After many years of hard and satisfying work investing in a career and raising a family, it’s time for you to take a step back and consider what you want for your next phase of life. It’s an exciting opportunity to choose a fulfilling future! If you're considering relocation, one of the most exciting decisions you'll make is where you'll decide to live and spend your well-earned retirement years. Below, read our 6 reasons why you’ll want to consider living in a 55 plus community.
1. Built-In Friendships
One of the most compelling reasons to live in a 55 plus community is that it offers several relational opportunities. It’s always pleasant to walk through life surrounded by friends in similar life stages. There’s a structured path for doing this in almost every other life phase, from attending school with peers to walking a career path with those of similar expertise and backgrounds to raising a family alongside other families whose children are involved in similar activities.
For retirees, however, this choice becomes one that needs to be made more intentionally. Choosing to live in a 55 plus community means that, instead of having to go out of your way to meet like-minded friends in a similar life phase, you’re surrounding yourself with friends who will literally be your next door neighbors!
2. Community Amenities
Additionally, a 55 plus community provides ample venues and activities to meet your neighbors and to form strong bonds with them. In the Blenheim community of The Ponds at Bayberry, there are several resort-style amenities like pickle ball courts, tennis courts, bocce courts, and a pool.
At the heart of our community, The Ponds has a 10,000-square-foot luxury clubhouse where members can gather for cocktail parties and socialization around a firepit while enjoying a view with a private pond. Inside the clubhouse, you’ll find a fully-equipped fitness center where you can stay active and focus on your health with group classes and solo workout time. The clubhouse also features a community lounge, a ballroom, a billiards room, a card room, a catering kitchen and bar, and a community center for special events and activities.
Outside, there are miles of walking and biking trails to explore, with fountains, ponds, benches, and well-groomed greenery along the way. At Blenheim, we’re committed to preserving over 50% of open space so that residents can enjoy scenic horizons from every house. All of these amenities, from the clubhouse to the carefully planned community trails and nature walks, encourage a healthy and active lifestyle to be shared and enjoyed with friends.
3. No Maintenance
One of the reasons we vacation is to be able to step outside the daily grind of work and responsibilities. Think of living in a 55 plus community as a sort of perpetual yet sustainable and realistic vacation. Aside from the resort-style amenities described above, another wonderful benefit of residing in a community like The Ponds at Bayberry is the hiatus from labor-intensive maintenance activities.
Do you remember the first time you hired a lawn service company to mow your grass and trim your hedges, or the first time you decided to hire someone to shovel your walk in winter? Once adopted, it’s hard to imagine ever living without these small luxuries and conveniences. One of the best parts of living in a 55 plus community is that you get to enjoy a low-maintenance lifestyle where on-lot maintenance is part and parcel of the other amenities you enjoy on a daily basis.
4. Peaceful Atmosphere
When we walk into our homes at the end of the day, most of us feel a sense of peace, calm, and quiet, as if we’re entering a place that reflects our values and pace of life, a place where we can relax and feel comfortable. This same sense of peace, quiet, and orderliness is what a 55 plus community offers but on a larger scale. While there are always plenty of opportunities to invite grandkids over for a swim in the pool and s’mores around the communal fire pit, at the end of the day, the community is shared and owned by those whose lifestyles and habits more closely reflect your own.
5. Community Conveniences are Nearby
All of Blenheim Homes’ communities are consciously and thoughtfully designed with their residents in mind. Among other conveniences, this means that we’ve built our 55 plus community to be accessible to daily destinations, both attractions and necessities. For example, the future Bayberry Town Center in Middletown is within walking distance of The Ponds and will offer a picturesque greenspace and wide walkways alongside shops and restaurants. Additionally, boating destinations and golf courses are quickly accessible by car.
Middletown itself is also a strategic location for retirees since it’s located near well-respected medical care facilities, as well as other conveniences. Middletown is about a 40-minute drive from Wilmington, Delaware’s largest city, and about an hour away from the Philadelphia airport. The Ponds at Bayberry is strategically located with quick and easy toll-free access to the main highways that connect Middletown with Delaware’s most beautiful beaches and state parks, as well as nearby states like Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and New York, so visiting friends and family- no matter where they are- is easy! (Click here to explore nearby attractions and amenities.)
6. Designed for Aging in Place
One of the decisions many retirees get to make is where and how to prepare for their future. In a 55 plus community, aging in place is a much easier option because floor plans and community plans have already been orchestrated to support these needs. This means future renovations for additions like hand rails or other accessibility features are both less complex and less expensive, making this move a smart investment in your future. Additionally, all single-family and villa homes at The Ponds at Bayberry offer options that are flexible to your personal needs and preferences so that you truly have the ability to design the home and lifestyle that’s right for you.
