Retirement is a major life change for just about anyone, and it is a time a lot of people look forward to during their entire working lives. Financially free (assuming they have saved well), and still young enough to have some fun, newly retired people and couples often seek to make big changes to the way they live to accommodate the new amount of free time they now have! A newly retired person or couple may only be in their late fifties or sixties, so there is still a long time between this stage in life (as long as there are no major health issues) and the need to be dependent on family or carers, however many people prefer to downsize from the homes they lived in as working people to free up more money, and move into places with a greater sense of community and fun to help them enjoy their spare time, keep them social, and give them organized fun activities to do. For these reasons, retirement communities are very popular.
But what sort of places do retirement communities offer, and what can you expect if you move to one?
Bungalows, Chalets and Other Fixed Buildings
In general, if you decide to sell up or rent out your old family home and move somewhere smaller so you can have some more money to play within your golden years, you are going to want to buy or rent a small property in a retirement community that appeals to you. Whether you want to stay in the city you live in or relocate to somewhere sunny and a bit more interesting, you should be able to find plenty of locations geared towards your age group where there are attractive bungalows or chalets you can choose to live in. These kinds of communities tend to be served by all kinds of great facilities making it easy to socialise with other residents and have fun, whether this means a pool, a games room, restaurants, cafes and bars, or beautiful green picnic spots. The properties themselves tend to be well equipped and ready to use, though it is possible to add your own flair with things like soft furnishings to give the home you have chosen your own preferred colour scheme and look and feel.
A Mobile Home
Another good option if you want to move to a cheaper property that still gives you all the things you need and desire as well as pleasant space to spend your time is to buy or lease a mobile home. Mobile homes are somewhat like boats on the inside, with all the furniture and fixtures you are likely to want but on a slightly smaller scale than in a house. Some can be pretty fancy, so don’t be put off by the idea of a ‘trailer’ – there are a lot of luxury mobile homes in well served, well-designed sites made exclusively for retirees, so you can still have a comfortable, classy life living in one!
