Living in a 55+ community

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rich8n@reddit

I'd love to consider something like this, as I turn 55 later this year. Still a decade or more away for me though, I have an 8 year-old daughter.

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freeformz@reddit

Trust me, AZ is not “west coast” in any way. I’m also from the east coast, but now live on the west coast.

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wamimsauthor@reddit (OP)

I do know that I guess it’s as close to west coast as I’ll get. Lol

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jtrades69@reddit

damn look at the earth-shine off the moon...

what camera do you have? my iphone fucking SUCKS at taking these kinds of shots

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wamimsauthor@reddit (OP)

I actually took it with an iPhone 17 pro max. I was so surprised how well it turned out.

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therealgookachu@reddit

No fucking way. Live around old ppl, become old ppl. Expressway to reification, then death.

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Exactly. If you live and work around younger people it keeps you young. When you surround yourself with older people (55+ communities skew closer to 75 than 55) you get old. I'm not ready to get old, tho I hear the sex is plentiful. Lmao

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G3n3r1cc0unt@reddit

That’s funny. Is the sex thing actually true? I heard a rumor a long time ago that STD can be prevalent in senior communities. I get it. Why not get your freak on when you’re old. Lol.

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pythongee@reddit

According to my strictly religious MiL in a retirement community not far from The Villages....yes. She said "oh, we don't talk about that place"

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KickstandSF@reddit

I visited my sister in a Phoenix community- the neighbors WiFi was “swinger pad”

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G3n3r1cc0unt@reddit

lol. That’s so great.

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borderlineidiot@reddit

I personally enjoy living in an area with a mix of ages, backgrounds and cultures. The area I am in has its disadvantages but the neighbors are largely great, I would hate not seeing the messy side of life and moving to some kind of cocoon to try and hide from things. Do you not become very insular and retreat a bit from the real world and end up worrying about what shade of taupe the neighbor has painted their front door?

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Fit_Poetry_267@reddit

Same. We purposely moved to a street with tons of kids. My in laws moved to a 55+ (theyre 70s) and it freaks me out - like some dystopian movie before the invasion, but they love it. To each their own I guess :)

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Select-Regret-9840@reddit

I'm glad you're loving it. It's not for me.

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formernonhandwasher@reddit

I thought Gen X would be the ones to put these out of business. I can’t imagine living in one.

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threedogdad@reddit

I can't either, and neither can my parents. This sub acts so old it blows my mind. Just a couple months ago I was watching my 70 year old neighbors drag racing snowmobiles across the lake all weekend, and here's my gen rushing to retirement communities. I don't get it, it feels like tapping out on life.

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ubermonkey@reddit

I can't imagine moving to one largely because I find most older boomers insufferable. Being at the low end of the age band in a retirement community sounds like hell.

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Jolly_Middle5828@reddit

There’s a reason why they’re popular and it’s not because Gen X wouldn’t like them. It’s because when you were 35 you could never imagine living on one. Then everything seems loud and you certainly want some protection from 20 somethings LOL

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formernonhandwasher@reddit

I get the pleasure of spending weeks a years at the in laws in Florida at their old folks golf community. No thanks. Nothing like being reminded you’re old like being surrounded by old. I’ll take being surrounded by youthful energy. You know what’s loud and annoying? The only sound you hear in the incessant non stop droning of lawn equipment. Every. Damn. Minute. Kinda takes the calm out of reading in the hammock between two palm trees. I know it shouldn’t make sense because we obviously cut our lawns here but there it never seems to stop.

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green_dragonfly_art@reddit

Yep! What happened to rennovating defunct malls so we can get our Orange Julius drinks and go browse Waldenbooks, then visit the arcade before having lunch at the food court?

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maincoonpower@reddit

Sort of reminds me of that scene in Landman. When the father is rotting away in a dilapidated old folks home and demands to put a chair out back to watch the sunset every afternoon.

Anyone?

gif

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Melted-lithium@reddit

This was exactly my thought.

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Shell-Fire@reddit

I loved going to college in Flagstaff.

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Iommi1970@reddit

Same! Class of ‘92👍

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ExtraAd7611@reddit

Hello Jack! My daughter is there now and my wife went there.

