How to Choose the Right Active Adult Community For You

WHITEHALL, PA 07/31/2013
Share

The kids are all grown (and probably have kids of their own), so you don’t have to worry about the school system, but location still plays a key role in your decision as you want to make sure you are near your favorite grocery store, dining and shopping, as well as your healthcare providers. You should also consider what entertainment options are nearby whether you like to golf, ski, hike, visit museums or something more off the beaten path. 

Are you a social butterfly or a wall flower? Many active adult communities really stress the word active with developer and resident-run parties, poker nights, exercise classes and off-site trips to bowling, wine tasting and more. Check the calendar of events for activities that you’d be interested in joining, or if not, that the community has a few quiet enclaves for reading or other quiet endeavors that are more your speed.

One of the great things about active adult communities is that they can offer spa-like amenities including a pool, whirlpool, and gym as well as a club house with space for watching TV, throwing parties, playing pool and other activities. Make sure that the amenities package includes things that you will use, and if it doesn’t or has more than you need, look for a community that better suits your lifestyle.

Looking out your window and seeing 12 inches of snow is lovely, but who’s gonna shovel it? Ask the sales office if the community’s Homeowners Association (HOA) fees cover snow removal and other yard work, on-site security, in-home maintenance, and repairs and anything else you may need to feel at home.

It’s just the two of you now so you may be downsizing your space, but that doesn’t mean you’ve downsized your stuff. Check to see if on-site storage is available and if it’s included in your HOAs, or available for an extra fee.

Active adult communities can be condos, attached or detached homes and they all have their benefits.  Condos provide an extra level of security because visitors need to be buzzed through a common entryway before getting to each of the units. Detached and attached single-family homes offer more privacy and can have more space with the option of a second level.

Little visitors are often the most fun so see if your grandchildren are welcome to sleep over, as well as allowed at the pool and other facilities. If a community’s attitude is that children should not be seen or heard, perhaps you need to keep looking.

Active adult communities offer a lifestyle and neighborhood beyond the walls of your personal space. By asking the right questions, you can choose one that will be the right home for you for many years to come.

Heather Cerwin is the sales and leasing manager for Larken Associates’ Horizons at the Village at Whitehall, a collection of condominiums for active adults featuring eight different models. Homes at
the community offer two bedrooms, two baths and three bedroom, two baths with kitchen and laundry appliance packages. Sales at the community start at $219,990 and rentals begin at $1,250.
For additional information about Horizons Village at Whitehall, please call 610.769.5515 or visit www.WhitehallActiveAdultCondosPA.com. For information about other active adult communities in
the Larken Associates portfolio, call 908.874.8686 or log onto www.LarkenHomes.com

About Larken Associates
A two-generation, family-owned business since 1965, Larken Associates is widely-recognized as one of the region’s fastest growing, well-respected companies. Based in Hillsborough, NJ, Larken has been responsible for developing prominent residential and commercial projects throughout the Tri-State area.