water into the ground in 1996.
Come to think of it, I wouldn't believe anything the developers or local politicians told me. My dad was told it was perfectly safe to drive that waste around. Groundwater contamination in the area was hushed up for decades. I'd buy somewhere else. Go further up island where there are better hospitals, too.
6
These places have stairs! My mom, at 92, does not like stairs - most elderly don't. And, some of these places are really big for people who claim to be downsizing!
13
I had a co-worker who had to have eye surgery in her 40s (removal of one eye) after which she was prohibited from climbing stairs for ten days. Her home had no bedrooms on the ground level. Her husband told me he got her upstairs and there she had to remain. Stairs are indeed good exercise if you can manage them. With my arthritis sometimes I can, sometimes I cannot. I completely agree with the comment that townhouses in a retirement community don't make a lot of sense. Here in San Diego there is a brand new retirement community (rental, not buy-in) with two story apartment buildings and no elevators (because muny code requires elevators only in 3-story buildings.) So are the developers really interested in the elderly or in the bottom line?
12
My parents lived in a place like this. It has all the trappings of what is the good life of which WHITE Americans expect. A touch of the country club. How rich.
14
My parents moved into the grandparent of them all - Century Village - when it opened, so most folks were young, active retirees. But then, when folks were in their early 70s, there was a period of a few years where many, many of the men died and it became a place for widows.
Now you could argue that such a community provides support for new widows - and it does - but as several commentators have mentioned, the increasing number of ambulance sirens and hospitalizations, etc. is depressing.
The health care in South Florida is awful, and then there are the hurricanes.
No thanks.
17
"The health care in South Florida is awful, and then there are the hurricanes."
That's why there's a building boom here in the Charlotte area in both Carolinas.
Good weather, fair taxes, entertainment facilities and two huge hospital systems. We are attracting people leaving Florida as well as retirees from the North. Many are settling in because their children work for major corporations which have stepped their moves while prices are still reasonable for land. Many brought employees with them who were glad to have a reason to move. In the last three years two NJ corporations have brought in almost 2500 executives and we are on the short list of a corporation looking to open a headquarters here with 50,000 employees.
You can do worse, much worse.
1
You just have a little problem with the GOP state legislature's attempted coup down there...
14
Several years ago I decided to move back to NJ after 10 years in South Florida. I checked into different housing options, and against my better judgement purchased a beautiful home in a very upscale 55 community featuring golf courses, indoor AND outdoor pools, lavish clubhouse, plus plus plus. What I didn't consider were taxes and the high maintenance fees every month for amenities I hardly ever or never used. While seeming quite idyllic on the surface, ( friends marveled at the beauty of it all) I just couldn't justify the cost, and the unsettling feeling of being surrounded by people who lived to go to the clubhouse daily, and made it seem that was the main reason for waking up every day. While certainly ideal for many, it wasn't for me and after a year and a half I sold it (within a week, after a bidding war) and moved to Greenville SC, where I purchased a single family home in the historic district, and pay far less for lawn cutting and upkeep, than my previous home, and am with people of all ages with different outlooks, making life much more interesting. 55 plus is great for many people, but not for everyone. Do your homework thoroughly before committing!
50
The New York bias is in full flower. These communities have been around, with the same issues and opportunities, for a long time - you just have to cross the Mississippi.
7
Does every child want their parents to be relatively close by? I know there must be kids whose response to a parent's plan to uproot them selves and Relocate from one coast to another just to be near them is, "gee, mom, that's great" NOT!!!!!
9
When the "old person next door" to us had to move into assisted living, the house was sold to a young couple, at which point WE became the "old people next door". With the result that we now get to experience the fun of watching their new baby grow up, along with the associated ego trip of being seen as the wise voices of experience. (LOL - if they only knew!)
Would I want to be surrounded by only people my own age? Spare me, please. Real life consists of people of all ages, from newborns to seniors. And that's how I hope to live until the day I die.
33
Very ageist comment. If you don't know what ageism is, please read Frank Bruni's wonderful column on the subject.
1
Just the opposite of ageist. Isolating older people makes them marginalized.
12
I'm 67 years old. If I don't want to live among a bunch of people my age or older that isn't ageism it's a preference. I've been in this hose for 38 years and am watching a third generation of new babies.
The younger folks do appreciate our knowledge and experience and I have all the tools any one needs to borrow and I keep up with changing mores just talking to them. We're usually around and don't mind feeding the cat if they have to go away. A few of them go away because they're dealing with parents in poor health up North. Been there, done that.