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imalloverthemap@reddit

It’s probably in my comment history, but I just came home from my 55+ place in Tucson, and I’m kind of missing it already. I love being back in the PNW, because these are my people and scene, but I am trying to get a younger vibe going at my place in Tucson. There’s a lot of units up for sale in my park (park models are basically nicer mobile homes). I told management I was going to chase the cycling racing scene here, if they’re willing to offer some discounts on RV stays or park model rentals. They were open to that. I’m trying to be the change I want to see.

I place is absolutely nothing like The Villages, just a bunch of mature people who hate rain and snow and sometimes do activities together.

I say this as someone who considered herself alterna-goth in her 20s, that I really like it there

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Iommi1970@reddit

Left Tucson for the PNW 30 years ago. Wife and I are considering 55 and over down there, but man I don’t know if I can do summers, and I am not sure about being back in the desert. Different kind of beauty, but being a couple hours drive from the beach, Mt. Rainier, and the Olympics is hard to give up!

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Shipcaster@reddit

Seems suboptimal, moving to the desert at the precipice of the pre-apocalypse water shortage.

Unless you think you can take down all your feeble elder neighbors. Or own assless chaps and a muscle car adorned in human skulls.

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YoKinaZu@reddit

I know…but MN has just been so cold my whole life. 😩

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eastbaypluviophile@reddit

My brother in Christ you have hit it on the head. I do not want to be mummified in a desert, I want to be part of a forest.

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ku_78@reddit

This is the way

-Current desert dweller hoping to get out in a few years

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Suns_AZCards@reddit

Are we Gen X or are we Gen X?

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Chikiboy_OG@reddit

Wife and I are looking at the 55+ community in Florence, AZ (between Phoenix and Tucson). I've been scouring the US real estate market for several years now and these communities in lower cost areas seem to be the most cost effective option outside of living in rural areas or the South.

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YoKinaZu@reddit

My folks made the move permanently there in 2020 (they did winters before) to the one outside Florence. It’s beautiful, I’m counting the days until I can move there. The town of Florence is awesome, too really interesting history.

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Conscious-Mulberry17@reddit

Hello from Tucson!

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Without_Portfolio@reddit

We go there twice a year and can hardly wait to make Tucson our home once we retire!

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mecca6801@reddit

Enjoy it out there. I’m escaping the east coast and AZ is my next move!

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Western-Corner-431@reddit

“Escaping?”

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KingPabloo@reddit

You officially been moved to the Boomer generation. Please return your copy of The Breakfast Club and you can replace your Whatever Card with your new AARP Card.

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KickstandSF@reddit

Hey, I use my 15% Denny’s discount all the time!

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Extension-Message226@reddit

It's "Big Chill" time

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External-Dude779@reddit

Nah they're just the first in what is about to be the biggest generational takeover in Senior Living history.

Breakfast Club on rotation at the theatre and we're replacing the pool hall with a arcade. It's gonna be rad I'm telling you

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mball88@reddit

Like San Junipero but everyone’s old.

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ComprehensiveEast376@reddit

Cliche for me. I’m in Ohio and I need my four seasons. Southern climates somehow make everyone think the world envies them 🤣

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Ok_Arachnid1089@reddit

Ohio is shite mate

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I_love_Hobbes@reddit

Hello from Flagstaff!

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No_Fun_7068@reddit

My husband’s cousin moved to a 55+ community in FL and loves it. It’s like a resort. She moved in before she turned 55. They don’t have kids and are enjoying the quiet.

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Gai_Daigoji@reddit

You get the clap and you get the clap everybody gets the clap!

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ExtraAd7611@reddit

[Applause]

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Regular_or_BQ@reddit

This made me laugh, thank you for being a cynical dick like me

gif

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calvinbuddy1972@reddit

I lived in Phoenix for 5 years and loved it. The sunsets were spectacular. Go check out Prescott after you get settled, it's a neat little city up in the Bradshaw Mountains.

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Suns_AZCards@reddit

I knew this was an Arizona sunset before reading the post. Unreal sunsets.

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thatsmsbitchtoyou@reddit

Looks nice, but who will do edibles with me?

