Active Adult Communities in NJ

New 55+ Community Finder

2009-01-04T13:39:00.005-05:00

We here at 55Plus-Housing.com are pleased to announce the official release of our new 55+ Community Finder. This custom web-based search tool scans our database of active adult communities based on 12 unique characteristics based on the visitor's needs. Currently, the 55+ Community Finder has over 100 adult communities in Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex Counties. We will be expanding and updating this database throughout the year. Be sure to check out this tool and let us know what you think of it. Thanks!

New 55+ Home Builders added

2008-12-15T16:25:00.003-05:00

Lots of updates and changes coming soon....

Just made some changes to the Builders Directory of 55+ Communities in NJ.

Added Robertson Douglas Home Builder who are currently builder a 55+ community in Hightstown, NJ.

Also, removed Kara Homes (who went bankrupt last year).

Added Maplewood Homes, a NJ developer who ended up buying several of the unfinished Kara Home communities at auction.

Government CECOM building to be demolished for 55+ Housing

2008-09-25T09:19:00.004-04:00

Local residents in the Tinton Falls area are very familiar with the abandoned CECOM building that has been an eyesore for more than a decade. This massive structure sit on 39 acres of land.

Several years ago the township approved plans to demolish this building and develop a 151 age-restricted single family home community. Unfortunately, lawsuits & speculation of corruption with town officials delayed this project.

Finally, the developer has been given the green light to start the demolition of the building. Hopefully in the next few years we will see a beautiful 55+ Community were this government building once stood.

photo credits: Asbury Park Press article

June 2008 Guide to Active Adult Community Living

2008-06-09T22:44:00.003-04:00

Just a quick note to let our visitors know that the June 2008 edition of the "Monthly Guide to Active Adult Community Living" is now ready.

Click Here to view it

This month we feature a great 55+ community known as Rolling Meadows at Wayside located in Ocean Township, Monmouth County. Be sure to check out the new embedded Video Tour of the community. Let me know what you think!

Click Here to view it

Big News for 2008!

2008-01-08T10:45:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that I have left the Mary Holder Agency family and joined Ridge Realty out of Toms River. My new contact info is available here and my cell phone number is the same. I am very excited about this change for many reasons.

Ridge Realty specializes in the adult community segment which compliments my work and efforts here on the 55Plus-Housing.com website. The broker was originally started by the Kokes Family who is a builder of many 55+ communities throughout New Jersey.

I will have access to many new agents who are very familiar with adult communities in Monmouth and Ocean County (many of them live in these communities too). I will also be working closely with the broker/owner to help improve their online presence which will benefit everyone who we service. Stay tuned for more announcements!

Happy New Year & a 2008 Resolution

2008-01-01T09:02:00.001-05:00

First off, I wanted to say Happy New Year to all of our visitors at 55Plus-Housing.com. I believe 2008 is going to see many positive changes.

I normally do not make New Year's Resolutions but I will do one this year. I will put a bigger effort into the 55+ Monthly Newsletter. Unfortuneatly, I haven't had much time to work on the newsletter because of many things (including the redoing the layout the 55+ Housing website). This year I will get back on track with the newsletter and I have a few more ideas that will add more value to the website that will be implemented in the next few months.

2008 will be my year to focus more on the things I want to achieve (both personal and business). So off I go to diligently work on my plans! I wish you success with you New Year's resolutions too.

The Jockey Club is a Shore Bet!

2007-12-13T23:09:00.000-05:00

Looking for a great new active adult community in Monmouth County that is close to everything?

Then you might be interested in the brand new development by K. Hovnanian called the Jockey Club. They just had their grand opening last week with two models ready for your viewing pleasure.

I stopped by to check things out myself and I have to say I love the location. This small development is located in Oceanport, NJ and is close to Monmouth Racetrack. This is the only adult community in this great town and is sure to please.

The Jockey Club features 44 Single family estates with 6 models to choose from. Models include large 2 bedroom & 3 bedroom homes with 2nd floor lofts. Many extras are included in base pricing. There are some additional incentives available. CLICK HERE to see the models that are for sale.

Please contact me for more information and remember that working with a buyer's agent like myself is still smart even when buying a new home directly from the builder. It is my job to help you get the best possible home at the best price. Please feel free to Contact Me with any questions.

New Featured Home in Princeton Commons

2007-12-04T10:59:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note to let our readers know that we have a new Featured Home in the very popular Princeton Commons active adult community in Brick Township. The last home we featured in this community went under contract in less than 45 days so don't wait too long or this great deal will pass you by!

New Equestra at Colts Neck Crossing 55+ Community

2007-11-13T11:21:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note to let our visitors know that we recently updated our 55+ Active Adult Community Directory and added a new community from Centex Homes. The Equestra at Colts Neck Crossing is a new Single Family Active Adult Community located on the border of Howell and Colts Neck. This beautiful community features large home estates and a "Top-of-the-Line" amenities like their 18,000 sq. ft. club house with both indoor & outdoor swimming pools.

Click here to see their different models for sale.

Please contact us for more information and to schedule an appointment. Thanks.

55+ Adult Community Search Engine Updated

2007-10-25T16:52:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note to let our visitors know that we updated our 55+ Search Engine to display results on the same page. The search engine allows you to search our 55Plus-Housing.com website and the entire World Wide Web and is powered by Google. Hope you find it helpful!

Updates to our NJ Builder Directory

2007-10-18T08:35:00.000-04:00

You probably noticed a slightly different look to our 55+ Housing website. We are updating the rest of the site and making some nice improvements throughout. We just finished up the NJ Builder Directory page which now shows you previews of each builder's website just by moving your mouse over the URL. We also added a few more builders to the directory. This directory is a free service to builders throughout NJ who build age restricted housing. We hope you like the changes.

Discounts don't always get you the Best Deal

2007-09-27T15:55:00.000-04:00

I know many home sellers want to maximize their return on investment, but going with a low commission (discount) broker may not always be in your best interest. There is a big article on the front page of the Asbury Park Press about the discount broker, Foxtons that is closing their doors and may even file for bankruptcy. They blame this on the slow housing market but lets look at the real reasons many discount brokers fail.

First off, I should let you know that I used their predecessor “Your Homes Direct” or YHD before they were bought out by Foxtons to sell my home long before I became a Realtor. I too wanted to save some money but I quickly learned that everything comes at a price. Foxtons has now laid off 90% of their workforce and clients who have their homes listed with them are getting even less than what they bargained for.

All real estate brokers want listings. The problem begins when that’s all they care about. Some discount brokers lure in sellers by the cheaper commission rates. Most sellers fail to realize that most of their agents do not actively pursue buyers. They also tend to cut out services like open houses (unless the owner is willing to hold it) and newspaper advertising. Lower commissions also trickle down to the buyer’s agents, which could have a negative affect. A lower commission won't do you much good if your house doesn't sell.

The slowing housing market is definitely affecting the real estate business abroad. Don’t be surprised to find that brokers/agents asking for a 6% or higher commission. The costs of doing business are very real for agents & brokers. Advertising, marketing, gas, licensing fees & insurance are real expenses that aren’t getting any cheaper and sellers are expecting more from us than ever. Real estate is not selling like it used to and even more resources and expenses are necessary to help sell your home.

The Mary Holder Agency is proud to say that we are not cutting back on our services for our clients. In fact, our company is reinvesting even more capital to provide you with the very best agents and services found anywhere.

Two New 55+ Communities in Manasquan, NJ

2007-08-19T21:12:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to let our readers know that there a two new 55+ Townhouse Communities in Manasquan, NJ. As some of you may know, Manasquan is one the the most desireable towns in Monmouth County to reside in. It has small town charm and still close to the beach. Please be sure to check out Manasquan Village & Virginia Crossing and all of the other 55+ communities on our 55+ Active Adult Community Directory.

July Issue of our 55+ Monthly Newsletter is online.

2007-07-23T09:43:00.000-04:00

You can now read our July issue of our Monthly Guide to Active Adult Community Living. This month we feature the very popular Four Seasons community in Wall Township. We also have a second article with some Tips to Help Sell your Home. We hope you enjoy this issue.

Be sure to sign up for our Monthly Newsletter so you never miss an issue!

Updated MLS Links now working

2007-07-10T12:37:00.000-04:00

I wanted to thank one of my website visitors who alerted me that the MLS listings were not showing up anymore. I didn't realize that the MLS system updated the links which are now fixed on the 55Plus-Housing.com website. I apologize for any inconvenience. Please let me know if any other links do not work...Thanks!