4
We love life in the Village of Port Jefferson, which offers everything needed from a beautiful waterfront & access, dining & entertainment, and a lovely community that offers a wide variety of engaging activities. Village Vistas has proven to be an excellent choice for my husband & I. The elevator is a godsend. Our neighbors are wonderful and very vibrant, extremely low taxes (under $5K) provide us with the ability to spend those tens of thousands saved on enjoyment, our family, and a second home, and we love to wake up each morning to views that are not matched by any other 55+ that we are aware of. Our home has been made nearly exactly the way we had wanted it to be, which was a deciding factor in moving to Port Jefferson over alternatives. We could not have made the changes elsewhere. We do wish that the community has been finished, but I believe there are 6 more to be sold and we are hopeful that they will soon be discovered. Douglas Elliman has the property. They are worth a peek and our neighbors are happy to share their experiences. https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/2104302280_zpid/globalrelevanceex_...
https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/2092942436_zpid/globalrelevanceex_...
3
I think there's something very unnatural about living in an age-restricted community, and I plan never to do it. I think gated communities are just plain wrong, too. The whole vibe of this feels elitist and slightly creepy.
19
@Ann: I agree with you about the un-naturalness of age-restricted communities, yet many of us will some day end up in one: a nursing home. Nursing homes, to me, are the absolute worst of age-restricted facilities (even though I'm aware that younger people may also be residents in a nursing home, but fortunately the young are not the majority).
Every nursing home I've seen or dealt with personally (which is, unfortunately, quite a few) is basically a warehouse for old people, and while there are always some staff members who are kind and caring, there are also far too many people working in nursing homes who shouldn't be allowed around ANY vulnerable people at all.
11
What if some of us LIKE people our own age? What if some of us PREFER to live in a safe community near people who like with whom we share interests and values? Is it ok with you if other people make other choices?
7
That’s why we need to liberalize assisted dying. It’s also why more and more people over 60 are skipping “preventive” screenings. If you don’t die of cancer, heart disease or pneumonia, that’s what happens.
4
There is one picture where the ceiling is 18' and the second floor has an open area with a railing! Guess where the heat is going to go. This is such bad design for the northeast winters. Plus there shouldn't be a second floor for older people. I hope they put radiant heat in the floors.
16
Elevators
@anna: Exactly!
3
Three bedrooms, 2 plus baths, huge open floor plans, STAIRS????
How is this downsizing?
I volunteer with serious oldsters (in the upper 80's and beyond) and what they want is one bedroom, one bathroom, no stairs and a ton of great lighting. Esp. the couples because the wife is sick of taking care of household chores (and yes, it is the women's work).
24
Bentonville, Arkansas---Crystal Bridges Museum, nonstop programs and lectures. Miles of walking and biking trails. Friendly, polite people from all over the world. A shop just for different brands of olive oil (owner moved from Chappaqua, NY). Even had Indian film with subtitles in local movie theater! On my way!
7
Wal-Mart's version of Pottersville. No thanks.
4
These small senior communities work if you want to stay in NY because of family ties, but as a transplanted New Yorker now living on the Georgia coast, I'd suggest considering other options. We found a community that includes both retirees, and younger families. At the Landings on Skidaway Island, we are only 25 minutes from Savannah's museums, nightlife, and historical sites, 15 minutes from a full service hospital, and 35 minutes from direct airport service to NYC. Once you cross the bridge onto the island, you find a community of 8000 residents, mostly relocated here from other cities.
For us, this "critical mass" of neighbors provides a lifestyle we couldn't find in smaller "retirement" communities. For example, an active New Neighbors group with 300+ members that sponsors trips, gourmet groups, boat rides, golf events, pickleball socials, and other activities that enable us to meet people with similar interests. How about 40 miles of bicycle trails, a community garden, a sailing program with weekly races that costs only $65 a month to join, 6 golf courses (not my thing but golfers love the courses), 35 tennis courts, and a state park across the street from our house? Not to mention about 100 interest groups ranging from art to chess to photography to political. And numerous volunteer opportunities to make use of the skills that we had in our previous lives. We realize this option doesn't address issues like senior housing scarcity, but we feel lucky to live here.
11
Monthly fee for common maintenance, insurance, grass cutting, landscaping etc is what kills it for me. My elderly parents spend $600 per month in fees ( not including any mortgage) for a small two bedroom place in Florida.
