We just visited Del Webb’s new Active Adult Community at Lake Oconee Greensboro Georgia.  Lake Oconee has been a hot spot for those fortunate enough to “retire to the lake” for years. It is the home of Reynolds Plantation where homes go from $400,000 to well over a million.  The area has developed high end shopping and gourmet restaurants.  I have heard a lot about Lake Oconee and now after visiting can see why it is a very nice place to live.

Del Webb at Lake Oconee is coming along nicely. Most of the streets are in as well as the model home park and the sales center.  I toured several lot pods and was surprised to see high elevation lots with nice long vistas the fortunate homeowners will get.  In my mind I am thinking everything was going to be flat, but that is not the case. Also some very nice lake view lots were spotted on at least two pods.  

At the entrance will be a large community monuments with a gorgeous waterfall feature that should give quite an impression. Then the gated security follows as you enter this new 55+ community.  The sales center and model home park will be on the right. Looks like maybe 12 model homes from my count.  The 21,000 square feet activities center will be nearby.  The elevation slopes as you follow the Del Webb Parkway through the community towards the lake.  At the lake there will be two boat ramps and docks with about 40 boat slips for the community.  On the hill to the left will be a nice covered pavilion for picnicking with a view over the lake.  A quite interesting feature being planned is a RV and boat storage facility right on the property.  That would be nice to have your boat right in your community next to your boat ramp with no highway towing necessary.

My wife and I are still talking about this new community and I am sure there will be quite a stir the Ritz Carlton Lodge on August 3 & 4 when when the VIP preview event will take place. If you have an interest in 55+ lake property and communities, you need to go to Del Webb’s Lake Oconee web page and register for this VIP event as soon as possible. I believe it may be booked up but an opening is possible if you act now.  

We have toured two other Pulte Del Webb communities and were very impressed by the livable, energy efficient floor pans. There will be the same floor plans offered here, plus Villas.  There will be 895 lots on 400 acres, so this is a reasonable size community.

Del Webb at Lake Oconee community is located off Lake Oconee Parkway in the middle of Georgia’s Lake Country and very near the Lake Oconee Village shops.

Robert

We have visited another 55 community called Seasons at Lake Lanier near Gainesville, GA.  These homes are being built by Levitt and Sons.  The model homes are built and open for tours.  However, the club house has not been built yet.  Although they offer a video for viewing of the proposed club house, we were disappointed not to be able to view the proposed amenities.  They offer two and three bedroom homes.  Most of the homes are built with add-ons so you get to see first hand what options are available.  So, many of these features are not included in the base price quote.  We found the three bedroom homes to be quite spacious.  They do have completed and furnished basements which is an option in their home designs.  Their interior design team has done an outstanding job in furnishing these homes giving you insight into how your basement could be utilized.  Some are set up as game rooms with full bars, media rooms, or additional living space.  They do offer the option of completly finishing the basement space.  This 55+ community is located off the main road close to a very busy section filled with restaurants, grocery stores, automobile dealerships, etc. before reaching downtown Gainesville.  Upon entering the subdivision, I didn’t get the feeling of being in a resort community as I have with other retirement communities we have visited because of the proximity to the busy road.  However, this community will have fewer built homes (approximately 745) which could be appealing.    

From realestatejournal.com there is an article about a NY excutive moving to Florda. He says:

 ”I also had a childhood memory: Growing up on Long Island, I remember my grandfather as a serious, intense person. After he retired, he and my grandmother bought a home in the same area. And he was a different person when I visited him. He just fell in love with Florida and was so happy. I remember thinking at the time, at about age 10, ‘It seems like such a shame, such a waste, for people to have to wait until they’re that age to start enjoying themselves.’ If you really like the lifestyle and you can swing it, financially and from a work standpoint, why do you have to wait until you’re a retiree to start?”

I hear this more and more. People are moving to communities now rather than waiting, and pulling it off due to Technology.

