10 Most Read Retirement Articles of 2023
Category: General Retirement Issues
January 3, 2023 — The most read retirement articles of 2023 at Topretirements are always interesting to look at. That is because although we are often convinced a topic will hit a sweet spot for our Members, it doesn’t always work out that way. 10 Myths That Could Sink Your Retirement was one of those with a disappointing response, although it did generate 12 interesting Comments. Another surprise – topics that we have written about many times continue to turn up again as popular favorites (“Where Is the Best Place to Retire”). Often times a guest post turns out to be very popular. For example, “My Life in God’s Waiting Room” (Florida) by Lisa Black, a civilian forensic scientist, and “Elizabeth Loves Her Retirement in Portugal”, were two we were fortunate to receive by Topretirements fans.
The 10 Most Read Retirement Articles of 2023
This is the list of the 10 articles at Topretirement that attracted the most readership at Topretirements last year. One conclusion that could be drawn from them is that anything having to do with “best places”, either towns or communities, is probably going to be popular. Our members also like hearing the perspective of other members who have explored places to retire, like Yolande’s somewhat scathing review of St. George, Utah.
Where Is the Best Place to Retire. This article is in response to the number one question we get about retirement. Our answer: “Retirement is a very personal matter. The best place for you might be a terrible retirement destination for me. Before you can make an informed decision you need to answer a number of questions.”
15 Most Popular Active Communities of 2023. Topping the list were communities like Babcock National, Cresswind Charleston, Sugar Springs, and Tellico Village. Note that to broaden our horizons we excluded the select mega communities that everyone knows about, like The Villages and On Top of the World.
Who Builds the Best 55+ Communities. We see a lot of comments, many of them negative, about builders and developers in the 55+ community market. So here we tried to focus on those with the best reputations. One source of finding outstanding communities is the annual NAHB 55+ Housing Awards, which lists winners in categories like best single family home, attached homes, multifamily homes, etc. The best Multifamily Community of 2022 was awarded to Premier Soleil in Granite Bay, CA, by Premier Homes. There were some interesting reader comments too.
Can Florida’s Condo Market Survive This Bad News Trio. There really is a lot of bad news affecting the FL condo market, serious enough that it could easily price many owners and would be buyers out of the market. Astronomical insurance rates, new reserve requirements, and building inspections mean condo fees are exploding.
Is St. George, UT a Great Place to Retire. Yolande’s experience in St. George, a very popular place to retire for many folks, has not been good. She has discovered ’s not for people like me. She likes the arts, opera, ballet, museum exhibits, concerts and guess what? None of that exists here. If that’s your source of entertainment SG is not for you. She also offered some perspective on the Sun River community there – it wasn’t for her either.
The Best Gadgets and Stuff for Retirement. This one featured our list of the best stuff we’ve discovered lately for everyday living. Electric power tools, Airtags so you can find your stuff, and more, many of them recommended by the Wire Cutter.
Best Places to Retire for Pickleball. This sport is so popular people are going out of their way to find the best communities and towns to play it in. Here are some of the very best opportunities, from FL to CA.
My Life Here in God’s Waiting Room. Lisa Black is a writer who also work for a police department as a civilian forensic scientist. She volunteer with the local hospice in South Florida, keeping patients company (and often writing my words for the day) while their caregiver runs errands or have lunch out. Her experiences with ‘older folks’ are interesting and inspiring.
Elizabeth Loves Her Retirement in Portugual. Elizabeth Varadan retired to Braga, the third largest city in Portugal. She love the art and cultural events, and just about everything else about her life here.
The Villages vs. Solivita vs. On Top of the World. Fl is home to some of the biggest and the most successful active adult and 55+ communities in the world. So you might find this comparison of the three best known useful – pros and cons, where they are, etc.
What were your favorites? If you had a favorite from last year, let us know about it. Or, is there a topic you would like us to cover. Please tell us about it in the Comments section below.
Comments on "10 Most Read Retirement Articles of 2023"
Frank says:
As one of the ten answers from the article: Ten most read retirement articles was "who builds the best 55+ communities ". \A question/statement was made as part of the introduction to the "who builds " article was this sentence: "do they offer what baby boomers and Gen Xers are looking for in their retirement, like first floor masters and universal design? "
That is the central question that doesn't get many responses or comments. Even the "who is best in 55+" article didn't address it .{{ And you introduced that as an important issue that the article would address. }} That is- the topic of aging in place or universal design. It never (in my opinion) gets addressed by these large developers (Toll Bros, Dell Webb, Trilogy). We as consumers ( I am age 75 are requesting that they address and build to facilitate aging in place or universal design.
I was very interested in the answer that developers have regarding this and asked the following to prompt a response from the developer.......