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imalloverthemap@reddit

I can always catch a whiff of people lighting up at my place. Mention edibles, and no one bats an eye (this is Arizona where it’s legal)

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AnastasiaNo70@reddit

Me.

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ExtraAd7611@reddit

Probably almost everyone.

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DasArtmab@reddit

I honestly don’t know. I love the idea of scooting around in golf carts. I don’t care for the lack diversity in both age and race though. Being a blue dot in a sea of red could get tiresome at times. You’re starting to talk me out of it

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imalloverthemap@reddit

I’m in Tucson - very blue city. That’s why it resonates with me as someone from Portland.

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BagelsandDimSum@reddit

We just started building in a 55+ community in AZ to be snowbirds. Feels surreal but we can't wait.

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nte52@reddit

I have similar views from my backyard in a Phoenix suburb. Sunrises and sunsets are really incredible in AZ, but the perpetual brown everything, rock yards and dust everywhere makes me glad we’re retiring in Florida.

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Limp_Dragonfly3868@reddit

Grass and bushes obscure the natural beauty of dirt and rock.

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Select-Regret-9840@reddit

And it seemed like all of us were there together, and it was a peaceful time. And it seemed like a dream. Or maybe it was Utah.

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GwonWitcha@reddit

Was about to be in one at the end of January when I hit fiddy. The purchase was contingent upon the sale of our current place, and our buyer backed out last minute. Still so mad about it!

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PlatypusDependent271@reddit

I can't wait. 7 more years to go.

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gen_what_x_ever@reddit

Oh, no thanks. For me, this would actually suck. Plus we have a 14 year old at home still.

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SouthOrlandoFather@reddit

You don’t even know the details. I bet if it was $6 a month to live there you would be there as soon as possible.

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gen_what_x_ever@reddit

Literally, no. I don't want to live around all older people ever.

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SouthOrlandoFather@reddit

So you live in an apartment complex in a college town?

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gen_what_x_ever@reddit

Uh no...a house in a neighborhood with people of all ages. Like most areas...

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SouthOrlandoFather@reddit

What state do you live in? You have 20 year olds buying homes in your neighborhood? We purchased our current home in 2006 and I’m willing to bet nobody under 40 has bought a home in this neighborhood since at least 2019.

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gen_what_x_ever@reddit

Good lordt, you sound like a boomer. Believe it or not, there's a lot of people younger than us that actually do buy homes. There's 30 and 40 year olds in my neighborhood and it's a very nice area of NC. Not everyone our age wants to live with only old people around, ya know.

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SouthOrlandoFather@reddit

What is average price in your neighborhood? Under or over $500,000? The people in Florida (low wage state) under 35 aren’t buying in neighborhoods priced at $500,000 or higher.

So you think 40 is young?

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gen_what_x_ever@reddit

Over. And we have a lot of transplants here in my area too. 40 is younger than me, as is anything below 40 (obviously). The older people around me are leaving or dying and their homes are being bought by younger generations. You think older folks are buying 600k-1M+ homes? Not really. I haven't seen a single older couple/family buy a house in my neighborhood- it's always younger people. You live in a state known for retirement and old people- maybe that's why you're not seeing it there? I don't know. 🤷🏽‍♀️

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SouthOrlandoFather@reddit

I live in a neighborhood that is known for having the best parks and A schools. A lot of people, of course, have kids. Some still here even though there kids of out of high school. When our youngest graduates high school we play to move though as it is great now but then we want to be closer to boat ramps and kayak launch spots. We don’t plan to move to a 55+ community but my guess is majority will be that age based on what is on our checklist for our next house. Hopefully, the next person that buys our house is 35 to 42 with 2 to 3 kids.

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SouthOrlandoFather@reddit

What is average price in your neighborhood? Under or over $500,000? The people in Florida (low wage state) under 35 aren’t buying in neighborhoods priced at $500,000 or higher.

So you think 40 is young?

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cgiuls1223@reddit

exactly this

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gen_what_x_ever@reddit

Just realized I'm not quite old enough anyway. Lol! But I won't feel any differently when I do hit 55.

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AnastasiaNo70@reddit

Does everyone drink a lot?

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watch-nerd@reddit

Is this a detention center?

