How to Choose the Best 55+ Community in Vero Beach

Are you ready to do something for yourself?

The kids have moved out. The nest is empty. Your retirement is impending.

What’s next?

As an active adult who has plenty of free time and living the best time of your life, what’s your plan? Are you ready to move on to the next phase of your life?

Will you be staying in your house, downsizing to a smaller home in the same neighborhood, or moving to a retirement community?

If you choose to move to a retirement community, you have plenty of options. There’s the active adult communities, leisure communities, independent living communities, and continuous care communities.

Why move to an active adult community?

Among the different kinds of retirement communities, the community that caters to active adults is popular among empty nesters, baby boomers, and retirees.

Here’s why:

• Low maintenance lifestyle. The prospect of a lifestyle where you don’t have to worry about property management is highly appealing.

After years of tending the garden, mowing the lawn, shoveling the snow, and maintaining a 5 bedroom home, you don’t have to worry about it anymore! What a relief that is. Imagine being able to leave and travel without worrying about mowing your front lawn.

This leaves you with more leisure time to enjoy yourself, maybe learn something new, or spend as much time as you want with your friends. These are things that you truly deserve to enjoy.

And that’s just a couple of examples of what it’s like to live the low maintenance lifestyle.

• Communities and homes are created with your need in mind. Age-restricted communities are becoming a mecca for many of our adults.

These communities and homes are customized to cater to your present and future needs.

Lifestyle communities are planned and built to offer communities and homes that are appealing to you. All the amenities you’d want to have are found here.

Homes are designed to provide ultimate comfort and convenience. For example, most homes have the master bedroom on the main floor so that you don’t have to go up and down the stairs.

The homes also have wide hallways, large gathering places, and private patios where you can relax and enjoy the serene environment.

• An active and healthy lifestyle. No matter what stage you are in life, there is a need to maintain an active lifestyle. Staying active and socializing with friends are essential components of healthy aging.

Age qualified communities offer plenty of activities to keep the body and mind involved. Residents in these communities enjoy yoga, swimming, aerobics, biking, running and so much more without leaving the community.

• Resort-like feel. When you’re in the prime of your life, you want to enjoy it, experience something different, and learn new things you didn’t have time to learn before. Active adult communities allow that.

Different communities offer various amenities and facilities. Residents enjoy the clubhouse, swimming pools, tennis courts, private beaches, full-service spas, and many more.

Are you liking what you are learning so far?

If you are leaning towards the same kind of lifestyle, the over 55 plus adult living just might be perfect for you.

Now all you need is to choose - which community location is right for you?

To help you make an excellent choice, I have put together this step-by-step guide in choosing the active adult community that will suit your needs and lifestyle.

What to look for in an over 55+ community?

When you are just beginning your search, the communities may seem all the same.

Though it may all initially appear to offer the same home styles and amenities, each development provides various services and programs, giving a different feel to each community.

You have to know the features and services you want so you can find the best fit for you.

Here’s your guide to choosing an active adult community.

1. Location

When looking for a community, your foremost consideration should be the location.

Consider the lifestyle you envision to have. Does it include warm and sunny days, long walks on the beach, swimming, fishing, or golfing? If you prefer any of these activities, consider choosing a community in one of the sunny states, like Florida.

Florida is the ideal haven for retirees for its climate and amenities. It is also home to the best active adult communities in the US. Who doesn’t love its gorgeous beaches and incredible weather?

It’s no wonder many of our older Americans retire to Florida. In the Sunshine State, you say “Adios!” to being bundled in five layers of clothing during the winter months, and “Hola!” to non-achy joints when the weather turns colder.

Florida has many beautiful neighborhoods to offer, especially the 55+ communities in Vero Beach.

Here’s a top tip: Once you’ve decided on a particular community, visit it at different times of the year. Renting a place and staying there for some time can help you test the waters and see what the area is like, both in-season and off-season.

2. Price and cost of living

Over 55+ communities are available at every price point, from affordable communities which allow you comfort and convenience, to luxury communities which are master planned and designed to cater to your every whim and want. All these come with a cost.

When you choose an over 55+community, it is because you know you can afford it.

As you are preparing your list, don’t just include the home price. Taxes, homeowners association fees, and a few other costs should also be factored. You want to make sure you are living practically and within your means, while still achieving the level of comfort you desire.

3. A sense of community.

One of the benefits of living in an age-restricted community is the opportunity to interact and form friendships with others of your age, interests, and hobbies.

Vero Beach FL 55+ communitiesprovide a wide option of activities you can enjoy. Some communities have swimming, yoga, Zumba and tennis groups. There are also groups for those who prefer reading, knitting, painting, and even theater groups.

Feeling a sense of belonging and community happens when you find friends who share the same hobbies and passion with you.

4. Amenities

Another important consideration in choosing a 55+ community is the amenities offered by the community. You’ll commonly find pools, fitness centers, clubhouses, tennis courts, and golf courses in all communities.

Aside from checking the amenities available, you should also look into the features and amenities of the homes. Again, your preference will play an active role.

Do you prefer a single-family house? How about a condo or townhouse? Maybe you want a home with the master’s bedroom on the lower level so, you don’t have to deal with the stairs so often.

Consider your health, your preferences, and what you are looking for when you check the community amenities.

5. Convenience

In looking for a 55 plus community, you should also check the crime rate of the area and its accessibility to major roads, hospitals, shopping destinations, restaurants, theater, and parks.

6. Safety

You’ve found the most suitable active adult community for you, but is it safe? In our eagerness to look for the best features of the retirement community, we sometimes overlook its surroundings.

Your safety and security are paramount compared to the activities, services, and programs of your chosen community.