Does___ (large developer of 55+ community)___ subscribe to building homes for aging in place? The “universal design” concept is currently adopted by many developers ( but not the 55+ developers (to my knowledge) to accommodate home buyers especially those over age 55.
Those builders who are motivated in the subject are Certified in Aging in Place Specialists (CAPS). The --“55+ communities.com”-- states many builders in this demographic state they are interested in this topic and state are constructing homes that incorporate universal designs such as wheelchair access to bathrooms and showers and many other features (wider doors) that will allow for aging in place.
They recommend that potential buyers looking into the options to choose developers for 55+ communities to seek out builders that do build with universal design. What does ____ believe about this concept and do they adopt the recommendations in their homes to allow occupants to have design and construction performed that facilitates the aging process allowing for ease of movement into and around the home with access to wheelchair-width hallways, showers, and other that provides for them to stay in their homes as aging alters their mobility needs? Will _____ adopt a build for the customer to accommodate their desire to include these features in their new home build? Should I look at ______ as a possible developer to construct my home as I am in the over 55 yr age group.
I asked this question to developers for their comment: One reply was:
Toll Brothers ?December 6, 2023 at 2:54 pm ?Hi, Frank. We appreciate your comment! Toll Brothers Regency, our collection of 55+ communities designed for active lifestyles, is a perfect option the next chapter in your life! To learn more, we encourage you to visit our website, here, and fill out a form at the bottom of the page for any additional information. Thanks!?Reply?
My impression is that only lip service is given to the topic. Many customer builders advertise that they adhere to universal design and will accommodate the buyer -- BUT not the 55+ community developers (in my opinion) which SHOULD be the very demographic of developers that should pay attention to this topic but don't bother because it isn't as profit motivating to provide this service to their customers desires.
What is the findings of the readership about their experiences ?
Admin says:
Terrific comment Frank. Will love to hear what others have to say about this.
Bill Bamber; Edmonton Ab. says:
Great comment Frank!! Know my next move is to an "Aged" Facility. Don't like it, but it is reality!!
Just Sayin'.
Sport's Fans
Admin says:
Getting back to Frank's interesting comment on the lip service many builders give to desires of baby boomers for universal design and single floor living. There was a lot of doublespeak in the responses he got back, but not much actual detail. In my experience most builders are now at least addressing the first floor master situation, but how well they do on eliminating changes in floor levels, accessible doorways and counters, and grab bars can vary a lot. You really have to go out and see the product to get a good feel for it. Keep asking questions and ask for pictures or video tours. Sure, one measure of success is how well they sell, but that too can be influenced by pricing and promotion. Caveat emptor.
Steve says:
The Admin point was exactly correct. You have to go out and see the finished product to make sure the builder is providing what you want. Slick advertising which makes you believe you're getting nirvana, has risen to an art form now a days. Coupled with a builder's lip service and cutting corners in the build process and you have a recipe for disaster. Lastly, once you get it thru the builder's head what you want in a home, get a firm price in writing or at least a clear understanding between you and the builder as to price. Otherwise you may get nasty surprise when the construction is finished. (Or you'll get something like ooh? you wanted windows on your house too?). Believe me I've dealt with contractors before.
Daryl says:
Are Boomer buyers adding to this mess by not wanting to appear old or needing support? I mentioned wanting a grab bar in my shower to a friend and she laughed at me for being an “old person.”
Here’s a good article on the topic. Mentions several builders leading the way (Tri Pointe Homes, Regal Builders, Epcon Communities, City Ventures, New Leaf,) and some local jurisdictions now mandating universal design and “visitability” in their building codes. Includes other great ideas making life easier for our demographic and everybody else.
https://www.builderonline.com/design/consumer-trends/why-builders-and-developers-should-be-constructing-more-aging-ready-homes_o
Admin says:
Great comments Steve and Daryl. That link on builderonline is fantastic!
Admin says:
Matt asked if we have written house/pet sitting gigs in our Blog.
The answer is we have touched on those ideas as part of other articles, but nothing exclusively about it.
However, our Work and Volunteering Blog category has a whole lot of interesting ideas on how to survive and get a second career going in retirement.
https://www.topretirements.com/blog-category/work-and-volunteering/
Jennifer says:
Admin, can you leave a link to make it easier to find the house and pet sitting Blog? Are there any current comments within the last six months? Thanks.
Admin says:
What I was referring to is the Work and Volunteering category within the blog. If you go to Blog and look for the categories you will see it. https://www.topretirements.com/blog-category/work-and-volunteering/ Don't think there are too many recent comments to those categories, but the advice and comments are pretty evergreen,
Bill Bamber says:
Do not have many Rules to abide by Now!! Other than remember "The Golden Rule!!"
& 1. Keep thinking "Young!!" 2. Wake-up every morning & think "What can I do 2day to tick off somebody???? Especially, HRH" 3. Laff!!