8
In Northern Westchester (Somers), Heritage Hills was originally marketed as an 'over 55' community, with over 1000 condos sold. An age discrimination lawsuit followed and was lost, permitting all ages to reside there. Now school buses travel roads never designed for them and the hoped for 'retirement peace and quiet' was lost. The law is very specific on how to prohibit 'under 55' residents!
5
I think the New York Times prides itself on showing what “the haves” have and what the “have nots” don’t have… and then providing the “comments” section for them to duke it out like a boxing match.
I think the real story here is in the comments.
Why do people have to always jump in and be critical of how other people choose to live?
Can’t everyone just “LIVE AND LET LIVE.”
Personally, I think these homes/communities look nice. Sure, they look expensive too.
Yes, stairs can cause injury and yes, stairs can be used for exercise.
Sure… you can buy the same place for much less money if you move to a less populated part of the country or to a different country altogether.
Etc. Etc. Etc.
I’ll say it again… “Live and let live.” (And by the way, most conflicts in the world, from person to person or even nation to nation, wouldn’t exist if people/nations would just adhere to this simple principle).
13
It's call jealousy. Pure and simple.
2
Or a human reaction to an obvious obscenity. Where's the side article about homeless vets living on sidewalks? Are they allowed if they're '+55?'
This isn't 'downsizing.' It's ostentatious consumerism. Do people really want to live like that? I'm appalled.
3
Don't want to disappoint you, but I am NOT jealous of any gated community full of old people. Ugh.
3
My parents loved their retirement community in Florida for many years. Eventually they realized the cost of not living in a multi-aged community: all loss- the daily sight and sounds of ambulances, frequent deaths of neighbors and close friends. No thanks.
10
I'll bet all of these developments will be having serious problems with the new tax bill going through, limiting mortgage interest and property tax deductions, I feel bad for those already signed into them.
4
Many of these people will not have a mortgage having sold the big house for more than what the new one cost. They won't need to deduct mortgage interest. If they leave the Northeast the taxes will be almost half of what they were paying.
I own two houses one an ocean front and together they don't cost what my mother in law's little 1600 sq. ft house in South Jersey cost in real estate taxes. ($6800)
3
As Jerry Seinfeld once quipped, " My dad retired at 65, got a gold watch , moved to Miami, and complained about the government". "He didn't want to, but that was the law ". The new best reason for moving when folks retire is getting away from endless taxation in the likes of Jersey, NY, Illinois etc. Finding a Doctor and suitable care when that comes is a big obstacle. So I can understand these folks cited in this article sound as if they are just changing homes. Smart move.
2
Florida is called God's Waiting Room for a reason. Glad you like it, but it isn't for everyone, and taxes are not the most important thing in my life. I also hate very hot weather.
4
The main (first) photo looks like WOODBURY COMMONS - all that's missing is the information kiosk in the middle of the street, and some soda vending machines tucked away somewhere.
This could not be more cookie-cutter if it tried, AND there are STEPS (with no obvious ramps or other thought given to accessibility!!) on all these homes. Even ONE step matters when you're older or disabled or recovering from an injury or surgery. (I broke a bone in my foot at age 56 and couldn't do even a single step for nearly 4 months - so it's not even necessarily an issue of being "very old.")
It seems to me these developers are doing very well for themselves by building housing for people who *think* they will never be truly frail, elderly or disabled. Maybe buying in these developments is a form of denial for the purchasers.
I only know that I'd never live in one of these places; to me they're just high-priced (supposedly upscale) warehouses for older people. The song that ran through my head as I looked through the photo gallery was "Ticky-Tacky (Little Boxes" (youtube it if you don't remember it!).
31
My wife and I moved in to an aged restricted community in 2008. I was 72 and she 69.Our previous single family home had stairs,the bathrooms needed major renovation in order to make them senior friendly,upkeep had become an issue.Our present 1800 sq ft one floor unit with a walk in shower kept me out of a nursing home during a major health crisis.
Most aged restricted communities are not "gated Ghettos" as some commenters claim.True,you con play cards all day,or go to the casinos weekly.but we also have university professors give lectures or operas, ballet or other cultural presentations at the clubhouse.Car service to NJPAC is less than $200 round trip for four people.The pools and gym are a plus as are the tennis and bocce court .Hiking trails a short distance from the front door.We also have convenient bus service to NYC.