Top 5 Tips for choosing the best over 55+ community

Selecting the community to settle in takes a little bit of time and research, but when you do it, you’ll find the best location where you can live happily and contentedly for the rest of your life. There are many variables to consider when it comes to choosing the right community. Picking one is difficult, so choose at least three to four communities which impress you.

Compare them. Weigh their pros and cons. To make the decision process easier, I’ve listed five top tips to help you choose “the one”.

• Cost.Your financial ability should be your first consideration in selecting a retirement community. There will be costs for housing, property upkeep, community management, etc. Know all the costs before making a final decision. Base your decision on what’s going to fit your budget.

• Proximity to loved ones. Would you like a development close to your family so you can visit them on the weekend? Or do you prefer a community somewhere a little farther away so you have more time to yourself? If proximity to your family and friends are important to you, choose a location that’s within driving distance so you can easily visit them or vice versa.

• Climate and location. Consider your health and your preferences. Would you like to live in a beachfront development or a lakefront community? Perhaps you prefer a community closer to the city, where you have easy access to healthcare facilities and cultural experiences?

• Lifestyle and amenities. In considering which among the three or four communities to choose, make a list of things you enjoy doing, as well as those you’d like to do but can’t because of your present location, lifestyle, or work. Then see which community will help you live and enjoy your hobbies. Each community offers different programs and amenities, so choose wisely.

• Real Estate Value. Though the home you’ll be choosing will be likely your last home and you won’t be selling anytime soon, it is always good to know the resale value of the home and have a backup plan. Talk to your Realtor®, or to me Karen Mathers, about the projected resale value.

Have you chosen your top 4 picks

I hope you include Vero Beach FL active adult communities among your choices. They offer more than just the best retirement locations, these neighborhoods merge the lifestyle you want with the comfort and convenience of being near shopping and dining amenities.

Check out this YouTube video on why living in Vero Beach is an excellent choice. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/xaque-gruber/five-reasons-vero-beach-i_b_10709570.html

Benefits of living in active communities in Vero Beach FL

If you are looking for a place where you can relax and live comfortably in the next 20-30 years, the over 55+communities of Vero Beach FL is what you are looking for.

Vero Beach is part of “Treasure Coast”, located between Jacksonville and Miami. This beach community is the county seat of Indian River County, and offers a truly exceptional way of life.

Coastalliving.com included it in its list of theTop 10 Florida little beach towns.

(https://www.coastalliving.com/travel/top-10/best-small-florida-beach-towns#vero-beach)

Take a look at this long list of benefits in living in this amazing location.

This beautiful location has many retirement communities with a host of amenities to choose from. It checks off all the boxes of your must-haves for active adult living.

How to choose the best 55+ community in Vero Beach

There are many adult developments and planned communities in Vero Beach. The best community for you is the one that caters to most of your financial and social needs, and your preferred lifestyle.

If your priorities are peace and security, you may want to look at the adult gated developments in Vero Beach. These communities offer exceptional amenities, stunning spacious homes, and a high-end lifestyle!

Check out this list of age-restricted gated neighborhoods.

Woodfield is a highly sought-after community with its numerous amenities, active lifestyle, great programs and proximity to shopping and dining options. Homes in this community offer the ultimate comforts and convenience, a reward for all those years of hard work.

Harmony Reserve is a new over 55 community that offers everything you would want for an active and social lifestyle. You get the best of beaches and convenient shopping in this neighborhood.

Seasons at Orchid is well-known for its resort-style amenities and low maintenance homes set in a tropical and quiet environment. This community is proud of its amenities, along with its West-Indies inspired home designs.

Old Orchid community offers luxurious, one story, single family homes with Mediterranean style exteriors. Homes in this neighborhood have security systems, ensuring their privacy and safety.

Gated communities offer the ultimate privacy, luxury and resort-style living.

If your priorities are to enjoy an active lifestyle, meet new friends and develop new skills, here are the adult developments you can choose from.

Isles at Waterway Village is a 696-acre community with various amenities and activities designed to appeal to any adult who would like to live a healthy lifestyle. 

Cove at Waterway Village is a community of 80 single-family low maintenance homes with large gathering areas and functional living spaces. 

Vista del Mar is a condo community located right on the beachfront where residents enjoy private access to the Atlantic Coast.

The Willows feature 92 single-family homes located only seven miles from the Atlantic Ocean, so you have plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy.

Lakes at Waterway Village offers 320 single-family homes with various floor plans and options. It is located close to the Indian River Lagoon where you can enjoy plenty of watersports.

Retirement home buying mistakes to avoid

Now that you’ve found an adult development you like, you are probably already planning how to secure a property in it.

Before you sign anything, here are a few mistakes other buyers have made. I’m sharing them in the hopes that you’ll learn from them and do things right.

1. Insufficient research. Like with all your real estate transactions before, you need to invest time in learning and researching about the community you’ll be joining. You’re likely going to spend a lot of time there, so make sure you do your research, ask the right questions and clarify any concerns you may have.

2. Overestimating home expenses. Looking for a new home is exciting, and it can be tempting to choose a community and home with a higher price point than what you originally intended just because you are captivated by the home’s amenities and features. In the end, it may be too much for you because, because it  will affect your monthly payments
3. Buying too far from loved ones and friends. You will most likely want to be with family during the holidays and for special occasions. This would be a lot easier if you lived within driving distance of them. If you choose a location that is too far, travel and frequency of visits may become more challenging.

This is going to be your last home purchase, so you’ll want to make sure you are making the right investment.

Finding the best over 55+ development in Vero Beach FL takes legwork, time and patience, but it’s all worth it when you find the community where you can enjoy that active, healthy and resort-like lifestyle you want in your mature years.

Call me, Karen Mathers at 772-532-3221. Let my expertise and skill work for you in finding the best active adult community in Vero Beach to suit your needs and lifestyle.