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Florida Retirement Explained: Best Places, Benefits & Costs (2025)

This is a comprehensive, one-stop shop for all things Florida and retirement. Find everything you need to plan for housing, cost of living,…

Cari Oleskewicz

Cari Oleskewicz

Cari Oleskewicz is a writer based in Gainesville, Florida. She has been writing about real estate, property management, travel, and active adult lifestyles for 10 years. She has delivered lectures on the importance of high-value website copy for small businesses, and has ghostwritten books for real estate investors. Before settling in Gainesville, she lived in Tampa, Florida; Baltimore, Maryland; Los Angeles, California; and Florence, Italy. Before launching her writing career, Cari was a communications and editorial strategist for a digital advertising agency in Tampa and managed the communications department of a nonprofit organization serving people with disabilities in Maryland. She has also taught middle school and writes poetry. Cari graduated from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1994, with a BA in Communications/Journalism. She currently lives in Tampa, travels frequently, and recently helped her father find the perfect 55+ community to call home.
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July 8, 2025

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55+ Amenities, Features & HOAs55+ Awards, News & Trends55+ Buying, Selling & Moving55+ LifestyleAffording the 55+ LifestyleFeatured 55+ CommunitiesResourcesSnowbirds and 55+ RentalsWhere To Retire

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55+ Amenities, Features & HOAs
55+ Awards, News & Trends
55+ Buying, Selling & Moving
55+ Lifestyle
Affording the 55+ Lifestyle
Featured 55+ Communities
Resources
Snowbirds and 55+ Rentals
Where To Retire

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Best Places to Retire on the East Coast

Best Places to Retire on the East Coast

Cari Oleskewicz

Cari Oleskewicz

Cari Oleskewicz is a writer based in Gainesville, Florida. She has been writing about real estate, property management, travel, and active adult lifestyles for 10 years. She has delivered lectures on the importance of high-value website copy for small businesses, and has ghostwritten books for real estate investors. Before settling in Gainesville, she lived in Tampa, Florida; Baltimore, Maryland; Los Angeles, California; and Florence, Italy. Before launching her writing career, Cari was a communications and editorial strategist for a digital advertising agency in Tampa and managed the communications department of a nonprofit organization serving people with disabilities in Maryland. She has also taught middle school and writes poetry. Cari graduated from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1994, with a BA in Communications/Journalism. She currently lives in Tampa, travels frequently, and recently helped her father find the perfect 55+ community to call home.
View all authors
July 7, 2025
55+ Apartments vs. Standard Apartments: Key Differences

55+ Apartments vs. Standard Apartments: Key Differences

Khadeejah Johnson

Khadeejah Johnson

Khadeejah oversees operational efficiency and strategic initiatives for the brokerage, audit, and partnership divisions. With extensive experience in real estate management and brokerage operations, she ensures compliance with state and local regulations, while guiding referral agents in adherence to contract law. Khadeejah also fosters collaborative partnerships within the referral program, all while leading a high-performing team. She is known for her strong leadership, attention to detail, and dedication to fostering growth in the brokerage community.
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June 30, 2025
Solar Power in 55+ Communities: What’s Allowed and What’s Not

Solar Power in 55+ Communities: What’s Allowed and What’s Not

Bill Ness

Bill Ness

Bill Ness is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of 55places.com. His real estate career began in sales for Del Webb before becoming a sales manager for Sun City Huntley. After noticing that the industry lacked a central, reliable, and unbiased resource for active adult communities, Bill left Del Webb in 2007 to start 55places.com. Having traveled to countless 55+ communities and having interviewed residents, builders, and agents around the country, Bill is considered a leading expert on the active adult lifestyle.
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June 25, 2025
Fresh Alternatives to Florida for Retirement

Fresh Alternatives to Florida for Retirement

Bill Ness

Bill Ness

Bill Ness is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of 55places.com. His real estate career began in sales for Del Webb before becoming a sales manager for Sun City Huntley. After noticing that the industry lacked a central, reliable, and unbiased resource for active adult communities, Bill left Del Webb in 2007 to start 55places.com. Having traveled to countless 55+ communities and having interviewed residents, builders, and agents around the country, Bill is considered a leading expert on the active adult lifestyle.
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June 20, 2025