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Rambo-u-drew1stblood@reddit

Arizona isn't remotely coastal. But I'm starting to see benefits of living with our age group for community cohesive goals. Lucky to have bought early in a COASTAL California city.

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chefybpoodling@reddit

Arizona. Where the great white wall of concrete block keeps the youth out.

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BobDogGo@reddit

I can’t tell if this is a joke because it’s pics of sky, telephone wires and cinder block. we have those where I live now.

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Outrageous_Drag6613@reddit

Living the dream

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Elusive_strength2000@reddit

I just imagine a lot of pervs.

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Sufficient_Stop8381@reddit

I read somewhere about how much the oldsters bang at the villages. Different color shower scrunchies on the golf carts and cars to signal what you’re down to do. Is that really a thing at retirement communities? Asking for a friend.

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Academic_Airport_889@reddit

From what I read that’s a myth and they just use the scrunchies to find their cars. However I also read that they do have a high rate of stds.

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KilroySmithson@reddit

Yes

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jayseventwo@reddit

Saw the first two pics of the walls and thought you were thinking of escaping 😂

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Affectionate-Map2583@reddit

Is that big wall to keep you in or to keep the riff-raff out?

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Ike_In_Rochester@reddit

Little bit of both.

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ExtraAd7611@reddit

I'd join you in Sun City if it didn't make my wife want to poke her eyes out.

Kind of worried about the heat though. I lived in Tucson in the 90s and acclimated to it and loved living there, but it seems to be getting hotter every year. Didn't you get like 5 months straight of days over 100 degrees last year? Was it bearable?

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AZWildcatMom@reddit

Yes and no. Yes we got a lot of days over 100 and no it was not bearable. Very little rain now as well.

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CubedMeatAtrocity@reddit

Hopefully never.

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TsabistCorpus@reddit

Yikes.

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balcon@reddit

Nice pictures. It's great you like your new digs.

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Lumpy-Artist-6996@reddit

I'm in CA, and scoped out a small 55+ community near me. It has less than 170 single family homes. The HOA was pretty low, and included front yard maintenance. It had a really nice clubhouse that could be rented if you were doing a large get together, two huge pools, tennis courts. A great work out center and lots of extra curricula activities if you want to be social.

I opted not to go that route right now because my college age kid still lives at home, and the bi laws don't allow for them to stay with me.

Ten years from now, I might reconsider, but it isn't the right place for me now.

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theghostofcslewis@reddit

I can't. I just can't.

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BucketOBits@reddit

I don’t think I’d be miserable in a 55+ community, but I sure do like the young folks in our neighborhood. When I see a bunch of kids out riding their bikes, it takes me back to the ‘80s.

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HammerT4R@reddit

Most of the better 55+ I've seen are just a section of a much larger development that has a range of home prices, types, amenities and resident ages. I've also seen the smaller 55+ that are kind of infill developments. The huge, mega sized age restriction developments in the cities we're looking at seem to be fading away.

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ailyara@reddit

i live in downtown detroit right near wayne state university, every now and then I think it might be nice living in a quieter area but the sheer amount of things to do here keeps me active, good for my brain i think

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Wait_No_But_Yeah@reddit

Same. I like seeing kids walk to school. People coming home from work. Laughter/ improvements going on/ food vendors.

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Long_Argument_1170@reddit

We live near a massive city park that has baseball, softball, and soccer almost every weekend. Hearing the kids play is one of my favorite things.

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Puzzled-Locksmith-42@reddit

I rented for a year in Sun City. Loved the stores, the stadiums, the splash pads. Hated the heat. I missed hearing kids playing outside. It was way too quiet.

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bbh42@reddit

My mom is in Sun City, AZ. These past two winters we’ve spent a month with her and getting to see it first hand. I couldn’t do year round but we enjoyed the activities and nicer weather. I’ll eventually get my mom’s house and we are considering keeping it and snowboarding there.

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BartStarrPaperboy@reddit

Tucson?

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Sallydog24@reddit

congrats, it's not the life style I would want but you do you

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Ok-Conversation-7292@reddit

We're in rural Georgia, house in the middle of 4 acres. Previous house was in the middle of 3 acres. I just can't imagine living without a yard and not privacy and HOA breathing down my neck. Glad you're liking it.

