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When the leaf detail and yard maintenance make you say "I've Had Enough"

Reblogger
Real Estate Agent with SAMSON PROPERTIES 0225018862

I spotted this post " Hey Baby Boomers! Have You Had Enough Yet?" The post was written by Peggy Chirico a local Realtors working in the Hartford County Ct area.

It seem's she's had "Enough!" Have you?

This is a photo of my back yard and and the task that my Baby Boomer husband and I have the task of doing the weekend.

flat level yard


If you've been thinking it is time to downsize, let's talk. Call Peggy James your Lake Ridge Virginia neighborhood Realtor at 703-851-3085.

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Original content by Peggy Chirico

Hey Baby Boomers! Have You Had Enough Yet?

Housing Alternatives for Baby Boomers

 

First, let me say that I am a bona fide Baby Boomer so I can relate.  Second, let me say that I spent the entire weeked raking up leaves from my yard and debris from my garden.  Third, let me say that all this yard work is getting really old.

 

I, for one, have had enough!  I am ready to let someone else do it all.  My house has become too much of a burden, and my prized garden that I spent a lifetime creating is ridiculously labor-intensive.  I don't even want to look at it anymore.

 

Lest you think I am a decrepit old fogie, I want to assure you that I am not.  But I would rather spend my free time, what little of it there is, on other pursuits, like bike-riding, hiking, traveling, babysitting for my granddaughter, and other fun things.  Raking leaves, shoveling snow, pulling weeds, mowing the lawn, etc. are not fun.

 

I always thought I would stay in my house up to my dying day, but now I am thinking about moving.  I would really rather have a smallish, newer home with enough room for visitors and where I can spend time relaxing, entertaining, or whatever instead of spending every last waking free minute on maintenance chores.

 

If you too are thinking that it's time to let go of all the drudgery, there are plenty of housing alternatives for Baby Boomers.  Here are a few questions to think about:

 

Maintenance

You can decide how much work you want to do. Maybe you just want a very small yard--something that is manageable--and you are willing to do some work.  Or maybe you want someone to take care of all the exterior work.  Both options are available; in general, the more work that the association takes over, the greater the association fees.  If you are still a gardener at heart, you might prefer a tiny yard that you can manage or that you can hire someone to help you take care of it.  Be sure to check with the association to find out exactly what is covered. 

 

Privacy

If you have lived in a single family home all your life, you might not be ready to give up your privacy by living in a densely-populated condo complex.  There are many single-family homes in associations or attached villas that will still give you the privacy you are used to and still give you the maintenance-free living you are looking for. 

 

One Floor Living

If you are just looking for one-floor living, you have ranch-style condos, single-family homes, and two-story homes (attached and detached) with a master bedroom on the first floor.  You will still have plenty of room and visitors can always take the bedrooms upstairs.

 

Amenities

How important are social activities to you? Some complexes have everything you need within walking distance, including fitness centers, swimming pools, recreational facilities, and meeting rooms.  You have to decide if you are the type of person that would take advantage of the amenities or are you simply paying more for something you won't use.

 

Age-Restricted or Not

Are you ready to live in an active adult community or do you enjoy having people of all ages around you?  There are communities for people over the age of 55, over the age of 62, or of all ages.  In recent years, some of the the communities built for active adults have actually been converted to non-age-restricted, so don't think they are all age-restricted.

 

Here or There

You might be ready to give up your yard; you might also be ready to give up winters as well.  Moving out of a life-long home is never easy, and it requires a careful decision-making process to find out where your next home will be.

 

If you are staying right here in Connecticut, I can provide you with information on maintenance-free living so you can see what your options are.  If you are thinking about relocating, please talk to me as well. I can recommend reputable REALTORS® that will take good care of you and help you find your next home.  Either way there are great housing alternatives for Baby Boomers!

 

 

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Peggy Chirico

 

 

Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com

860-748-8900

If you are buying or selling a home in Hartford County or Tolland County, please call me, email me, or visit my website.  I would be happy to help you with your home search or provide a market analysis for your home.

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Comments (7)

JOSH EVANS *JoshEvansHomes 516-655-5000
Village Properties of Mineola, LLC - Mineola, NY

Great pic and great blog. Good luck and happy thanksgiving good luckmthis year and thanks

Nov 17, 2011 11:17 PM
Hella Mitschke Rothwell
(831) 626-4000 - Honolulu, HI
Hawaii & California Real Estate Broker

Peggy: That's pretty picturesque. I'd leave it just the way it is. Of course, if you have grass under all that, it could be a problem. Maybe you can mulch it? I have pine needles where I am. I rake them up and put it into the dog run. Great cover for the winter when it would otherwise become muddy there.

Nov 17, 2011 11:26 PM
Peggy James
SAMSON PROPERTIES - Woodbridge, VA
Woodbridge Virginia Area Real Estate Specialist

Hella- thanks. We have the perfect back yard. That said there is grass under the leaves. We have a large machine that mulches the leaves. 10 bags of leaves to 1. So that helps.

Nov 17, 2011 11:54 PM
Justin Dibbs
Fairway Independent Mortgage - Ashburn, VA
Mortgage Advisor

Good luck with that.  I hate raking up leaves, yuck!

Nov 18, 2011 12:45 PM
Peggy James
SAMSON PROPERTIES - Woodbridge, VA
Woodbridge Virginia Area Real Estate Specialist

Hey Justin, we got really lucky this year. Elmer's Lawn Care the guys who mow my lawn, offered to remove ( cart away) all the leaves and do the fall cleanup for $295.00! It took 21 man hours to remove the leaves!

Dec 04, 2011 12:37 PM
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Aug 04, 2012 04:49 AM
#7
Dave Halpern
Dave Halpern Real Estate Agent, Inc., Louisville, KY (502) 664-7827 - Louisville, KY
Louisville Short Sale Expert

Millions of baby boomers have homes with equity and will be considering a move to a new home that meets their changing needs. This segment should be part of almost every agent's marketing strategy.

 

Sep 06, 2017 07:06 PM