The Search: Which Community Would You Pick for Retirement?

June 23, 2024 — Once you retire there are oh so many different types of communities to live in.  We count at least 10, and that doesn’t include just living in a traditional neighborhood in town or the suburbs. To help illustrate the various choices we are proposing a fun little exercise modeled after the New York Times popular real estate feature, “The Hunt”. The paper describes a couple or individual’s quest for a home, including the various places they considered, and then tell which one they actually bought. Readers are asked to vote on which home they think the couple actually would buy in the end, and then indicate the one they would have purchased, if they were the potential homebuyer.

Voting instructions

You and/or your partner are the buyer in this exercise. Read these descriptions and then vote (below) on which community type you would choose.  If you already own your retirement home, pretend that you just retired and have a clean slate – which of these 5 community types (or none of the above) would you take. The choices are presented at the bottom of the article as an instant poll – vote and then you will instantly see how others have voted. These are the first 5 options; in 2 weeks we will give you 5 more options if we get enough people voting. 

P.S.: Vote on the TYPE of community, the ones listed are to give you an idea of the type.

Please take a moment to vote, because the more input we get the more valuable the poll will be.

Five Living Options for Retirement

Here are the first 5 choices.  For each type we have selected a sample community. Some of them are communities that advertise on Topretirements, most are not. If you need more details you can use the links at Topretirements to get to the websites of the communities (we’ll have 5 more choices in a few weeks, but you can vote each time).

1. General 55+ Active Adult

These are the classic developments built with the retired 55+ person in mind. Some people refer to them as summer camps for adults, where non-stop activity is available all day, every day. Some have golf courses, others have marinas, while they all have clubhouses and swimming pools. 

Cresswind Charlotte (NC) residents enjoy access to a resident-exclusive clubhouse that features a full fitness center with yoga and aerobics room, indoor pool with lap lanes, arts and crafts room, social ballroom and more. Outdoor amenities include Pickleball and Tennis courts, Bocce courts, a resort-style pool and a fireplace and grilling courtyard. There is a full-time Lifestyle Director.  A typical home has 2000 sq. ft, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and goes for $417,500.

2. 55+ within larger development 

This interesting hybrid possibility gives you the best of a 55+ option within a much larger development. One of the advantages of this type of community is that the 55+ residents can use the largest amenities, while it also has some exclusively for their use.

WaterSong is a dedicated neighborhood for active adults 55+ within RiverTown, a much larger master-planned community in an unspoiled natural setting located in St.John, FL. Two bedroom homes start at just over $400,000.

3. Golf Oriented Active Adult

The Southeast and Southwest are practically crawling with communities built around golf courses. Most homes have views of the course(s), and there are also a variety of amenities to choose from (not everyone who lives in these communities is a golfer).

Pawleys Plantation is a resort community on Pawleys Island just south of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This golf-oriented community has clubhouse features a newly opened restaurant with a dramatic view of the 18th hole. A swimming pool next to the clubhouse delivers includes great views of the clubhouse, lake and marsh. Pawleys Plantation features a harmonious mix of 600 single-family homes, townhomes, and condos. Homes are set well back from the Jack Nicklaus layout. Some condos are priced in the $300’s with other homes much more.

4. Pocket Neighborhood

There are different kinds of pocket neighborhoods, a term usually meaning smaller homes on small lots clustered together, but which have some shared facilities like a clubhouse or outdoor garden.  These highly social neighborhoods are promoted as an alternative to the sprawl, isolation, expense, and commuter and automobile focus of many larger homes in suburban developments.

Vandalia Cottages are located in a National Register Historic District in Franklin, Tennessee. The small pocket neighborhood offers old-house charm, manicured gardens and yard maintenance, all within a short walk of downtown Franklin. Four different cottage designs surround the central courtyards. The Cottages are about wide front porches that face each other around a common green. One home was recently priced in the mid-$600’s.

5. Rental apartments 

Not everyone wants to own a condo or home. For folks who would prefer to rent, there are options, many of them in downtowns. They usually have a range of amenities, depending on their affordability and size.

Village Place Apartments, a 6-story mid-rise with 112 one and two-bedroom apartments and townhomes is located in the heart of downtown Ft. Lauderdale, near Las Olas. Amenities include clubhouse, fitness center, library, courtyard, rooftop pool, and private garage parking. The community was a winner in the “Best 55+ Affordable Rental Community in 2017.

Vote Now!

Please select your preference below, even if you have already chosen where you will retire. You always have the option of choosing of none of the above.  Comments on your reasons and experience are most welcome! Note: In an upcoming article we will profile 5 more types of retirement to find out your preference among them.

For further reference

Confused by All the different Types of Communities

Active Adult Communities Blog (hundreds of articles)