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RainZealousideal8307@reddit

But you’re surrounded by bubba.

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Ok-Conversation-7292@reddit

Not really, but you do you, boo.

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gertrudeblythe@reddit

I live in a townhouse community now with tons of kids. I can’t wait until I’m old enough for a 55+ place. I don’t want to do yard work and I don’t want to hear screaming kids. get off my lawn

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cantthinkofuzername@reddit

The screaming kids will be replaced by loud TVs from those who are hard of hearing. Ask me how I know lol. But it still may be better than the kids lol

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gertrudeblythe@reddit

Tough call! Maybe if my 55+ has houses. Who knows at this point.

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PerformanceSmooth392@reddit

Im sorry, but those look like boomer pics, not gen x pics.

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Pinakolonopin@reddit

Are there any 55+ communities where the people still party? That's where I wanna live.

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Quintipluar@reddit

The last time I partied I needed a week to recover. Would love to do it more but these days it's a cost-benefit analysis tilted heavily toward cost.

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thecannarella@reddit

The Villages in FL. All sorts of crazy stories coming out of there.

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DeauxDeaux@reddit

HOAs and HPV!!

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AnnOnnamis@reddit

can you even get the HPV vaccine after 55?

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MLTDione@reddit

No, cause we’ve all pretty much been exposed to it years ago.

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bmanjayhawk@reddit

Where in AZ are you?

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wamimsauthor@reddit (OP)

Casa Grande

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Flat_6_Theory@reddit

That’s our LA/San Diego fork in the road.

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bmanjayhawk@reddit

Have you purchased a golf cart yet?

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wamimsauthor@reddit (OP)

Not yet but we’re considering it. We don’t play golf but they’re handy.

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bmanjayhawk@reddit

Not sure about where you are but a lot of those communities on AZ and FL actually have dedicated golf cart lanes on some of the neighborhood streets and even designated golf cart parking at nearby grocery stores.

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Good_Nyborg@reddit

And the skies had little fluffy clouds in them when we lived in Arizona
They were long, and clear, and the skies went on forever
And there were lots of stars at night

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Flat_6_Theory@reddit

The Orb! Have this album.

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raf_boy@reddit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ng9Pf_p7Fw

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rabidstoat@reddit

Are you guys swingers now? I thought being a swinger was a requirement for those communities.

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ButteryOpossum@reddit

Thats a thing? TIL, maybe the future is bright! 🤣

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rabidstoat@reddit

I always hear about the high rate of STDs in senior communities because people are sleeping around, and more lax about protection because there's no pregnancy risk.

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Shell-Fire@reddit

That was at The Villages in FL.

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rabidstoat@reddit

That's the most famous but increased STDs happen in other concentrated areas of seniors.

Swinging lifestyle might be just The Villages.

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Alternative-Law4626@reddit

I think GenX is pretty clear on the STI possibilities at this point. All the swingers we used to play with were pretty careful. I’m sure that will carry on.

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Ravenloff@reddit

Is the bridge mined too?

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notevenapro@reddit

You do you my friend. I live on the east coast and no way in hell I would move to a 55 plus in.....Arizona.

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HighOnGoofballs@reddit

But a margaritaville outside of Hilton Head….. maybe. Actually build one in Pinehurst and I’m in

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Alternative-Law4626@reddit

Same. Moved into a mid sized city instead.

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c_r_a_s_i_a_n@reddit

OP are you incarcerated?

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Lameladyy@reddit

Ha! I recognized those cement block walls as AZ immediately. I lived with that prison block fencing for a few decades. Had to get out.

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c_r_a_s_i_a_n@reddit

Why do people do this? Is it because they're xenophobic? Or is the desert just so harsh that other materials don't work?

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bmanjayhawk@reddit

Most AZ communities have those large stone walls behind their houses.

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c_r_a_s_i_a_n@reddit

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fridayimatwork@reddit

lol I got to see part of a sunset today

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PissedCaucasian@reddit

Does your spouse need to be 55 too? We’re 3 years apart.