See if this Summer has the Real Estate Market Sizzling

2007-07-07T09:21:00.000-04:00

First, I want to tell you of a new feature we added to our site. I thought it might be interesting to let our readers know which adult communities are the most viewed from our 55Plus-Housing.com website. Every month when I update our Adult Community Housing Market Stats page I will also display the 3 most viewed communities from the prior month. You will be able to click on each community name to see what homes are for sale!

I have been updating the Adult Community Housing Market Stats page for the last two years. Over time you get a keen perspective of how the housing market is doing in general. Summer is usually a busy time for agents as the market generally heats up. I have talked with many other agents who cover different market segments and the consensus is about the same. This summer is like a bad drought, few active buyers and too much supply.

55+ housing market data compiled from the Monmouth Ocean MLS.
Accuracy intended but not guaranteed.

Just a quick look at the chart above shows a huge increase in the total number of active listings and a decrease in the number of sold units from the prior year. Price changes also more than doubled. What you don't see on the chart is that the number of homes that sold which were on the market for more than 120 days also doubled.

Prices are starting to slip a little but sellers are still holding out hoping to get a higher price. The reality is if you hold out too long you most likely won't sell your home. Expired listings in 55+ communities also went up to 146 from 77 this time last year.

The good news is that buyers are now starting to get serious. We have had a strong increase in requests at our website and we would be happy to help you find the perfect 55+ home. Please contact us to see how we can help you.

4th of July Celebrations

2007-06-30T16:24:00.000-04:00

The 4th of July is almost here and it is a great time to celebrate with family and friends. Active adult communities are a great place to have a party or barbecue. Most communities will have their own celebrations at the club house with lots of activities for the grand kids to do like swimming, boccie and more.

If you are new to the area and enjoy watching firework displays, I recommend the following locations:

Red Bank (Monmouth County, NJ)
Tuesday, July 3rd on the Navesink River
Long Branch (Monmouth County, NJ)
Wednesday, July 4th on the Boardwalk
Point Pleasant Beach (Ocean County, NJ)
Wednesday, July 4th at Jenkinson's Boardwalk
Beachwood/Toms River (Ocean County)
Wednesday, July 4th anywhere along the Toms River

One word of caution: Possession or use of fireworks in NJ is illegal. Play it safe and let the professionals do what they do best and enjoy the holiday. Happy 4th of July to all my visitors!

June edition of 55+ Newsletter is now available

2007-05-31T11:15:00.000-04:00

We just published the June edition of our Monthly Guide to Active Adult Community Living. This issue features a great little community known as The Village Grande at Battleground in Manalapan, NJ. Our 2nd article spends a little time covering some things to see and do around the Jersey Shore. Click Here to read this month's issue now!

More Adult Communities added to our Mapping Tool

2007-05-20T10:28:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to let our visitors know that we added more adult communities in our Monmouth County Mapping Tool. We added 4 communities which include The Enclave in Belmar, Cheesequake Village in Matawan, Shadow Lake Village & Shady Oaks both located in Middletown, NJ. We will continue to add more 55+ adult communities to our mapping tool and are proud to have one of the most comprehensive local active adult community guides on the web. Remember that you can see a list of all our adult communities on one page by visiting our 55+ Adult Community Directory.

As a side note...we are also looking to expand our coverage to include Middlesex County in the next few months, so visit our 55+Housing website often!

Wildfires affect Residents in Adult Communities in Barnegat & Stafford

2007-05-18T10:51:00.000-04:00

It has been a crazy past few days for those living in Barnegat and Stafford Township. Forest fires have burned up thousands of acres of the Pinelands and several homes were turned to smoldering ash. Most affected where residents who lived in the adult communities west of the Garden State Parkway. Thankfully, there were no deaths due to the fires but it does make us aware of how venerable seniors are in time of crisis.

Many of the residents in these adult communities were asked to evacuate to community schools. Traffic and miscommunication caused a lot of frustration for area residents. Unfortunately, South Jersey has very few main roads which creates heavy congestion during emergency situations. Fires and hurricanes are always potential threats of living along the South Jersey Shore. A little planning can go a long way in helping ease these situations.

Residents should always keep a copy of important papers (i.e. insurance paperwork, birth certificates, financial info, etc.) in an off-site location like a safety deposit box at your local bank. Medications should be easily accessible in case you are asked to evacuate quickly. Many shelters are available during times of crisis, knowing where they are can be difficult. New Jersey has a 2-1-1 info system that can be dialed to find out information like this.

Our hearts goes out to the people who lost their homes in this tragedy. I also wanted to thank the brave firefighters who put their lives on the line to help save lives and property.

A Tale of Two Offers

2007-04-23T12:26:00.000-04:00

This is a true story about a transaction of a recently sold adult community home in Barnegat, NJ. To give you a little background info, this was one of our featured homes and is located in the Heritage Point active adult community. Heritage Point still has new construction available and quite a few re-sales (click here to see available homes for sale) making it a bit challenging for sellers.

This beautiful home (never lived in) sat on the market for over 3 months before anyone made an offer. There was also a $15,000 price drop about two months into the listing. There was some buyer activity during these three months with some interest but no offers were presented.

Finally, a full price offer was made but the buyer had a home sale contingency. Naturally, the sellers took the offer since a good contingency offer is better than nothing at all and the home would still stay on the market for the possibility of a better deal.

Within two weeks another offer was presented from someone who viewed the house within the first two months it was listed. The offer was substantially lower than asking price but had no home sale contingency. These buyers were then informed that the sellers already had a full-price offer (with contingency) and would accept nothing less than a full price offer from the second buyers. The 2nd buyers agreed to a full price offer.

The buyers with the 1st offer had to make a decision within 72 hours to either drop the contingency to buy the home or let their deal fall through. They actually were willing to pay $5,000 more than asking price if they would be allowed to keep their contingency. In a different housing market this would start a bidding war, but the sellers were smart and declined the offer and took the sure deal. It really doesn’t pay to get greedy in a buyer’s market.

In retrospect, if the 2nd buyers actually made an offer when they first saw the house instead of waiting a month or two, they most likely would have gotten a much better deal. Sometimes it doesn't always pay to wait, even in a buyer’s market.
Home sale contingency offers are becoming more acceptable to sellers and will be used to bargain better deals, if one presents itself. So the moral of this story is two-fold…

Buyers with home sale contingencies: Make your offers but sweeten the deal (full price) to give you some time...even then you may still lose it

Buyers without home sale contingencies: If you find a home you really like then make your offer sooner rather than later...it may save you some money.

April Issue of 55+ Newsletter Now Online

2007-04-14T07:53:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note to let our readers know that our April issue of our Monthly Guide to Active Adult Community Living in now available. This issue features the luxury Nobility Crest active adult community in Ocean, NJ. Our second article focuses on community by-laws and how they affect homeowners. We hope you enjoy this issue of our newsletter. Click here to read it now.

Real Estate Market is Spring'ing into Action

2007-04-06T10:42:00.000-04:00

Well, Spring is officially here and the weather is starting to warm up. A quick look at our 55+ Housing Market Stats shows that buyers are finally warming up too. We saw a nice increase in the number of homes that sold or went under contract in March. New listings also increased which will keep inventories high but buyer activity is increasing, which is a good thing.

One of our Featured Listings is under contract will a full price offer! This home received several offers around the same time and is set to close next week. Please contact us if you are interested in selling your home; we have the technical expertise to successfully market your home online.

New Construction Builders are feeling the Pressure

2007-03-28T09:19:00.000-04:00

The cooling housing market is putting a lot of pressure on builders throughout the Country. While some of the larger developers have dealt with this situation before and are financially strong to weather the storm, not all are so lucky. Kara homes who is a builder of many adult and luxury communities throughout New Jersey has been in bankruptcy for the last year. Yesterday six of their unfinished developments were auctioned off to other developers in an attempt to pay off creditors and finance the completion of a community. The auctions didn't generate much interest and some new home buyers may lose their deposits.

This could be the start of a trend for many more developments of theirs and other communities not completed by builders who are not financially strong. If you are interested in buying a home in a development that is not complete then do your research. Many newer 55+ adult communities have resales of homes that are 1-3 years old. Depending on your risk tolerance, it may be better to play it safe buying a resale than to put down deposit monies on new construction and hope you will get your house built.

55+ Community Living March Newsletter Now Online

2007-03-09T12:42:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note to let our visitors know that the March edition of our Monthly Guide to Active Adult Community Living in now ready. This month features a very popular community known as Greenbriar Woodlands in Toms River, NJ. Also included in this issues is an article on Homeowner's Association Fees. Be sure to signup for our newsletter email so you never miss an issue!

