Explore Housing Options: Senior Communities

One of the most common things I hear older downsizing homeowners say is that they don’t know where they should move after they downsize. There are so many possibilities and no one-size-fits-all solution for every person downsizing. Choices could include:

• Renting
• Buying
• Life Lease
• 55+ Senior Community
• Independent Living
• Assisted Living
• Living with Family Members or Friends

 

Your choice is going to depend on your priorities for the move. For help in figuring out your priorities and which options you should explore for YOUR goals, consider attending a Jess Lex Homes “Housing Options Workshop” at a location near you. Stay tuned to our seminar and workshop schedule as we’re always adding new dates and options.

Senior communities are a popular option for downsizing homeowners. A senior community is usually a building or neighborhood/condo association where residents have to be 55 years of age or older to live. Depending on the community, you may rent, own, or execute a life-lease ownership option to live there. Make sure you know which financial avenue is preferable to you before you start your exploration.

If the evaluation of your goals has led you to senior or independent living communities, how do you start to explore all the options in your area?

Hire a Guide

If you’re thinking of purchasing a home within a senior community, find a real estate agent who is familiar with the senior communities in and around the area who can give you objective feedback on the pros and cons of each property.

If you’re not going to buy but will instead be renting somewhere, consider a Senior Living Advisor from a company like Oasis Senior Advisors or A Place for Mom. Consultants usually work for the client for free and get paid by the senior community when a match is made. They can really help cut out the noise from your search and make sure you get connected with only the options that will be the best fit for your needs.

 

Take Tours

If you find a place you might be interested in, call them and schedule a tour of their units and amenities. See if you can attend an event that they host so you can meet some of the people living there. If something feels off to you, don’t ignore it. Just move on to the next tour. 

 

Phone a Friend

You probably have friends that have already made a move like this. Chat with them about what they’re liking about their community and what has been hard or unexpected for them with the move. Sometimes following your friends can make a move like this feel a little easier to manage and make a decision about.

 

Look at Reviews Online

Google can be a big help here. Just type in the name of the community you’re curious followed by the word “reviews” and see what pops up. Do they have a 2.5 star Google review rating? Or do they have 598 five-star reviews? Read through the reviews, positive and negative, and see what kinds of things are being noted. Maybe someone who lives there loves that there are no social obligations in the community, but maybe you ARE looking for a social community. Their reason for giving 5 stars might make it a 1-star for you. Take the time to read the actual reviews rather than just counting on the average star rating.

 

Keep It Organized

During and after each tour or online research session, make sure you take notes. It is probably easy to keep your thoughts straight after only 1 tour, but if you go on 6 or 7, taking detailed notes will be critical for remembering all the details. Buy yourself a cool notebook to take along with you on this journey. A cool notebook makes everything just a little extra fun!

Happy home hunting!