Why Buy a Home in a 55+ Community in Texas in Your Retirement Years?
The benefits of buying a home in a 55+ community in your retirement years may surprise you. Not only is living in an active adult community filled with fun and new friends, but there are surprising tax benefits, amenities, and home building benefits you may not expect. This article lists everything you’ve been wanting to know:
- What is a 55+ community?
- What are the distinct advantages of living in a 55+ community in Texas?
- What are the benefits of retiring in an over 55+ resident community?
- What are the cons of retiring in a community like this?
- What should you look for in an active adult community?
- What are the steps to buying a home for sale in a 55+ community?
Whether you’re looking to downsize or are simply looking for a new home that’s the right fit for your current life stage, this guide can help you decide if buying a new home for sale in a 55+ community is right for you.
What is a 55+ Community?
These types of communities come with many names, including active adult communities, retirement communities, senior living communities, 55+ residential, etc.
A 55-plus community is exactly what the name implies: a planned community exclusively for residents aged 55 and older. Although often used as a synonym for a retirement community, a 55-plus community is not exclusive to retirees. In fact, residents come from all life stages from grandparents to long-term professionals.
More than just a neighborhood, a well-planned 55+ residential community offers the best combination of home builders, amenities, and location with the added benefit of like-minded neighbors in a similar life stage. This means more time for making friends and having adventures both within the community and nearby. New homes in an active adult community also trend towards requiring minimal maintenance, designed for adults who are independent and will thrive in an active, friendly community.
7 Advantages to Buying a Home in a 55+ Community in Texas
Texas is a fantastic state to consider buying and building a new home in a 55+ community. In the DFW area especially, residents can enjoy predictable weather year-round, low cost-of-living, and a thriving retail and restaurant scene. There is an excellent balance of peaceful days blended with exciting things to do nearby.
#1. No State Income Tax & Low Cost of Living
Texas is one of nine states that don’t have an income tax. This makes saving for retirement (and saving AFTER retirement) convenient. If you have a fixed income, you’re able to plan more efficiently. Texas also has a considerably lower cost of living than many other states, with residents of Texas paying less for housing, groceries, and other necessities overall.
#2. Better Weather (Fewer Snow Days!)
With the exception of a few note-worthy outliers, the climate in Texas is predictable and free of the hassle of frequently shoveling snow in the winter. Despite the occasional thunderstorm, hurricane, or tornado during late spring and early summer, weather in Texas is ideal. Scalding hot summers in Texas can be enjoyed in the shade of a patio with a glass of iced tea, or inside a cozy living room with ample AC. Texas in the Spring and Fall are beautiful and temperate, with plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. Winters in Texas are cold but rarely severe enough for constant winter storms, often with snow melting away quickly. In short, the weather is rarely an excuse to stop your daily life and presents plenty of opportunities to enjoy the seasons.
#3. Re-Sale Value in A Vibrant Community
A new home in a 55+ community might be your forever home - the one that you want your loved ones to inherit and eventually live in or sell. A community like Elements at Viridian is designed with the same care as a master-planned community. The planners maintain a community that demands stable home values by preserving the natural beauty of the neighborhood and taking advantage of its highly desirable location. Your home builder can also help you make decisions for a classic, energy-efficient, and timelessly designed home.
#4. Amenities
Competition is delivering a wide variety of top-tier amenities for residents in 55+ communities. While communities in Texas usually offer an amenity center or pool, others may provide sports complexes, pocket parks, trails, and more. Elements at Viridian, as part of the Viridian master-planned community, also gives residents access to all amenities available to Viridian residents, including access to a resort-style pool and lakeside beach.
One key advantage to the amenities in a 55+ community is that amenities are planned for your life stage in mind – for example, residents of Elements at Viridian have the nationally award-winning Magnolia Lifestyle Center at a short walk from their homes. This beautifully designed 6,668 square-foot clubhouse offers residents exclusive access to fitness classes, a resort-style pool, lounge, demonstration kitchen, pickleball courts, bocce courts, putting green, and covered terrace with a fire pit and outdoor kitchen.
