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I Just Retired...Now What?

Curious about retirement community living?

Published 9 months ago • 2 min read

Hey there, Reader!

We’ve been on a bit of a hiatus recently. In October, Larissa and I helped move my mom into an independent living retirement community. It was a ton of work, but well worth it. She’s now settled in her new place and is absolutely LOVING IT!

As we helped her shop around, we visited quite a few communities, and I’ve got to say that I fell in love with the idea of living in a retirement community when I’m older. I know it’s not for everyone (and honestly, I’d never considered it for myself), but here are a few things that won me over.

We’ve owned our home for just over 20 years and, while I do like being a homeowner, I’m not in love with it anymore. I’m getting tired of paying for maintenance costs (we just had our roof replaced…ouch!), property taxes, and HOA fees.

Also, our home is two stories, something our aging bodies are beginning to complain about.

So what did I love about the retirement communities we visited?

First, I loved the amenities. Workout rooms, pools, dining, movie theaters, libraries, game rooms, and one even had a pub. Touring the grounds felt a bit like being on vacation!

The other thing I love is that most have some sort of house cleaning arrangement (meaning they will come and do light cleaning for you). And any maintenance is taken care of.

Most also have a shuttle service (for trips to the store or appointments), and one even did prescription and dry cleaning pick up for you.

While I’ll admit that a good community can be a bit pricey (the ones we saw were $3500 per month and up), when I weigh that against our current expenses, it’s not that big of a change.

While we’re not exactly ready to move just yet, it’s definitely something we’re going to consider.

If you’ve been curious about retirement community living (for yourself or a relative), we invite you to check out our article, What to Look For In a Retirement Community.​

Whether you’re looking for yourself, a parent, or other relative, we hope our guide of things to look for in a retirement community will help you.

Not looking to move? No problem! Check out these articles to help you make your current home a true retirement sanctuary!

​Is Decluttering a Good Retirement Project?​

​3 Simple Ways to Freshen Up Your Home and Stay Motivated in Retirement​

And finally, to our US readers and your families--Happy Thanksgiving!

Warmly,

Looking for something to do over the holidays? For a limited time, Coursera is offering 40% off their Coursera Plus Annual Plan. Offer ends on December 1, so check it out today!
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