Getting your player ready...
The first thing to choose from the list of 24 builders showing in this year’s ‘Best 50-Plus Communities’ tour (it ends Sunday) is whether you want a home where every one of your neighbors can tell you who Twiggy was, or whether some will be too young to know.
A number of locations on the tour are age-55-qualified – primary buyers are all at least 55 years (spouses can be younger). Those areas — including Heather Gardens in Aurora, Anthem Ranch and Skyestone in Broomfield, Fairway Villas at Green Valley Ranch in Denver, Heritage Todd Creek in Thornton, and Verona in Highlands Ranch – come with lots of amenities designed to create a sense of community. Residents tend to feel a close link to contemporaries; and have social activities happening – many of them spontaneous. Not everybody wants the age restriction, though. “Our buyers love that there are other age groups,” says builder Ward Ritter of Chartered Homes, building Latitude at Vista Ridge in Erie, where he has roared through available lots for his low-maintenance patio homes, designed for the 50-plus demographic, but not age-qualified. A lot of people don’t want to pay the added dues that may go with the amenities, Ritter adds. He has two homes remaining you can see – offering an extensive maintenance package and membership in Vista Ridge’s HOA at a modest monthly. “These people want maintenance-free living,” says Village Homes’ Roger Shimono, with patio ranches to see at Leyden Rock – all new plans. “That market is just going to keep growing,” Shimono adds, warning that all builders are facing rising labor construction costs. “You need to lock in a price now rather than wait a year or two.” At every enclave, you can enter to win a two-night getaway at Garden of the Gods Club and Resort (GardenOfTheGodsClub.com); and you can find out about FHA’s new HECM for Purchase/H4P program designed to buy a 50-plus dream home at 44-55 percent of purchase price. Reverse Mortgage Funding has a free seminar on those Monday, 6-to-7:30 p.m.; call Larry Armstrong at 303-773-3077: or visit HECMCO.com. WHERE: The Best 50-Plus Communities Tour, final weekend, 24 locations with ranches, townhomes & condos designed for 50-and-over lifestyle; at each location get entry to win a 2-night getaway-for-2 in Garden of the Gods Club and Resort. Tour locations all along the Front Range (see map & web site) PRICE: From mid-$200s to $1 million plus