55 Community Guide

Looking forward to going down to Del Webb’s Lifestyle Seminar for their new 55+ active adult community on Lake Oconee.  I signed up on their web site, and got an invitation for Friday August 3rd. The meeting is going to be at the Ritz Carlton Lodge at Reynolds Plantation, so that will also give me a chance to visit that property that I have heard so much about.

This will be my first trip to Lake Oconee. I recently visited Lake Sinclair down hwy 441 at Milledgeville. They told me both Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair have pretty constant lake levels which at mainted by Georgia Power. So the lake does not go way down in Winter or even a draught, like some other Georgia lakes. One of my friends is almost a professional fisherman entering fishing contests all over the country, and he says the fishing is great. Well I haven’t fished too much since I was a kid, but it would be fun to do again.

I wonder if the Lake Oconee Del Webb community will have a 35,000 square foot club-recreation-activities center with a lifestyle director like their property at the Village at Deaton Creek up by Chateau Elan NE of Atlanta?  I will find out.

Will be interesting also to see how the dock and association owned boats will work. Do you just pay a fee to use them?  If so, that may not be a bad idea.  As a former boat owner $$, I think I would rather rent.

Is it true they may be building their own town with this 55+ community?  That would be nice.  I am sure there must be already a good many stores and restaurants with all the other lake property homes and communities there at Reynolds Plantation.  As far as I know this will be the first Active Adult Community at Lake Oconee.

I hope they have some of the same model home plans that I saw at Deaton Creek. They had eveything we always dreamed of. My wife really like the cabinets in the kitchen and master bath.

I will take plenty of pictures and make a report when I return. In the meantime, I will try to find out more about the Lake Oconee community.

My husband and I recently became interested in checking out the 55+ communities.  I had seen advertisements about such communities in Florida and was excited to see these communities being developed in the State of Georgia.  We have now visited several communities by different developers and have increased our knowledge of active adult communities. Our lastest visit was to Deaton Creek near Chateau Elan, just north of Atlanta.  This development is built by Pulte/Del Webb and it is quite impressive.  These homes offer many features that are standard while considered an upgrade by other developers.  We were quite impressed with the cabinetry in the kitchens and baths.  Granite counter tops, lots of storage drawers and cabinets in both the kitchen and baths.  I was most excited about the size of the kitchens in several of the models.  Work areas were spacious and designed for those of us who still enjoy cooking and entertaining families and friends. The floor plans varied in size and offered either two or three bedrooms.  The largest three bedroom plan offers three full baths and one half bath.  We also toured the club house which was recently opened to the residents.  WOW.  From exercising, swimming, to cooking classes, this club house will offer most any activity you can imagine.  They even have a dog park and a park for your grandkids when they visit.   I would highly recommend you visit this community as you continue your search for retirement living.  We look forward to visiting additional  Georgia communities and adding comments about these visits. 

Georgia Active Adult Communities

Mary Ann and I visited the Del Webb active adult community The Village at Deaton Creek this week and were very impressed with the new activity center which opened last week and the model homes. The Village at Deanton Creek is located north east of Atlanta. For locals it is up I-85 on the exit for Chateau Elan and Road Atlanta.  This whole area has become a great area for active adults.

The activity center is a good name because club house does not do justice to this 35,000 square foot building.  It is the largest of its kind in Georgia. All the features and activities reminded us of being on a cruise. The lifestyle director gave us a tour.  We were not ready or expecting such a wonderful facility. It has everything.  The communities marketing material has this say: This active adult oasis, known as “The Club at Deaton Creek,” has been specifically designed to enhance and expand the active lifestyle for our current and future residents.” They are not exaggerating.

The entrance is grand and has a registration/service desk and lounging area like a lodge you would see out West maybe in Yellowstone or Montana. Soaring ceilings and wall of glass to the back overlooking the terrace and the river.

The Grand Ballroom is huge and could be separated by rooms but I could see a community gathering for a dance or party taking place here. At one end a group of about 30 residents were playing bridge when we attended. At the other end of this large ballroom was a professional cooking demo room, like you would see at Whole Foods.