The negatives are more than a few seniors in precarious health choose to move in to our community instead of an assisted living one Financial?Stigma?The other spouse will assist?The other minus? More Trump than Obama sympathizers, so I choose my friendships very carefully.
23
Re the reasons for precarious people moving into a place like yours -- is often children who want to minimize the expense of parent upkeep in the hope of maximizing their inheritances.
1
Hmm - not sure about this comment, ellienyc, unless I'm not understanding you. When my MIL was widowed at 90, her first impulse was to stay in her fully paid off 4BR house. However, after 6 months she realized the upkeep was too much, so much to the relief of my husband (her only child) she moved into a nearby retirement community. She had to buy in for $130K or so, and pay monthly fees of around $2500. She lived there for 5 years. She did not outlive her assets but she could have and that would have been fine with my husband. Yes, he was relieved when she moved, but not because it benefited him financially, but because she was in a place of safety, services, and companionship. Seems to me that more often than not, these places will not benefit the children financially.
3
So many of us are caught up in care of our parents. My mother in law has Alzheimers and keeps having falls with broken bones resulting. A friend is dealing with her husband who has Parkinson's Disease and his mother who is 92. All of her time is spent running back and forth between the two.
At last his mother has decided that it would be better to go to a nursing care residence. After 40 years of living alone she found that she liked the company of having other people around. Judy's lie should be a lot easier.
Wouldn't it be nice if we had housing that more people could afford without using 35%+ of their monthly income, or digging deeply into savings?
Wouldn't it be nice if, instead of paying the SELLER a huge lump sum for what is mostly the locational value -- location, location, location -- we (1) paid the seller for the current, depreciated value of the home itself, and, (2) instead of paying taxes on wages, purchases, buildings, social security, dividends, capital gains (true capital gains, not the "unearned increment"), we paid our community, monthly, the current rental value of the bit of land our home occupies.
More people could afford homes. Homes would sell more quickly. Down payments would be lower. Mortgages would be shorter. Those who must move would know that their house would likely sell quickly. Title insurance might not be needed (?) As our needs changed, we could shift to homes that better suited our current needs -- larger, smaller, single-story, family-sized, modest, grand.
Underused land would be put on the market, once the speculative aspect disappeared. In cities, 2-story buildings in 5-story neighborhoods would soon be replaced with 5-story buildings, providing housing for twice as many people, and perhaps some commercial space as well; 5-story buildings in 20 story neighborhoods would give way to 20-story.
Did I mention the jobs this would create?
Picture the kind of society we'd be living in, and would leave to our children.
4
@Wyn: All I'm picturing is low-rise neighborhoods losing their light (and some of their neighborliness) to taller buildings that leave the area in shadow.
Did you mention that the jobs that would be created would mostly be temporary (construction jobs)?
"Title insurance might not be needed?" - only in your dreams! Who would buy without a clear title??
"Underused land would be put on the market, once the speculative aspect disappeared." Have you ever heard of the Tulip Craze in Holland, or the Bitcoin craze now? The "speculative aspect" is NEVER going to go away.
You have a lot of interesting ideas that I don't believe are viable in the society we are living in. If you would like to pay me the depreciated value of my home, why would I sell to you, when I can get a buyer who'd pay me the APPRECIATED value of my home? And its value *should* appreciate, as I've spent a substantial sum of money making capital improvements over the years.
6
L, NYC and many other cities seem to be fine with buildings becoming taller. Not suggesting needles, but incentives to use the land better; eliminate the "broken teeth" look of 2-story buildings in 5-story neighborhoods.
Construction jobs are brief, but the demand for housing is huge and ongoing, and if only the key necessity -- LAND -- becomes available, not hoarded, the demand for housing can be satisfied, creating jobs that are reliable. Technologically modern homes cost less to heat or cool. Elevator buildings can serve people at various ages and stages -- strollers, walkers, wheelchair.
Tulips are not a necessity of life, nor are Bitcoins. Speculating on art is fine. Speculation on land (and water, and other necessities) harms society and community.
You deserve to be paid for the value which you've added. But are you entitled to land value, which all of us together have created? Land and buildings are fundamentally different, and our failure to notice the difference leads to a lot of distortions.
Public policy -- including what we find legitimate to tax (treat as common property) and what we should avoid taxing except in emergencies [per John Stuart Mill] -- needs to be re-examined.
Ordinary people are capable of doing this -- and arguably far more capable than our elected representatives.
See "ReSolving the Economic Puzzle" and The Mason Gaffney Reader: Essays Toward Solving the Unsolvable."
