Gated Retirement Communities

If you are unsure where to retire, gated retirement communities offer you the peace and quiet you are looking for. Many feature amenities such as a golf course, pool, or on-site services and activities.

Benefits of Gated Retirement Communities

Retirement communities are designed with the 55 plus demographics in mind and range in size from a few hundred to a few thousand homes. They focus on offering all the comforts and extracurricular activities you want while putting them in a safe place you can call home. Recreation and service is an important part of a well established retirement community. Examples include:

Golf courses
Club houses or social centers offering senior activities
Scenic vistas
Water features and marinas
Walking paths
Swimming pools
Exercise programs
Classes and cultural programs
"Tot lots" for visiting grandkids
Security
Meals
Scheduled transportation and outings
Housekeeping
On site healthcare services or a close proximity to assisted care

Maintenance Free Living

Some gated retirement communities offer maintenance free living. Each month you pay a predetermined residential fee. The services may include:

Repairs or replacement services for home exterior and roof
Interior repairs for such as appliances, a/c and heating systems, water heater, garage door openers/receivers, and roof upkeep or replacement.
Lawn care, tree and shrub trimming
Irrigation systems & water
Pest control
Pressure washing of driveways & sidewalks
Periodic preventive maintenance visits to maintain general home condition. During these visits they change the A/C filter and refrigerator coil, and do smoke detector testing.

Security

By living in a gated community, security is stricter than in a regular residential neighborhood. Some neighborhoods offer 24 hour security. Many offer a keypad entrance or personal, portable remote-control clickers. You may be required to register guests so they can visit. This added security offers you the relief of knowing you and your home is safe.

Rules

Each community has their own neighborhood rules. Gated retirement communities are strict about who is allowed to live there and what is and is not allowed to be done to your yard and the exterior of your home.

Some examples of rules may include:

At least one resident must be age 55+
No children under age 18 are allowed to reside in the community
Noise and vehicle ordinances
Covenants regarded required approval of exterior home changes (both yard and structural)
Personal pools may not be allowed, or require gates
Pet ordinances
Dog walking ordinances, requiring you to pick up after your pet

Finding Gated Retirement Communities

At one time you needed to move down south to Florida or Arizona to find gated retirement communities that fit your needs. However, communities in Midwest states like Illinois and Michigan are growing in popularity. Now you can stay closer to home, while enjoying the benefits of a quiet community designed for you.

First decide on where you want to retire. If you are a snowbird and dislike cold winters and extreme summers, Florida, Arizona and California offer warm weather all year round. If you love the Midwest and don't mind seasonal changes, Illinois may be perfect.

You can find a community by either searching online or contacting a realtor in the area you want to live in.

Choosing a Community

A gated retirement community is not for everyone. Here are some questions to ask yourself before beginning your research:

Do you dislike the noise of children, wild parties, and racing teenagers?
Do you enjoy being around others who share your same interests?
Do you feel you are still too young and energetic for retirement homes?
Do you enjoy golfing or taking strolls?
Do you prefer a social setting?
Are you 55+
Would you enjoy living in a community where everyone else is over 55?

If you answered yes, you may feel right at home in a gated retirement community.

What to Look For

When you are researching the perfect gated retirement community, compare each one using features, location, and what your personal needs are.

For example,

What type of health-care access is available?
If you have mobility issues, what options do they provide?
Do they offer any special property-tax allowances for seniors?
Who takes care of the maintenance and upkeep?
How important is a gold course or tennis courts to you?

Once you know what you want, you can begin researching.

Online Resources

Here are some websites to help get you started in your research: