Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1374928
peoplewhoaren't retiredyettomakethe movenowtowherethey wanttobeinretire- ment,"Farmersays. "Theycanbuyattoday's pricesandtoday's interestratesandstart enjoyingthislifestyle sooner." It'sanapproachthat alsoworksforbuyers atSummitatLiberty,a 55+communitybuiltby LGIHomes.Summitat Libertyislocatedinthe bucolicCaliforniacityof RioVista,ontheSacra- mentoRiverbranchof theCaliforniaDelta. "Thebenefitsof owningahigh-quality homeinaprivate,gated communitycan'tbe underestimated,"Roach says.Shenotesthat theRioVistacommu- nityhasthefeelofa luxuryoasismidway betweenSanFrancisco andSacramento,and minutesfromNapa. "Buyerswantthe amenities,securityand affordability,"sheadds. "Andthey'recoming fromSanJoseandother partsoftheBayAreato findthat." Roachexplainsthat somebuyersarecoming fromplacesincluding ColoradoandConnecti- cutsotheycanlive closertotheirchildren andgrandchildrenwho liveinCalifornia. New55+commu- nities—whetherin California,Nevada, Washingtonstate, Arizona,Texasorother states—providean abundanceoflifestyle features,fromsingle- levelfloorplansoutfit- tedwithownedsolar andluxurydesign featurestomultimil- lion-dollaramenity centersincludedinthe HOAfees. Explorenow, takeiteasylater Allofthesecommu- nitiescomewithrich lifestyleopportunities. Fromin-community hikingtrails,outdoor sportscourtsandthe attractionofopen naturesurroundingthe communitiestofitness classes,artstudiosand world-classrestaurants, buyersfindallthatthey needandmore. Winetastingsor casinoexcursions arepopularamong SummitatLiberty buyers,forinstance. Meanwhile,tripsto thewater,themoun- tainsortheballgame arepopularamong buyersatTrilogyat Tehaleh,nearTacoma, Washington,oratTril- ogyatVistancia,the 55+communitywithin amaster-planned communityjustoutside Phoenix,Arizona. Inaddition,builders, architectsanddesigners ofcontemporary,55+ new-homecommuni- tiesprioritizebuyers' interestinsingle-story, single-familydetached orduplexhomes. Manyalsoincludeor canprovidezero-step entryways. "Thehousingprices intheseplacesare advantageousforpeople comingfromCalifornia," Farmersays."Peopleare thirstingforconnection. Thesecommunities provideanautomatic, naturallyoccurring socialnetwork." Forat-homegather- ings,frontandback porches,patiosand outdoorlivingfeatures areoftenincludedor offeredasoptions. Roachpointsoutthat homesatSummitat Libertyalsohave3-foot- widedoorways. "Youdon'tnotice thatuntilyouneedit," shesays. Newinspiration foranewhome Inanintrigu- ingtwist,California's recentlypassedPropo- sition19appearstobe inspiringmanyhome- ownerstoreconsider theideaofsellingand moving,andnotjust withinCaliforniaand notjusttopurchasea resalehome. "Proposition19 re-energizedthe55+ homebuyer'sthoughts aboutmovingin general,"saysFarmerof TrilogybySheaHomes. Thenewlypassed legislationallowspeople whoare55andolder, meetcertaindisability criteriaorhavebeen displacedbywildfires orothernaturaldisas- terstomaintainthe taxablebasevalueof theircurrentprimary residencewhenthey purchaseareplacement primaryresidencein California.Butwhen comparingamoveout ofstateoroutoftheBay Areawithout-of-state options,manyseebene- fitsoutofstate. "Thesebuyersare youngandhealthy; theyhavetheenergy, theenthusiasm,the moneyandthedriveto makeachange,"Farmer explains. Arelativeprolif- erationofnew-home communitiesinplaces includingtheSeattle andPhoenixareas, alongwithLasVegas andseveralareasof Texas,haveincreased interestamong55+ buyersandtheirfami- lies.Concurrently, youngerpeopleand first-timehomebuy- ersareweighingthe optionofbuyinginthe BayAreaandpartsof California,suchasthe SanDiegoarea,against thepossibilityofmoving tothestatestheir55+ parentsareconsidering. Getmore outoflife Whetherfora youngfamilywithlittle childrenoracouple whohasraisedtheir family,high-quality newconstructionoffers buyersthechanceto maketurnkeymoves atatimewhenthelast thingtheywantisa majorremodel. Takingadvantageof lowinterestratesand theproximityof55+ new-homecommuni- tiestoneighboring communitiesforpeople