Recommendations for condo community for aging parents
Hi there!
I'd greatly appreciate recommendations for well-priced townhome or condo communities for my parents. For background, I'd like to move my parents to the Bay Area from the east coast, so they're closer to us given their declining health. We're not yet ready for a senior community but they do need a community of sorts. Ideally, we'd like a community located in a safe area with convenient proximity to shops and restaurants. Modern amenities would be a plus. Given our price range, Oakland and Berkeley do not seem possible. Therefore, we've started looking into Walnut Creek and even Fremont given the availability of condo communities, but we're not tied to these locations. However, it would need to be accessible from where we live in Oakland.
Thanks in advance!
Dany
Parent Replies
My in-laws just bought a condo on the south tip of Point Richmond to be closer to us. Seems to be the place to buy for that generation. The realtor said there are lots of young seniors in the complex, which we also saw with our own eyes. The price is "cheap," but the HOA is high in my opinion. A lot of the complexes around there and Marina Bay have nice amenities like pools & tennis courts. And there are some nice shops and restaurants nearby. Kaiser Richmond is also pretty close. However, the nearest safeway is about a 15 min drive. To me the complex and the surrounding areas felt very safe, almost secluded from the hustle & bustle of the I-80/580 corridor.
Rosmoore-Walnut Creek or maybe Watergate in Emeryville?
I will also think that Marina Bay in Richmond is a nice area.
Actually seniors communities can start at 55 years old :)
Before you say no, go look at Rancho Benicia in Benicia. My parents moved there about 5 years ago when they relocated from western NY. It's a gated community for 55+, of mobile homes. (Gasp!) Most are double-wide, and many have been updated. We bought my parents' unit for about $125,000, and HOA fees are about $900/month. Property taxes are minimal, because they're paid to the DMV. After I put in new flooring & paint, & updated the kitchen, with new cabinets and appliances, and built a woodworking shop for my dad, it's now worth $230,000+. The community is tight-knit, and very clean and well-kept. It's a sweet little community, with a lovely salt-water pool, fitness room & community center, with hot tub, and shuffleboard. It's 2 blocks from downtown Benicia, and 35 minutes from Berkeley, a well-kept secret.
I would consider looking at the condos at Marina Village in Alameda. It's not a seniors only community but there are many seniors living there and it's within walking and short driving distance to grocery stores and there's a community pool. It's of course quite close to Oakland. My parents have lived there for several years now and it's lovely and they're very happy with the community they've found there upon moving to the Bay Area. Kind people who spend time together and look out for one another. Places come up for both sale and rent. I would recommend taking a look.