1
If the cost of "location, location, location" bothers you I'm sure you could pick up a great deal in Newark, NJ, Detroit or Flint.
A security system wouldn't cost much and I'm sure the sound of guns firing at night wouldn't bother you after a while. Almost house would be a "fixer upper" so you wouldn't have a lot of cost for the purchase.
I don't have to envision your society. I've read New World Order by Dvorak. The movie is even funnier.
Looks like same old Long Island sprawl.
7
Nice to have money. What do poor or low income seniors do - die in place or eat food scraps
39
I immediately thought of the poorer seniors, of which there are many. You need a major chunk of change to buy many of these homes, just like any age group would. The accountant who said he'd lower his costs made me think , at the expense of whom, the person who bought his former home at top dollar?
5
"Hi I'm from the government I am here to help you". Yes I know Medicare part " D " is too expensive"." Cat food remains affordable"." Oh I forgot, you can keep your doctor, that is, if he or she accepts Medicare." Ah the Golden years!
4
Developers are morphing into builders of high-priced luxurious coffins for the living.
15
Good plan to get all these blue hairs, confined to specific locals. Less traffic congestion, is another plus.
1
Sounds like Del Webb 50+ year old concept
12
I would love Del Webb, but it needs to be expanded for lower income seniors.
2
This is not a new concept. Remember Del Webb and Sun City?
The sad part is, how much more quickly these folks will age mentally, in these isolated, segregated developments that create the illusion of "real life."
There are so many other, interesting options for living a rich, satisfying life as you age that don't involve only living with "your own kind'.
For some, this is their preference. How sad.
11
... for graying boomers who can afford it. Thankfully in New York City we have the SCRIE rent freeze: "Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption." I'm hanging on to my apartment like it's a life raft and I just fell off the Titanic!
20
First who can afford the prices quoted in this article? Second even if you can I'll bet you will never be able to get back what you paid for it. My Mom lived in one of these communities for nearly 15 years and when she passed we couldn't sell it for what she paid for it.
13
Absolutely this should be a concern, the likely declining value of retirement community homes you’ve paid so much for.
Values will likely decline because the monthly maintenance charges are so high, and will only increase over time, and also because people will always be attracted to the brand new retirement communities and prefer them to the older ones. Also, there is little that’s intrinsically appealing about these Long Island communities - if grown children/grandchildren don’t live nearby then there’s very little reason to buy in these communities, which are far more expensive than comparable communities in other parts of the US.
1
Sadily, in Northern NJ high prices, high taxes, high maintenances and few stairless condos/communities make retirees stay in their homes or move out of state.
11
If you think NJ is bad you wouldn't believe what my friends in Illinois experience with rising taxes prices many right out of remaining.
1
You have to look Mark.There are some stairless, one floor communities in your area that won't send you to the poorhouse.Not cheap but not extravagant either.
1
I'm a resident of a Northwind over 55 Community, while the design and layout of our units are beautiful, it is very wise to check with other communities with same developer, see if they keep tue to promises made, such as completing landscaping per plans, see if they complete punch list, see if there is a good management company in place who will provide proper snow removal and building and landscaping maintenance. This all very important because if these things are not it place, it can prove to be quite costly to the residents
10
A car seems to be necessary to live in this retirement community. How does that work? Should we really pretend that it is ok for aging baby boomers to prepare for old age by buying a home in a setting that assumes that they are perfectly ok to drive for now and for the indefinite future?
22
This is a big but unspoken issue. Many people are no longer safe drivers by the time they reach 70-75 years old; reflexes slow greatly, it can be difficult to turn your head while backing out of a parking spot, traffic becomes overwhelming.
I think there’s an unmet need for middle income coops/condos for seniors; mid rise buildings in urban or downtown suburban locations, possibly including Hicksville or Mineola or Huntington or Port Jefferson on Long Island, that aren’t senior communities or resorts so much as housing complexes with plenty of elevators and maintenance staff/doormen.
Seniors could live near their grown children and grandchildren and near top hospitals, shopping, dining and cultural activities. They could take the train or bus to these activities or take a cab/Lyft, or even walk in good weather. They wouldn’t be paying for clubhouses and golf courses if that’s not what they need or want.
12
Communities like this one are likely to have busses or other opportunities for ride sharing and maybe driverless cars that residents could rent.
