39 Roads

“When you retire, think and act as if you were still working; when you’re still working, think and act a bit as if you were already retired.”  Author Unknown
 
  Independent of where you want to live in retirement, there are a few questions to ask yourself about the type of community you want to live in.  These questions tend to divide people into different camps and will determine to a certain extent your neighbors and their outlooks.
 
  First, do we want to live in a retirement community?  For some being in a neighborhood with the 55 plus crowd means having people in the same stage of life and with similar life experiences close by.  These potential friends may share interests and be involved in the activities that appeal to you.  Others are invigorated by being around various age groups.  They want to see children on the playground and at the pool or talk with their neighbor about their job.  Some active adult communities do a commendable job of integrating with the larger community with nearby shopping, restaurants, and recreation facilities.
 
  Another question that seems to separate those seeking a place to retire is whether to live in a private-gated community.  You may want the added security of this feature or the exclusivity that this destination in life signifies.  In some developments this may not be necessary or desirable.  You may feel that this is not a value you want to convey or that is consistent with your lifestyle. 
 
  Here’s an issue that cannot be easily overlooked.  Some developments sell land and home packages with a limited time- perhaps one or two years- in which to build.  Other communities sell land with no such time frame.  Is the flexibility important to you?  What are other owners actually doing?  The developer may be able to give you a sense for the majority of the purchasers’ stated time lines and plans.  Does this fit with what your objectives are?  Does the neighborhood seem to be sparsely populated?  I have seen communities that have existed for years where many seem to have had the “buy and hold” mentality.  I wonder how much longer it will take them to become vibrant, engaging places to live.  Others seem to have sprung up overnight.  Sometimes these building policies greatly impact the character of a place.
 
  I received a call recently from Bob, a reader in Ashburn.  His father lives in Reston six months of the year and Naples, Florida the other six months.  It seems that dear ol’ Dad has been encouraging Bob to buy a second place while they are still affordable.  That’s a wise father.  Buying a second house that you can use for a vacation home and perhaps rent out may be a great way to determine if that’s where you want to ultimately retire.  In the category of “if only I had known then what I know now”, my Dad had a condominium at Carolina Beach, NC that he sold a few years ago.  Now that same place sells at 3-4 times the price!  Even though the housing market has flattened in Loudoun County in the past year, we’ve certainly seen the same trend locally over recent years.  If you’re in your 30s or 40s and retirement seems like a distant dream, you may want to consider this option.  Don’t kick yourself ten years from now for what might have been.

I attended the Live South Real Estate Show in Reston, Virginia in September. I had some very interesting and informative conversations with representatives from the 50 or so communities who participated during the three day event. Here are some of my notes:

The Settings of Black Mountain is promoting its “convenient seclusion”, just a mile and a half from the town of Black Mountain and 15 minutes from Asheville, N.C.
An “urban resort” can be found just across the river from Savannah, Georgia at The Reserve at Savannah Harbor.

Berkshire Forest, located in Myrtle Beach, offers a beach club, golf membership, and easy access to the attractions of this beach town. They also have a three day, two night discovery package to visit the area for $99.

Ocean Isle Palms has positioned itself as a Caribbean beach community in Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. They are conducting a property release October 6-8.
Platinum Properties establishes “Southern boutique” communities of 10-50 home sites in Southeastern North Carolina.

A “rural but upscale” development can be found in Hot Springs, VA at Homestead Preserve which boasts The Homestead and its 240-year history as its club. They take pride in the preservation of the land and have 11,500 acres, of which only 3% is being used for 450 home sites, park areas, and other aspects of development.

Oakhurst in Lewisburg, West Virginia has America’s oldest golf course in Oakhurst Links. The course is played with the period equipment from 1884.
Harmony Township in Georgetown, SC ” will become a southern coastal town where small businesses, shops, and family homes co-exist in a tranquil neighborhood.” The Town Center will be within walking distance of homes while both Charleston and Myrtle Beach are about an hour away.

At the Rarity Communities reception on Sunday afternoon, Fred McArthur, Executive Vice President, asked the gathering, “How many of you have dreamed your whole lives of living in East Tennessee?” Three hands went up. Fred went on to say that after asking that question in Boston, Connecticut, California, and other places that was the first time he had any hands raised. I should note that one of the hands that shot up is a woman named Dixie, a Reston resident, who is from East Tennessee. I’m not sure her response really counts, but, nonetheless, I thought it was interesting.