#5. Lower Maintenance Homes Fit for Your Current Life Stage
New construction homes in 55+ communities have several things in common: new appliances, new warranties, and primarily single-story floor plans with some options for half-story add-ons. For homebuyers who need to downsize or are simply looking for a lower-maintenance home, floor plans in a 55+ community are designed to be convenient at every life stage while offering plenty of space to entertain family and friends. Often as well, front yard maintenance is included in the HOA fees.
#6. Entertainment Abounds Nearby
Many 55+ communities are located thoughtfully, blending the peace and quiet of a planned neighborhood with the convenience and excitement of the city. Arlington, TX is filled with plenty of things to do and places to explore. With destinations for sports buffs, art lovers, foodies, and shopaholics, as well as quick access to DFW airport for travel aficionados, communities like Elements at Viridian are built to help residents follow their passions and interests without having to travel too far.
#7. Friendly, Like-Minded Neighbors
The lifestyle in a 55+ community is friendly and filled with opportunities to get to know your neighbors. With many residents retired, the lifestyle directors can organize day-time gatherings and outings with residents, plus activities that range anywhere from cooking classes and fitness classes to book clubs. Neighbors in a 55+ community are all within their better years, so there are plenty of opportunities for your free time to overlap and enjoy activities together. There’s also rich cultural diversity in Texas’s metroplexes, making it attractive for retirees of all backgrounds.
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Advantages to Retiring to a 55+ Community in Texas
Considering retiring to a 55+ community but concerned about the misconception that homes are difficult to sell and don’t retain their value? Contrary to this, buying a home in a 55+ community is just like buying a home anywhere else. Supply and demand will control whether or not your home is easy to sell, but this problem is less relevant if your goal is to retire to that community.
One of the advantages of retiring in a community like Elements at Viridian is that homes are designed to scale with you as you age. Floor plans in these communities are thoughtfully designed for aging in place with wide hallways, spacious interiors, and timeless exterior designs.
Another significant advantage of retiring in a community like this in Texas is the proximity to nearby medical facilities. Some of the medical facilities in Texas are world-renowned, and there are more than 600 hospitals throughout the state. 55+ communities are planned for easy access to local medical centers, making everything from quick follow-ups with the doctor to emergency care convenient and accessible.
Disadvantages of Retiring in a 55+ Community in Texas
Like all things, there are a few disadvantages to buying a home in a 55-plus community in Texas.
One disadvantage of retiring to Texas is that traffic is notoriously tiresome. The Texas Department of Transportation estimates that “the number of hours per commuter lost to traffic delay has nearly tripled, climbing to 54 hours a year.” However, for retirees and residents of a well-planned active adult community, there’s plenty to do nearby making the commute less of an issue.
Another commonly cited disadvantage of buying in a 55+ is a higher cost of living due to HOA fees, maintenance fees, and amenities. Despite higher monthly costs and fees, residents in 55+ communities can find value in enjoying their new community to the fullest – often with HOA fees offsetting previous costs like for a sports club or lawn maintenance. In Texas, lower daily cost-of-living also helps offset this disadvantage, giving residents in a 55+ community in Texas more freedom to enjoy the community while saving money.
What Should You Look for in a 55+ Active Living Community in Texas?
Ask yourself the following questions when you’re looking for a 55+ active living community. Start at the beginning by considering what you need at your current life stage and then evaluate the community’s features to ensure they meet your needs and expectations.
- How many rooms do you need in your new home? Do you need a 4 – 5 bedroom home for guests? Or would your household be fine with a 2 – 3 bedroom home?
- When it comes to your ideal location, would you prefer more seclusion and privacy? Or do you value convenience? Some 55+ communities have lots in quieter parts of the neighborhood for your consideration if you’d like to enjoy both.
- Consider accessibility. As you consider aging in your home, do you want a floor plan pre-built with accommodations for accessibility? What kind of architecture would allow you to age in place while enjoying your independence?
