Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Discussions => Topic started by: Harvey Nelson on November 04, 2013, 11:07:28 am
Title: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Harvey Nelson on November 04, 2013, 11:07:28 am
An outstanding example is The Gardens in Crossville TN. The Gardens - An RV Community (http://www.gardensrvvillage.com/rvhomebase.htm)
Are there other nice similar areas more central in the country, a bit warmer in the winter, closer to big city amenities, and educational/medical opportunities? (Approx 80% of the folks bail out to places like Florida for the winter.) We very much like some of the areas in Texas like the Tyler/Nac area and the Austin/Georgetown area. The Hideaway north of Tyler looks nice and is RV friendly in the older sections if the lot size permits.
We very much like Sun City Texas for it's amenities such as: activities, location, exercise facilities with pools and spas. But, as was noted in a thread last winter, no on-site RV storage. That is a biggee for us but life is full of trade-offs.
We presently live in Ridgecrest California (China Lake, remote high desert, great place to live and work) and would like to escape to a more central USA area. We like the Oro Valley (Tucson) area but again it is far west and far from most Motorcade activities and Audrey's Virginia family.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Peter & Beth on November 04, 2013, 11:35:55 am
I think about this topic frequently with little success. We're stuck on deciding if to travel in the winter by going South and staying in the North Central area for the Summer in the sticks & Bricks or the opposite approach. It's a difficult decision as we may decide to sell the motorhome at some point and just travel another style like cruises, air travel to far away destinations overseas, etc. Or both???? See what I mean?
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Michelle on November 04, 2013, 03:50:05 pm
There's the Lake Whitney RV community near Hillsboro - not quite The Gardens but I believe Fofums Coleen and Jerry live there.
Would love to hear more of your impressions of Hideaway - it looks like an interesting community if you could find an RV-friendly property there.
There are occasional properties that crop up with RV barns, but not as a community as a whole (I wish Tom and Bill would consider going into the property development biz and build an RV barndominium community using their barn as a concept). The Club at Buckhorn in Kerrville is a long term land lease that you buy.
We live in a community similar to Sun City Texas, but gated (Sun City is not) and in the Metroplex. We're allowed to have RVs in front of the house for 48 hours max and store not terribly far away. It's worked out for us (until T&B build that perfect homebase community ;) )
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Carol Savournin on November 04, 2013, 04:50:28 pm
We are now in a community on the west side of Tucson that is mainly snowbirds. We decided that it made more sense for us to travel a wide area in the summer and stay localized in the winter months. The community has some homes with RV garages, but most do not. Parking is allowed for 72 hrs to load and unload and there is a fenced storage area (gravel, no elec) with assigned spots, water & a dump station at the back edge of the community. Pat & George Hatfield are here and we ran into another Foretravel couple who live about 10 miles away!
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Falconguy on November 04, 2013, 05:07:00 pm
Sun City TX for us. We always wanted to have our coach at home, but it was just not to be. Sun city is a great place and we have an excellent place to park not too far away that provides electricity, water,air and a dump station.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: dougself on November 04, 2013, 06:26:55 pm
Well. On the other coast is The Landings in Savannah, GA. Can't park your coach at home more than 24 hrs. but there is outside secured storage with 50/30 amp service.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Coleen on November 04, 2013, 07:12:14 pm
We do own a home in Lake Whitney RV Community. We just listed it for sale as my work has taken us to San Antonio. We have it listed with a realtor and are living in our motorhome.
I am in the process of building a website with photos etc. we are sad to leave it as it is a quality built home with a big rig port and full hook ups.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: txforetravel on November 04, 2013, 08:26:50 pm
Michelle, thanks I think! Yes a community with barns would be great! Rolling hills with barns and horses and cattle roaming so we won't have to mow!
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: rbark on November 04, 2013, 08:50:52 pm
That sounds nice, just don't let any old goats in :P. I mean the 4 legged kind! Richard B
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: txforetravel on November 04, 2013, 09:06:12 pm
No to the old goat!
