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Landscaping Included? 55+ Active Adult Communities

One of the many benefits of moving to a Del Webb Community or any active adult community is that you don’t have to cut your grass or clip your shrubs anymore.

In fact it is mostly presented that “Landscaping is included”.   But is that true?

Having now lived in a Del Webb Community now for the last nine months, I can give you my perspective on that question.

Yes, cutting grass is something that is done on a regular schedule. In the Summer it is done weekly and in other seasons, done when needed.  The landscaping company hired by the homeowners association does cut, edge and blow and mostly does a good job.  You will not need a lawn mover to cut your grass, unless you want to.  Some people do, believe it or not.

Some people have a fenced back yard and they like to cut their own grass in the fenced area.  If not, the homeowner association charges an extra fee to cut, because of access issues.

Now the pruning of the shrubs in the front is included but some people want it done more frequently and either do it themselves or pay a company or person to prune.  Also if you add plants yourself, you will need to maintain them.  Any dead plants, the homeowner will need to replace at their own expense.

Fertilization and weed control is provided but I can tell you not to the extent it would be done if you hire a private company.  My neighbor and I have contracted with a lawn company and our yards look a little better than average.

You know when I moved here, I gave away or got rid of almost all my landscaping tools and equipment.  It is true I don’t need a mower or edger but I wish I had kept a shovel, an axe, a hard rake and other tools.  I really don’t have room for a wheel barrow but could use one. I did buy two water hoses and two sprinklers, for front and back.

Some maintenance that I did is to some replace some patches of Bermuda grass in bald spots, planted some flowers and did some aeration. In the Fall I need to spray for a fungus making spots in my Bermuda lawn. Also even though I have a pest control company, I am going to spay insecticide around the perimeter of my home.  Oh, I did have my Crepe Myrtles trimmed back in February.

They did put down pine straw in early Spring but that faded pretty fast.  I just put down mulch around my front tree and bought two bales of pine straw to freshen up my island and beds.

I have been watering myself in this hot weather but both my neighbors say they have an irrigation system and I should get one.  They may be right. I also heard the water bill for a sprinkler system can be quite expensive.

I am retired and in pretty good shape so this first year I have enjoyed doing a little around the house.  But I could see for many people this would be less than enjoyable and something they didn’t count on doing or having done.

Since this was posted originally, I have started to use a local landscaper more and more for small things I used to do. There are too many fun activities that I can be doing to get into landscaping like I used to.

So is landscaping included?  Well yes, but if you solely reply on the homeowner association supplied company, your yard will be lacking and probably below average for your 55+ community.

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Del Webb Communities

Children Are the Reason For Move

Children are the reason some people move to a 55+ community!

When you think about it, that is really ironic since children are not allowed to live at a 55+ community.

Let me explain. From living in a Del Webb Community, I observe these are two large groups of people who move to a 55+ community for the same reasons, at least initially.

Group number one and by far the largest group are people who moved to the area to be closer to their grown children and grand kids. Moving closer to your kids is the number one reason people move to a 55+ community outside of their home state.  It makes sense.  Where else could you move away, many times across the county, and immediately be accepted and make friends easily.  A 55+ active adult community is idea for this purpose.

The second much small group includes people who do not have kids or at least do not have a close relationship with their kids. They are free to move where they want to without considering where kids live. Again the 55+ retirement community is ideal for their lifestyle too. You have many friends in the community and a family of people you share a bond with at this wonderful stage of life.

This second group without kids include both married couples such as myself and Mary Ann and plenty of singles without kids.

There are a variety of reasons people move to a 55+ community but it’s kind of interesting that children are such an influence on many decisions.

Of course I have heard of several people who moved to a 55+ community to be closer to their kids and later the kids moved away and the parents stayed in their 55+ community.  On the other hand I have heard of the parents moving to a 55+ community in another state, then the grown kids moving down to be closer to the parents. Interesting.