Desert, Mountain or Waterfront: Choosing Your Retirement Climate

by Susan Quilty on February 4, 2010

SaddleBrooke in Tucson, AZ

SaddleBrooke in Tucson, AZ is popular with active adults who want the dual benefit of a desert climate with access to nearby mountains.

It’s easy to dream about your ideal retirement location, but how do you know that the city you choose will match up to your fantasy? Travel brochures, movies and destination TV shows can make many locations look like paradise. Whether your dream is of sunny beaches, high desert, or majestic mountains, it’s important to take the time to research and visit an area before making it your new home.

For retirees who dream of living in the arid or semi-arid climate of a desert, a dream destination is likely to be found in the American Southwest. The more southern Mojave, Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts have long summers with high temperatures and semi-tropical plant life, while the Grand Basin Desert has somewhat cooler temperatures. [click to continue…]

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Chicagoland: Why Active Adults are Staying in Illinois

February 2, 2010

When most people think of active adult retirement communities, they picture warm coastal regions, arid deserts, or lush mountain areas. Yet, not every active adult wants to move across the country to enjoy the many benefits of an active adult community. Understanding this, developers have begun designing communities in less typical locations. The Chicago area, though once an unlikely retirement destination, is now home to over a dozen thriving active adult communities.

Why do active adults choose to stay in Chicago instead of retiring to Florida’s sandy beaches or California’s wine country? While the idea of a community with many amenities, activities, and social opportunities is often appealing to empty nesters and retirees, some may not like the idea of moving far away from their families and friends. Some of Chicago’s active adults, known as “fullbacks”, did make the move to a southern retirement home only to later return to Illinois when they realized how much they missed their previous hometown.

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10 Features in an Eco-Friendly Home

January 29, 2010

Baby Boomers know that green living is more than a current trend. Living in an eco-friendly home reduces your carbon footprint, helps sustain our natural resources, and saves money on your energy bills. Active adult community builders, such as Shea Homes, understand the desire for green living and provide eco-friendly communities that make energy efficiency and sustainable resources a top priority.

Trilogy Communities by Shea Homes can be found in Arizona, California, Washington and Florida. These communities offer Shea Green Certified Homes which can provide up to 60 percent in annual energy savings and reduce your carbon footprint by up to 48 percent.

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North Carolina Retirement Living: Raleigh Versus Charlotte

January 25, 2010

North Carolina is quickly becoming a hot spot for relocating active adults. The area offers the diversity of mountains, foothills, and coastal areas. There are revitalized metro areas and picturesque rural towns. Plus, North Carolina’s warm weather and scenic vistas fit the bill for a beautiful southern retirement, without being too far from northern hometown family and friends.

Many adults who previously retired to Florida or South Georgia are now choosing a second relocation to North Carolina. These retirees are sometimes referred to as “halfbacks” because they relocated further south and later moved halfway back home. Whether halfbacks or first-time retirees, many prospective residents find themselves choosing between communities near two popular North Carolina areas: Raleigh and Charlotte.

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Active Adult Activists Find New Opportunities in 55+ Communities

January 21, 2010

Baby Boomers, born during the period between 1946 and 1964, are often depicted as a generation of activists. While any generation is a cross-sampling of many different personality types, coming of age during the free spirited 1960s, the radical 1970s, and the political 1980s, led many Baby Boomers to take an active interest in government, politics, and the world around them. These active adults are continuing to make a difference for many causes, in local and national politics, and in their community governance.

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6 Great Golf Retirement Communities in Southern California

January 18, 2010

Gorgeous mountain views, lush landscaping, and beautiful water features draw golfers to the courses found throughout Southern California. Though other activities are also popular, golf remains a central feature of many Southern California active adult communities, where championship courses provide beautiful scenery that often winds throughout a community.

Golf enthusiasts who are looking for an active adult community in the Southern California can choose from a variety of impressive locations. Many 55+ active adult communities offer both championship 18-hole golf and 9-hole leisure courses. As the central feature of these communities, golf courses are often designed by well-respected architects and impeccably maintained to provide both superior play and a spectacular setting.

When considering Southern California’s beautiful golf courses, these 6 active adult communities are well worth a second look:

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Red Hats and Romeos

January 14, 2010

Have you ever come across a group of vivacious older women dressed in purple and sporting bright red hats? Have you gone out to lunch and noticed a table of older men laughing and swapping stories? If so, you may have spotted some Red Hats and Romeos.

Active Adult Communities provide residents with a wide variety of recreational activities and social clubs. Two groups steadily gaining popularity among older adults are the Red Hat Society for women and, for men, the Romeo Club, a.k.a. Retired Old Men Eating Out.

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