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Roger & Susan in Home2 on November 04, 2013, 09:08:17 pm
Everywhere we go we ask,"What would it be like to live here?" On those perfect Fall days we wonder where is there a place that would be just like this? Santa Fe, NM. Asheville, NC. Santa Maria, CA. Honokowai, Maui, all great places we love to visit.
Actually, pretty nice right here in rural Hastings. Minimum lot size 2 1/2 acres. A 1500 sf detached barn is possible. Warm is only a couple days drive away. The beauty of Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall is just outside the door in our woods. Besides, all of our friends and most of our family are here as well as meaningful volunteer work. And we still travel about 100 days a year. Good health care nearby.
Pretty nice place to retire. Life is good!
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Siren on November 04, 2013, 11:43:29 pm
Sun City TX for us. We always wanted to have our coach at home, but it was just not to be. Sun city is a great place and we have an excellent place to park not too far away that provides electricity, water,air and a dump station.
If you don't mind indulging, where is this elusive place "that provides electricity, water, air, and a dump station" that is not too far away from Sun City?
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Carol Savournin on November 04, 2013, 11:50:43 pm
If you don't mind indulging, where is this elusive place "that provides electricity, water, air, and a dump station" that is not too far away from Sun City?
Just to clarify, when I said "park" I mean store and "not too far" is 20 miles. The name is Mustang RV and Boat Storage in Round Rock TX
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: BobW on November 05, 2013, 08:06:06 am
Harvey: It was nice meeting you and Audrey at The Gardens this summer. We did not get a chance to talk about this topic. We concluded that the choices/places/states we looked at all had some compromise. (Like Rvs). Texas and Florida were to hot in the summer. California had too high a tax rate etc. Our intent was to find a place that we could continue to RV from and to as we transitioned from full timers to part time RVers. Once we stopped RVing, we needed to settle into a home that was safe, friendly, not too big, not too small, with good medical facilities around and a low tax rate etc. The weather should also not be extremely cold or hot. For us, The Gardens meet those criteria. Good luck in your search. Bob 2000 U270
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Harvey Nelson on November 05, 2013, 10:27:37 am
Thanks for all the great responses! Very very helpful.
The big bottom line for us is that we need to sell before we can take any serious action re buying. We don't have the resources (and financial knowledge) to buy then sell.
In the mean time I'll be consolidating the various information and tradeoffs to help us make that decision later on.
And we'll continue exploring areas. We're in Georgetown now and going to Ft Worth area for the weekend. Thus we'll be able to check out Lake Whitney. Later we plan to be in the Tucson area and can check out the options there.
Again, a big thanks to all who responded.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Old Hippie on November 05, 2013, 10:42:00 am
Harvey, try to avoid IH35 North bound on your trip to FW. I live in Salado and we avoid it at all cost.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Dave Cobb on November 05, 2013, 11:32:37 am
We're in Georgetown now and going to Ft Worth area for the weekend. Thus we'll be able to check out Lake Whitney. Later we plan to be in the Tucson area and can check out the options there.
Again, a big thanks to all who responded.
The RV community place at Whitney offers two free nights in case you did not know, if you want to stop and look around the area. Info on their website. I know that Coleen loves the close by Corp park for her morning bike rides from her RV portal home. Acousticart (Don and Tys) are staying up the road a couple of miles in the Thousand Trails this week.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: BamaFan on November 05, 2013, 01:03:12 pm
We are currently on our way to Phoenix, AZ to check out that area for the same thing. I haven't been able to find a community with RV "barns", but that area does have just about everything else. AZ does have an income tax though, so not quite as full-timer friendly as TX. We haven't completely ruled out TX either. I am going to talk to some members of a couple of RV clubs there to get their take on the area.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Carol Savournin on November 05, 2013, 06:26:55 pm
We are currently on our way to Phoenix, AZ to check out that area for the same thing. I haven't been able to find a community with RV "barns", but that area does have just about everything else. AZ does have an income tax though, so not quite as full-timer friendly as TX. We haven't completely ruled out TX either. I am going to talk to some members of a couple of RV clubs there to get their take on the area.