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NeutralNobrake@reddit

Only 1 does, we moved into a 55+ in Arizona last year. I'm 56, the wife is 46

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wamimsauthor@reddit (OP)

It depends. In our community only one person has to be over 55. I’ll be 54 my husband is 56 and my mil is 77.

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HighSeasArchivist@reddit

That would be the seventh level of hell for me with a bunch of nosy ass neighbors just feet away. I'll die on acreage, and they can plant me under a tree in the back.

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darktideDay1@reddit

You and me both, brother. Even though access to health care sucks here, I'm not going anywhere. They'll take me off my property in a box.

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Excellent-Seesaw1335@reddit

Amen to this

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dibbledabblescrabble@reddit

I’m ready ,,, I can’t wait! no screaming hellions! As I write this, the four feral home school kids next door to me are HOWLING and have extended their play area into my yard. Which is fenced. They scream and cry the oldest one is 9 and can’t read.

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MountainCry9194@reddit

Hello neighbor! Thanks for letting my kids scale your fence and play in your yard. Next week our home school curriculum will involve digging for dinosaurs, and we appreciate your tacit permission to do the excavation portion of said unit in your yard. /s

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dibbledabblescrabble@reddit

This pretty much sums it up….

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ONROSREPUS@reddit

So, you been to any of those pineapple parties yet?

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Hefty_Club4498@reddit

I found everyone picking at my contractor gutting and rehabing my new condo a bad experience. The permits and management company were difficult as expected. There's a reason why my condo looks new versus the other 700 condos. I listed it after a few months. The picking & whinning has continued.

My wife loves the cold.

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SouthOrlandoFather@reddit

Single family home?

Cost of property taxes per month?

Cost of HOA per month?

Cost of HOI per month?

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wamimsauthor@reddit (OP)

It’s a modular home. Our HOA is 700 plus/year and our property taxes are like $209 or so? I think

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SouthOrlandoFather@reddit

Nice. Not sure what modular home means. I’ll have to look it up.

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Glabrous@reddit

I think it means "manufactured home". Growing up, they were called "Mobile Homes" because they took a flatbed truck trip to their destination.

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PissedCaucasian@reddit

We’d ask the kids in school who lived in them what kinda mileage their house got. We were dicks.

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drewlb@reddit

Mom is in a 1700sqft SFH.

Property tax is 1.4% (so 7k/yr +/-)

HOA is $250/mo, but includes landscaping on her front yard, a few community pools, community center, couple of parks, and gym etc. All in it's pretty reasonable for the price.

HOI is about $200/mo

Arizona is still reasonably cheap other than the housing purchase cost, and even that's not that bad.

Only problem is when the run out of water.

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Krazy_Kat_Lady_2025@reddit

Looks great OP! Congrats! My Mom lives in one that has an insane amount of groups, clubs, activities and learning opportunities. More than you could ever do in your remaining years. lol Next year I'll be old enough to live there if I so choose... I will say 90% of the ones we looked at back in 2019 with my folks were not like that. They were like storage for middle-aged and older people until they had to go to a nursing home. No community or activity.

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cgiuls1223@reddit

my opinion at 55 is i definitely want to retire where ppl of all ages live, not to wither away talking with others all day about drs appointments, health issues and medication. i want to keep being stimulated by new music, new tv, new art, new people.

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Corgilicious@reddit

My dad had two homes, and one of them was in Florida. His winter home he eventually moved here to Oregon with me. When we were looking at places and I suggested 55+ communities, he told me that he did not want to do that. He found the monotony of his Florida home to be boring after a while. He wanted to live amongst families and diversity and all those things. I was kind of proud of him.

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Specialist_Stop8572@reddit

All my friends are in their 20s and 30s, I could never!

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2oocents@reddit

gif

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Etrigone@reddit

I'm in academia, at a moderately prestigious university. I'm already in a 55+ community. :)

Not really, but somewhat more serious we've watched as some local, actual senior communities up their minimum age requirement. Most were 50+ when I was under 50, now that I'm closing in on 60 the last & lowest one now is 62+.

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100percentEV@reddit

LOL, we are the kids they want to keep out!

