Do future homeowners want what their parents did, or shouldn’t they?

Discussion in 'Sun City General Discussions' started by eyesopen, Feb 3, 2025 at 7:35 PM.

  1. eyesopen

    eyesopen Well-Known Member

    ;););)Just for grins…
    Maybe the Sun City sense of community really is passe?

    This comical marketing strategy suggests it is.


    ( YouTube content from advertiser!)
    A young homeowner seems to have elected herself Mayor of the Neighborhood. Watch as this busybody keeps #DrRick busy trying to prevent her from becoming her parents.


    ;)
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2025 at 12:01 PM
  2. SunCityGal

    SunCityGal Active Member

    Top Amenities That Retirees Want in Their New Communities

    Low-Maintenance Homes
    Nobody wants to work for years only to spend their retirement keeping up a large, empty house. Baby Boomers looking for the perfect retirement community keep a close eye on the types of homes available, looking for compact but comfortable living spaces and included maintenance for any front yard space and home exteriors.

    High-End Homes
    Downsizing and moving into an active adult community does not mean sacrificing home quality. Baby Boomers want their retirement home to have the same luxury features of their old home. Lucky for them that many new homes have modern smart home features that can be controlled via smart phones.

    Convenient Locations
    More retirees want to live in an active adult community with close friends and great amenities, but still want to have a vibrant city close by with museums, cultural events and restaurants for nights out on the town. Retirement communities in quaint towns that feed into large cites can provide retirees with the best of all possible worlds.

    “We find that buyers want to live in an age-restricted space, but they also want to keep that connection with the outside too,” says Diahann Young, director of Digital Platforms & Innovation at PulteGroup, whose Del Webb brand is a leading builder of active adult communities. “As we get closer in to a city, there are less amenities in the community because that’s available around them.”

    Linda Mamet, vice president of Corporate Marketing for TRI Pointe Group, agrees. “People want to stay in places where their family and friends are,” she says. “We used to have so many amenities inside “the wall,” but now it’s about the amenities around the area and the private amenities in the community.”

    A Sense of Community
    When moving into an active adult community, retirees want to stay social. They want to live somewhere they feel connected with their neighbors and look for amenities that help foster true community. “Spaces for community members to gather — whether it be a clubhouse or simply a gathering space where they can connect with neighbors, whether it allows for yoga or another type of class — is really important,” Young says.

    In addition to building a sense of community, community centers that offer residents the opportunity to socialize, hold events and even work remotely are important to active adults, many who are still working.

    “At this age, not all of our residents are retired, so having a conference-type space is ideal,” Young says. “The ability to use these spaces for conferencing and other work-related tasks is something that 55+ buyers want.”

    Classes and Lectures
    Even though Boomers entering retirement will no longer work, they still want to remain sharp and keep learning.

    “Boomers want a more active lifestyle — not just the physical activity — they want the challenges that come with learning new things that will feed their mind, as well as their body,” Mamet says.

    Active adults want community classes and lectures so they can learn new skills and about interesting topics. Lessons centering on hobbies and crafts are also popular community benefits, says Young.

    Walking Paths
    In their quest to remain healthy and mobile during retirement, active adults have increasingly requested walking paths in community amenity packages. In fact, Mamet says that, according to a recent Pardee Homes study, trails for walking and biking are one of the “must-have” amenities of 55+ buyers. In contrast, amenities such as community spaces were seen as “nice to have.”

    Young says walking trails continue to be a popular amenity among Del Webb buyers too.

    Plenty of Fitness Opportunities
    In addition to community walking paths, retirees want a variety of fitness opportunities in their communities. Social sports like pickle ball and basketball, pools and fitness centers remain favorites, but today’s seniors are also on the lookout for personal trainers and a wider selection of exercise classes.

    Community Gardens
    Even though retirees do not want to keep up personal yards, many still enjoy getting dirt under their nails tending to flowers and fruits and veggies. Young says funkier amenities like community gardens, often called agrihoods, are increasingly popular and allow active adults to get the satisfaction of growing food and the social activity, without the high level of labor needed to maintain a personal garden.

    Count other unique amenities such as cool bar areas, cafes and even chicken coops among newer amenities that pique Boomers’ interest.

    Dog Parks
    While active adults’ children may have left the nest, they still have their four-legged family members to spoil. 55+ communities that have pet-friendly amenities like dog parks attract retirees that want to share their new life with Fido, says Young.

    Active adults are independent and want to enjoy their golden years. They look for 55+ communities where they can truly thrive. Thoughtful community amenities demonstrate how specific communities can accommodate different lifestyles and people who do not believe that age is a valid reason to slow things down.

    Do you need help searching for the right 55+ community for you? Search NewHomeSource today to find your new home today.


    Posted from New Home Source.
     
