
Most people can identify an attached home or a single-family home, but what is a villa? The term can be confusing. Originally, villas were sumptuous palaces that wealthy Romans built at the time of the Roman Empire. They would often sprawl over several floors and have dozens of bedrooms and a private swimming pool. In today’s real estate world, villas are usually much more modest affairs.
Small and Low-Maintenance
Villas can be defined differently in different 55+ communities, so it’s vital to know what a particular community’s definition of a villa is. Some use the word villa to indicate a large detached home, with a nod to those original luxury residences. For the most part, though, villas are at the other end of the price range, and the word indicates smaller, low-maintenance homes with just one or maybe two bedrooms.
There’s no fixed definition of a villa, but usually, they're similar to a townhouse or a condo. They'll usually be attached on at least one side, and instead of a yard, a villa will normally have a small veranda or patio. This is part of the low-maintenance appeal as owners have little yard work, and the surrounding area is usually maintained by the homeowners’ association.
A Community Feel
Villas differ from condos and townhomes in small but significant ways. Condos usually have communal entrance areas, whereas villas are individual homes. Villas are usually single story, compared to a townhome which could be several stories. Despite the fact that they are individual homes, villas often have more of a community feel. In a condo, you might pass your neighbor in the entrance hall and not see them again. With a villa, though, you may find yourself sitting on your veranda chatting to the neighbors on either side.
You can also find some detached villas, though, and in some communities villas will be grouped together and owners may have their own pool or community center for the exclusive use of villa owners, again creating a sense of togetherness.
You can find villas in active adult communities all over the country. Here are some 55+ communities (divided by state) where you can find villas for sale.
Arizona Communities With Villas:

Sun City
Below $100k - High $800s
Sun City West
Mid $200s - High $600s
Sun City Oro Valley
Low $200s - High $500s
Province
High $200s - High $500s
Sun Lakes
Mid $200s - Low $1Ms
Sun City Grand
High $100s - Low $1Ms
Continental Villas West
Mid $200s - High $300s
Texas Communities With Villas:

Kissing Tree
Low $400s - Mid $800s
Heritage Ranch
Mid $200s - High $600s
Miro Lagos Villas
Mid $200s - Low $300s
Tuscan Village
High $200s - High $700s
Tuscan Village at Horseshoe Bay
Mid $300s - Low $1Ms
New Jersey Communities With Villas:

Madison Crossing at Birch Hill
Mid $200s - Low $500s
Princeton Windrows
Low $200s - Mid $800s
Montebello
High $300s - Mid $500s
Four Seasons at Great Notch Spa and Club
Low $400s - Low $700s
Cranbury Brook
Low $200s - Mid $400s
Four Seasons at Lakewood
Low $300s - High $400s
Hearthstone at Hillsborough
Low $200s - High $400s
North Carolina Communities With Villas:

Cornelius Woods
Low $200s - High $400s
The Highlands at Meadowlands
High $200s - Mid $300s
Olde Towne Village
High $200s - Low $300s
Crow Creek
Mid $100s - Mid $1Ms
Bella Sera Villas
Low $200s - Mid $300s
The Villas at Creek Walk
Mid $200s - Mid $300s
The Polo Club at Mountain Island Lake
Mid $200s - High $300s
Heritage Pines
Low $300s - Low $500s
South Carolina Communities With Villas:

Moss Creek
Low $200s - Low $1Ms
Hilton Head Plantation
Low $400s - High $1Ms
Kalmia Landing
Low $200s - High $200s
The Village at India Hook
High $200s - Low $300s
Sun City Carolina Lakes
Mid $200s - Mid $600s
Indigo Run
High $100s - Mid $1Ms
California Communities With Villas:

Peacock Gap
Low $900s - High $2Ms
The Colony
High $500s - Mid $1Ms
Lake San Marcos
Mid $400s - High $1Ms
Sunny Glen
Low $200s - Low $700s
High Country Villas
High $400s - Mid $500s
Villa Portofino
Low $300s - Low $600s
Pennsylvania Communities With Villas:

The Preserve at Marsh Creek
High $400s - Mid $500s
The Villas at Cool Springs
High $200s - Mid $300s
The Villages at Hillview
Low $200s - Mid $500s
The Villas at Linfield
High $200s - Mid $300s
Villas at Cattail
Low $200s - Low $300s
The Villas at Five Ponds
Mid $400s - High $500s
The Villas of Newtown
Low $600s - Low $800s
Amblebrook
Mid $300s - Low $700s
Jennersville Farm
Low $200s - Low $300s
Spring Valley Estate
Mid $200s - High $400s
White Oak Manor
Mid $100s
Big Elk
High $200s - High $400s
Alden Place
Mid $200s - High $500s