More Home Builders and the Real Estate Market

2007-03-05T22:50:00.000-05:00

We added another builder, Millenium Homes to our NJ Adult Community Builder Directory. This builder has developed several adult communities in North Jersey and an upcoming project in Marlboro.

Please check out our Real Estate Housing Stats page for a snapshot of the current market conditions for adult communities. This past month has seen a decrease in new listings which is good for sellers. On the flip side...homes that closed last month also dropped substantially from prior months. Still, more homes went under contract in February which shows strong interest from buyers. Looks like the real estate market will have a lot of activity this Spring.

Corruption Kills Marlboro Adult Community

2007-02-28T22:26:00.000-05:00

Government corruption has made big headlines in NJ over the past few years and it doesn't seem to be slowing down. Some politicians took bribes and favors in exchange for rezoning and development approvals. This "house of cards" situation has been slowly collapsing due to FBI investigations and many are now going to jail.

The latest blow has been dealt to an Active Adult Community which was to be built in Marlboro. The builders are currently under investigation by the FBI and the Utilities Authority has refused the sewer hookup fees which has essentially stopped the development. Click Here to read more about this in the Asbury Park Press.

Featured Homes - Something New...Something Sold!

2007-02-16T21:15:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note to let our readers know that we added a New Featured Home located in the Pavillions active adult community, Brick NJ. Be sure to check out this spacious 2 bedroom single family home.

We are also proud to anounce that our other featured home in Greenbriar Woodlands is now Sold!

Did you know that our featured homes are viewed on average by 400 unique visitors a month? Don't wait to Contact Us if you see a featured home that you are interested in. It may sell quicker than you think. Thanks!

Wonderful Day in the Neighborhood...Reports!

2007-02-14T17:20:00.000-05:00

During the past year we have helped out many visitors find, buy & sell their homes. It has now been over 1 year since creation of the 55Plus Adult Community website and are constantly looking for ways to improve it. Many of our clients come from North Jersey and from states near and far from NJ. It is easy to forget for a lifelong central NJ resident (like myself) that not everyone knows the area as well as I do.

To help bridge the gap, you can now request a Free Neighborhood Report of any town in Central, NJ. These comprehensive reports include demographic information about population, income, housing, schooling, etc. While these reports may not answer all of your questions, rest assured that you can Contact Us with any of your real estate needs & questions.

February's 55+ Monthly Newsletter is Ready!

2007-02-03T07:50:00.000-05:00

I am happy to announce that our February's edition of our Monthly Guide to Active Adult Community Living is now available for your reading pleasure. This month we feature the Sonata Bay Club adult community in Bayville, NJ. There is also another intersting article on Property Taxes and Revaluations (Revals). You can also subscribe to our monthly newletter email by Clicking Here.

Million Dollar Baby Boomer Homes

2007-02-01T17:25:00.000-05:00

I just finished updating the Adult Community Housing Stats page and to my surprise there were 3 homes sold last month all over 1 Million Dollars. All of these homes are located in the Luxury Adult Community called The Monmouth in Wall Township.

Other interesting trends can be found on the stats page too. New listings surged this past month while sales slipped and price drops increased again. It is still a Buyers Market but activity is starting to increase.

Several real estate articles I read recently stated that many buyers are waiting on the sidelines for the right time. This is a great time to jump in and make serious offers to buy. Sellers are willing to negotiate offers. Don't wait till the Spring time when buyer activity is generally higher...the deals may not be better then! Please Contact Me about our home buyer and seller services.

Greenbriar Falls opens New Clubhouse

2007-01-27T08:26:00.000-05:00

The Greenbriar Falls active adult community is located in Tinton Falls, NJ. The builder, Lennar Corp. announced the grand opening of their 4,200 sq. ft. clubhouse this week. Clubhouses are the central gathering point of many adult communities where association meetings and social events are held. Many clubhouses feature media rooms, exercise facilities and much more!

Greenbriar Falls is a new upscale community of large townhomes (up to 4,000 sq.ft.). The community is located near the Red Bank border and close to the beaches. Click here to see available homes for sale.

New Article in 55+ Viewpoints

2007-01-25T22:58:00.000-05:00

In case you didn't notice, there is a new article entitled "A Fairy Tale" posted in our 55+ Viewpoints section. These articles are written by seniors living in NJ active adult communities for everyone to read. This is a cute article that I think you will enjoy.

Are you a writer? We are accepting new articles for our 55+ Viewpoints column. Please Contact Us for more information. Thanks.

More adult communities added to 55Plus-Housing.com

2007-01-11T23:01:00.000-05:00

We added a few more adult communities to our Interactive Mapping Tool.

Two were added in Monmouth County. The first community is located in beautiful Little Silver called Cheshire Square. This community is made up of townhomes that were built in the 1970's.

The second community is located in Freehold Township called Silvermead. This affordable trailer home community has been around for 30+ years and is well maintained. Some of the homes have been replaced and are newer.

The third community, Holiday City Heights is located in Berkeley Townhip, Ocean County. This is single family home community was established in the late 1980's and has many beautiful homes at reasonable prices.

New Active Adult Community Living Monthly Newsletter

2007-01-08T08:19:00.000-05:00

We are proud to annouce our very first issue of the Monthly Guide to Active Adult Community Living. This new publication of 55Plus-Housing.com will feature a different adult community in NJ each month. You will also find other interesting articles about real estate, healthy living, New Jersey points of interest and more.

We hope you enjoy it. Don't forget to signup for our monthly newsletter email and be entered to win a 2007 Entertainment Book, a $30 value with Big Saving$.

Happy New Year! Resolution Time.

2007-01-01T09:10:00.000-05:00

I wanted to wish all of our readers a Happy & Healthy New Year!

It amazes me just how fast another year has flown by and it doesn't seem to be getting any slower. My son just turned 14 and my daughter is going to be 16 in April. Watching our children grow up truly puts "time" in perspective and shows us just how precious time really is. Unfortunately, all the hustle and bustle of our individual lives makes it easy to lose track of what's really important.

The year 2006 has not been a very good one for the real estate market in general and for some personal things in my life, so I am glad to see it go. Each new year, many people like to make a resolution for themselves. Most who make resolutions fail to keep them not long afterwards due to our hectic schedules and these promises fall victim to the "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" syndrome.

I can't remember the last time I made a New Year's resolution (if ever) so I think is will try something different this year. I have put a little sign up above my computer screen at home that says "Every Day is a New Beginning...Smile and Make the Most of It!". I like this kind of resolution because it can apply to everything and I will be reminded of it every day. So, I look forward to 2007 and the many positive changes it will bring.

One new addition to our 55+ Housing website for 2007 is our monthly newsletter entitled "Monthly Guide to Active Adult Community Living". This publication will feature a different adult community each month along with other interesting and relevant stories. Be sure to sign up for our email newsletter notification and you could win our monthly drawing for a 2007 Entertainment Book. The first issue will be released sometime in January.

New and existing homes sales are up!

2006-12-28T17:05:00.000-05:00

According the the National Association of Realtors, both existing and new home sales were up Nationwide in the month of November. Existing homes sales were up less than 1% from the prior month and no way compare to the over 10% from a year ago. Still, this is not a bad sign and may mean a more positive selling environment for 2007. Even one of our Adult Community Featured Homes went under contract this month!

New home sales were up over 3% from last month while total inventory dropped. I guess the builder incentives are starting to work! I look forward to see how things shape up next year. Be sure to check out our Adult Community Market Stats for the latest info on the NJ Real Estate market.

'Tis the Season to Make an Offer to Buy!

2006-12-15T06:58:00.000-05:00

I recently took a client around showing them homes in a couple of active adult communities in the area. While the holidays are generally a slow time in real estate I was surprised to hear several of the gated community guards mention how many Realtors were showing homes. That is a good thing for sellers. Even our Housing Stats page showed a dip in new listings, still sales are still holding their own.

Many of the agents I gave follow-up feedback to mentioned that their sellers are actively looking for offers and would accept buyer home sale contingencies. This is a good this for buyers who are trying to sell their existing home too. The only real catch is the seller can still show their home and accept better offers even though they have a contract with a contingency. This could lead to disappointment for the potential buyer if they received a better offer/no contigency. If you are looking to buy in an adult community make sure to get your existing home on the market ASAP and price it right to sell.

New updates for Active Adult Community Website

2006-12-02T08:05:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to let our viewers know that we recently updated our Links section. It is now broken down into 4 sections including Real Estate related sites, Government sites (State & Local), Business/Service sites and Health/Leisure sites. Sites will be added throughout the upcoming year.

Please visit 55Plus-Housing.com to enter our monthly drawing for a 2007 Entertainment Guide. These popular guides are jam packed full of coupons and discounts for local restaurants, businesses and entertainment. Entering the drawing also subscribes you to our new Monthly Newsletter. Our first issue will come out January 1st, 2007.