ofallagesandstages, buyersdiscoveraseem- inglyendlessarrayof benefits. "Somefamily memberswillpurchase acrossthestreetor aroundthecornerfrom eachother,"notesRoach ofLGIHomes.She pointsoutthatthe55+ requirementforactive adultcommunities createsopportunities,not restrictions,forbuyers. Theso-calledsand- wichgeneration,for instance,maybeintheir 50swithhighschoolor college-agechildrenand seekingmorespaceand flexibilityinfloorplan andlifestyle. Sheexplainsthatthe parentsofthosebuyers, whomaybeintheir70s or80s,oftenfindthe perfectfloorplanfor theirlifestylerightin thesamecommunity. It'sascenario mirroringthatofother 55+communities,where theabilitytoform ormaintainconnec- tionwithothersis paramount. Canwestay? We'dberemissifwe didn'taddressthereal- itythattheBayArea anditssurroundings makeforabeautiful qualityoflife.What, then,cananew-home buyerdotokeepfamily closeortocreatemore livingspacewithouta completemove? "Realestateisthe bestwayforanyone tobuildwealth,"says KathyAnderson, co-founderofPerpetual HomesADU."Withthe 2020legislationthat allowedtheconstruc- tionofaccessorydwell- ingunits(ADUs)within manycommunities, we'rehelpingpeople findgood,cost-effective waystoaddcustom- builtADUsontheir property." Insomecases,she explains,peopleintheir 70sor80sareworking withPerpetualHomes tobuildanADUsothat theyoungergenera- tionscanmoveintothe originalhomewhilethe oldergenerationgets thebrand-new,custom prefabricatedADU. "Theplanscanbeup tothreebedroomsand twobaths,"sheadds, notingthatPerpetual's ADUsarecompletely finishedcustomhomes basedonaselectionof availableplans. "Wehaveonecouple wherethemotherinher- itedahomeinDanville rightwhenherdaughter andson-in-lawwere hopingtobuyahouse," sheexplains."The motherwillmoveinto themainhouseandwe're buildinga1,200-square- footADUontheprop- ertywherethedaughter, herhusbandandtheir babycanlive." Thescenariosget evenmorefascinat- ing,includingacouple withteenswhobuilt anADUforMom'sand Dad'sdatenights.It alsoincludesanoffice thatMomclaimedfor herself. "Thesearen'tjust tinyhomes,"saysMatt Foster,co-founderof CaliforniaPre-Cut Homes,aDanville- basedcompanythat providesapanelized wallbuildingsystem thatallowstheowner eithertoconstructand finishtheirownADU,to managesubcontractors ortofindacontractor todotheworkforthem. Plansincludeengineer- ingforthecomplete structure,includingthe foundation. "Mostclientsare buildingthemfor familymemberstolive inortorentoutasa supplementalsource ofincome,"saysFoster, addingthattherental unitoptionispopu- laramongfirst-time homebuyersfacedwith sizablemortgages. BothAndersonand Fostersaythatmany questionscanbeclari- fiedsimplybycalling foraconsultation.But, inadvance,theysuggest determiningyourneeds fortheADUoverthe next10years,under- standingyourcity's buildingrequirements; envisioningalookand feelthatwillblendwell onyourproperty;and decidingonseveral possibleusesforthe ADUinadvance,soits useisn'tlimited. Afterall,justlike anewhome,anADU ispermanent.Itcan significantlyaddtothe valueofyourproperty, especiallywhendesigned withhigh-qualitymate- rialsandafloorplan thatallowsflexibility. Wherewillyour nextmovetakeyou? Whetheryour nextmoveistothe finelyappointedback- yardADUortothe 2,500-square-foot ramblerinArizona, planningisamust. CheckoutourNew HomeFinder(https:// www.newhomefinder. news/)andourseriesof BeyondtheBay(bame dia.news/beyondbay) sectionsforideason qualityconstruction, locationandbuilders whocanhelpyoumake thebigmoveintothe nextexcitingstageoflife. StayorGo frompage1 The Seven Summits Lodge at Trilogy at Tehaleh in Bonney Lake, Washington, located just east of Tacoma. The Verde River Golf & Social Club at Trilogy Verde River in Rio Verde is a master-planned community with select 55+ neighborhoods, lo- cated just east of North Scottsdale near Phoenix. Photo courtesy Adam Jacobs Photography A fully prefabricated ADU such as this one by Perpetual Homes in Alamo, California, can be used as a small office or studio. 2 SILICONVALLEYCOMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS 001 FRIDAY, MAY 21, 2021