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Etrigone@reddit

I actually bike past one of them locally as it's on a nice route to the water. Not the last time but recently, I heard more or less that from one of the residents when I looked at their newly posted rules by the front door. Someone of at least eight decades had this really sour look on their face as they glared in my direction & expressed the general message.

I laughed a bit but not sure if they heard my "whatever" as I rode away.

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_Wiggle_Puppy_@reddit

January 2026, I moved into a 55+ community in Mesa. I get to walk to the golf course clubhouse in the evenings and watch the game and have a few drinks. Tons of older folks but also many people my age as well.

I love to people-watch when they have live music or theres a big game on the TVs.

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RCrumb_@reddit

I NEVER wanted to! But at 66 and it’s a lot cheaper to live so I’m bailing and going to the old people homes lol

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ObviousOrca@reddit

oooh, looks like caught your first ufo too 🛸

have fun!

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Maleficent_Can4976@reddit

It’s nice you found a place where you feel like you belong and can relax. That’s going to be different for other people and that’s ok. You’re GenX. You don’t give a fuck what anyone else thinks.

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Ancient_Composer9119@reddit

Yawn.

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shinynugget@reddit

I wonder how well received my WRX would be on an early morning cold start.

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thejake1973@reddit

My neighbor has a tuned Focus that is very farty on startup. People don’t mind in our neighborhood at least.

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Auferstehen78@reddit

I loved my grandparents house in sun city! They wanted me to have the house but we had to sell it to fund their assisted living.

I would love living in one, they had classes for everything and pools without kids.

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wamimsauthor@reddit (OP)

We have a pool, jacuzzi, library and gym plus a community room. It’s great!

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Lavender_Wynter@reddit

You would be living with people who are your parents and grandparents ages🤣. I would imagine that the old people there wouldn't approve of the music of the Gen X'ers there🤣. Old people like crappy, boring music. I'm a young Gen X'er/Xennial and my immediate generation grew up with rap music. Most old people would freaking hate that. A place like that would be like hanging around your parents and their friends but being with them all of the freaking time. As Bishop Bullwinkle would say, "Hell to the naw naw" to that🤣.

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KittenFace25@reddit

Whatever you're taking, I do not want to try it.

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Slydownndye@reddit

What are you about you clown. I’m GenX, my parents are 80 and my grandparents have been dead for 30 years. OP is in their 50s and like me grew up on punk, hip hop and alt/indie music. Old people like the music they’ve liked their entire lives and are still discovering new music. Fuck off with your judgement, boomer.

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AnnOnnamis@reddit

I would move to AZ, but the thought of having no water someday scares me.

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KittenFace25@reddit

I was born in and continue to live in Western Pennsylvania, but if I were to retire someplace other than here, Arizona is at or near the top of my list of where I would like to be.

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Ray_The_Engineer@reddit

Glad you found something that works for you. My “55+ community”is the acreage we bought in the NC mountains, near a cool small town with super cool people in it. I don’t want walls or people so close when I wake up in the morning.

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100percentEV@reddit

Same. Our “retirement” home is on 2 acres and is off a main road, so not in a neighborhood. I figure the cost to eventually hire out lawn maintenance is still cheaper than HOA fees. We also have a extra apartment that my daughter currently rents. It will be good income as long as we are here.

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Aggressive_Corgi4216@reddit

Looking into these as I’m retiring early at 56 and we still want to have fun. Afraid that if we move into a non-planned retirement community that we won’t have a good social network.

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VeryLowIQIndividual@reddit

I can’t imagine how miserable it is living in a 55 and up community. I checked out one here locally but you couldn’t even get in the double gate and the two armed guards in the 96 cameras pointed at you to even look at the property layout, which was all the same little flats that are probably 900 ft.² at most.

The homeowners association in that place is probably like the fucking Gestapo. 55-year-old prescription drugged out women riding around in golf carts bitching about everybody’s property.

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Jenshark86@reddit

Call a realtor and they will get you in for showings

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VeryLowIQIndividual@reddit

I think I’ve seen enough

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AbsolutesDealer@reddit

Even a very low IQ individual can see this reality.

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jzoola@reddit

🎯

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toTheNewLife@reddit

I could never live in a 55+. I am 59.

I am too loud. My presumed neighbors who are getting ready to die probably don't want to hear me riffing on my Bass in the garage... nor do they want to hear the metal on the stereo in said garage.

