About 'fort myers communities'|...camp. As October ended, though, both were sent packing for Fort Myers. A longtime proponent of some sort of farm system, McHale was so gung-ho that he...
Hey, Baby Boomers! 55 and older communities are becoming more and more popular, but did you ever think that you would consider living in one? When we moved to Florida in 1981, my husband and I were in our 20's. It was easier to find a place to rent that would take our big farm dog and ugly barn cat than it was to find a place who would take our two darling daughters. Landlords would say, "You can have a dog, and you can have a cat, but those kids have got to go!" We used to joke about that day in the distant future when we would be 55. We intended to buy a trailer in one of those oh-so-restricted parks and be one those neighbors that everyone hates. That would teach them a lesson for keeping us out. My husband turned 55 this year. And the thought of a nice little community, filled with people our own age, with no bratty toddlers or hoodlum teenagers wreaking havoc in the neighborhood sounds a little like heaven on earth. But could we really do it? Could we really thrive in a 55 and older habitat? As roofing contractors we've worked in many of the 55 and older communities in the area. And the amenities and restrictions are as varied as any other type of living. There are condos overlooking the Caloosahatchee River; and Shell Pointe down towards Sanibel that looks like a high end resort. But what we really have in abundance are the mobile home parks catering to the 55 and older. There are 28 of the 30 mobile home parks here in North Fort Myers, Florida, are just for us old folks. At present, I live on ten lush tropical acres, where I ran a horse farm for many years. From my kitchen window I can see dozens of different kinds of wading birds, hawks, eagles and owls, panthers, snakes, otters and wild hogs. Canadian geese winter on my pond. Generations of wild ducks call us home. Sometimes my entire front lawn is covered with Monarch butterflies. My neighbors live so far away; I don't know who they are, what they do or what they look like. I can lay in the sun in my birthday suit if I want to - in my front yard! Could I really adjust to living in one of those 55 and older communities? The first thing I learned while investigating 55 and older communities is that mobile homes are not called "trailers" anymore. They are manufactured homes. There is one park in North Fort Myers where the manufactured homes are $170,000 and up - for a TRAILER. And they are fancy. It seems like many of the people who live in these 55 and older communities got some money set aside. Some of them pretend that they're broke, but I just have to remind myself that this $175,000 trailer is their second home. And they are paying $900 a month lot rental ON THEIR VACATION HOME. The common practice is to buy a manufactured home and then customize it with lanais, decks and porches. Then to protect it, they trick it out with hurricane shutters. Speaking of hurricanes, the North Fort Myers area was hit pretty hard by Hurricane Charley and most of those "manufactured homes" came through in pretty good shape. I still wasn't convinced that the lifestyle of these 55 and older communities would be right for me. Each home is right next to another. Could I live so close to someone that they could hear me sneeze, and smell it when I burned dinner? In my search through the sales listings in those 55 and older communities, I found manufactured homes from $3000 to $179,000, and everything in between. Just about every 55 and older community in North Fort Myers, has a pool and a community center, then the amenities go up from there: fishing lakes, golf courses, sidewalks, golf cart trails, shuffle board, tennis courts. There were clubs, activities and park newsletters. While lot rent fluctuates between $330 and 9500, it appears that rent is determined by where the home is located within that community. In North Fort Myers, golf course vistas seem to command the highest rents. Most of the residents I've talked to have two homes. One up north (most of the folks are from Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and upstate New York). A lot of them have been with the same company long enough to get 4-6 weeks of vacation time, or they are retired and just can't pull themselves away from their families full time yet. Many, but not all, of the 55 and older communities are gated or guarded. That provides a much needed peace of mind, not only while you're there, but if you leave your home unoccupied for months at a time. In the 55 and older communities, there is a "maintenance" fee included in your rent. That means, someone else mows your lawn and trims your palm trees. Most of the parks have a year round resident that acts as an "unofficial" watch dog or a retired gent that handles many of the "handy man" type projects that arise. They usually keep a list of best contractors to call should the need arise. I can only vouch for the people that I've met in the North Fort Myers, Florida 55 and older communities. They are as varied as anywhere else on this planet. They are active and interested in what's going on around them. Most the folks seem to be middle to upper middle class. Most of the residents are tolerant as long as you don't break the rules. They like to socialize. Many of them are "golf fanatics." They take care of their property and expect you to do the same. The 55 + older communities in North Fort Myers, tends to have a "vacation" type atmosphere, and people seem to try hard to be polite and have a good time. Of course, there always is that one person who minds everybody else's business, but you are going to get that anywhere. Many of the homes, even 20 year old models appear to be in very good condition. They don't appear to have the wear and tear that raising a family can inflict on a structure. I was surprised at how many of the units that were for sale, came completely furnished. So, could I live in a 55 and older community? Let's see, a lovely home overlooking a little pond, with neighbors who are gone six months out of the year, on a golf course, with a pool and tennis courts, AND someone who will mow my grass and trim my trees? Where do I sign? |
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