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Recent Posts

Real Estate Summary: This Month in the 55+ Housing Market

Real Estate Summary: This Month in the 55+ Housing Market

Chad Walker

Chad Walker

Chad Walker joined 55places in 2022 as the VP of Sales and Real Estate Operations. He comes with 14+ years of experience in the Real Estate industry, ten of which have been dedicated to leading operational excellence. Chad started off in the industry as a top producing Real Estate Agent in Seattle, WA before taking on positions to lead high-performing teams of real estate professionals to advocate for customers along their journey of home ownership. Chad specializes in the real estate tech sector and focuses on the strategy of growing sales, revenue, and teams by collaborating with other leaders on the company’s goals and initiatives. Chad has a customer-first mentality and builds his organization around that passion. Chad currently resides in Seattle with his family and enjoys traveling when not thinking about real estate.
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August 8, 2025
Social Security Changes for Florida Retirees in 2025

Social Security Changes for Florida Retirees in 2025

Khadeejah Johnson

Khadeejah Johnson

Khadeejah oversees operational efficiency and strategic initiatives for the brokerage, audit, and partnership divisions. With extensive experience in real estate management and brokerage operations, she ensures compliance with state and local regulations, while guiding referral agents in adherence to contract law. Khadeejah also fosters collaborative partnerships within the referral program, all while leading a high-performing team. She is known for her strong leadership, attention to detail, and dedication to fostering growth in the brokerage community.
View all authors
August 6, 2025
Why Do People Retire to Florida?

Why Do People Retire to Florida?

Bill Ness

Bill Ness

Bill Ness is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of 55places.com. His real estate career began in sales for Del Webb before becoming a sales manager for Sun City Huntley. After noticing that the industry lacked a central, reliable, and unbiased resource for active adult communities, Bill left Del Webb in 2007 to start 55places.com. Having traveled to countless 55+ communities and having interviewed residents, builders, and agents around the country, Bill is considered a leading expert on the active adult lifestyle.
View all authors
August 4, 2025

Ready to Sell Your Home?

READY TO SELL YOUR HOME?

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Ready to Sell Your Home?

READY TO SELL YOUR HOME?

Our real estate experts can help you get started.

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Where To Retire

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Is It Cheaper to Retire in Florida or Alabama? Compare Housing, Taxes & More

Is It Cheaper to Retire in Florida or Alabama? Compare Housing, Taxes & More

Situated just above Florida’s panhandle, Alabama shares many characteristics with the Sunshine State but also brings its own advantages. By comparing the two…

Ellen Kershner

Ellen Kershner

Ellen Kershner is our creative content writer from New Jersey. She has 20+ years of experience writing for local publications, websites, and real estate marketing companies. She has a knack for crafting reader-friendly, original content that educates our readers with clear information. Ellen has lived in Central NJ, Southern NJ, Washington, DC, and Owings Mills, Maryland.
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July 28, 2025
Is It Better to Retire to Florida or North Carolina?

Is It Better to Retire to Florida or North Carolina?

Anthony Melville

Anthony Melville

Anthony Melville is a professional writer based in Chicago, Illinois. Since 2020 Anthony has been working with the Neighborhoods.com and 55places.com team—first as an intern and then as a freelance editor and writer. Although he grew up in Michigan and has lived in the Midwest his whole life, Anthony has road-tripped extensively across the U.S. These invaluable travel experiences, exploring the nooks and crannies of unfamiliar cities, have informed his research and writing for the 55places blog.
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July 21, 2025
How Much Does It Cost To Retire in Florida in 2025?

How Much Does It Cost To Retire in Florida in 2025?