We are South Dakota residents ... legally ... driver's licenses and tag & Title our vehicles there. It is our primary residence, although we do not own property there. We bought a winter home in Arizona, but we do not stay here long enough that we need to declare ourselves residents of the state.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: mcbus on November 09, 2013, 12:42:34 pm
Interesting thread and a subject that we all ponder at one time or another. For me I didn't want anything to do with HOA's (Home Owners Ass) and minimum CC&R's. A couple of years ago I bought a lot in the Yuma, Az Foothills. For those not familiar with the Foothills its highly RV oriented. People buy and use the lots as winter RV sites and many build winter homes on the lots as I have along with the RV pad.
Lots to do in the area with Algodonas, Mexico nearby. However, I have no desire to be here during the summer although I have some friends that do stay. I travel back to Oregon during the summer.
Now I'm contemplating a subject that all of us approach at some point. Do I need a 40ft RV anymore. I'm thinking that moving down to a smaller gas powered RV is in my immediate future.
Just my thoughts.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: BamaFan on November 09, 2013, 11:53:37 pm
We've been checking the Phoenix, AZ area. Robertsresorts.com has two communities here, one in El Mirage northwest of Phoenix, and one in Gold Canyon southeast of the city. Robertsresorts.com also shows developments in Bull Head City, NV and south Alabama. We really like the community in Gold Canyon and the fall and winter here is gorgeous.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Carol Savournin on November 10, 2013, 10:33:51 am
Some of the best advice we ever got, came from a very good friend (who lived to the age of 93) who told us,"Do things BEFORE you HAVE to. That way you can arrange your future without being at the mercy of urgent circumstances." We looked for a community that would COMPLEMENT the fact that we owned an RV without being completely centered around it. Our new digs in Tucson have everything we need to enjoy a great many years ... single floor living, easy maintenance, great community, great city, medical care, airports, great weather 9 months of the year AND a place to store the RV. We do not have an RV garage attached to the home, but the secure lot is just around the corner and has a dump station and good water. If we need to downsize to a smaller rig or even quit completely, the home is going to suit us just fine. If we need to sell at some point, the home is not limited to just one type of buyer! The Real Estate market here is seeing steady increases.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Art on November 10, 2013, 04:03:44 pm
I think about this topic frequently with little success. We're stuck on deciding if to travel in the winter by going South and staying in the North Central area for the Summer in the sticks & Bricks or the opposite approach. It's a difficult decision as we may decide to sell the motorhome at some point and just travel another style like cruises, air travel to far away destinations overseas, etc. Or both???? See what I mean?
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: 2Escapees on November 10, 2013, 10:26:59 pm
We might be the only Foretravel owners in The Villages, Fl but it is a great 55+ community - think Del Webb on steroids. Central Florida location with many, many amenities and two secure RV storage facilities with water and a dump station. The daily newspaper (yes they still print them and deliver daily) has a Thursday insert about 40 pages listing the coming weeks activities - if you are bored here there's no hope for you. Happy hour and live entertainment every night at each of the three town squares!!
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Siren on November 10, 2013, 11:29:17 pm
My brother and sister-in-law, and my aunt and uncle all live in The Villages. They LOVE it! What a great place!!
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Harvey Nelson on November 11, 2013, 08:54:56 am
"Do things BEFORE you HAVE to. That way you can arrange your future without being at the mercy of urgent circumstances." We looked for a community that would COMPLEMENT the fact that we owned an RV without being completely centered around it. Our new digs in Tucson have everything we need to enjoy a great many years ... single floor living, easy maintenance, great community, great city, medical care, airports, great weather 9 months of the year AND a place to store the RV. ...
