I researched and got information on over 100 retirement communities. I looked at fee's, home prices, ongoing monthly costs, amenities, and resale home value. I know we all think this will be our last home purchase, but what if you really don't like where you buy. I built spread sheets and did many different types of comparisons. From all the research I narrowed it down to about 14 places that looked decent. I actually started to visit them. The Villages was number seven or eight and I never went any further.
The only place for us that even came a little close was St James Plantation in NC on the SC border just North of Myrtle Beach. 3 golf courses, golf cart community, on site restaurants, ocean front close, and lots of car accessible local amenities. Home prices somewhat comparable to TV. Weather not as nice, taxes not as friendly, cost of living a little higher.
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Life is to short to drink cheap wine.
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