Deana Becker

Deana Becker

Deana Becker is the Senior Content Strategist at 55places.com. With an extensive editorial background, she has been writing, editing, and researching real estate topics since 2018. Her work has brought her in contact with many subject matter experts in the real estate industry, and she enjoys continually improving her SEO and content marketing skills. As a Chicago native, she's also well-versed in the Midwestern housing market (as well as the best places for deep-dish pizza).
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July 18, 2025
The Most Affordable Places to Snowbird in Florida

The Most Affordable Places to Snowbird in Florida

Maddy Crozier

Maddy Crozier

Maddy Crozier (she/her) is an experienced freelance writer and editor who has worked with 55places since 2018. Now a fifth-year PhD Candidate in English at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, she has a BA and MA in Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse from DePaul University. She specializes in researching real estate trends across the country with a focus on the Midwest and Southeast regions, including the housing markets of Chicago, Indianapolis, and East Tennessee. Dedicated to helping homebuyers make evidence-based decisions, she brings six years of experience in real estate writing and research.
View all authors
July 16, 2025

View all Where To Retire

55+ Lifestyle

View all 55+ Lifestyle

Cruises in Florida: Where to Live for Easy Sailing

Cruises in Florida: Where to Live for Easy Sailing

Florida offers more cruising opportunities and more ports than any other U.S. state. If you’re ready to find the perfect home in a…

Cari Oleskewicz

Cari Oleskewicz

Cari Oleskewicz is a writer based in Gainesville, Florida. She has been writing about real estate, property management, travel, and active adult lifestyles for 10 years. She has delivered lectures on the importance of high-value website copy for small businesses, and has ghostwritten books for real estate investors. Before settling in Gainesville, she lived in Tampa, Florida; Baltimore, Maryland; Los Angeles, California; and Florence, Italy. Before launching her writing career, Cari was a communications and editorial strategist for a digital advertising agency in Tampa and managed the communications department of a nonprofit organization serving people with disabilities in Maryland. She has also taught middle school and writes poetry. Cari graduated from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1994, with a BA in Communications/Journalism. She currently lives in Tampa, travels frequently, and recently helped her father find the perfect 55+ community to call home.
View all authors
July 30, 2025
Discover the Best Boating Communities for 55+ Active Adults

Discover the Best Boating Communities for 55+ Active Adults

Deana Becker

Deana Becker

Deana Becker is the Senior Content Strategist at 55places.com. With an extensive editorial background, she has been writing, editing, and researching real estate topics since 2018. Her work has brought her in contact with many subject matter experts in the real estate industry, and she enjoys continually improving her SEO and content marketing skills. As a Chicago native, she's also well-versed in the Midwestern housing market (as well as the best places for deep-dish pizza).
View all authors
June 2, 2025
Living on a Golf Course: Pros and Cons for 55+ Homebuyers

Living on a Golf Course: Pros and Cons for 55+ Homebuyers

Bill Ness

Bill Ness

Bill Ness is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of 55places.com. His real estate career began in sales for Del Webb before becoming a sales manager for Sun City Huntley. After noticing that the industry lacked a central, reliable, and unbiased resource for active adult communities, Bill left Del Webb in 2007 to start 55places.com. Having traveled to countless 55+ communities and having interviewed residents, builders, and agents around the country, Bill is considered a leading expert on the active adult lifestyle.
View all authors
April 15, 2025
Early Retirement: What Does It Mean?

Early Retirement: What Does It Mean?

Maddy Crozier

Maddy Crozier

Maddy Crozier (she/her) is an experienced freelance writer and editor who has worked with 55places since 2018. Now a fifth-year PhD Candidate in English at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, she has a BA and MA in Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse from DePaul University. She specializes in researching real estate trends across the country with a focus on the Midwest and Southeast regions, including the housing markets of Chicago, Indianapolis, and East Tennessee. Dedicated to helping homebuyers make evidence-based decisions, she brings six years of experience in real estate writing and research.
View all authors
April 14, 2025