Great post. Looking forward to checking out your area soon.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Ron Hammer on November 11, 2013, 11:37:37 am
Hi . We live in Mission TX and have several community's you might be interested in. Our community is called Aladdin Villas. There are about 5 hundred homes some with RV parking. Other community are Benson Grove ,Greengate to name just a few. This area is very friendly and the weather suits us just fine. Were around 5 hundred miles south of Nacogdoches TX. If you decide to investigate give us a call so we can help you find these community's. We were on the NY trip last year with you two.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Jim on November 11, 2013, 09:40:36 pm
Some of the best advice we ever got, came from a very good friend (who lived to the age of 93) who told us,"Do things BEFORE you HAVE to. That way you can arrange your future without being at the mercy of urgent circumstances." We looked for a community that would COMPLEMENT the fact that we owned an RV without being completely centered around it. Our new digs in Tucson have everything we need to enjoy a great many years ... single floor living, easy maintenance, great community, great city, medical care, airports, great weather 9 months of the year AND a place to store the RV. We do not have an RV garage attached to the home, but the secure lot is just around the corner and has a dump station and good water. If we need to downsize to a smaller rig or even quit completely, the home is going to suit us just fine. If we need to sell at some point, the home is not limited to just one type of buyer! The Real Estate market here is seeing steady increases.
You have piqued my interest as we like Tucson. Is this a particular community?
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Dave M (RIP) on November 12, 2013, 03:12:06 am
Have been thinking about this very subject for a good while and still have the same feeling about being happy right where we are, yes Virginia is not the most tax freindly state, but we are comfy with it. Its called roots I guess, we are happy here, have all our needs met, weather wise, would say it is the best of all worlds, have the 4 seasons, not too hot, not too cold, not too much snow, good roads, safe place to live and so far no outsiders trying to steal your anything. Do have a very fine home, large shop/garage for the coach. Guess we must be nuts to like where we are as I can not find a better place to live and return to after the RV venturing around, its nice to come home. ;D
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: John S on November 12, 2013, 07:00:03 am
Have been thinking about this very subject for a good while and still have the same feeling about being happy right where we are, yes Virginia is not the most tax freindly state, but we are comfy with it. Its called roots I guess, we are happy here, have all our needs met, weather wise, would say it is the best of all worlds, have the 4 seasons, not too hot, not too cold, not too much snow, good roads, safe place to live and so far no outsiders trying to steal your anything. Do have a very fine home, large shop/garage for the coach. Guess we must be nuts to like where we are as I can not find a better place to live and return to after the RV venturing around, its nice to come home. ;D
I agree love VA. It is for lovers. We have history mountains ocean and no traffic here.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: kb0zke on November 12, 2013, 05:51:47 pm
This discussion is a few years too early for us, but it is something that we have discussed. One of the purposes of being full-timers is to see the country with an eye toward a place where we will eventually land when we don't want to travel as much anymore. SW Missouri is a pretty good place, with generally reasonable temperatures, and when we first started talking about retirement places we thought we would stay in the general area. We may still end up back here, but we want to see what other options are out there.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Harvey Nelson on November 12, 2013, 06:37:45 pm
Guess we must be nuts to like where we are as I can not find a better place to live and return to after the RV venturing around, its nice to come home. ;D
You are just plain fortunate. Where we are is not a place we want to get old in.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: jeff on November 12, 2013, 08:24:26 pm
Good topic. Carol and I full timed for over 3 years and everywhere we looked the thought was; would we be happy here if we had to come off the road? Not many states we didn't look and discuss. FOR US, Tucson worked. Only been here a full month but seems we made a great choice. Again, for us.... AND, if we decide to do something completly different (I do like to make changes) it won't be difficult to move 2,000 miles... Maybe our next location will be Panama...