New Adult Community Featured Homes added to 55Plus-Housing.com

2006-11-16T23:00:00.000-05:00

We just added two new active adult community homes in the Featured Homes section of our website. Both of these homes are located in Ocean County, NJ.

Our first Featured Home is located in Barnegat, NJ in the Heritage Point Active Adult Community. This beautiful 2,000+ sq.ft. home was just recently constructed and has not been lived in. This home includes over 40K of options and is priced below the builder's cost of the base model. This deal won't last long!

Our second Featured Home is located in Manchester, NJ in the Leisure Knoll Adult Community Development. This charming home features many new upgrades and is priced right at under $200K.

Interesting Article on Home Buying Trends

2006-11-13T09:10:00.000-05:00

I just read an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal Online entitled “Home Buyers Back Out Of Deals in Record Numbers”. Anyone interested in buying new construction or a resale (especially if it is contingent of selling an existing home) should read it.

Many of our 55+ website visitors who contact me are looking to sell their existing home to purchase a new or resale in an Active Adult Community. The buying side seems simple enough since many will buy their new home outright (or with a very small mortgage) with all the cash equity from their existing home. Many adult community buyers try and find their dream retirement home even before their existing home is on the market. In today’s housing market, I do not recommend doing this.

Most sellers are now starting to realize that they will need to be very aggressive when pricing their existing home and may need to make adjustments quickly and seriously consider all offers if the want to close the deal. This situation is made worse when a seller already has a contract on a new adult community home and feeling the pressure to close quickly.

Buying on contingency is not an option for new construction and some buyers are getting stuck owning two homes (and sometimes two mortgages) or end up cancelling the contract and losing a lot of money if they can't sell their home. It is always better to sell your existing home first, and buy afterwards. Many adult communities allow rentals which can help alleviate the transition time between selling and buying and also give you a feel for the community.

A View from the West Coast

2006-10-29T10:06:00.000-05:00

I am happy to say that I am writing this post from sunny Southern California, Huntington Beach to be exact. I am here visiting family and I decided to check out the housing market in the area and how that relates to adult communities.

Well, California like NJ is in a bit of a housing slow down. Homes are not selling well especially the more expensive ones near the beach. I started searching for adult communities in the area and there are just not that many to be found. Townhouses and really small single family fixer uppers are selling in the range of 500K to 600K. A decent sized home in good condition with a little yard can cost you a million plus. I guess everyone likes living in Southern Cal.

Anyway, the active adult communities are not as popular over here because of the cost of real estate and most people living in the area already have an active lifestyle. The beaches are huge and they are free. They have miles of concrete boardwalks where people walk, run, rollerblade and ride bikes. You can find a few adult communities but you will need to look farther away from the beach. Well, I guess I will enjoy my last day here!

More NJ builders, price reductions and more!

2006-10-16T23:11:00.000-04:00

Just a couple of updates for our readers. We added another builder to our NJ Active Adult Community Builder Directory. We welcome the addition of Tarragon Corporation who specializes in high density residential communities including their 200 unit Active Adult Townhouse Community in East Hanover.

Our Featured Home in Greenbriar Woodlands in Toms River just had a price reduction. Be sure to check out this beautiful home.

We also updated our Housing Market Stats page for the month of September. As expected, the continued rise of inventory is putting pressure on home sellers. Home sales are holding consistent because sellers are reacting to the market quicker with price reductions. It is interesting to note that the sale of mid-range priced homes are starting to pickup. Let's see what next month will bring.

Slow housing market is hurting builders

2006-10-06T15:06:00.000-04:00

If you were thinking about buying a new home in an active adult community, then consider the risks. Kara Homes, a large builder of adult communities in NJ is feeling the pain of the slowing housing market and may file chapter 11 (see article in the Asbury Park Press).

This could be a problem for many of their buyers who haven’t closed yet and are still waiting for their homes to be built. Most have fronted up a large deposit to secure their new home built. Now buyers are not sure if they will get their home or deposit any time soon. If you are one of these unfortunate people, then immediately seek out some legal assistance.

If you are still thinking of buying, then consider a resale in an adult community as a safer bet. In these unsteady times, buyers still have a lot of choices in buying resales or spec homes and many are new to only a few years old. Other advantages of buying a resale are:

You can see and inspect the actual house you will own.

Resales are typically 10-20% lower than new models from the builder with all the options.

Buyers have more leverage in getting their deposit monies if the deal goes bad.

Many buyers can typically move into a resale within 30 – 60 days vs. 10-18 months buying new.

Realtors can help protect the buyer’s interest and work out many details so the deal goes smoothly.

Adult Communities can create a False Sense of Security

2006-10-02T20:26:00.000-04:00

There are many reasons why people buy a home in an active adult community. The most obvious reason is having neighbors close in age with similar interests. Living in such a community gives residents the opportunity to create friendships and look out for one another. Some communities are even gated with guards to deter non-residents from entering. This is a good thing because criminals target seniors as easy prey for assault and robbery.

Over this past summer there was a string of robberies targeting seniors in adult communities. Evidently, these professional thieves were staking out homes (even in gated communities) by hiding in the surrounding woods until they knew the routines of the victims. The homes were broken into when the owners were not around and entered through rear sliding doors or windows. Mostly cash and jewelry was taken.

Residents should not let their guard down just because they live in an adult community. Following these basic steps should help to deter thieves:

Lock all windows and doors when you leave. This seems obvious but many residents still do not do this.

If you go on vacation, ask your neighbors to check in on the house occasionally.

Use timers to turn on and off lights and music when you are away. This gives the appearance that someone is home.

Put a hold your mail & newspapers when you are away or have your neighbors collect it daily.

Secure sliding doors by placing a long piece of wood (broomsticks work nicely) in the channel of the closed sliding door. You will need to saw cut it to fit properly.

Use security stickers in the windows or signs to alert people that your house is protected.

We have also teamed up with Protect America who is the largest GE Security Authorized Dealer of home security systems. Click Here to find our more information about their services.

Can’t sell your home…have a little Faith!

2006-09-21T16:13:00.000-04:00

Let’s face it; selling your home is not as easy as it was. When a home has been on the market for 5 months or more, some sellers start to get a little desperate. Obviously, every seller’s situation is different and their motivations tend to change the longer the house sits on the market. This is especially true if they already found another house they want to buy but is contingent on selling their house first.

Home Sellers go through an array of emotions, from frustration and depression to anger (usually at their Realtor). The truth is your real estate professional has no control over the housing market. If the market slows down, houses are harder to sell. It follows the basic principle of supply and demand.

What to do…

First there are the obvious choices:

First you need to have your Realtor run a new comparative market analysis (CMA) to make sure your home is priced correctly. Give more weight to recent home sales rather than active listings in your neighborhood. Pricing your home below similar homes for sale in the area and just slightly above sold prices will definitely spark some interest.

Make cosmetic improvements to your home to increase curb appeal. Clean up the yard, paint the fence, remove clutter around and inside the house. Every little bit will help and is a small price to pay for the sale of your home

Next are the not so obvious choices:

Offer incentives to buyer agents. Some seller’s offer monetary bonuses if an agent can bring in a buyer. This can only be done legally through the broker you listed with. The goal is to get more agents to bring their clients to show your home. I am not truly convinced this method works.

Offer a higher commission rate. All agents work off of commissions. The higher the commission that is offered to a Buyer’s agent the more incentive there is to bring a buyer. Sure you will be giving up a little more cash at closing…but at least you had a closing.

And if all else fails:

Some sellers will even go as far to asking for help from a higher power. In case you haven’t heard, St. Joseph statues are in high demand. They say if you bury the statue in front of your house it will sell. I haven’t tried it myself but there are plenty of believers. In fact, they now sell St. Joseph Home Seller Kits on the Internet.

55+ Viewpoints

2006-09-18T16:58:00.000-04:00

We added a new section called 55+ Viewpoints to our 55Plus-Housing.com website. 55+ Viewpoints are interesting articles written by seniors living in Active Adult Communities in NJ.

The first article is now online entitled "Home" Work doesn't end at Retirement. The author of this article just happens to be my mom and I am very proud of her accomplishments!

We are soliciting writers for our 55+ Viewpoints column. Please Contact Us if you or someone you know would like to submit an article. Thanks!

More Adult communities added in Monmouth County

2006-09-10T14:02:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note to let everyone know that we added three active adult communities to our Interactive Mapping in Monmouth County.

The first is a new development in Long Branch, The Hearthstone at the Shores. The community is only two blocks from the beach! This townhouse development was in our mapping tool before but we updated it with homes for sale.