@me: Not relevant to actual people's needs/usage of vehicles. You're imagining la-la land, where people have money to pay a private car service to take them where they need to go & bring them back.
5
Looks like more of the same: suburban sprawl.
15
I live in one of Northwind Groups over 55 community. When looking for a condo make sure the services that you want and need are available. Talk to other homeowners and residents to make sure the developer delivers on there promises. We have had a very hard time here in our community to get services such as snow removal done properly. Many items are never completed and we are left holding the bag.
18
One major reason I would never move back to Long Island is the tax burden. When a retired guidance counselor and an assistant principal can pay for a million dollar condo with cash, I know the real estate taxes to pay their previous salaries and continuing pension and health benefits must be astronomical.
41
Exactly. That's why the retired school district employees will be the only ones who can afford to live in these places.
25
There are these places, I think called "cities," where folks can live in buildings with close proximity to all manor of activities, people, and transportation. As the writer below suggests, although in France, this is quite possible without moving to a planned community. I have nothing against them, per se. My mother lives in a CCRC, but she's 93. It's great for her. Perhaps when I get closer to that age, I'll want to do the same.
32
US cities are dangerous, crime ridden, impersonal, and filled with transient populations - not real communities at all.
3
I'm with you. I don't want to live in an age-restricted ghetto, until I really need/have to .
7
Huh? Not the city I live in.
4
If you don’t need the attended living widen your horizons and live a little at long last. You can get a brand-new, energy-efficient, handicap-accessible 2-bedroom condo with a large terrace overlooking the Mediterranean in Port Vendres / Collioure, France, 15 miles from Spain. All amenities like restaurants and grocery shopping are within walking distance and €1 inter-city public buses pass nearby. The local wines are sensational and affordable, as is the fresh seafood that comes to the dock every day. The cost including a garage in the basement is about $300,000. French health care is excellent and affordable.
38
I was there one year ago and can attest to the quality of life in Collioure...I was there with friends who moved to France. I however am American and just don’t think I could adjust.
6
Chacun a son goût. That area is less popular with Anglo-Saxons than others on the Mediterranean, an attraction for some. This is no longer the America I grew up in and cherished, and I'd rather spend my remaining time in a progressive country. I'll let you know in a couple of years. PS: in Collioure it doesn't freeze and the almonds bloom in February. How do Westbury and Bayport compare?
26
Why is it assumed that all seniors or elderly hate the cold? I love winter, as do many of my friends. My parents and grandparents lived in NY in their 80s and never wanted it any other way. While the life in Collioure sounds delightful in many respects, I would not be moving there or anywhere for the express purpose of getting away from cold weather.
9
If I were to consider leaving my full-service UWS co-op, I'd want any new living situation to replicate my current one as closely as possible. There are many Manhattanites who feel the same, and maybe developers should take this to heart as Baby Boomers continue to expand the ranks of retirees.
22
The houses look quite nice. But what a horrible way to live, fenced in, self-incarcerated, segregated by age — and race too, I’ll bet.
65
Absolutely they are segregated, although not officially. We have looked at several 55+ housing situations in the Minneapolis area. Most tend to the expensive side (although not as expensive as LI), and the residents tend to be very homogeneous - white, retired professionals whose idea of a social evening is sitting around a fire drinking wine. Not our type of crowd. So far we have stayed in our house, although we are looking for something one level, as knees get overworked with all the stairs.
19
“you are not the old people next door — everybody is running around with an iPhone full of pictures of their grandchildren.” I echo the comment above, "segregated by age." Living in a screened demographic of 55 or older... sadly, it's unnatural and it makes us age faster. It's like living on a mono diet of eating the same foods everyday. We might feel a sense of kinship and shared experiences with the rest of the retirees. But a daily diet of senior citizens isn't nourishing. It tips us out of balance and depletes the mind, body, and soul. And many retirees know this intuitively, which is why they're always on the lookout for healthier, more meaningful life styles.
16
Ever heard the phrase "to each his/her own"? Why are these townhomes any more prison like than an apartment in an impersonal and dangerous city, where seniors are preferred targets for muggings, robberies, and home invasions?
2
These are okay if you still work. But why not go to Florida, live on one floor, and get real Vitamin D? You will live longer.
13
Because many of us like the change of seasons. Besides, Florida will be underwater in a couple of decades.
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@Anne R.: Specifically, b/c it's FLORIDA - it's lacking in almost every measure; economically, politically, and culturally.
You may live longer - or it may just feel like you're living longer. (Unless there's a bad hurricane, in which case, good luck.)
