Living on a Fixed Income in a Valencia Active Adult Community

If you are a baby boomer who has recently hit retirement and you are now living on a fixed income, you may be surprised at how you can make a little go a long way. Wilma Pinstein is a real estate agent and specialist for active adult communities in Valencia, Florida. Wilma Pinstein aims to sell you the perfect home that will fit your needs, as well as your lifestyle. Wilma finds joy in helping all of her clients and potential clients find and adopt the perfect active adult lifestyle in Valencia.

Here are some of the 55 plus community specialist’s tips for stretching your fixed budget as far as possible:

·         Downsize. If possible, downsizing your living space is an excellent way to lower expenses. Many active adult communities in Valencia, Florida have perfectly sized homes with monthly fees to maintain the community. Living in a smaller home will allow you to save on utilities, maintenance, mortgage, and much more.

You can also consider moving to a tax friendly state, which can potentially allow you to reduce taxes on real estate and income, including investment income. Moving locations also allows for a new start in this new chapter of your 55 plus life. You can find an active adult community that offers social clubs, activities, and community amenities that promote active lifestyles. If you find an adult community that has it all, you may be able to get by without a vehicle and be able to save even more money.

·         Cooking at Home. With proper planning ahead and shopping wisely, making the switch to cooking at home can greatly reduce your monthly food budget. If you regularly plan your meals, you can also cut down on trips to the grocery store, which will save on gas or transportation and will also cut down on your monthly bills.

Be sure to keep an eye out for sales and then purchase items in bulk in order to save money. However, this often does not work for perishable items if you do not use them fast enough. Make a shopping list and stick to it, and take inventory of your pantry and refrigerator to avoid over-buying or duplicate purchases. Lastly, set aside a day for cooking batches and freeze meals in single serving portions.

·         Keep track of Senior Discounts and Prescription Costs. The Valencia active adult community realtor knows that the easiest way to save money is through senior discounts. AARP offers a prescription discount card for all of their members. These cards can help you save almost 40% off prescription medications regardless of health or age status.

AARP also wants their members to be aware that a variety of merchants have regular senior discount programs. There are clothing shops, local gyms, utility companies, service repair shops, and hair salons that provide special discounts tot AARP members.

·         Find Free or Low Cost Entertainment. You do not have to pay full price to go out and have fun as an active adult and 55 plus citizen. AARP sometimes offers discounts to baseball games, movie theaters, opera shows, or Broadway-style Theater. Many other local attractions also offer discounts to visiting seniors; including the zoo, local museums, or botanical gardens.

If you have also made the move to an active adult community in Valencia, there may be activities and social clubs that you can become involved in that is included in your HOA fees and is no extra cost.

Is Moving To An Active Adult Community in Valencia, Florida Right For You?

With an empty nest and retirement coming in the near future, your plans for the future may shift to downsizing and/or relocation to warmer climates. Active adult communities in Valencia may begin to look appealing with their low-maintenance housing and amenities designed to support healthy living.

There are many different reasons for an active adult to be interested in living in an adult community in Valencia, Florida. Aside from the seemingly perfect year-round weather, 55 plus communities in Valencia offer non-stop activities, kid-free environments, and there is no need to worry about home maintenance and other homeowner obligations.

Wilma Pinstein is an active adult community specialist and realtor, and can help you find the perfect active adult community in Valencia to suit your wants and needs. Ms. Pinstein realizes that 55 plus communities may not be a perfect fit for everyone, so she has these key points to keep in mind and help you determine if a Valencia active adult community is a good fit for you and your lifestyle.

Here are some questions that the Valencia, Florida real estate agent suggests asking yourself when considering if adult living is right for you:

Where do you want to live?

Depending on where you envision yourself living, whether it is a scenic mountain retreat or a coastal retirement in Valencia, you will likely find a variety of active adult communities in your desired location. You can find active adult communities throughout the country, many of which are in suburban settings. No matter how impressive the community may be, you will need to make sure that you love the location and surrounding communities as well.

What kind of community do you prefer living?

Each active adult community is unique, and there are many differentiating features for each community.  Some active adult communities are age restricted, while others are open to everyone but have age targeted activities. Many of the larger, active adult communities have a wide variety of amenities such as golf courses, tennis courts, social clubs, classes and special events. If you don’t plan on using any of these facilities you may want to consider a smaller neighborhood, since additional activities and amenities can mean extra fees.

Will you be comfortable with community rules?

Rules often come along with an active adult living facility that is enforced by the governing homeowner’s association (HOA). The rules are intended to protect your investment and help others get along, but some people find the rules to be restricting. These rules generally include regulations such as the amount of pets you can own, how long kids can visit, or rules for exterior home improvements. Make sure that you are comfortable with the community’s rules before you buy.

Have you considered and factored in monthly HOA fees into your budget?

Active adult communities in Valencia generally have an HOA monthly or annual fee that is used to pay for community maintenance and amenities. These fees vary from one community to the next and can depend on the services they include. These fees can cover a variety of expenses such as exterior home maintenance, lawn care, and trash removal; or, they can be limited to upkeep of common areas and community amenities. Make sure you discuss HOA fees with your Valencia active adult community realtor and calculate them into your monthly budget.

Come see the Valencia Homes Active Adult 55 plus communities in Boynton Beach, Delray Beach and Lake Worth Florida

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Americans stepped up their home-buying for a third straight month in July, as sales accelerated to the strongest pace in eight years.

The National Association of Realtors said Thursday that sales of existing homes rose 2 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.59 million, the fastest rate since February 2007. Sales have jumped 9.6 percent over the past 12 months, while the number of listings has declined 4.7 percent.

Steady job growth and relatively low mortgage rates have convinced current homeowners to purchase homes, while first-time buyers remain scarce. The housing market contains a mere 4.8 months' supply of homes, meaning that prices are rising for an increasingly narrow set of properties.

The slow six-year recovery from the Great Recession has finally revitalized the housing market. Home sales have soared in recent months, as more current homeowners have returned to the real estate market for an upgrade or to downsize as they approach retirement. Yet the upswing also reflects increasing problems with affordability that have left first-time buyer on the sidelines.

Season is here in South Florida and now is the time to buy. To all of my baby boomers that don't want to spend another cold winter up north please call me about the wonderful life-style that the Valencia communities have to offer. Valencia Lakes, Valencia Isles, Valencia Falls, Valencia Palms, Valencia Shores, Valencia Pointe, Valencia Reserve, Valencia Cove and the new Valencia Bay (New Construction)

Please call me at (561) 306-7430 for more information on these Active Adult 55 plus communities.

GL Homes is just starting another new community.Valencia Bay located on Lyons Road just south of Valencia Cove. They are taking reservation now and you can pick the lot and the model that you want. They have added some new models that are just beautiful. 

Please call me at ( 561 ) 306-7430 for more information. Also, know that having me as you real estate agent does not cost you anything. We are paid by the builder to register you on your FIRST visit and you will not get a better price without me.

Let me be your eyes and ears through the entire building experience. 

My website is 55pluscommunityspecialist.com