    Janet Curry and BPearson like this.
  3. Josie P

    Josie P Well-Known Member

    New Home Source is a source for move in ready newly built homes. That's why we have so many upscale new 55+ communities being built here in Az and all over the country.
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2025 at 10:44 PM
    Janet Curry likes this.
  4. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    I think it's important to be careful to not try and lump everything an age restricted community offers into one big category. While stereotyping is often an interesting look, based on the information SCG posted, it's clear not all amenities/wants/expectations are created equal.

    My best example would be the differences/expectations between buying in a golfing community and trying to compare it to buying in a one with a great sense of community, they may well be two wholly different animals. We can argue whether lawn bowling will go out of existence (or be pared back), but do you/we/i think that it is somehow better if there is no social engagement/sense of community?

    I suspect none of you see that as something to aspire to. Community should matter, especially when those living in one area share so many common bonds. I know Carole has argued smaller gatherings may be the next big thing, but for now, i'll leave that to those in the business of marketing for the coming generations.

    I've chided the RCSC for years about greeting the new home owners in the community on a far better and more welcoming level. If anything, it's gotten worse over the years. On the facebook chat group today, a newer younger member suggested we gather in small group coffee get-togethers. What a great idea, and one we can actively pursue. Not sure to what end, but it can't hurt.

    Sun City may or may not be what the coming generations want, but i strongly doubt they will turn their back on forging a sense of community.
     
  5. John Fast

    John Fast Well-Known Member

    What is community? It seems like a no brainer but is it really. In the small village where I grew up the sense of community came from everyone looking out for each other. At work in some fortune 500 companies, it was more related to the quality of products and sense of belonging. Worshippers might define it as a sense of belonging to the same faith. Sports teams may define it as their affiliation with a successful team. So maybe it is not such a no brainer as the definition of community can change based upon the context in which it is applied. When Bill talks of Sun City being a community, I revert back to the sense of belonging that comes from being associated with our "brand" (if you will). An Affordable Active Lifestyle Community. (i.e. there is lots of stuff to do.) For me the sense of community comes from the many different groups of people I associate with and the respectful manner in which we interact. That sense of community is often challenged by some form of disunity/dysfunction in our "overall community". There seems to be a fair amount of that right now and to Bill's point we need to do more to help our new members gain that sense of community. Not sure who's job that is. Any thoughts?????
     
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  6. Josie P

    Josie P Well-Known Member

    Never liked those commercials. My parents and my MIL and FIL always wanted to know who was driving by. I have no clue why they cared. It was cute.
    I did understand from a young age they wanted a better life for me and my husband then they had. They were hard working, military serving middle class folks. "The greatest generation". I miss them more than words can express.

    My family taught me to love God, Family and Country. My parents taught me to respect my elders, respect God and love my family.

    My Rosary Beads were made from my grandmother's funeral roses. I heard she was beautiful and so very kind. Never got to meet her. I was named after her. One rosary was given to each of her children. My mom gave me hers.

    The bottom line is you all can call my Rosary JuJu beads, say I am mentally ill diagnosing with no degree or ever meeting me, say I have a personality disorder, but stop and think who is spewing hate.

    There has to be a better, kinder place to live then Sun City Az.
     
  7. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    To John's point, the word "community" has long invoked feelings of belonging and being a part of something. It should come as no surprise, when Sun City opened, the goal was to recreate that small town atmosphere that triggered an emotional attachment. Those first 5 years were good, when John Meeker showed up he ramped up building that sense of community 10-fold.

    As Ben and i were preparing for the Lifelong Learning class on the selling of Sun City, it was almost to the point of being bizarre how everything they (DEVCO) did was about generating that sense of ownership that creates the sense of community. By giving the first center (Community Center/Oakmont) almost immediately, members had to start figuring it out. The greatest generation were responsible and accountable so while there were disagreements and struggles, the membership invariably sorted it out.

    Even given what is going on across the country and the political divide, the concept of community is still powerful and something i suspect most new buyers (irrespective of their generational divides or political parties) would embrace. What many of us have come to understand is, when you make virtually no effort to build that sense of community, it doesn't happen automatically. It doesn't organically sprout.

    I'm odd, at least in that for the past 15 years, i've argued our single largest failure as a community had been how little attention we pay to new buyers and owners. The problem is magnified with the additional dynamic of so many rental properties and how poorly some treat renters and snow birds. Looking down our noses at them only intensifies the challenges.

    What's the old adage? "You only get one chance to make a good/great first impression." Sadly, when new buyers fork over their $6,450 dollars to the RCSC there doesn't appear to be a whole lot of love going on there. We've simply been short-sighted to a fault.