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@Anne: Because it's FLORIDA, with all that implies (most of that being negative.) The sunshine is about all they've got going for them.
8
Those two storey condos in the pics are not a good fit for older folks at all. Even a few steps can be a complete burden as folks age. Anyone with older parents knows this. At 55 steps may not matter but at 75?
If older folks REALLY want simpler, smaller housing without the concerns of house maintenance, they would look at an apartment with an elevator on every floor.
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Absolutely. My now deceased father had degenerative arthritis and congestive heart failure and could not manage more than a step or two. My mother, a decade younger, is now having trouble with steps. Fortunately she lives in an elevator building. The steps are an issue when she visits us in our Cape style Long Island house.
7
Nice if you can afford it. The apparent minimum for a small one bedroom is $500,000. Yes you read that right. Five hundred thousand dollars. Speaking of affordable housing --- ??? Yup, nice if you can afford it.
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The prices are outrageous. If you’re willing to move to non-glamorous parts of Florida or Arizona without views you could be in a newer 2-3 bedroom 2-bath 1-floor home, no steps or landscaping responsibilities, for less than $200k.
7
And I forgot the $3000 or so per month common charges.
8
Richard, I found it interesting that the article made it a point not to disclose monthly common charges, just the fact that property taxes are lower those for a house. As soon as I saw the communities were for 55 and older, I assumed the common charges would be at least $2K/month. You'd be better off renting a 1 bdrm in Brooklyn or Queens - same (or less) monthly charge, without fronting half a mill or more, and no need to keep a car.
7
What about in depth coverage of senior living options for those whose sole equity might be a home they can sell for 150k and only income from realistic savings and social security. That is the majority of the shrinking middle class and that story is far more challenging and therfore interesting than the soft landings of the wealthy.
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That would be more of an article for the NYT main section. The Real Estate section is basically an advertising vehicle for the real estate industry, hence the spotlight on expensive areas.
8
I was disappointed that the article did not cover Connecticut. Would you do an update for the Connecticut folks? There are many of us living in suburbs dotting Fairfield and New Haven counties who would love to downsize to a development like those described in the article, in or very near their hometown. Disappointingly, the voters in my affluent town in New Haven County twice rejected building a proposed upscale active adult community on a small part of the land that used to be a sprawling country club with a golf course. Now that portion of the old club just lies fallow.
5
Your duty is to pay your Connecticut taxes, and be still.
1
I can't think of a more depressing living situation than to be in a "55+" condominium community. How homogenized and boring-looking at iPhone photos of the grandkids you don't know and could care less about, being surrounded ONLY by people basically your age, no diversity, ugh. You couldn't pay me to live in that kind of situation when the time comes.
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I swore that I would never live in such a community, but activities are in abundance: classes, trips, shows, athletic facilities etc. (A community with most people still working has activities only sporadically.)There is obviously a down side living only with people who are older, but if someone liked summer camp, they'll love a senior community!
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Funny how NYers seem born to criticize everyone else's lifestyles. Or as they used to say...kvetch kvetch kvetch.
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@Boynton: "if someone liked summer camp, they'll love a senior community!" You have just stated exactly why I never want to move to a 55+ community: b/c it's like consigning yourself to sleep-away summer camp FOREVER. Ugh.
7
Good idea BUT make them all single level floor plans which are so much better when aging. I also think these are TOO large. How much space do you actually use? Should be comfortable without being too large. Remember you are downsizing and making life easier for aging.
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My In-laws (RIP) lived in an age restricted community when I was a 40-something year old. They told me it turned depressing, when the only car to come down the street was an ambulance! 20 plus years later, I refuse to live in one of these places. I prefer to see and hear kids out and about, their parents walking dogs, etc.!
84
No one is forcing anything on you, so why are you against others choosing what they want for themselves?
6
me, karl is commenting on the experience of his in-laws in such a community, nothing wrong with doing so. In fact, that is the whole point of having a comments section.
5
I wish we had similar communities in Los Angeles, but that would require buyers admitting they're over 55.
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Leisure World is in Seal Beach and Laguna Woods is in Orange County, both age-restricted. Prices have almost doubled in the past three years.
2
and, price would be $1 Million and up, up, up...
Welcome to Los Angeles and have a nice day.
Wait until you need to get in a car or any transportation that is on the road and you will last 10 days and move back to your last city you lived in.
Lived there for 21 years.
