Most active adult communities have familiar features. Well-kept homes with neat and tidy lawns, a clubhouse with a pool and patio, maybe a tennis court or a putting green. There is another class of active adult community, however, that could easily be mistaken for a posh vacation community or trendy resort with luxurious, custom homes and amenities like yoga studios, salt water pools, and clubhouses so large they could almost have their own zip code.
Outdoors at these ultra-luxe communities, you’ll find professionally designed golf courses, immaculately landscaped grounds, and expansive networks of walking and biking paths. While this list represents some of the finest active adult communities throughout the country, it also hints at an exciting future to come with homebuilders competing with each other to offer ever more opulent home styles and amenities to attract discerning buyers.
We determined this list by looking at home sales in the last calendar year to determine which communities fetched the highest asking price. We then ranked them according to number and types of amenities, with the more outlandish and unique amenities receiving a higher score. The list was narrowed further by rating the quality of homes and the desirability of each location given the area’s amenities and attractions.
If you think this all sounds quite nice but think that these communities may be a bit above your budget, be sure to take a closer look at some of the options available. In addition to the lavish custom homes, many of these communities offer a wide range of housing options, letting homebuyers with diverse budgets all enjoy the same luxurious lifestyle.
Without further ado, here is our list, in no particular order, of the most luxurious communities for 2017.
Del Webb at Mirehaven – Albuquerque, NM
Del Webb, a leader in active adult home building, began construction on this fabulous Albuquerque community in 2015. The community’s 10,000-square-foot Recreation Center incorporates a traditional Southwestern aesthetic with a decidedly modern twist. Expansive windows throughout give visitors a stunning 360-degree view of the beautiful, high-country vistas, and mountain ranges.
Residents enjoy expansive gathering areas, hobby studios, fitness facilities, and so much more. Homebuyers can choose eight distinctly different floor plans that range in size from 1,572 to 2,504 square feet with design features and finishes to suit any tastes.
Siena – Las Vegas, NV
Located within the confines of Summerlin, an expansive master-planned community in Las Vegas, Siena offers homebuyers a whopping three amenity centers comprised of almost 71,000 square feet of indoor space. The Community Center is a study in refined elegance with its multitude of gathering spaces, hobby studios, dining rooms, and even has a ballroom.
Residents don’t need to leave the neighborhood to pamper themselves with a spa treatment or relaxing massage. The Siena Health & Fitness Center offers these services along with fitness facilities, indoor pools, and more. Surrounded by the towering Spring Mountains, the Siena Golf Club is the community’s 18-hole golf course offering plenty of challenge to experts and novices alike. Home choices range from modern duplexes to the impressive Verona collection with an abundance of high-end touches.
Victory at Verrado – Buckeye, AZ
Located 35 miles outside of Phoenix, Victory at Verrado is a neighborhood exclusively available to homebuyers 55+ in the master-planned community of Verrado. A vast variety of single-family homes cater to homebuyers’ every want and need while expressing an elegant Southwestern style that blends in with the community’s dramatic natural surroundings.
An expansive network of walking and biking trails gives residents plenty of reasons to get out and breathe in the mountain air. The community’s clubhouse is a natural gathering point with its restaurant and cafe, fitness facilities, spa, and sleek and modern Big Patio that simply must be seen to be believed.
Bonterra at Woodforest – Montgomery, TX
Yes, everything really is bigger in Texas and, in the case of Bonterra at Woodforest, bigger is better. Located in Montgomery just outside Houston, this truly remarkable 700-home, 55+ enclave is part of the larger Woodforest master-planned community.
A 10,452-square-foot clubhouse is exclusively available to residents of Bonterra, offering amenities like a grand ballroom, fitness center, resort-style outdoor pool, and a continuing education center. Residents also have access to the main clubhouse with its 27-hole golf course, pro shop, acres of parks, sports courts, and just about anything else you could imagine. Single-family homes feature modern, high-end design touches in price ranges that might surprise homebuyers.