- Since most 55+ communities have a very involved HOA, what are the rules of the communities you’re considering? How do you feel about the guidelines, and do you have someone within the community you can direct your questions to? Is the community HOA responsive on their contact details or social channels?
- What kind of activities do you want to do every day? Are you interested in golf, fitness classes, and bocce ball, or are you more interested in nature walks and solo trips to the museum? Consider how you’d like to spend your days and see if the community can help support your passions. Interested in learning new things every day? Consider the learning opportunities a 55+ community can present.
- One of the most important things to consider is a sense of community. Look for what the community offers for events, classes, and clubs. Do they meet your expectations and schedule? Are there ample opportunities to connect with your neighbors?
- Are builder reps responsive and easy to get information from? With options for virtual and in-person meetings, are they meeting you on your terms?
- What kind of amenities does the community have, and how easy are they to access? While some communities may offer a pool, for example, is this amenity accessible year-round? What amenities are available during the pool’s off-season?
- Would you consider a 55+ community located within a larger master-planned community? Some large master plans, like Viridian, have dedicated sections just for their 55+ exclusive community, giving residents the best of both worlds: exclusive amenities within the 55+ community as well as access to the master-planned community’s amenities.
Steps to Buying a Home for Sale in a 55+ Community in Texas
Buying a new construction home for sale in a 55-plus in Texas is similar to buying a new home anywhere else. The only difference is the location and the highly curated floor plan options these builders will offer. The steps to buying a new home are the same.
Step 1: Pick Your Community
There are plenty of 55+ communities throughout Texas, and hopefully, this article helped you narrow down your choices. What are your preferences in what would be your forever community? Pick a location you’ll love, close to everything you care about most, whether it’s your family, your passions, or simply convenience and good weather. Don’t forget to consider important factors like HOA costs, property taxes, and community size.
Step 2: Pick Your Builder
A good 55+ community selects excellent new home builders with accolades and a reputation for excellence and quality. Tour the builders’ model homes to see which floor plans and design options speak to you. Many builders also offer virtual tours, online chat, private tours, or live video appointments for prospective homebuyers. Make sure you check out builder testimonials, success stories, and resources before committing to a homebuilder.
Step 3: Pick Your Floor Plan and Design Options
Once you select your builder and homesite, you’ll work together with your builder to select design options like cabinets, tile, lighting, floors, bathroom and kitchen fixtures, and smart home features. Floor plans in a 55+ community trend towards elegant wide hallways and open-concept single-story floor plans with outdoor living areas and numerous options for bedrooms and baths. This is your time to design and build the home of your dreams for your better years.
Step 4: Closing, Construction, and Move-In
According to Moving.com, the national average time to build a new home is about 7.7 months, but this varies from state to state, even city to city. Ask your preferred builder what current build timeframes are for them. However, the wait is worth it when you’re building a new home with the features that will accommodate you for years to come. When waiting to move into your new home, think about how exciting it will be to see the cabinets, walls, and finishings you chose. Stay in touch with your builder for home build progress updates and follow the community’s social media and newsletters to stay up-to-date on community happenings. This is also the perfect time to plan furniture and find a moving company.
Discover Elements – A 55-Plus Community in Arlington, TX
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Elements at Viridian is an award-winning 55+ community in Texas, perfectly nestled in the city of Arlington, TX. This prime location gives residents easy access to major employment and entertainment centers in both Dallas and Fort Worth (including exciting Dallas Cowboy games at the AT&T Stadium and Texas Rangers games at Globe Life Field!). There are three top new home builders with several distinct floor plan series to choose from in Elements at Viridian, all chosen for their commitment to high-quality home builds and customer service. The community also boasts a fantastic lifestyle that gives neighbors in Elements plenty of opportunities to connect safely, and the Elements at Viridian Residents Association (ERA) is available to answer HOA-related questions. |
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Now’s the time to learn more about building your dream home in Elements at Viridian with more homebuying opportunities coming soon in 2022.
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