2
Someone who lives in Malibu may spend their time around people who are in "The Industry" and their livelihood may be tied into their age/appearance if they work in front of the camera.
I live in Southern California and most of the people I know who are over 55 make no effort to hide it.
1
So, so funny. At the same time 55+ communities are being built because the towns "don't want children", people are moving into them because they "want to see their grandchildren growing up". Soon enough the residents "running around with iPhones full of pictures of their grandchildren" will have to sigh, wistfully, after showing them off: they moved to Arizona, because their parents couldn't afford a house here on Long Island!
33
My dream would be to move to a community like this, but not in the northeast and not as expensive. Age restricted communities offer a solution to social isolation, to protection from crime, and to transportation issues for seniors who can no longer drive. The problem is that there aren't enough senior communities to meet the demand, and waiting lists for low income senior housing are years long.
30
As an example, take a look at Heritage Hunt about 45 minutes west of DC. I had many doubts about this kind of community bu,after 1 1/2 years, it’s working out well. VERY active clubs and social structures from active (hiking, biking) to passive. Less than half play golf. In retrospect, a good choice. Make sure the place is really active not just a profirma club house with few activities. “How many club meetings in the last week ?”; who is reposible for scheduling spaces, Times; inside and outside trips, activities...
14
To Me,
If you are looking for an age regulated community that provides activities for older adults check out "The Village" in Ocala Florida. It is the largest over 55 community in the USA. TheY publish an 60 page guide of activities.
They don't seem to advertise in the NYC/Long Island region.
Just briefly,they have 60 swimming pools, nearly 70 golf course,scores of Yoga,Tai-chi classes. I maintain a residence there. The neatest part, I just took a plane back to NYC from Orlando. The fare was $48.00. That this about the same as the cab fare from JFK.
7
Check out Henderson, Nevada, especially Sun City Anthem.
4
I am assuming there are HOAs with monthly fees and rule laden CC&Rs. HOA fees never go down. These fees are challenging to people on fixed incomes. Hoping these 55 plus communities have considered another model other than volunteer board of directors and high fee management companies to manage community property.
16
My experience has been that the residents' volunteer board of directors is militant about protecting homeowners from exploitation by management companies, getting them fired if they don't perform. A few years ago, the age-restricted community where I own a home refunded a quarter's HOA fees because they hadn't used the money. Many of the people who serve on these boards are retired and looking for activities to passionately throw themselves into. I feel protected by them.
I'd never lived with HOA rules before and found them somewhat intimidating at first. But they do keep the neighborhood from decreasing in value because of people who don't maintain their homes, leave derelict cars parked in their driveways, allow their lawns to die, etc. That's the situation in the place where I own a second home, a neighborhood which I also love. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.
13
I’d say your experience is unusual. My HOA can’t even get residents to pay their monthly common charge.
5
@Carson: A friend of mine lives in a community where the HOA decided recently that ONLY purple chrysanthemums could be placed on the front porches of homes. Her daughter innocently brought a beautiful pot of YELLOW mums for the front porch, which resulted in the owner receiving a very stern letter informing the owner to immediately remove the offending mums from public view. And that, in short, is why I will never subject myself to an HOA - the people on some of those boards are BORED, power-hungry, and looking for some way to feel self-important.
9
That so many of these units are townhouses somewhat undercuts the health and safety advantages of age restricted communities. Townhouses are land efficient in that they have a small footprint, but the trade off is that they require stairs. Those of us who regularly read obituaries are well aware of the such phrases as “death was due to injuries suffered in a fall” or “death was due to complications from injuries suffered in a fall six months ago”. It is probably best to avoid multistory housing if safety in old age is a concern.
46
Perhaps you are younger and therefore relatively clueless (no offense) but I'm of medicare age, and stairs are an easy way to get routine indoor exercise, in addition to going to the gym. My mother in law finally got tired of stairs--at age eighty five--and moved into a flat. Please don't put us all in a nursing home when we're 55.
Besides, if you look at the floor plans for the townhouses, you'll usually find a master bedroom downstairs and one or two additional bedrooms upstairs for guests. When people do come to visit, we can manage to get our old bones up the stairs to put on fresh sheets, don't you worry.
47
That's very nice for you, but my husband already has mobility issues with his knee, which was injured in college. He can't handle any steps at all. David is right, mortality from falls is a leading cause of death in many older people. A flat apartment or ranch would be better.
28
Statistically, stairs are major killers of the elderly.
19