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 Welcome to our November edition. Thanksgiving is nearly upon us and we’ve been reflecting on all that we’re thankful for. One of them is you, as well as the 77 million other seniors and fellow boomers whom we serve every day.
We’ve been busy beavers continuing to grow our Active Adult Living.com website and are proud to report that we now list over 1,500 active lifestyle or age-restricted communities! Kudos to Helen, our faithful research assistant, for continuing to find them – and to Lisa for continuing to add them to our website every week.
We’re delighted to have a guest author for our Featured Article this month. We welcome Jan Cullinane, co-author of The New Retirement – The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life. You will find the article both insightful and interesting. We’ve added a link below as well if you’d like to get the book.
Our In-Depth Community Review this month is Villagio, a Tuscany-Inspired Estate Community in South Brunswick, New Jersey. Prepare yourself to be wowed! We also have 5 exciting Spotlight Communities for you from California to Connecticut.
Help us grow our Active Living News e-Newsletter to serve you better. We’d really appreciate your input and comments. Click here to drop us a line.
To navigate through our newsletter use the links on the left, or simply scroll down. Please take a look through, and let us know what you think! We really do value your opinion, and would also appreciate your input on future articles you'd like to see.
We'd also really appreciate it if you would "tell a friend", just click here.
Thanks,
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WHAT IS UNIVERSAL DESIGN?
by Jan Cullinane
 When you retire from your primary career, will you relocate? More than 50 percent of homeowners between the ages of 45 to 64 plan to pack up and move entirely, purchase a second home, or buy an investment property, according to the National Association of Home Builders. With almost 77 million Boomers marching toward retirement, there will be lots of moving vans rumbling down the streets!
But, whether you stay put, buy new, purchase a resale, rent, or remodel, you should know about a concept called “universal design.” According to the Center for Universal Design, the intent is “the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.”
 Translated into specifics, it means 27-inch high electrical outlets to minimize bending, rocker switches to make turning lights on and off easier, nonslip flooring, wider hallways to accommodate a wheelchair, “comfort height” toilets that are two and one half inches taller than the standard 17 to 19 inch height, low-maintenance exteriors, and hand-held showerheads. In other words, universal design makes a home more accessible, no matter what your age or condition, and, in most cases, doesn’t require anything fancy or expensive.
To access a handy list from Toolbase, a service of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center, go to www.toolbase.org, and put in “Aging-in- Place Design Checklists” into the search bar. No matter what your ultimate decision – will you stay or will you go - keep these principles of universal design in mind.
For more detailed information on Universal Design, we invite you to read Jan Cullinane's full article at: http://www.activeadultliving.com/newsletter/universaldesign.html
Jan Cullinane, B.S., M.Ed., is the co-author of The New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life. Jan also gives seminars on the (primarily) non-financial aspects of retirement through her company, Retirement Living from A to Z. She can be contacted at jancullinane@gmail.com.
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VILLAGIO –
A PLACE LIKE NO OTHER FOR TODAY’S ACTIVE ADULT
 Shuffleboard just isn’t good enough anymore. Today’s active adults are seeking a whole new lifestyle and nobody knows that better than Byron-Hill Homebuilders. In fact, in South Brunswick, New Jersey, the perfect environment for this new trend is emerging in the shape of a Tuscan Village —Villagio, an active-adult community like no other. The development team at Byron-Hill understands that those 55 and over are looking for more than ever before. Inspired by the luxuriously relaxing atmosphere of Tuscany, Italy, every last inch of Villagio fulfills today’s active adult’s every whim.
Active adults want a place to bike, swim, run, entertain, dance and enjoy life to the fullest, with homes just as unique as they are. The moment you visit Villagio’s Sales Center or even just their website, you’ll see how this community dispels old myths about the adult homebuyer and exemplifies what is possible for an active-adult neighborhood. It’s a place where everything you desire is right at your fingertips and you’ll feel like you’re on an Italian vacation every day.
 Homebuyers will have their choice of three distinct types of neighborhoods at Villagio, each carefully tailored to its settings; and each offering a different taste of Tuscan living. And with at least 6 designs, you can find an ideal fit for your lifestyle, while adding to the picturesque townscape of a true Italian Village. It’s the attention to detail that sets Villagio apart from the typical 55+ neighborhood. Homes are designed with true second stories, as opposed to just finished attics. And an elevator option is a way to add even more opulence. Impressive kitchens and dining rooms offer an inviting space for entertaining large groups of friends and family. Full basements are designed to accommodate an oval office, space for a gym or dance floor and even an indoor lap-pool—the perfect place for work and play. And each home has a two-car, or split “his and her” garage, ideal for those who have decided to extend their professional career.
