Moving into a Retirement Community? 4 Ways to Prep for the Process

Finally living out the retirement dream is an incredibly exciting prospect. If you've already found a community that you love and are ready to call it quits on your business prospects, follow these steps to make sure you're completely ready to go.

Create a Calendar

Deciding to retire is a big decision, and many people find themselves stalling on the final move. Once you know that you're ready to retire, draft out a schedule of when you'll be stepping away from your current life. 

Start by marking the day when you'll quit your job and the day when you'll move into your new home. In between, make plans for actions like cleaning out your house, visiting your old friends, donating items to charity, and meeting with various professionals to help you settle your affairs. Then, share this calendar with any family members who want to help you with the process.

Sort Your Items

One of the difficult parts of retiring is deciding what items to keep from your old life. Some people choose to carry all of their belongings with them, while other people prefer to start fresh with nothing more than a box of mementos. 

No matter which camp you fall into, you'll want to seriously downsize your current possessions. Use boxes to separate items that you want to give to friends, donate to charity, or simply throw away. 

You should also use this time to sort through your paperwork; keep important documents, but get rid of old bills and other papers that have gone out of date.

Prepare Your Taxes

Finally selling the family home isn't as simple as listing it on the market. When you cash in your equity, you'll need to grapple with property taxes and local requirements. 

That's why your best option is to hire a real estate tax attorney who can help you handle the selling process as professionally as possible. 

The right attorney will make sure that you're paying the right amount of taxes, discuss any legal requirements that apply to your situation, and help you manage the transition period between moving into the retirement community and actually selling your home.

Gather Your Contacts

As you move from your working life into your retired one, remember to get contact information for everyone that you'll want to keep up with. 

Depending on your lifestyle, this may mean adding people on social media, saving their phone numbers, or even writing down their information in your address book. 

From business cards to scribbled notes, make a place to keep everyone's contact info until you have a chance to write it down. That way, you won't have to lose touch with any of the good friends that you've made.

Retiring can seem like an overwhelming process, but it's also completely rewarding. Take your time sorting through old mementos and calling people who you haven't seen in a while. As long as you make the date on your calendar, there's no reason to rush through one of the most significant events in your adult life.

Retire in Comfort: 5 Qualities to Look for in Your Retirement Community

After dedicating 20 years or more to your job, you’ve finally reached retirement. Now, you want to sit back, relax and enjoy the next chapter of your life. 

During your retirement, you may decide to go to a retirement community rather than look for a house. Unfortunately, looking for a retirement community isn’t always the easiest thing to do. 

There are certain qualities that you must look for and ask about when you’re looking for a comfortable community to retire in.

When selecting the best senior living community, consider essential factors to ensure a comfortable and enriching experience. Assess your needs, visit and observe the community, check reviews and referrals, and consider amenities and programs. Finding a place like Benchmark Senior Living at Plymouth Crossings can provide comfort, care, and a sense of community for you or your loved ones.

The Amenities

The first quality that you should look for in a retirement community is the amenities that come with it. Even if you want to live modestly, the community you’re looking to reside in should have the basics.

The basic amenities should include a gym or fitness center, internet access, a place for activities, an independent kitchen and security. Keep in mind that every retirement community is different and may not have certain amenities.

The Location

The next thing you need to look for is the location in which the community resides. In fact, the location is actually one of the most important factors when looking at retirement communities. As you search, try to see if there are any communities located near your family and friends.

How the Community Cares

Again, many retirement communities are different and have different ways of caring for their residents. If you’re someone who requires assistance to do daily activities, you need to make sure that the community offers the right kind of care. 



In addition, it’s in your best interest to see if a community has 24-hour emergency care. There are a few communities that don’t offer this, which can spell trouble if you have an accident.

The Staff

Before even thinking of paying a visit to a retirement community, always research the staff first. When it comes to senior care, you want to know you’re in good hands. During your visit, it’s also essential that you pay close attention to how the staff interacts and communicates with the current residents.

The Overall Community

Aside from the amenities and health care, you want to be in a community where you can feel like you’re living life. Retirement communities are meant to make life easier for seniors, not harder and stressful.

However, there are those few communities that are just out for a buck and don’t have much to offer. Naturally, you want to avoid those. If you don’t feel like the community is for you, then it’s best to keep looking until you find one that is.

Finding a place to spend your golden years doesn’t need to be difficult. Take your time, weigh your wants and needs and always tour more than one community before you make your decision.

Retirement Community: Is it an Ideal Place for Retirees?

 One big decision to make when you reach the retirement age is to decide whether or not to find a new home. Surely by this age, your children have grown up and moved out from your house. Thus, living in a huge home is already impractical. Many seniors opt to buy a brand new house that will serve as retirement home. Oftentimes, they choose to retire in rural areas.

Are you looking for a retirement home? As of today, there are several retirement communities emerging like mushrooms in different places. In a retirement community, the residents are obviously retired people (if not all - majority of the denizens). The development of community has offered seniors varied choices to settle on. So, will you go for a retirement community? Is it really the perfect place for you?
There are some aspects that can help you decide with regards to pursuing a community housing.