The second is an older development in Red Bank, Warwick Gardens. This smaller but quaint community features only 60 condominium homes all under 200K!. All homes have onsite parking.

The third is an established development in Howell, The Villages. This community features condominiums, larger in size than the other two and borders Freehold Township.

Falling into the Mood to Buy a Home?

2006-09-08T20:24:00.000-04:00

Well, the summer is officially over but the Adult Community housing market is holding its own. Based on our 55+ Housing Stats for the past month, inventory is still rising but the number of price drops and homes that went under contract also increased. This is a good sign as sellers are starting to get the reality check and lowering their expectations a little which is helping sell homes. Even one of our featured homes sold last month!

I have also noticed a good amount of buyer interest and activity in this market sector. We have received many inquiries about homes through our 55Plus-Housing.com website, which we Thank you! One note for buyers...If you find a good deal and you are ready to buy, then don't procrastinate. There are still a lot of buyers out there and you may lose out on a good deal and the home you really wanted.

We just helped out one of our 55+ website visitors close on a home who saw it through our site and contacted us. It was a good thing too, because this house was only on the market less than a week and received multiple offers. Please be sure to contact us so we can help you find your dream home in an active adult community!

New features added to 55Plus-housing.com

2006-08-27T12:13:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note to let everyone know that we recently added a new Links Resource page to our website. Here is where you can find other useful websites for the 55+ crowd. We are also encouraging a link exchange with other sites that caters to seniors. Please Contact Us if you want to swap links. Thanks.

Another new feature that will be added in the next week or so is 55+ Viewpoints. These section will be dedicated to 55+ writers who wish to get their articles published on the web. This will be a free service. All we ask is to write articles of interest that will inspire, educate, fascinate or just make you laugh. Please Contact Us if you wish to write an article for 55+ Viewpoints.

Soon you will notice a new look to our site. We recently designed a 55+ Housing Logo that will be integrated into our site. Don't worry...you will still have access to all of the same great features that we provide! :-) Enjoy your weekend.

Improvements added to our Adult Community Search Page

2006-08-18T10:01:00.000-04:00

We updated our Adult Community Search Page to display the results on the same page. This search engine is powered by Google and is geared to find results related active adult communities. Another feature of the search engine is that you can search just our website or the entire Internet at a click of a button (see picture below).

Google is now indexing our complete website and you can easily find pages within our site based on your keywords. Happy Searching!

Added two Adult Communities in Toms River

2006-08-13T08:15:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note to let everyone know that we added two more communities in Toms River (Ocean County). Both Silverton Holiday City and the Gardens at Pleasant Plains offer single family home at a very good value. More communities will be added to our Interactive Maps soon. Thanks for visiting my blog and website.

Prepared Adult Community residents helped save a life!

2006-08-11T20:43:00.000-04:00

Residents in a Four Seasons - Upper Freehold started a CRT (Cardiac Response Team) program a few years back in case of an emergency. Thanks to these prepared residents it actually helped save the life of another during a Senior Olympics event in Monroe Twp. Click here to read the full article.

This just goes to show you some of the strengths of an adult community. Many active communities organize trips, health & fitness programs, newsletters and writers clubs and a whole lot more. Most events and activities are posted in the clubhouse or in the community clubhouse. This is a great way to stay active and meet new friends.

Active Adult Community Lifestyles hits the Big Screen!

2006-08-07T23:54:00.000-04:00

If you are a fan of going to the movies like I am, then you may want to check out a new movie called "Boynton Beach Club" by Susan Seidelman. The movie is centered around a group of residents in an Active Adult Community who try and relive their sex-obsessed adolescent years. This movie is a comedy but touches many serious issues seniors live with including loneliness. The movie is scheduled to be released in select areas but I expect it will be playing in several theaters in New Jersey soon.

Is the heat evaporating housing sales?

2006-08-03T06:54:00.000-04:00

Almost the entire USA is dealing with record heat waves and a continued slowing of the housing market. The NJ adult community market is feeling the pain too.

A quick look at the July stats on our Adult Community Housing Market page shows another increase in total available (active) homes for sale even though new listings slightly declined. This means that homes are just not selling as quickly as they used to. Another disturbing fact is a substaintial drop in the number of lower mid-priced (250K-375K) homes that sold. It is obvious that most serious buyers are buying homes priced under $250,000 (and many under 100K).

Builders are also feeling buyer slowdown effects in new construction. Many are starting to offer incentives to help sell inventory. Builders are also starting to build "Spec" homes, which is building a model without a buyer first. Options are put in later after they secure a buyer. Spec homes can be closed on rather quickly when compared to "New Construction" homes.

Try and stay cool in this hot summer! Come back next month to see if the market is picking up.

Don’t get caught homeless waiting for your new home to be built!

2006-07-30T22:53:00.000-04:00

Many buyers of new homes in adult communities get caught into the situation of selling their existing home long before their new home is finished. This is an increasing problem for most since they need the money to use as a deposit and close on their new home. The problem is magnified when the builder’s estimated closing date is delayed 6 months or more.

There are a few options you can take when caught in this situation. The cheapest solution is to temporarily move in with friends or family if possible. Cheaper is not always better in this situation. If you know that you will need a place for an extended period of time, then renting may be a better solution.

My recommendation is to see if there are any rentals in the adult community that you are building in. Rentals in adult communities are usually allowed but may have a minimum lease period as defined in the by-laws. Typically this might be a 6-month lease, which you may be able to extend to a month-to-month after the 1st 6 months.

Your best source of available rentals in a community is by talking with the onsite salespeople for the builder. They are always in contact with the residents and may know about rentals that are never advertised. You can also check the newspapers and solicit the help of a Realtor. Having a contingency plan like renting in the community can save you undue stress and gives you the ability to experience the active adult lifestyle even before your home is ready.

I met several nice people at my Open House

2006-07-24T07:45:00.000-04:00

I held my third open house yesterday for this listing. Even though the weather wasn't the best (raining on and off) we had a pretty good turn out of 6 couples. Many of them made the trip down to the Shore from North Jersey and one couple was from New York State.

I did have the opportunity to talk with several of them to find out their housing needs and wants. Most were still in the "just looking" mode. One of the concerns some had was the ability to sell their existing home in this buyers market This has an all too familiar ring to it as I am seeing many people stuck in the same situation. In fact, I am now hearing a growing problem of new home buyers in adult communities having to back out of their contract with the builder due to the fact they weren't able to sell their existing home. This is a very expensive lesson to learn for some.

The sooner you put your existing home up on the market the better. Most sellers will not even consider an offer from a buyer who hasn't even put their home on the market (if there is a contingency). Many buyers make the mistake of finding that perfect home first then trying to sell their home. Sometimes this works but mostly it is a recipe for frustration and disappointment.

40K Price Drops on 2 Featured Listings

2006-07-19T20:23:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to let our readers know that we recently had substantial price reductions (approx. 40K) on 2 of our featured homes on 55Plus-Housing.com. The first featured home is in the Cedar Village community in beautiful Ocean Township, NJ. The second featured home with a price reduction is in the Horizons at Woodlake community in Lakewood, NJ. Both of these homes are absolutely stunning and are ready for a quick sale. Please contact us for more information.

More Adult Communities added in Ocean County

2006-07-16T15:38:00.000-04:00

Just a quick update. We recently added more adult community developments to our Ocean County Map. Now you can check homes for sale in the following communities:

More adult communities will be added shortly! Please visit www.55Plus-Housing.com for all of your Adult Community Housing information. Thanks.

Summer is here...time to start the barbeque!

2006-07-09T23:01:00.000-04:00

Summer is now in full swing and nothing beats meeting new neighbors and bringing friends together than a good barbeque. Adult communities are full of friendly people wanting to meet their neighbors. Throwing a good outdoor party starts with having a good barbeque grill. Some communities may have rules and requlations on the type of grill (propane tank, natural gas hookup or electric). Please refer to the bylaws for your community or ask a board member for the homeowners association.

Barbeque grills come in all different shapes, sizes & accessories. If your barbeque is getting old or you don't have one...buying online is easy, safe and you don't need a truck to bring it home! I put together The Barbeque Grill Buyers Guide for just for our active adult community visitors where you can view and buy barbeque grills and have them delivered right to your home. All of these grills on this page are shipped via Amazon.com. Have a summer barbeque and meet new people in your community.

Is a 55+ community just for people 55 and older?