The crafts room was actually two colorful rooms and had facilities for ceramic making including a kiln. Also a library/Wall Street Room with wireless Internet access.

The fitness area was huge, again set up like on a cruise ship only much bigger.  Nautilus equipment arranged to look out through the walls of glass. Flat screen TVs and plug ins for music and video.  At the end of the building was a Junior Olympics size indoor heated pool.  Adjoining locker and changing rooms were beautiful.

Outdoors there are upper and lower terraces just outside and part of the activity center overlooking the natural area and river.  Seating groups of wicker were arranged. Good place to sit with friends or by yourself to read a book. This area reminded us of a lodge we stayed at last year in Alaska. Oh, at the end is a huge outdoor swimming pool.

We did a home made video if you would like to take a look. This is our first video so please overlook the technical part but I think it will give you a good feel for the activity center.  For more information on The Village at Deaton Creek visit their website. For more reviews of active adult communities in Georgia.

With this community, you get both the advantages of a an active adult community and also small town living, even though it is part of metro Atlanta GA.

Robert and Mary Ann
SmallTownRetirement.com

I toured the brand new 35,000 activity center at the Village at Deaton Creek. This is a new Del Webb 55 and better community located near Chateau Elan, northeast of Atlanta, GA. 

 This activity center is wonderful  Take a look at the live video I taped this week.
Village at Deaton Creek Activity Center.   I promise you have never seen anything like this. It is the largest of it’s type in Georgia. There are walking trails, tennis complex, mini-parks and a lifestyle director who will coordinate social activities in the community. The bridge club was meeting in part of the ball room when I was there. The Junior Olymic indoor pool looks great. Out pool has plenty of decking and chairs. 

Robert, SmallTownRetirement.com

In a 100 mile radius around Atlanta GA, Boomers and Seniors will have their choice of several new 55+ retirement communities that are under construction right now. Georgia is one of the best states to retire to if the number of new retirement communities and the high number of Internet search inquiries are considered.  Many people who relocated to Florida are now coming back up to Georgia because they are just getting hammered on the high costs of property taxes and home insurance.  Atlanta metro area is now home to over 5 million people and as is the case nationwide, people like to retire to a community close by.  Parents are retiring to Georgia to be close to their adult children who found jobs there as the econony grew over the last few years.

Del Webb/Plute has three very nice communities under way and Levitt and Sons also have three active adult communities in progress. These offer numerous amenities, modern recreational facilities, breathtaking surroundings and livable home designs that make active adult communities a great place to live and relax.

One exciting community is Del Webb on Lake Oconee.  This community will offer great access to Lake Oconee where I understand fishing is wonderful on this large relatively shallow GA lake  Del Webb at Lake Oconee will offer more than 850 homes located across 400 acres bordering Lake Oconee and adjacent to award-winning Reynolds Plantation. 55 Plus Lake Property Retirement Communities are hard to find. Look for this community to be available in late Summer but you can get more info at the link above as well as get on their email list for announcements and invitations to visit. Lake Oconee is situated 75 miles east of Atlanta on Lake Oconee in Greensboro, Georgia.

Sun City Peachtree Pulte/Del Webb’s Vikek is directing the development of Georgia’s first Sun City Retirement Community in Spalding County on the south side of Atlanta Georgia. It will be a 3,400 homesite community and will include a 38,000 square foot amenity center, a championship gold course and a softball field.

Levitt and Sons has active adult communities in these locations, all within close proximity to metro Atlanta:

Seasons at Laurel Canyon (Cherokee County) by Levitt & Sons is located in Canton GA and has 766 home sites on 350 acres. The prices are $200,000 to $400, 000 based the floor plans and lots. It features a large clubhouse that will be the center of social and physical activities.

Seasons at Lake Lanier (Hall County) by Levitt & Sons is located in Gainesville GA. There are 744 homesites on 410 acres. This is an Active Adult 55 Plus community located on Lake Lanier. Prices are $200,000 to $400,000 and up. The model homes are now available for touring. If you get a chance take a visit and I think you will be impressive with the location and the wonderful livable floor plans and designs. Again, lake property retirement communities are hard to find.

