Top Five Amenities for Retirees
Ideal Living Magazine recently surveyed roughly 700 folks from the Northeast who were researching a new neighborhood for their retirement. The results are in. See how they compare to your own list of wants in a new neighborhood.
#1 Walking Trails: This was selected as the most important amenity in a new neighborhood, and for good reason. Most people facing retirement are active. They want to get out there and exercise whether it be walking, running or cycling. They also do not want to do these activities on the street. They want a nice walking trail or paved bike path in a natural setting where they can get out and enjoy their surroundings. You will find most master planned neighborhoods have taken this into account and will have walking trails throughout their communities.
#2 Wellness & Fitness Centers: This goes along with the fact that retirees are active. A wellness and fitness center will also be a good place to meet other neighbors who share similar healthy interests. Some larger communities may offer a staffed center with multiple classes and facilities while others may have a small unmanned center where you can go work out or use a pool. Do your research and check it out to see if it is right for your fitness needs.
#3 Dining: It seems like the older we get the more we like to dine out. Having the convenience of an on-site dining facility is very appealing. It also gives neighbors a chance to mix and mingle within the neighborhood. Some communities even have an attached retail center with a variety of restaurants and shopping.
#4 Travel: While many people don't see travel as a community amenity we can look at this as more of an area amenity, meaning people want to have access to travel. So, things like ports, or airports and major highways might be considered an amenity even if it is not directly located in the neighborhood. When most folks retire they are leaving behind family and friends and want to be able to travel to visit them or have them come to their new home. This is why travel is so important.
#5 Sense of Community: Frankly, I was a little surprised that this was number 5 and not number 1. What exactly is a sense of community you may ask? Well we can define it as place where you feel like you belong. Usually a sense of community comes from a place where neighbors share an emotional connection, whether it be through clubs, social gatherings or even exercise classes. People feel like they belong to that neighborhood. This is a hard one for developers to achieve. This is an amenity that is created by the people that live there. The best way to research this one is to try on the community for a day. See how people interact with each other. Participate in an activity there and see if you are welcomed in with open arms. If you are, you know you have found your next new home.