2006-07-05T07:15:00.000-04:00

Age restricted communities are designated for people of a certain age (typically 55) and older. Although, some people under the designated age limit have bought & lived in homes in active adult communities. You may be wondering how can that be done. Let me explain…

When an age-restricted development is first created, the builder/developer creates a deed restriction on each parcel of land they sell to homeowners. Basically, this deed restriction states that the parcel is part of an age-restricted community, which has a set minimum age to reside there. A deed restriction on a property creates the means to be legally enforced.

Age restrictions apply to the people who reside in the community, not ownership. So, a 40 something year old person could buy a home in an adult community and have his/her 65-year-old parents live in it (wouldn’t that be nice :-). Also some people buy into adult communities as investment property and rent out the homes to qualifying seniors.

State and federal governments have put fair housing laws into place to protect the general public from many types of discrimination including age. Under these fair housing laws is a rule that states that in order to qualify as an age restricted community at least 80% of all residents must meet the minimum age requirement. This does leave 20% that can be under the age without the community jeopardizing its age-restricted status.

Most adult communities do have guidelines for these exceptions. For example, typical rules that a community may enforce are:

An under 55 year old person is allowed to live in the community as long as they reside in the same household with a qualifying resident.
No one under the age of 19 may reside in the community.
A 50+ person may be allowed to buy and live in the community with the homeowners association’s board approval.

Ultimately, it is the homeowners association and their management company that must monitor and enforce the rules of the community. Please keep in mind that most communities do discourage potential resident home buyers who do not meet minimum age requirements for simple reason of keeping the continuity of their 55+ active adult communities intact.

Adult Community Housing Market holding Steady

2006-07-01T10:45:00.000-04:00

Click Here to view this months adult community real estate housing market statistics. This page quickly shows you a historical look at the housing market for the past 6 months. After looking at the current data, I wanted to comment on a few interesting things.

The number of new listings in adult communities is starting to level off, which is a good thing for sellers. Inventory is still high which is driving the number of price changes in listings but the number of homes going under contract is holding steady.

Still most of the home selling activity is in the $100,000 - $375,000 range. The middle-upper to high-end homes is having the most difficulty selling. Sellers of homes in this price range will need to be aggressive in pricing (price reductions) and marketing to sell their homes.

Still, we will need to keep an eye on these statistics to see if this trend holds in the future. Please visit this page each month to see. Thanks for your interest in the adult community housing market.

Facts about Financing your Adult Community Home

2006-06-28T20:34:00.000-04:00

Many of the larger builders of Active Adult Community homes push home buyers into using their preferred lenders. The reasons are simple...most own or have a vested interest in the lending company. Does this mean you shouldn't use their company? Of course not, but you should always investigate any lending company before you decide to use them.

Mortgage companies and bank lending institutions are very competitive when it comes to home mortgages. Builders may offer incentives if you use their preferred lender. This is allowed but they must follow federal guidelines created to protect the public.

Keep in mind that no builder can force you to use their lender. Doing so is illegal. Builders may say things like using their lender will help expedite the closing, which may or may not be true. If you want to use your own lender, go for it. If you are feeling unnecessarily pressured by the sales department to use their lender and you don't want to, then complain to builder. If that doesn't get the results you want then you can make a complaint to the state board of consumers affairs.

Featured Homes in Adult Communities

2006-06-25T21:57:00.000-04:00

We are proud to showcase beautiful homes in adult communities in our Featured Homes page. This past week we added two more homes. One home is in Greenbriar Woodlands, Toms River that features 2 master suites, 3 full baths and a loft. The other home is located in the Horizons at Woodlake Community, Lakewood NJ. This beautiful home was only built last year and features a loft, 2 car garage and 2 zone heat/AC. Be sure to check out all our featured homes and contact us if you would like to see one in person.

More builders and Communities added to 55Plus-Housing.com

2006-06-19T07:35:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note to let everyone know that we added two builders (Mignatti Companies & Paramount Homes) to our Builder's Directory Page. We also added another adult community in Monmouth County. The Essex and Sussex located Spring Lake features high-rise condos with ocean views for the 62+ age group.

Builders guarantee the best price

2006-06-14T22:15:00.000-04:00

I just read in a real estate email newsletter that the Lennar Corporation is now going to guarantee that anyone who buys one of their homes the lowest base price till closing. So if you were to put a deposit a new home and they lowered the base price before you closed, they will let you buy it at the lower base price. If the base price goes up, Lennar will honor the original contract price.

This seems like a good marketing tool although they have not announced this on their website. Buyers should also be aware that they stated they are confident of not having to lower prices. That is a strong statement to make when homes are not selling quickly and their adult community homes in Greenbriar Falls are at the high end of the price spectrum. I guess only time will tell if they will lower their base price. It will be interesting to see if other builders follow suit.

Where have all the buyers gone?

2006-06-11T18:46:00.000-04:00

I ran an open house today for one of my listings and the turnout was quite disappointing. Only two people showed and one was just interested in checking out the home but was not a real buyer. It was a beautiful day so it wasn’t because of the weather and the listing just recently had a price reduction. So the question that comes to mind is…where have all the buyers gone?

This problem is not just an isolated incident. I have talked to many agents who are all experiencing the same thing. Home re-sales are getting harder to sell and are staying on the market much longer. New sales are still showing some signs of strength although they too are losing some of their luster. I believe there are several factors that are creating this type of market.

The economy and interest rates are starting to take their toll on the housing market. While financing is not too much an issue for the 55 plus crowd since many are buying their homes outright, it still presents an issue when selling their existing home.

Home values are still high but are starting to fall back slightly. Sellers are starting to realize if they want to sell their home then they will need to reduce the asking price if no offers are coming. Still, many sellers are having a hard time accepting this and are slow to respond which keeps their home on the market longer than they like.

Another issue is created by the principles of supply and demand. Supply has been rapidly increasing over the last 6-12 months as sellers are trying to capitalize on their investments. The problem is that demand (buyers) has not increased to create a shortage of supply. The local market statistics shows us that existing homes sales have remained consistent over the last 6 months but monthly listings of homes on the market have nearly tripled.

So the buyers are still out there but they sure do have a lot more to choose from. Gone are the days of putting your house up for sale and having three buyers in three days bid it up for more than asking price.

Your best tactic in today’s market if you are trying to sell your home quickly is to price your house at or slightly below the current market value and still be prepared to negotiate. Typically, I am seeing lower offers and price reductions at 10% or more of the asking price. Make sure to have your listing agent take advantage of every marketing avenue available (especially online). After all, it only takes one interested buyer to sell your home.

More Builders and Communities added to Adult Community Website

2006-06-04T21:30:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note to let you know that we added several communities to our 55Plus-Housing.com website. Those added include the Renaissance (Manalapan), Marlboro Greens and we updated Rosemont Estates (Marlboro) to now includes homes for sale. You can find out more about these communities by using our Interactive Mapping Tool or just check out the available homes for sale on our Community Listing page.

We also added two adult community builders, Centex Homes & PRC Homes, to our Builder Directory page. Please visit our site often and more information is constantly being added.

New Directory of Active Adult Community Builders Now Online

2006-05-30T20:54:00.000-04:00

We recently added a new feature to our 55Plus-Housing.com website. Now you can find a directory of links to your favorite builder's websites. The builders / developers in this directory have built or are planning to build active adult communities in New Jersey. More links will be added as we find more developers of 55+ communities in NJ. Please check it out and let us know if we are missing any builders in your area. Thanks!

Want to know how the Adult Community Housing market is doing?

2006-05-23T12:51:00.000-04:00

We just added a new resource to our http://www.55plus-housing.com/ website which shows the current state of the adult community housing market in Monmouth And Ocean County, NJ. The Housing Market Trends page shows the current market condition statistics in a table for the last six months.

It is full of interesting information like the number of adult community homes sold within a month including a breakdown of price ranges. Also shown is the number of new listings and listings with price changes. I have also added some commentary on the future trends of the adult community market at the bottom of the page. The table will be updated each month. Be sure to check it out.

The Spring Season is a good time to Clean & Sell

2006-05-17T20:19:00.000-04:00

The weather is getting warmer and now is the time to start those Spring cleaning projects especially if you are thinking of selling your home. It is amazing how much “stuff” we can acquire over the years. Too much stuff in the home or garage makes rooms look smaller and uncomfortable. An uncluttered home will help increase your chances of selling it.

Cleaning house is one of those dreaded tasks that most of us try to avoid (which is why we have so much stuff). Most people resort to either holding a garage sale or throwing the stuff out in the garbage. Fortunately for us, there are several other options available you might want to consider.

For smaller items of value, there is no better system than selling on eBay. If you don’t have the knowledge of selling online then hire a trading assistant who can sell the items for you. Trading Assistant are experienced sellers who get you top dollar on eBay and they take a small commission only if the item sells. I run a part-time Trading Assistant business known as Selling 4-U LLC. A friend of mine also runs a full-time eBay “Drop” shop known as Packrat Auctions.