View all 55+ Lifestyle

55+ Buying, Selling & Moving

View all 55+ Buying, Selling & Moving

Don’t Wait Until Spring To Buy Your Dream Home

Don’t Wait Until Spring To Buy Your Dream Home

Spring and summer might dominate as the busiest real estate season, but winter presents its advantages for savvy homebuyers. Here’s why winter could…

Bill Ness

Bill Ness

Bill Ness is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of 55places.com. His real estate career began in sales for Del Webb before becoming a sales manager for Sun City Huntley. After noticing that the industry lacked a central, reliable, and unbiased resource for active adult communities, Bill left Del Webb in 2007 to start 55places.com. Having traveled to countless 55+ communities and having interviewed residents, builders, and agents around the country, Bill is considered a leading expert on the active adult lifestyle.
View all authors
May 9, 2025
Interest Rate vs. APR Mortgage and Other Questions

Interest Rate vs. APR Mortgage and Other Questions

Bill Ness

Bill Ness

Bill Ness is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of 55places.com. His real estate career began in sales for Del Webb before becoming a sales manager for Sun City Huntley. After noticing that the industry lacked a central, reliable, and unbiased resource for active adult communities, Bill left Del Webb in 2007 to start 55places.com. Having traveled to countless 55+ communities and having interviewed residents, builders, and agents around the country, Bill is considered a leading expert on the active adult lifestyle.
View all authors
May 8, 2025
Cheap Ways to Add Value to Your Home Before Selling or Downsizing

Cheap Ways to Add Value to Your Home Before Selling or Downsizing

Khadeejah Johnson

Khadeejah Johnson

Khadeejah oversees operational efficiency and strategic initiatives for the brokerage, audit, and partnership divisions. With extensive experience in real estate management and brokerage operations, she ensures compliance with state and local regulations, while guiding referral agents in adherence to contract law. Khadeejah also fosters collaborative partnerships within the referral program, all while leading a high-performing team. She is known for her strong leadership, attention to detail, and dedication to fostering growth in the brokerage community.
View all authors
May 6, 2025
What to Look for When Touring a 55+ Community

What to Look for When Touring a 55+ Community

Maddy Crozier

Maddy Crozier

Maddy Crozier (she/her) is an experienced freelance writer and editor who has worked with 55places since 2018. Now a fifth-year PhD Candidate in English at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, she has a BA and MA in Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse from DePaul University. She specializes in researching real estate trends across the country with a focus on the Midwest and Southeast regions, including the housing markets of Chicago, Indianapolis, and East Tennessee. Dedicated to helping homebuyers make evidence-based decisions, she brings six years of experience in real estate writing and research.
View all authors
May 5, 2025

View all 55+ Buying, Selling & Moving

Featured 55+ Communities

View all Featured 55+ Communities

6 Things to Know About The Grand

6 Things to Know About The Grand

Knowing these six things about The Grand in Surprise, Arizona may help you decide if it’s the right active adult community for you. Let’s take a…

Mike Gerrard

Mike Gerrard

Mike Gerrard has been writing about Arizona property for 55places since 2019. Born in England, he and his American wife bought their home in Green Valley, south of Tucson, in 2004. As travel writers, they love exploring and writing about the USA, and Arizona in particular, which they write about on their website: Arizona-Travel-Guide.com. Mike also writes about drinks, and is the author of Cask Strength, a history of the barrel, and Behind Bars, about the connections between drink and crime.
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February 6, 2025
55+ Brand Spotlight: K. Hovnanian’s Four Seasons

55+ Brand Spotlight: K. Hovnanian’s Four Seasons

Chad Walker

Chad Walker

Chad Walker joined 55places in 2022 as the VP of Sales and Real Estate Operations. He comes with 14+ years of experience in the Real Estate industry, ten of which have been dedicated to leading operational excellence. Chad started off in the industry as a top producing Real Estate Agent in Seattle, WA before taking on positions to lead high-performing teams of real estate professionals to advocate for customers along their journey of home ownership. Chad specializes in the real estate tech sector and focuses on the strategy of growing sales, revenue, and teams by collaborating with other leaders on the company’s goals and initiatives. Chad has a customer-first mentality and builds his organization around that passion. Chad currently resides in Seattle with his family and enjoys traveling when not thinking about real estate.
View all authors
December 9, 2024
Sun City Hilton Head vs. Latitude Margaritaville Hilton Head