But in addition to the thrilling home designs, the entire neighborhood is planned with awe-inspiring features, all with an Italian flair. A walk down the village main street will be a daily occurrence. Lunching outside the piazza-style fountain will become a neighborhood tradition. And watching the sun set over the rolling hills while lounging on the banks of one of Villagio’s ponds is a foregone conclusion to the end of the day.
 Club Verona, Villagio’s extraordinary clubhouse, will be the focal point of the community, hosting an array of terrific recreational activities, both indoor and outdoor. Work up a sweat playing a rigorous game of tennis or bocce. When you’re done, take a refreshing dip in Villagio’s sparkling swimming pool fit for an Olympian. If that’s not your speed, enjoy a relaxing bike ride around the cycling path that will expand the perimeter of this elegant community, or head to the pier to relax and reflect by the water. Want some competition? Play a rousing game of chess in the chess plaza. An amazing amphitheater and beautiful formal gardens put this community in a whole new class. Here, you can’t help but be drawn out of your home to experience a neighborhood like no other.
A subsidiary of the Byron-Hill Group, Byron-Hill Homebuilders is one of the premier builders of luxury homes in New York and New Jersey. The developers’ communities all embody Byron-Hill’s unparalleled expertise in developing the highest levels of design distinction, comfort and quality essential to truly upscale living.
 Furnished models at Villagio will be available this spring, but early buyers may reserve better locations and lock in the best value now during the pre-construction phase. To discover more about the Tuscany way of life in New Jersey at Villagio, or to subscribe to their VIP Preview List, call (732) 329-4200; or visit www.villagio55.com.
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Legacy at Leesburg
Leesburg, FL
Single Family Homes, 1221-2461 sq. ft.
Amenities: Beautiful Town Center complex with its 35 foot tall clock tower and southern style verandas. This is the social center of the community and provides a location for everyone to meet for a luncheon, a dance party or just a gathering of friends.
Click Here for more details
The Glens at Mountain Brook
Woodstock, GA
The Village includes 92 attached units ranging in square footage from 1400 to 1800 and is priced from the High $190’s. The Cottages includes 33 detached units ranging in square footage from 1700 to 2100 and is priced from the $220’s.
Amenities: This gated access community offers a lock and leave lifestyle, so pack you bags and travel or relax at home in your low maintenance home.
Click Here for more details
Lexington Villas
Lexington, SC
Luxury ranch-style condominium homes with four floor plans from the high $180's to the $240's
Amenities: The neighborhood gathering place is a spacious, beautifully decorated clubhouse with a swimming pool and fitness facility, full kitchen, and business center. Organized social programs and events will provide many opportunities to enjoy the additional leisure time you will have in your new, carefree lifestyle.
Click Here for more details
Briarwood Falls
Killingley, CT
An adult community featuring detached condominium homes.
Amenities: Located in serene, rural Killingly, Connecticut, and situated on 120 acres of beautiful forestland, Briarwood Falls offers a peaceful country setting with quiet walking trails that wind their way to Whetstone Brook, and waterfall.
Click Here for more details
Lake San Marcos
San Diego County, CA
Single Family Homes
Price from high $300's
Amenities: Swimming pools, tennis and paddle tennis courts and the recreation center which has many active clubs such as the Art League, Garden Club, Bluegrass Club, Dance and Social Club and the Computer Club. There is also a 24 hour patrol in the community. Shopping, doctors, dentists, banks and other services are within walking distance, as are several restaurants.
Click Here for more details
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  Our apologies to Landmark Builders for our error in the October edition of Active Living News! Their community, Briar Lake (North Lebanon, PA) was a Spotlight Community and we pictured their logo instead of their community image!
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You can now order the following books at discounted prices from Amazon.com
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"1001 Active Lifestyle Communities"
by Lisa LaCount
492 pages includes special sections on
Condominiums & Grand Openings
Now Available Nationwide
Click Here to Buy
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"New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide
to the Rest of Your Life"
by Jan Cullinane
Click Here to Buy
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