Another method of selling is using the free online classified ad service known as Craigslist. This great service lets you post up ads in geographical regions. This service is very handy for larger items like furniture and appliances.

Another great online service is available for those of you who hate to throw things out that are still useable but not worth selling is known as Freecycle. This service is actually an email list service for people post up items available and want ads. The only catch is you must give away the items for free. It still beats filling up the landfills.

These services and the tried and true garage sales are a great way to get rid of that clutter in your house. Remember, a clean and uncluttered home is a more desirable home for buyers. Good luck!

More Active Adult Communities added to 55plus-housing.com website

2006-05-09T22:45:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note that we added a few more active adult communities to our Mapping Pages and Directory. Added communities include Hearthstone at the Shores in Long Branch, Monmouth County and Leisure Village, Leisure Village East and Greenbriar Oceanaire in Ocean County. There will be more adult communities added in the near future.

For the Snow Birds: Adult Communities in Florida

2006-05-04T13:08:00.000-04:00

Many people who retire want to stay close to their families in New Jersey yet hate the cold weather during the winter months. For some, owning a place in Florida and New Jersey gives them the best of both worlds. Florida and New Jersey both cater to the 55+ crowd with plenty of great active adult communities. We added a new article in the Library section of our website on Active Adult Communities in Florida. This article will help point you in the right direction if you are interested in buying an active adult community home in Florida. This is a great option for those "Snow Birds" who hate the cold!

The Monmouth at Wall - Rich Luxury in an Active Adult Community

2006-05-02T06:41:00.000-04:00

We added another newer adult community to our 55plus-housing.com website. The Monmouth at Wall is a luxury multi-story 96 unit condominium complex that doesn't hold back on the luxury. These 4,500 sq. ft. luxury units feature 11-12 ft ceilings, gourmet kitchens with Viking appliances, granite countertops and much more. Other amenities include a 18 hole putting course, indoor/outdoor pools, 7,000 sq. ft. clubhouse, personal trainers, full time concierge and more. This community is conveniently located just minutes away from the Point Pleasant beaches and local marinas. The Monmouth at Wall is by far the most exclusive and expensive in all of Monmouth and Ocean County. Please contact me for more information or to schedule an appointment to view it.

Featured Home Open House - Today

2006-04-30T07:45:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note to let you know that I am holding an open house today from 12: 00pm to 3:00pm our Heritage Point featured home. You can request directions to this great home by visiting our Open House page. I hope to see you there!

Adult Community Search Engine added to 55plus-housing.com

2006-04-24T16:23:00.000-04:00

We added a new Search Engine feature to our 55plus-housing.com website. This search engine
is powered by Google and lets you search the entire web and our website for content based on your keyword searches. The cool feature is that this search engine is tailored to give results on topics related to active adult communities. Now it is easier than ever to find out information on builders, communities, retirement or any other similar topic. Go ahead and give it a try!

Adult Community Builder’s Reputation is Important

2006-04-19T12:32:00.000-04:00

I recently had a visitor from my website ask me if a particular builder of a new adult community that she was interested in was a reputable builder. It is a very good question. I personally do not have an opinion good or bad about any developer/builder but this article should help point you in the right direction.

There are several things a potential buyer should investigate when considering a new home in an adult community. The World Wide Web makes researching a builder’s reputation a lot easier and anonymously.

First visit the builder’s website. This will give you a good indication of the type of projects they are building and ones they have completed. Some builders are local working in only one state while other’s work regionally or nationally. The size of the company does not always coincide with better quality homes. The companies website’s are a good starting point but they are strictly self-promotional. Using the Google Search engine is a useful way to find builder’s websites and other information about them.

If at all possible, visit other communities built by the same builder. Look at the homes with a critical eye. If you see some residents outside, stop and ask them questions about the quality of their home and the community. This is truly the best source of information but you will need to get a few residents opinions to be fair.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a non-profit organization and a great source of information. This organization maintains a national database of businesses (both members and non-members). Companies that are members of the BBB promise to uphold the standards of the BBB and have sound business practices. The BBB rates companies based on their overall performance by the number of complaints and how they were resolved over a period of time.

There are several other websites on the web for reporting complaints. The public can view these complaints and some are very descriptive and have photographs of the problems. One word of Caution...the information on these sites is not verified and may or may not be entirely the truth. I still feel it is worth checking out for yourself and you can make your own educated opinion. The two websites that I know of are The Rip-Off Report and Home Owners against Deficient Dwellings.

Please keep in mind that even if you do find complaints about a specific builder, they may still have hundreds or even thousands of other satisfied home buyers. The local subcontractors hired by the builder to finish certain tasks can also create some problems, but the builder is ultimately responsible. New homes come with a 10-year warranty but that doesn’t guarantee a problem free home and legal action may be necessary to correct severe issues.

As a potential buyer of a new home, try and educate yourself on the building process and the different builders and don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. Happy home buying!

More Adult Communities added to 55plus-housing.com

2006-04-10T20:19:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that we added several more active adult communities to our Interactive Mapping pages. There is also a new Adult Community Directory page, which lists all of these communities in both Monmouth and Ocean County in one easy to view list. Most communities in the directory are hyperlinked to view available homes for sale. You will still need to view the mapping to see the each community and its amenities. Please visit often as we constantly add more adult communities all the time. Thanks for stopping by.

FSBO and Adult Communities

2006-04-08T15:16:00.000-04:00

Springtime is here and many people start to think about selling their home. Many homeowners like the idea of saving a lot of money in commissions by trying to sell on their own. Some people may even have successfully done this in the past before they moved into an adult community. What they may not know is it can be a lot harder trying to go the For Sale By Owner (FSBO) route in an adult community especially in today’s market.

Here are some things to consider:

Many Adult Communities have a No Sign policy in the by-laws. This means that residents are not allowed to place any signs in their yard. This would also apply to any real estate “For Sale” signs either as a FSBO or through a Broker. You can get around the regulation by placing a sign inside the window of the residence but that doesn’t attract much attention.
Gated communities create another barrier for keeping out the general public. This is the intended purpose but can discourage potential buyers who must venture into a community without a Realtor.
Screening potential buyers is something a professional real estate agent does as part of their job. A FSBO seller has no real way of screening for qualified buyers, which can waste a lot of time.
Open houses generate many leads of potential buyers for agents. These leads may not buy the house they visited but might be interested in yours. Not listing your house in the MLS will greatly affect the exposure of your home and leaves many potential leads that Realtors have unknown.
Negotiating the purchase of a home is no small matter. Emotions run high which can destroy any deal if handled wrong. Realtors have the experience and training to work with both buyers and sellers to successfully negotiate the deal without letting personal feelings get in the way.
Studies have shown that people who sold their home using a Realtor usually sold it quicker and for more money than the FSBO seller.

Please don’t get me wrong…I am not saying sellers in adult communities couldn’t successfully sell their own home. But in a buyers market like we are now in, the more exposure your home gets the better the chances of selling it. Happy Selling!

New Featured Home in Heritage Point, Barnegat NJ

2006-04-03T23:42:00.000-04:00

We have added another beautiful home to our featured listings page. This home is situated in Heritage Point on the north side of West Bay Ave in Barnegat. Our featured home is the popular Hatteras Model, which features a well-designed 2,100+ sq. ft. floor plan. This home also has over $70,000 in options including a premium lot, oversized 2-car garage, maintenance free composite deck & power awning and much more. Enjoy the multiple picture slideshow.

Heritage Point is a large active adult community developed by Mignatti Companies. This 900+ single-family adult community features many amenities for active adults, including 2 clubhouses, tennis courts, indoor/outdoor swimming pools, golf putting greens, bocce courts, fitness center and much more. There is some new construction still available but is going fast. Why wait to build new when you can buy this 3 years young home and save big $$ over the current builder pricing. Please contact me for more information.

Is “Everything Included” really everything you want?

2006-03-29T06:41:00.000-05:00

Some developers of active adult communities are marketing their new homes as “Everything Included”. This basically means that buying a new home in the community comes standard with many features that are considered upgrades in most other new construction developments. This concept works well in townhouse/condo developments since the builder is usually constructing the units before they are sold.

So the key questions are…are the upgrades what you wanted and are they worth the cost? New homebuyers typically desire many of the included upgrades like granite countertops, crown moldings and a gas fireplace. But options like a full basement may not appeal to everyone. All of these included features can increase the starting price of the home substantially but may still be considered a "good" deal.

