subject: Three tips for Choosing the Best Retirement Community In North Carolina [print this page] Three tips for Choosing the Best Retirement Community In North Carolina
So you are starting to think about moving to a retirement community in North Carolina, but you have a lot of questions. That's good! It's important to ask a lot of questions, since this is one of the biggest decisions of your life.
Many people in their 50's and 60's are starting to think about downsizing and living in a retirement community where they can be surrounded by others who have a similar lifestyle and have achieved certain goals related to career and raising a family.
1. Location is obviously one of the most important factors and North Carolina offers a wide variety of options from the urban areas of Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, Greensboro and Charlotte to areas of natural beauty including the seacoast and the mountain region of western North Carolina. You want to consider the pros and cons of a more urban setting with a smaller town setting.
What are the educational, cultural and medical resources in the area you are considering? The triangle area (Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill) is attractive to many future retirees due to its wealth of cultural activities, as well as top notch medical facilities.
However, the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina are a major retirement destination, with its slower pace of life while still offering plenty of cultural activities in Asheville and Hendersonville, and outstanding medical facilities such as Mission Memorial Hospital, Park Ridge Hospital and Pardee Hospital.
2. Do you want to rent or own?
Both renting and owning are viable options, depending on your situation. Renting offers a good way to avoid tying up financial resources in another home and you don't have to deal with maintenance costs which can be substantial.
Another option is what is called a '"life rights purchase" community. This type of community means you buy the right to live in the home that you select. The residency license fee is generally refundable after the end of residency.
3. What fees are there?
Most communities have a monthly fee that can include meals, housekeeping, transportation, activities, etc. Be sure to ask about any hidden fees or cost there are, aside from what the community initially tells you about. Find out if the money you put down (which could be called a deposit, a buy-in fee or any number of similar terms) is refundable at all? How often are monthly fees raised and how are increases determined? It's also important to find out what kind of insurance you will need to have.
Everyone wants to live independently for all our lives, but the fact is most of us will need some level of assistance at some point, for some period of time, in our older years. For a free guide with more info you'll want to consider, visit http://www.northcarolinaretirementcommunitiesandhomes.com.