Top communities from North and South Carolina will be hosting receptions with Retirement Relocation at local hotels in February and March.

I’m pleased that communities of this caliber have chosen to partner with Retirement Relocation to get broader exposure in Northern Virginia, and I’m excited for our clients who are looking at their options for investment, second home, or retirement properties to have a convenient way to familiarize themselves with these communities and their offerings.

Grand Harbor, with six different communities on the calm shores of Lake Greenwood in South Carolina, leads off on Thursday, February 8th at the Hyatt Regency Reston at 7:00 p.m. Grand Harbor is a premier residential private gated Golf and Yacht Club community and features tennis and fitness centers and equestrian facilities. Numerous amenities include a gorgeous lakefront Yacht Club and an 18 Hole, signature Davis Love, III Golf Course.

Vista, with several properties in the mountains of North Carolina, will host its event at the Hyatt Fair Lakes in Fairfax on Thursday, February 15th at 6:30 p.m. Vista’s Bill’s Mountain offers incomparable mountain views from its homesites, townhomes, and cottages, just minutes from Lake Lure. Blacksmith Run features craftsman-style homes and offers affordability and proximity to Hendersonville with the flavor of a mountain resort.

The Settings visits the area and will present its Carolina coastal and mountain communities at the Tysons Marriott at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 8th. From low country living in coastal South Carolina to lakefront homesite opportunities in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the “convenient seclusion” of their community in Black Mountain, NC, The Settings Development Companies is focused on the most desirable settings in the Southeast. The receptions are free and open to the public, but reservations are required due to limited seating.

Please join us for one or more of these informative receptions to learn more about these opportunities with award-winning amenity communities in North and South Carolina. If you would like more information about these events or to reserve a space, please contact Retirement Relocation at 703-430-6411 or 877-55-RETIRE (877-557-3847) or by e-mail at info@RetireRelocateRelax.com.

On Travels and Resources
“If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles.” Doug Larson

I was recently in Southeastern North Carolina. I visited several communities who are attracting retirees. Carolina Colours, while in its infant state, looks to be a special place near historic New Bern. The first-class developers are working to incorporate the natural landscape with Brice Creek and preserved wetlands. Their golf course is being built with this same consideration. Additionally, they want to make it an active community with a town centre, a pavilion, and open grounds. Call me before you visit the area. I have a few lodging dining recommendations in the area, including Marina Sweets where I had a shrimp omelet with a huge sweet potato biscuit and grits for breakfast and BearTown French Bakery & Bistro where they serve unique sandwiches and delicious soups, including a chilled soup du jour.

I also visited Brunswick County, NC which is becoming one of the fastest growing counties in the country. Sound familiar? From what I was told, they went from not being in the Top 100 to number 29 in one year and are still climbing. It seems that people are drawn by the small beach towns with easy access to the activities of Myrtle Beach and the historic city of Wilmington. Coastal Communities is a top-notch developer with five distinct communities for boating, golfing, beach going, etc. One prospective purchaser reportedly said that the area reminded them of Hilton Head in 1983. I think we all know how that turned out. Good restaurants are plentiful; two of my favorites are in downtown Wilmington: Caffe Phoenix on Front Street and Elijah’s on the riverfront.

In my work I review quite a number of web sites, publications, books, and promotional materials on retirement, relocation, and communities. As to be expected, many I like, a few I don’t, and some I could take or leave. Recently I discovered AARP Magazine Online’s Location Scout only to be greatly disappointed by it. I found some of the questions and multiple choice answers to be oddly worded. Furthermore, after answering I don’t know how many questions about my preferences, I was basically told that there are no matches for me for a place to retire and to go back through the survey and change some of my answers. In other words, there is no suitable place for my retirement- including where I live currently, Loudoun County, VA! I would have expected at least a few suggestions. If you’re from AARP and you’re reading this, contact me. I can help you improve this feature. Okay, enough griping…

On the positive side, I discovered a magazine called Living Southern Style. This publication is well-laid out and uncluttered; it has relevant, informative articles and useful, easily accessible information.