AVOID LIVING IN A 55 PLUS COMMUNITY - Unless you can HANDLE These FACTS

Florida here....this is a great community I am in now 55++. I would be considered probably one of the younger residents here but it's been a blast. Still new here I am blown away by the beauty and charm, at least so far. Listen, you mention HOA stuff-this is nothing new anywhere. You and I know there will always be the "condo naz-s" and powerdrunk types. Just choose to abstain in my opinion. I'll check in down the road and see if my feelings have changed.

No thanks. 😅

I heard being a single man in The Villages is exhausting, if you know what I mean. 😎

Everybody ages at a different rate. 55 is very young considering many people will probably live many years past that in this day and age. 😮

Excellent video. Love your sense of humour.

I live in a 55+ apartment complex. I moved in after my husband passed. There's no HOA. Amenities are included. Most of the people are pleasant and I've found a new BFF. Just like any other place there are buttinskies who complain about everything.
My biggest complaint is that only the leasee has to be over 55. This means that a significant number of residents have young grandchildren living with them. This means NOISE. Kids screech in the halls - which are great echo-chambers and their wild games in the pool keep more sedate and fragile residents away.
On the plus side, the elderly can be quite interesting if you ask the right questions. Stay away from health/doctor issues and ask about their career, education, how did they meet their spouse, travel experiences. I live in a military city, so many people are veterans or the spouses of vets and have had varied living experiences.
There are always going to be vacancies, so don't be put off by "no vacancy" signs.

Thank you for sharing these facts. I am approaching retirement and have considered moving into a 55+ community. Aside from the facts that you bring up, the other mental challenges that could impact someone who deals with depression. The sound of hearing ambulances a few times a month could deepen someone's fragile mental state. Although there are many positives, I think I will just settle into a non55plus community. Thank you again for posting.

Old is 15 years older than my age, always😂

I’ve heard that in some communities the single ladies chase after any unattached men (and some attached ones as well) and that the STD rate is almost epidemic.

A 55 year old community with the normal KAREN Restrictions and an overpriced HOA, sounds like a Funeral Home and people lining up to Die.

My mom has been living in a 55+ for some time. She went to lunch with the assisted living people and had a stroke and the staff recognized it immediately. She got to the hospital in time. It was bad, but after 3 months, she’s nearly recovered.

Too many goddamn busy bodies not minding their own business trust me enough said

My parents live in a gated community, mostly 70s, 80s. The speed limit is 20 mph. I was driving out of the community when an old couple in their front yard frowned at me and waved their hands down like I was speeding. I was going 14 mph. 😂

Not all these areas have activities, HOAs. I don't know where you get your information?

From what I can gather you need to have money to purchase your own place

Funny how some think 55 is old! Must be nice to have so much time & money to blow...for 30-40 more years.

This is NOT for me. I moved 5 years ago from a busy small city back to my hometown. I bought a small hobby farm and got so much more for my money. Where I lived was so noisy—street noise, highway noise, traffic. . . I checked my mail the other day and realized there was actually GRASS growing in the crack down the center of the two lane highway I now live on. I giggled. So glad to be out of the rat race.

OMG - this is a shocker for me. I’m in this category but feel like I’m 40ish. Do a run in mornings, go to work. Hang out with some mates on weekend - bbq, booze & music. None of us are grey or would consider ourselves that old 😳

I live in a 55+ community and I like it. It’s small, 68 residences, very quiet, all kinds of activities, and people. Hang out with those you like, steer clear of those you don’t. Be a hermit if that appeals to you. The services are perfect for a single woman, lawn care, exterior maintenance, snow plowing, leaf removal, tree service, trash disposal, and a very reasonable, IMO, HOA. Mine doesn’t fit the stereotypical petty clique.

In villages here in Florida you have a bunch of self righteous jerks. You have to keep up with your neighbors its a contest. Yes they drive golf carts everywhere most of them that do don't have a drivers license anymore so watch out. There is so many chemicals sprayed there are warnings about do8nd stuff in the yards. Even in droughts people keep their sprinklers on. Your yard better not have a brown spot either. Your house has to be painted every couple of years. Don't fall for the propaganda of the villages it's BS. Florida has become one of the most expensive states to live in. Fastest growing homeless rate is people 57+. No state income yes they just get from somewhere else. Seriously! Oh and be ready for everyone line to tell you their life story and then tell the cashier their life story while your ice creams turns into a liquid drink. When you move into the villages they give you a book that makes war and peace look like a short story. Another thing you would think crime doesn't happen there be sure to look into that

My mother worked part time and commuted by train until she was 90. She owned a two family home where the rent supplemented her income. Above all she valued her independence. Having to deal with an HOA and neighbors prying into her business would have driven her insane. As for me, I plan to keep working as long as I can. I don’t mind taking care of a house and doing the landscaping. I like working on cars in the driveway or building / fixing things in the garage. I play drums. I listen to hard rock and heavy metal, sometimes at ear splitting levels if I’m in the mood. I have a bengal cat that loves going out and roaming the neighborhood. Like my mom I could never give up my freedom and individuality as long as I live. I hope I’m as blessed to make it as far as she did.

Do you have alligators?

I hate it, I am leaving. Age is not a reason to live together with people who you have nothing in common but death

We have lived in one in Texas for 22 years. Loved it from day one and still do! Never have had any problems like this person is talking about! She’s one of the picky people she’s talking about! Never experienced any of her perceived problems!

I am well over 55 and I don't see the appeal of these communities. Just move to a upper end community and for the most part many of the folks these days will be retired or near retirement age. That way you will avoid most of the nosey neighbors and over bearing HOAs. Associate with who you want to and just wave to everyone else as you walk by. Be friendly and good things will come your way.