The real challenge is how to assess if the purchase price of an “Everything Included” home is considered a good value. Since all the upgrades are included, some developers have created comparable list of upgrades and associated costs. These stated costs may be somewhat accurate but the only real way determine you are getting a good value is to compare it to prices of new homes with similar features in of other active adult communities. Not only should you compare home costs but also the amenities of the community like a clubhouse.

If none are nearby, consider visiting another adult community where the buyer can pick and choose the upgrades and request a price list to help you determine the real cost of upgrades and of a similarly configured home. Always consider annual expenses like taxes and association fees when buying any home in an adult community since they have a serious affect on fixed income residents.

Please do not forget the usefulness of hiring a REALTOR, even if you are considering new construction. Real estate professionals acting as a buyer’s agent can help you determine if the home is a good value based on features, location and re-sales within the community and surrounding areas. Some developers welcome the use of outside brokers/sales agents to represent buyers of new construction homes in their communities.

Redevelopment Zones, Eminent Domain & Builders, Oh-my!

2006-03-25T09:03:00.000-05:00

Monmouth County, NJ has been making some big news lately with the issues of redevelopment in both Long Branch and the U.S. Army’s Fort Monmouth site which resides in three towns: Eatontown, Oceanport & Tinton Falls.

The biggest issues at stake are who gets to decide what lands will be redeveloped, how the land is acquired and who gets to develop them. There are laws and procedures in place like eminent domain and rezoning which help facilitate the process of redevelopment.

Cities like Long Branch and Asbury Park which have had economically depressed areas for more than 20 years have designated these areas as redevelopment zones. The use of eminent domain allows a township to acquire a resident’s real property through condemnation for the better use of the public and township. The owners of the land are paid current fair market value for their land in its present condition and use.

The use of eminent domain in the past was used for things like building hospitals and schools. But more recently, the law was put to the test in the courts when a Connecticut township used eminent domain to develop the area with new & more expensive housing. The courts decided that townships do have the right to use eminent domain for this purpose which is now what Long Branch is doing. If you haven’t been down in Long Branch for a while then take a quick drive down Ocean Avenue and you will see some dramatic changes.

Due to the lack of vacant “buildable” land in New Jersey, builders have a strong interest in redevelopments. Large developers are involved in the redevelopment of Long Branch and Asbury Park. With the Army’s announcement that it will be closing Fort Monmouth which will create an enormous redevelopment zone covering three townships, the State has stepped in to create their own Revitalization Authority to decide how the Army’s land will be developed.

It will be interesting to see how these developments progress and I my guess would be that more adult communities in the redevelopment zones or surrounding areas will be created too.

MLS Search Problems

2006-03-22T13:45:00.000-05:00

It looks like the Monmouth Ocean MLS is making some changes to their gateway interface. Unfortunately, this is affecting all of my saved searches for the individual active adult communities and the main property search. I will be monitoring this situation and hope to have it resolved soon. Sorry for the inconvenience.

New 'Find Open Houses' feature added to 55plus-housing.com

2006-03-19T09:50:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to write a quick note that I added a new "Find Open Houses" feature to the website. This report is emailed to our visitors who make the request on our OPEN HOUSE Request Page. The open houses listed in this report are current open houses for the public and are updated weekly. The report data is pulled from the Monmouth Ocean MLS system and includes only the listings that agents entered into the system.

Additional open houses can be found by reading your local newspapers. Many open house listings in Monmouth and Ocean County can be found in your weekend additions of the Asbury Park Press.

New Construction vs. Re-sales in Adult Communities

2006-03-14T08:39:00.000-05:00

With so many new adult communities in the area it can be difficult to decide if you should buy new construction or a re-sale. There are pros and cons to going either route. Here are just a few things to think about.

The pros of new construction are for the most part obvious. You get to pick out your dream model home with all the options that you desire and get that new home smell (just kidding)! You also will receive a new home warranty from the builder covering major defects for a minimum of 10 years.

Some cons of new construction exist too. Single-family homes can take upwards of a year or more to complete from your initial deposit to closing. Costs can be substantial after including all the options. Most adult communities do have model homes but you do not get to see your exact home before you buy it.

The pros of buying a re-sale are quicker closings, the ability to inspect and preview the home before you buy it and more negotiating power on the buyer side. The cons of a re-sale are typical of any home. You will need to thoroughly inspect the home for defects using a certified house inspector. Most exterior alterations on existing homes are not allowed which are governed by the association’s bylaws. So, if you wanted that loft, new construction may be a better option.

I am developing a more detailed report on purchasing new construction homes in adult communities filled with valuable information that can help save you time and money. If you are interested, please fill out this form and I will email you the free report when it is completed in about 3-4 weeks. Thanks!

Spring is almost here...Vote in our Recreation Poll

2006-03-09T22:04:00.000-05:00

The weather report for tomorrow is sunny and a high in the 70’s…not too bad for early March! As the warmer weather comes near many people start doing more activities outdoors. I personally like going on walks through trails and playing tennis. With all the amenities that Active Adult Communities offer nowadays, I was wondering what residents like to do most. I have posted up a web poll on the website which should help answer this question. Vote now on your favorite recreation activity and start enjoying the warm weather!

NJSBA Community of the Year Winner Goes to…

2006-03-07T22:47:00.000-05:00

Covington Village (Active Adult Community in Lakewood, NJ) wins the New Jersey Shore Builders Association’s Community of the Year award. The builder of this development, Matzel Development (Ocean, NJ) has won this prestigious award two years in a row. Click Here to read the full story reported in the Asbury Park Press.

There are several local and national builders based in NJ who continue to build quality homes in many of the Active Adult Communities in Monmouth & Ocean County. While many of these communities have focused on single-family homes, there is renewed interest in building developments of luxury townhouses and multi-level condominiums like Covington Village.

Be sure to try out our Interactive Mapping Tool to identify the many Active Adult Communties available. Clicking on the community in the map will display additional information like building types (i.e. single family, condo, etc.)

Property Search added to 55plus-housing.com

2006-03-04T10:58:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note…due to a request we added a Property Search link in the top menu for our visitors. This will let you quickly search the MLS to find active homes for sale in Monmouth & Ocean Counties, NJ. Please make sure to choose the “Adult Community” tab to restrict your results to only homes for sale in these age restricted developments.

You will still be able to find homes in a specific adult community using the Interactive Mapping Tool. Please feel free to contact me with any other suggestions you have for the website. Thanks.

Evolution of the Adult Community in NJ

2006-03-02T13:00:00.000-05:00

New Jersey has a long history of adult communities especially in Ocean County. Twenty to thirty years ago these developments were more widely known as “Retirement Communities”. I remember when my grandmother lived in the Original Leisure Village Community in Lakewood NJ back in the mid-70’s. This large development was the “Active” adult community of its time. These condo style homes were affordable and featured amenities like a clubhouse, swimming pools and walking trails.

In the early 90’s, active adult communities began to cater to higher end buyers who wanted more than a builder-grade home. This was especially evident when K. Hovnanian started building their “Four Seasons” developments. I actually helped design one of KHov’s first active adult developments, Four Seasons at Wall, when I was working for the project’s civil engineering firm. This development included large single-family homes with an array of luxury options, an enormous clubhouse and pool, tennis courts, bocce courts and more.

The enormous success of the higher end active adult community has inspired many homebuilders to develop similar types of communities. Today, both Monmouth and Ocean County are home to many fine active adult communities. There are many different varieties from single-family homes & townhouses to luxury multi-level New York style-living condominiums. Some communities feature private 18-hole golf courses while others provide 15,000+ sq. ft. clubhouses with multimedia theaters, libraries and state of the art fitness centers.

The choices are many depending on your preferences. Many communities still offer new construction and/or re-sales. Be sure to check out the Interactive Mapping Tool on my website to find the different adult communities available and the features they offer. This mapping database of adult communities is continually updated, so visit often. Thanks.

New Active Adult Community Website for NJ

2006-02-28T23:21:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 55Plus-Housing Blog and associated Active Adult Community Website. This website and blog will be the place where you can find the latest information about adult communities in Monmouth and Ocean Counties, NJ.

The website has an interactive mapping tool utilizing Google Maps. Different adult communities are highlighted on the maps. Click on an active adult community in the map to bring up additional information including the ability to view the current homes for sale within that community as listed in the MLS.

I am a REALTOR working for the Mary Holder Agency who specializes in the age restricted Active Adult Communities. There are so many new retirement communities in NJ, I felt a website like this would be useful to baby boomers who are near retirement.

I welcome you to visit the website as more information and features will be posted there and on this blog. Feel free to post comments or contact me directly. Regards, Dave Boyd.