55 and over communities

[cockpitbob]

She had a very dry sense of humor. She was 79 when she had a cardiac bypass and Aortic valve replacement. One of her nosy neighbors mentioned that she hadn't seen her in a while and asked where she'd been "At the hospital. I had breast implants."

Note to self: when in my 80s had have to go in to get something fixed or removed, tell the nosey neighbors I had a vasectomy.

 

[OldeBD]

My mother is a green thumb and loves plants, she has a condo in FL. When she first moved in she wanted to plant a few flowers or something in front. She knew it was against the rules so she did it under the cover of darkness at 3 AM so nobody would see her do it. Long story short someone noticed after a while and the landscapers ripped them out.

Dealing with all the BS of board meeting and the fact that one bad person (someone with interests of their own to benefit themselves) will give you a serious headache.

 

[tk421991]

Christ I don't want to deal with this when my dad gets older. He's in his mid 40s now and his current wife is either 51 or 52. Her son failed hunter safety and was very close to being put into special ed classes, to give you an idea of his intellectual capabilities.

I know I will too since he rents now and managed to get our old place foreclosed on. He bought it from his dad and I lived there from 0-18.

 

[mremski]

Note to self: when in my 80s had have to go in to get something fixed or removed, tell the nosey neighbors I had a vasectomy.

My maternal grandfather died at 101yrs, his wife was about 5 yrs younger. My mom and dad would spend the day visiting and keeping an eye on them. When grandpa was mid 90s, he said to grandma, "Want to go upstairs for a while" Her answer "Why bother? By the time we get up there you'll forget why we went up".

My dad had trouble keeping a straight face telling me this.

 

[ackar]

Not an over 55 community but my in laws lived in a gated community outside Tampa. They made a big deal about it not being a retirement community. When I asked them about the rules and thought some were a bit far fetched they told me it protected their property values and were a good thing. Good grief. I visited once, it was suburban hell and I grew up in the burbs, my neighborhood was not gated though, just 50s and 60s burbs. Oh the horror! Theirs was like living in a Twilight Zone episode.

Stop! Danger Will Robinson turn back!

 

[Garys]

A friend of mine's father lived in a retirement village in Florida called "Century Village". I asked if that was the average age of the residents.

Not an over 55 community but my in laws lived in a gated community outside Tampa. They made a big deal about it not being a retirement community. When I asked them about the rules and thought some were a bit far fetched they told me it protected their property values and were a good thing. Good grief. I visited once, it was suburban hell and I grew up in the burbs, my neighborhood was not gated though, just 50s and 60s burbs. Oh the horror! Theirs was like living in a Twilight Zone episode.

Stop! Danger Will Robinson turn back!

 

[me109g4]

My gf lives in a condo in Leominster,, she was so scared of the HOA that before we put a new screen door in to replace the original POS the contractor had put in I had to drive her through the complex and point out all the ones that had already been changed out. Am yet to convince her to change the garage door for one that has actual insulation in it. That's not living,, its existing. not for me!

 

[crazymjb]

Id rather be dead...

Plus having family in them its a bunch of busy bodies who cant mind their own business.

Mike

Sent from my cell phone with a tiny keyboard and large thumbs...

 

[fencer]

There's an over 55 community in Stoughton that has a monthly fee of $650.00/month for "maintenance". For that price I can hire a guy to do my lawn and buy the biggest frigging snow blower on the planet.

Damn ! For that kind of money I could install a heated driveway and hire a landscaping crew and maid service.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

A friend of mine's father lived in a retirement village in Florida called "Century Village". I asked if that was the average age of the residents.

When I lived in FL, those places (I think there are multiples) were referred to as "Cemetary Village".

 

[RHJJ]

It would be a cold day in hell I would live in a place where they tell me what to drive, where to park, what window treatments to have and I cant fly a flag.

 

[watchman]

First place I ever bought was a townhouse condo development and I will live in a tent before I buy into another place with any type of condo association in charge of my life.

With that said 55 and over may be the rage with the current population of baby boomers but when they die and the supply & demand goes away what will it be worth and will it just be another condo development. Bad investment want to stay young live with a diverse range of ages the elderly will tell you that as well.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

when they die and the supply & demand goes away what will it be worth and will it just be another condo development.

"Age 55+" was a manufactured need designed primarily to get projects past planning boards that are not interested in adding classrooms and hiring more school teachers.

Bad investment want to stay young live with a diverse range of ages the elderly will tell you that as well.