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: lgshoup on November 22, 2013, 09:07:56 am
I could do Panama or Costa Rica. Don't know if I'd drive the FT there or not. We've done some looking in Vero Beach, FL. Nice size community with a great church and good weather. Probably do a condo after selling the FT. Not ready to do any of that yet but are looking.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: LBoyd on November 26, 2013, 12:42:12 am
Hi Harvey! Great topic. We have spent a lot of time checking out homes with RV covered garages. 1. The Villages in Crossfield Tenn have a great layout. If I was going to build my own someplace else, I'd steal their plan. 2. Prescott Az which is a great town, has a nice development with rv garages as an option (don't remember the name) as you come in from Prescott Valley. Cold winters. 3. Laughlin Nv and Bullhead City Az have developments with RV garages that used to be very reasonable but they were about sold out 6 months ago. Hot summers. 4. Carson City Nv has a lot of homes with one acre lots and different sized rv garages. South of CC near Lake Topaz are several developments that have a lot of Rv garages with very nice homes. The latter is miles from shopping. Again Cold winters.
All these places have their good and bad as far as taxes, weather, etc. None are 55+ with activities
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Ed Pan on November 26, 2013, 07:17:16 am
Hi All, If any of you are in Fl. and interested- check out where Sue and I call home, Lake Ashton. Go into their web site and explore. These are block homes on properties that one owns. If you desire to have your coach as part of your home- there are about 10 designs to choose from as starters with enclosed garages- no open carports allowed. Then you can spend as much money as you want to modify or add to your choice. Talking about amenities- there more than anyone will need. For golf lovers- two beautiful but difficult pristine 18 hole courses to challenge! Having lived here now for 8 yrs. I can go on and on because we love the place so much. However, we are the only Foretravel owners here out of 110 that I am aware of. Since Lazy Days and La Mesa RV centers and Camping World are only an hour or so drive, there are an increasing number of Tiffin products- mostly Phaetons, Allegro Busses and Zephyrs. As a matter of fact, the residents that live on one of our streets in the area where all the motorhome houses are located, are jokingly talking about suggesting changing their street name from Limrick to Tiffin Way. And before I forget, Lake Ashton is an official chapter of FMCA. We have a lot of fun in house and travelling all around this great country. So if you are looking or thinking about a place to call home here in the sunny state of Fl. with or without your beloved Foretravel, come see our place in paradise and be our guest. Call us and we can arrange for you to plug in to one of the visitors 50 amp. RV site and be our guest during your stay and enjoy all the amenities to "get a feel" of the place. If you come on a Tues. at 3:00 pm you will be part of our weekly RV get together at our beautiful clubhouse and then join us for dinner at our inhouse rest.-The View. Or we can go to any of the many wonderful restaurants around. Lake Ashton might just be the place for you, never know! Ed and Sue
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Harvey Nelson on November 27, 2013, 10:28:37 am
Thanks all of you for the great comments and suggestions.
We are now home after almost 6 months and 12K miles for this years annual trip to Virginia to see Audrey's family.
Two big items on my task list:
Get our place ready to sell so we can go full-time enroute to moving.
Try to summarize all the great data we have, experiences, desires, suggestions, etc.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Barry & Cindy on November 27, 2013, 10:59:57 am
Harvey & Audrey,
Are you considering full time RVing for a couple of years or so?
Barry & Cindy
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: John S on November 27, 2013, 12:51:05 pm
Hey Harvey, where in Virginia are they located?
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Harvey Nelson on November 28, 2013, 09:45:11 am
Barry: We need to sell before we can buy. Thus the full-timing would be intermediate till we found a new place. The Foretravel takes the pressure off the timing.
John: two sisters are in Mt Crawford and the other in Chesapeake. The home place is Mt Solon.
Title: Re: Looking for RV Friendly Retirement Communities
Post by: Retired Navy Chief on November 28, 2013, 05:02:17 pm