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RoguePlanet2@reddit

They shouldn't use age as a factor for these communities, but for "extroverts" and "introverts." Maybe even smokers, dog people, and motorcycles. There could be questionnaires to determine which section of the neighborhood would suit them best.

Most of our neighbors are retired, and it's mostly quiet, which is great. I like blasting my music occasionally, but our houses are pretty well-insulated so I don't hear it from the outside (I don't have a crazy sound system in any case!)

Hell, the 65+ crowd might do well in an area with lots of noise, assuming they could shut off their hearing aids as needed 😋

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Pinakolonopin@reddit

I need to do this

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RoguePlanet2@reddit

Looks stunning! We moved into one accidentally, but definitely love the lack of screaming kids around us.

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Salt_Anywhere_6604@reddit

Blech. Miserable

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greyshirtfreshman@reddit

You guys have a sky??/s J/k hope you’re enjoying it.

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The_ZombyWoof@reddit

"we lived in Arizona and the skies always had little fluffy clouds in them and, er

They were long and clear and there were lots of stars at night

And, er, when it would rain it would all turn, it, they were beautiful, the most beautiful skies, as a matter of fact

The sunsets were purple and red and yellow and on fire and the clouds would catch the colors everywhere

That's unique, 'cause I used to look at them all the time when I was little

You don't see that"

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elxxup@reddit

You might still see it in the desert.

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Individual-Emu5108@reddit

Little Fluffy Clouds! ☁️🎵

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DJErikD@reddit

With power lines and tall, brick walls!

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JulieAnn22@reddit

Glad you are enjoying it! I am considered a midwest move to a warmer climate also. Will love to hear how the summer goes - I worry I’ll miss the seasons. Your pictures are beautiful!

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wamimsauthor@reddit (OP)

Thank you. My husband lived here 30 plus years ago and warned us it gets hot in the summer. I am planning to get a telescope because the skies are so clear here.

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neonoto4@reddit

My man found his community on the moon.

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oldfartjr@reddit

We’ve looked at some and have considered it. I just don’t want to stop living. No interest in golf or other old people stuff.

We’ve yet to find a community that will allow me to enjoy working on cars in my garage. Not going to pay to put AC in it, so the door is going to be open for air. I can deal with “quiet hours”, but I’m not going to give up the one hobby I really enjoy

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La_Mano_Cornuta@reddit

Good luck, not sure I'm built for Arizona summers anymore.

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Anonymo123@reddit

if energy issues continue and there are any grid issues.. no one else will be built for AZ in the summer with no AC.

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chicagoliz@reddit

The crazy thing is AZ should like, lead the nation in solar production. They get a lot of sun. If every house had solar paneled rooftops that could generate the energy necessary for the a/c.

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Drivebybilly@reddit

Or water.

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Anonymo123@reddit

glad its working out for you. I personally have zero desire to be in such a community short of medical issues that require help. I hope and plan to build one more home and live the rest of my days there.

my mom moved into a patio home community to avoid the yard stuff. it was a nice area, decent quality homes but the HOA was a shit show with corruption and idiots running it.

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Lightningstruckagain@reddit

Great sunsets. Hope you’re getting ready for summer heat. Even “cool” days are upper 90s.

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harrismi7@reddit

I moved to one last July when I was 51. I love it, everyone is friendly and it’s quiet. My parents live in the same neighborhood just one street away so I can help them if they need anything.

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Ok-Offer-541@reddit

AZ native here. Moved away but think about coming back often. Counting the days until I can downsize and be in a 55+ community. No more kids. Not that I have anything against - just don’t want them bouncing on a trampoline practically right outside my dining room window. So done. 😖😮‍💨

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MaximumJones@reddit

Is that big wall there to keep you in or other people out?. 😳😁

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wamimsauthor@reddit (OP)

lol is that a Hand that rocks the cradle reference? Probably mostly critters. Haha

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Butitsadryheat2@reddit

I'm happy for you & hi from Scottsdale. 🌵🌞

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wamimsauthor@reddit (OP)

Thanks we’re in Casa Grande! I hear Scottsdale is beautiful!