Seasons at Seven Hills (Paulding County) by Levitt & Sons is located in Dallas Georgia on the Western edges of metro Atlanta. There are 724 homesites. Prices range from $200,000 to $400,000.

In addition many local builders are developing communities of the 55+ type or offer nearly the same amenities like ranch style or master on main, walking trails, swim/tennis with clubhouse. On such community is Mountain View located off Hwy 140 East of Canton. Several builders in this community. Price ranges in the low $200s to $300,000. RL Glosson Homes 678-493-0696 is one of the builders. There are two sections,  Autumn Ridge at the top with wonderful mountain views and Creekside. Mountain View is located on the top of a high ridge with wonderful mountain vistas. Mountain property in the metro area - nice!

Make a weekend visit to tour these communities and take a look at the model homes, clubhouse and other amenities.  I think you will be impressed.

For more information visit  Active Adults communities in Georgia
For information about retirement communities inside the Perimeter in the City of Atlanta 

Robert Fowler
55 Plus Communities

As we live longer, healthier lives, more seniors are preferring to stay in their homes, rather than re-locating to a retirement community. This trend is called “aging in place,” and has become a challenging opportunity for builders and contractors to make home remodeling for seniors safe, easy and more attractive for this population.

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Livalbe Homes and Communities

Have you considered where you might like to live when you retire? Baby boomers are buying second homes now, intending to retire to that locale when the time is right. As a Colorado girl, the ocean still beckons.

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SmallTownRetirement.com

Check out what you can do while visiting the Sacramento area and the what you can see while strolling in the Downtown Sacramento area. Home Buyers and Sellers will enjoy touring Old Sac, the museums and taking a ride on the Delta.Home Buyers, welcome to our great State of California.

It is awesome when thinking about where you want to live, just in the Sacramento area. Sacramento is very large and has many great Cities to choose from. I have provided a map for you to become familiar with the four Counties, Sacramento County, El Dorado County, Placer County and Yolo County. This will be the first step in helping you locate where you, the home buyer would like to live.

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55 Plus Cummunities

Here’s a scary thought: Saving for retirement is the easy part. Making your money last as long as you do, that is harder part. How long will your nest egg last in retirement and how can you manage it to last?

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SmallTownRetirement.com

The Wii is now the latest rage at the Sedgebrook retirement community in Lincolnshire, where the average age is 77. In particular, the Wii Bowling component of Wii Sports has members of the retirement community hooked on playing the Wii installed inside the Sedgebrooks’s clubhouse lounge.

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SmallTownRetirement.com

I recently tour the 10 model homes set up in the  Levitt & Sons new Active Adults 55 Plus communities on Lake Lanier in Northeast Georgia.  A number of features were impressive and nice to see all in each home. Each was decorated with dazzling style, even flamboyance. 

Besides the furnishing, they were build with the livable designs in mind, those things that make a home more livable, that is more comfortable, easier and safer for independent living. These were nice!

Most were ranch style homes (one level) with no steps.  A deck or screened porch is also a nice feature when you are spending a lot of time at home. This gives up a place to go outside the normal living space to breathe some fresh air and get a change of pace.

Several have finished basements suites to die for!  One had a large bar, pool table, game table, and full bath and bedroom for guests. Some had a full media room complete with stadium chairs. These terrace levels didn’t look like a basement at all. They had nice Berber carpet, recessed lightening, and colorful walls trimmed expertly. Bay and other windows gave plenty of lights and visuals to the outside.

The back yards had fireplace, sitting groups, gazebo and professional landscaping.

Interior floor plans include the open kitchen, an extra room or two that could be used as a den family room, or office.

These active adult communities really are offering up some attractive features that us baby boomers will appreciate.

Robert Fowler
SmallTownRetirement.com

Since about the mid 1990’s, there has seen a sharp increase in retired people moving to North Carolina. Due to several reasons, there are many Northerners who are now choosing North Carolina over other Southern states.

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