Sun City Hilton Head vs. Latitude Margaritaville Hilton Head

Charles Moss

Charles Moss

Charles Moss is a freelance writer based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with a diverse portfolio spanning pop culture, history, and social issues. His work has appeared in prominent publications such as The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Slate, VICE, and MOJO Magazine. Currently serving as an Assistant Editor at SPIN magazine, Moss continues to contribute insightful articles on various topics. His Chattanooga roots provide a unique perspective that enriches his writing across multiple genres.
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June 19, 2024
Weighing Your Options: The Advantages of 55+ Lifestyle in Sun City

Weighing Your Options: The Advantages of 55+ Lifestyle in Sun City

Mike Gerrard

Mike Gerrard

Mike Gerrard has been writing about Arizona property for 55places since 2019. Born in England, he and his American wife bought their home in Green Valley, south of Tucson, in 2004. As travel writers, they love exploring and writing about the USA, and Arizona in particular, which they write about on their website: Arizona-Travel-Guide.com. Mike also writes about drinks, and is the author of Cask Strength, a history of the barrel, and Behind Bars, about the connections between drink and crime.
View all authors
October 13, 2023

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Resources

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How to Get the Most Out of Your AARP Membership

How to Get the Most Out of Your AARP Membership

Once you reach the age of 50, you’re likely to be flooded with information about AARP. But is AARP worth it? Here’s some…

Bill Ness

Bill Ness

Bill Ness is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of 55places.com. His real estate career began in sales for Del Webb before becoming a sales manager for Sun City Huntley. After noticing that the industry lacked a central, reliable, and unbiased resource for active adult communities, Bill left Del Webb in 2007 to start 55places.com. Having traveled to countless 55+ communities and having interviewed residents, builders, and agents around the country, Bill is considered a leading expert on the active adult lifestyle.
View all authors
April 18, 2025
What 55+ Buyers Need To Know About Pulte Homes

What 55+ Buyers Need To Know About Pulte Homes

Chad Walker

Chad Walker

Chad Walker joined 55places in 2022 as the VP of Sales and Real Estate Operations. He comes with 14+ years of experience in the Real Estate industry, ten of which have been dedicated to leading operational excellence. Chad started off in the industry as a top producing Real Estate Agent in Seattle, WA before taking on positions to lead high-performing teams of real estate professionals to advocate for customers along their journey of home ownership. Chad specializes in the real estate tech sector and focuses on the strategy of growing sales, revenue, and teams by collaborating with other leaders on the company’s goals and initiatives. Chad has a customer-first mentality and builds his organization around that passion. Chad currently resides in Seattle with his family and enjoys traveling when not thinking about real estate.
View all authors
April 16, 2025
Simple Volunteer Ideas for Seniors

Simple Volunteer Ideas for Seniors

Deana Becker

Deana Becker

Deana Becker is the Senior Content Strategist at 55places.com. With an extensive editorial background, she has been writing, editing, and researching real estate topics since 2018. Her work has brought her in contact with many subject matter experts in the real estate industry, and she enjoys continually improving her SEO and content marketing skills. As a Chicago native, she's also well-versed in the Midwestern housing market (as well as the best places for deep-dish pizza).
View all authors
April 7, 2025
A Baby Boomer’s Guide to Social Media

A Baby Boomer’s Guide to Social Media

Deana Becker

Deana Becker

Deana Becker is the Senior Content Strategist at 55places.com. With an extensive editorial background, she has been writing, editing, and researching real estate topics since 2018. Her work has brought her in contact with many subject matter experts in the real estate industry, and she enjoys continually improving her SEO and content marketing skills. As a Chicago native, she's also well-versed in the Midwestern housing market (as well as the best places for deep-dish pizza).
View all authors
March 17, 2025

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