Sounds indescribably awful. I am 66 and tend to do my own thing.

Nit pickers can experience very sudden tragic 'accidents' and such....Dig-!!!

Move out of a HOA was not a 55+. And I had enough of it, can not imagine a 55+ HOA with BOD that have to much time

I decided to not take any of this device based on the fact that people “who like to stay in the house” are generalized as “negative”

We are both senior citizens with a 20s son with autism (we started late). When we moved to Florida I told the realtor there were two deal breakers: 55 and over, and HOA. I wanted to live in a real neighborhood with people of all ages and lots of kids, and not in a senior community, especially one where we would be nickle-and-dimed to death by HOA fees. We found what we wanted, and it's been great for seven years.

I laughed when I saw the title. I'm late 40's now, but when I was in my 20's I worked in a couple of gated subdivisions as a landscaper. Living there....NO THANK YOU! Always felt like every window had eyes watching even the hired help. Craziness. It was like Maude across the road was making sure I didn't take a break and text someone on my phone or something just so she had a reason to call Gertrude later and tell her why I'm bad help (I'm one of the hardest workers you'll ever see too, numbers prove it). I could just imagine any home improvement, even hanging decor outside your home would have to be "approved". If someone is jealous, they're going to say "I think that ruins the look of our community, bad taste".

Not for me. Age diversity is a good thing. Older people can be inflexible and set in their ways. Like you mentioned also busy bodies with not a lot else to do but get into other people's business. Older people can also opinionated.

I lived in a 55+ community in CA. Never had a problem. I prefer that to the apartment complex I now live in in AZ that has tweens running around.

Wow! Pickleball! I'm sold!

I had to move my parents last year after Hurricane Ian destroyed their home. When I suggested a retirement community, he said, "we're not THAT old!". He's 79.

One of the major reasons HOA boards like to spend money, is because they're lining the pockets of local business owners who are family members, best friends, college fraternity brothers, in-laws, etc.

I'm 55 now and I'll never live in a 55 community. My parents hated their 55 and over community as well. I come from an Italian family and we have lots of visitors and most Americans as they get older don't like to have neighbors like me or my parents. We like to have birthday parties and BBQs. Older Americans become bitter and angry as they age because they're kids don't visit them. Older Americans also have to put up with the fact that they will be put in an old people's home where they will be abused and molested and after they pass away, their kids ransack their homes and belongings and fight over who gets what. No Thanks!!!! You can have that way of miserable life. We Italians take care of our parents. I took care of my dad until he passed away and then my 88 yr old mom went to live with my sister and my mom will pass away at home like my dad did... in peace

The only time I've ever moved was because of noisy neighbors, not nosy neighbors. Does a 55+ community have parties with loud thumping music?

55 + Cheerleaders? Seriously ?? At some point you have to realize your maturity . It’s like the high school jock , who years after graduation still relives the big games …. Because that was their only achievement in life .

Effectionatly refered to as nudnik.

I live in a 55+ community .. individual homes. We have a Board of Directors made up of "good old boys" who try to run the HOA like they run their marriages .. all while trying to cram their religious beliefs down everyone's throats.

Many senior communities shut down all activities during Covid, including dining rooms. Outdoor activities had restrictions on numbers and hours.

I was 57 when I bought a home in an over 55 community. From the beginning people would say I was too young to be there and only renting. I had bought for $68,000 cash a fixer upper. I lasted only 4 months there and left, selling out for $12,0o00. In 2013 I moved to Costa Rica So much better here not to mention

Bonuses are a $107,300 yearly US Income Tax Exemption for living outside the US. Also the Caja Insurance is just $60 a month for a couple and pays cheaper. Only prying is being American and an ex US Army Officer, I am frequently asked if I have firearms. No I have none. I have bows, crossbows, spear guns and sling shots and very accurate to at least 50 meters with all but the spear gun. Here I have a 7 bedroom/5 bath house with 4 car garage on 23 acres I am renting for $153 a month. And Electric just $12 to $15 a month. and pays 100% Far better than Medicare.
I have lived in Panama, Ecuador, Nicaragua as well over the past 11 years.
You can bring a 40 foot shipping container of household possessions and 2 motor vehicles tax free. Cars must be less than 5 years old to import

Life is a blast traveling Internationally as much as 7 months a year. I am 76 and have no use for a car. I walk and bike and in rainy weather known to take taxis that are never more than $2, unless I take a 3 hour trip to San Jose, 2 hours shopping and 3 hours back for $50. Plus I take no medications and any health problems were more than 50 years ago. 3 gunshot wounds and a crush injury to my left arm requiring 11 bone surgeries. All in the US Army the 3 gunshot wounds in combat, the crush injury on and in line of duty.

I would rather be near my family

never ever will I, Id love to drive though with my big block open headers car though

Best way to understand what the HOA Board is up to: Join it. After all, all it takes is time.

Every one of those places sounds like a freakin hellhole.

I am 48 and my mom wants me to move to her fifty plus community.

The day you move in everyone will be trying to find out everything about you. My advice is to make sure you have a good garage door opener, drive in and close the door, don't talk to anyone. We would get everything in the car, back out and drive away. If you're forced to, never tell them anything that has to do with you or what you do. We made it years without talking to one person, after about a year they gave up.

My friend moved to one of these places. He was gone in a year. Said the HOA acted like correction officers. He did 24 years as a CO so he should know. It was too much like being in the joint for him. He's in Vegas now lovin' life.