    Ben and i often lamented, we could do better, we could be so much more.
     
    eyesopen likes this.
  8. Eileen McCarty

    Eileen McCarty Active Member

    I actually think Bill has some right ideas with the magazine. Maybe we need to go back to ' first principles' in the way to market SC. I think all forms of media, digital and otherwise.
    The problem that exists, exists everywhere, ask any realtor today. The market is still very down. Folks aren't moving because folks don't have the money to move. People use to move about every 7 years. How many of you out there have done a move in the past 7 years? The recession and covid, and bad economy for years, all of these things have put us at this place, not just Sun City, but all over the country. Real estate sales are still not healthy. Mortgage rates not healthy. No one has the extra capital to move. Also, SC homes are now over 60 years old. Some sellers don't bother to update the homes much and still try to sell with a high price tag. A lot of homes out here that need a lot of updating inside and outside. Again, getting back to the early Del Webb magic would be fun if we could maybe create a sparkling magazine that showed off our strengths. We still are the lowest priced over 55 out here. We don't have a marketing department anymore, so not sure if RCSC or even SCHOA would want to start marketing us. Ken Meade Realty from the not too long ago days, did a good job at capturing new Sun City home buyers. I can only say let's ask membership what they would like the most. Keep our current centers looking current and nice, and get MV built and look at a new beautiful Lakeview. That just might do it!
     
    BPearson likes this.
  9. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    Solid comments Eileen, and frankly a magazine is like the easiest piece of the puzzle with a fairly low price point. It is far from THE answer, but it would be part and parcel of an overall strategy of insuring those living here understands how and why it works. The longer i am kicking around the community, the more i realize how little those living here know.

    Ultimately you have to ask the questions: Why should they know? How would they know? Who should be telling them? If the answer is, "who cares?" then it pretty well explains why we are where we are. I've been reading more social media posts of late, probably not a good thing, but comments are really telling. Clearly there are a lot of people living here who love it. What's not to love, especially if you ignore the inner turmoil around issues and have the money to afford the increases.

    As we get closer to the selling Sun City class i will be doing at the Lifelong Learning club, the one observation that has jumped out at me was the dual track DEVCO road to their success. The external radio, magazine and newspaper ads along with sponsoring TV programs and cross country programs were about reaching those outside the community. The other, bigger piece of their marketing was the internal component. It never stopped until the day they moved to Sun City West. Meeker claimed he had a 25,000 person sales force and his goal was to covert new home owners to join in on the promotion.

    Why that is so hard for people to get their head around still amazes me. We are truly unique and the better new home buyers understand that along with the how and why, the more they will appreciate Sun City. They don't need to become experts, but having a grasp of simple, fun facts will only enhance their appreciation. I've come to the point where i believe those running the community have convinced themselves they know best.

    Do they? They should have more information, better data and without doubt access to experts who can help them. Since 2006 we've steadily moved in that direction. When the shit hit the fan with the 20 million dollars in deferred maintenance, the crap show with our technology and need for large increases, it became obvious, our direction had failed us.

    Can we do better? Can we be better? Do we even think we need to try? Not for me to decide, but looking at data, i suspect we have some issues/challenges facing us that must be addressed.
     
    Eileen McCarty likes this.
  10. Josie P

    Josie P Well-Known Member

    The divide has nothing to do with anything. It's mindset of generation to generation. It's ever-changing technology. IMO the problem is when people will not accept change. Have you even gone for a tour at the "new" 55+ communities? My FIL drove a horse and buggy delivering milk in Chicago. His favorite stop was the 'Loose Ladies' home. My dad was a tool and dye guy. All hand made.

    Not one person wants to accept that "the Original SC" is old and dated. Compare these homes to those from the same era in Chicago. Then let's talk about quality.

    The bottom line is it really does not matter how much you love SC, what matters is will future buyers love it. Just my thoughts which not a soul pays attention to, Banner is HUGE and Peter Fine will never stop. Look at SC! It's old and tired. Drive around and look at the MOB's being built. Sun Health has three extended care facilities now. The expansion of Royal Oaks. Open your eyes.

    I am going to put my home on the market. If it works the way I want it to go fine, I will sell to highest bidder. Actually, the most interested buyers are the group home folks,
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2025 at 10:43 PM
  11. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    As mentioned Facebook has been an interesting read of late. Lot's of commentary regarding Sun City, some critical, some positive and some chastising those who are negative. Having lived through these kinds of debates and discussions on more than one occasion, i took a moment this morning to share a quick thought that i think fits nicely here:
    "Here's a shocker and it's both historical in nature and still true to this day: Most people buying and living in Sun City love it here. Always have, i suspect always will. That doesn't mean we were ever or should ever be satisfied with the stats quo and that we should stop pushing to be better, do better. Sorry folks, but that's how self-governance works. We are the owners of our own future, our own destiny. Be happy, get involved, make a difference."
     

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