Yup.

 

[ochmude]

There are a ton of seasonal 55+ communities down here to acomodate all the snowbirds. They're full of swinger parties and STD's. Retired folks on vacation are worse than teenagers.

 

[SpiderMA]

In MA most start off as 40B projects so they can get around most town zoning and planning requirements. If a town does not meet requirements it's almost impossible to stop. A lot seem to go the 55+ route vs low income option.

 

[browncoat]

There are a ton of seasonal 55+ communities down here to acomodate all the snowbirds. They're full of swinger parties and STD's. Retired folks on vacation are worse than teenagers.

Teenagers have their whole lives ahead of them.

 

[Garys]

Guess which age group has the highest rate of STDs? That's a rhetorical question. Viagra+plenty of free time+lots of widowed people = Sin City. Plus of course, they aren't worried about getting pregnant.

There are a ton of seasonal 55+ communities down here to acomodate all the snowbirds. They're full of swinger parties and STD's. Retired folks on vacation are worse than teenagers.

 

[ochmude]

Teenagers have their whole lives ahead of them.

Yeah, it really surprised me just how much folks in those communities let loose. Makes sense, though. They realize they're in their twilight years, so they just say "F*** it, I've behaved my whole life. Time to have fun."

 

[Len-2A Training]

There is another name for over 55 community,it's death row.

A friend of mine's father lived in a retirement village in Florida called "Century Village". I asked if that was the average age of the residents.

Yup, when my MIL was alive she had Family that lived there, I remember visiting the place.

When I lived in FL, those places (I think there are multiples) were referred to as "Cemetary Village".

Indeed. They should sell deeded plots out back of the buildings for the "complete package"!

 

[teaser452]

I know folks who moved to the "villages" in southern Florida. They came back right quick. Swinging, drugs, crazy hippies who've aged badly.

Never buy into a +55 community. Your resale value sucks. Plus, when the last occupants died, after not being discovered for 3 months, it's hard to get the smell out. The hardwoods often have to be replaced.

Just live in a normal suburb. And get to know your neighbors. We take care or look out for 2 of ours who are 80 plus. It's called being neighborly and good for our kids.

Just like in the rest of life, the first rule is to not be a dink.

 

[Len-2A Training]

wrt resale value . . . there is none as others have stated.

When my SIL sold my late MIL's place in Lauderdale Oaks, it was sold furnished for the same price as what my MIL bought it for as unfurnished/new construction back ~18 years earlier!!!

 

[OldeBD]

The 55+ communities are appealing to alot of people that don't want to live around children. Not that they don't like children, they would rather not have to listen to a bunch of kids being kids.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

In MA most start off as 40B projects so they can get around most town zoning and planning requirements. If a town does not meet requirements it's almost impossible to stop. A lot seem to go the 55+ route vs low income option.

The offer of a "age 55/no schoolchildren" as an alternative to a threatened 40B gets towns to approve these projects then, when they fail to sell, the developer starts greasing palms and tries to get the age 55 restriction removed.'

If age 55 is important to you as a buyer, be very sure the sales contract creates an obligation to keep it age 55 that cannot be modified by a vote of the condo association - particularly since the developer may own 51% of the units when it comes time to take a vote.

 

[Spanz]

you have to know that these homeowner's association are like political events. A few blowhards usually run for the office, and as soon as they win start ramming thru their agenda. In my mom's homeowners association, some aholes got elected and went about "improving" the property with uneeded stuff, and just sending everyone the mandatory bill!

So it is VERY easy for a seemingly nice community to get taken over by some left wing aholes, and get changed virtually overnight into a hell hole for you.

 

[fencer]

The 55+ communities are appealing to alot of people that don't want to live around children. Not that they don't like children, they would rather not have to listen to a bunch of kids being kids.

Not that I would ever consider it, but what is the deal with grandchildren visiting? If you are living in an over 55, and your five grandchildren want to spend the weekend is it allowed? I can see some folks getting grumpy at the pool when the Sullivan's have their grand kids over practicing their cannon balls and playing Marco Polo while they are trying to read their AARP magazine.

 

[OldeBD]

Not that I would ever consider it, but what is the deal with grandchildren visiting? If you are living in an over 55, and your five grandchildren want to spend the weekend is it allowed? I can see some folks getting grumpy at the pool when the Sullivan's have their grand kids over practicing their cannon balls and playing Marco Polo while they are trying to read their AARP magazine.