Cost

In terms of cost, retirees will not have to fret since there are affordable homes available. If you have enough budget after retirement, it is highly advisable to buy a home in full payment. As much as possible, retirees should avoid home mortgage considering that they are no longer working - no more regular job to rely on. But if you prefer to have it in installment basis, you will just have to allot certain amount of money for the down payment and other fees to pay. Some retirement community developers offer various modes of payment.

So, is retirement community ideal for retired people? Practically speaking, it is indeed suitable. With so many options to choose and flexible payment methods, acquiring a retirement home is very feasible.

Neighborhood

Primarily, a retirement community is meant for retirees - aged 55 and older. These communities are intended to cater to retired people who wish to own a new home after retiring. Hence, it follows that majority of the residents in these communities are senior citizens. And now the big question is: Would you like to live in a community where most dwellers are elderly? There are pros and cons in this scenario.

Pros:

• People might be easier to mingle since you are in the same age group
• Several activities are offered to keep retirees busy and active
• A chance to meet new people (friend or new companion)
• Retirees can feel a sense of belonging and feel less lonely

Cons:

• Access to medical or fitness establishments might be a challenge if there is no younger companion
• Some retirees might find it hard to form a new relationship

There are other advantages and disadvantages of living in a neighborhood where seniors are living. That is why it is essential to ponder all possible pros and cons to help you decide if living in a retirement community is ideal for you.

Amenities and Facilities

Most retirement communities have amenities suitable for seniors. Depending on the developers, some communities have golf course, medical facility, park, tennis court, convenient store and activity center. All these amenities are designed to help keep the seniors active while living in the community. In fact, some communities host simple livelihood programs to guide the retirees in managing their finance.

By simply checking out the available facilities, you can easily determine if it is the best place for your or for your senior. There are community developers offering more amenities in an effort to provide the most comfortable living experience to seniors. However, the more amenities being offered the more expensive these community houses become. That is why, it is important to scrutinize if the featured offerings can be of great help to you.

Generally, a retirement community can be a good choice for retirees out there. But there are advantages and disadvantages to weigh before making a decision. At the end of the day, it is not about living in a retirement community or in another housing community. Whether you buy a house in a certain community or rent a unit in one of those apartments in Dallas, the place may not be the main priority. The most important thing is that seniors can dwell with less hassle and much comfort. 

Wanted Ideal Retirement Home: What to Consider Without Hurting the Budget

retirement (Photo credit: 401(K) 2013)

After retirement, we often feel the urge to settle in a place away from the hassle and noise in the city. Retirement is when we take charge of our time and being able to enjoy laid back moments with our family or partner. No more workloads to accomplish and no need to rush to the bus stop. 
Finding the most ideal retirement home is an essential factor to truly enjoy your retirement. Obviously, you have longed to relax in the comfort of your own house and make the most of the fruits of your labor. Thus, it is vital to take into account several factors in hunting for the best retirement home. 

It’s All About the Money!

Yes, budget is the primary thing to consider when looking for a home. It’s already given. But, is it possible to find what you desire without hurting your budget? Are you going to buy a retirement house with all the luxuries, then making you broke in the end? If you are clever enough, you can get what you want at the right price.

What to look for:

● (Affordable) Dream Location - Do you want to breathe fresh air from the sea? Well then, beachfront retirement home is perfect for you. However, most retirement houses nearby the sea are quite expensive specially if you are thinking of well-known place like Miami. Sparkling blue water and peaceful swells - if you desire for these kinds of scenarios, look for unexploited places with enchanting sea view. Often times, less popular locations boast beautiful beaches and are more affordable.

On the other hand, those who want to enjoy country life can easily find low-cost retirement homes. Whether you want to be close to nature or you just want to distance yourself from the city life, there are many houses you can buy in smaller towns. If you have a dream location, carry out a thorough search in the entire area to find cheaper options. No sweat, you can use the internet in searching.

● Safety Measure - When looking for a retirement home, check the background of the community. Search about the crime rate in the area. Does burglary always takes place? Then it’s a big No-no. You cannot afford to risk your safety just because of a cheap retirement house. Is the neighborhood peaceful? Visit the place and observe the vicinity. Safety is an essential aspect that should never be neglected. Retirement home should be a place where you can sleep soundly at night without any worries. You don’t wanna waste your hard-earned money in a home that is not safe.

● Accessibility to Recreation Venues - Many housing developments these days can be considered as retirement houses. Some seniors want to settle in a community where they can mingle with other people (not just those they have known since they were in fourth grade). If you love to play golf, search for communities with golf course. In case you enjoy strolling at the park every afternoon, there are housing areas with leisure parks. What sort of recreation activity you enjoy the most? Look for it in the place where you want to spend your retirement. Every single penny you shell out will be worth it if you can enjoy great amenities.

In general, a retirement home should give you a tranquil life. There are many options you can think of: Buy a stand-alone house in a rural area (or urban if you still love the city life) to live independently. Otherwise, you can opt to retire in a housing community, such as Lincoln Military Housing, where you can meet new people. Keep in mind when you know what you want, it will be easier to find your retirement home.