I'm sure all communities have different rules, but I don't know anyone that lives in one that is 55+. I definitally see your point though. I know pool rules in complexes like that are pretty strict and they do enforce them, so there would be no horsing around from them little whippersnappers.

 

[mark056]

The chief advantage to living in any condo is absolutely no outside maintenance or yard work. If you like these things, don't move into a condo

The disadvantage is the board and there is always somebody with way too much time on their hands who wants to run the show like the geezer who is our prez now.

I see the over 55 condos as the worst because they are simply way stations to the cemetery. Too many geezers sour on life who get their jollies playing bingo at the clubhouse. There are people in my condo who would love to make ours over 55. We oppose it. We like living in a community of all ages .

As a geezer boomer I fear that as the most entitled generation in American History we will be even more obnoxious in our golden years, because far too many seniors feel entitled as it is. We talk a lot about poverty level living and not being able to retire, when in truth there are millions of Geezer Boomers who are quite well off and the thought of living in an exclusive community with these dinosaurs is enough to make me want to spit up my morning prune juice and crap my pants hoping that Im wearing my extra strength Depends.

Oh gee, it's. Tuesday, its Chicken a. La King Day free lunch at the Senior Center, Hot Damn!

 

[crazymjb]

Whenever people tell me what their condo fees are I instantly think what the hells the point. Its not like outside maintainance is "free." Sometimes it even seems like its more. If I budgeted the equivalent condo fee friends pay I could have someone take care of my yard, snow, etc and still put some money in an emergency fund. Besides, whenever something big needs to be done it seems like there is always an override. My in laws board decided to re-roof all the units because there was an alleged defect from the builder... as in 10% of the units got water damage. A year after moving into the new construction my MIL had to pay close to 20K for a new roof she didnt need and couldnt opt out of. No ****in thank you.

They are also in a 55+ community. Most of their neighbors suck. My moms parents were in a 55+ community in Florida, my dads parents scoff at any of that stuff... guess which ones were always more fun loving and physically active? I love them all but there is a clear differencr in outlook and attitude between them.

Mike

Sent from my cell phone with a tiny keyboard and large thumbs...

 

[Len-2A Training]

Not that I would ever consider it, but what is the deal with grandchildren visiting? If you are living in an over 55, and your five grandchildren want to spend the weekend is it allowed? I can see some folks getting grumpy at the pool when the Sullivan's have their grand kids over practicing their cannon balls and playing Marco Polo while they are trying to read their AARP magazine.

Every place has their own rules but here are some that existed in my late MIL's place (and she was on the BOD for her building, but each building had a BOD and then there was one over-shadowing BOD for all the common property).

- No non-residents could go to the pool or the clubhouse without wearing a wrist-band and be with a resident.
- No diving/jumping in the pool - most old farts sit around the pool or at most stand in it and don't want to be splashed.
- Everyone must shower by the pool before entering the pool.
- If you used suntan lotion, you are forbidden from entering the pool - it clogs up the filters doncha know!

From a fellow DECcie who lived/worked in FL (it was a condo, not a 55+):

- They passed a bylaw change that prohibited parking "trucks" on the property. This was probably mid-late 1980s.
- Pickup trucks were very popular, but they were "trucks" according to the condo bylaws.
- She only owned a pickup truck and was suddenly being fined $50/day for parking her only vehicle on the property!

-------------------------

The problem is that the rules/bylaws are fluid (just like the way our judges like to treat the US Constitution) and as a "living document" they feel free to change and enforce those changes whenever they see something that they don't like. So the rules when you buy in are very unlikely to be the rules when you decide that you've had enough and want out!!

 

[TayNinh_66]

My mother lived in a townhouse at Southport on Cape Cod. No rules at all. Pool was a free for all on summer weekends. Wide mix of ages (over 55) Very social with golf course on property and children always visiting. Price of townhomes wasn't cheap.

My own experience with condo's was mixed. Existing BOD treated condo funds as their own private bank account. If there was a spot on the ceiling, they would have condo assoc pay for repainting entire condo. They refused to build up reserves and did not schedule any maintenance. One BOD member moved to sunshine state so another owner and I took over BOD. Raised fees, built up reserves and started capital maintenance projects. Also stopped paying for unauthorized repairs. Some older owners were really pissed. I had no desire to run BOD due to the time and constant petty complaints, but I didn't have much choice. Sold it at a loss when the RE market collapsed because I wanted out before the big assessments for major repairs started.