Gated Retirement Communities

Types of Gated Senior Communities

There are three main types of gated communities. We’ll take a closer look at each of them below.

Automatic Security Gated Communities

Communities with automatic security gates are the most common type of gated community. They’re cost-effective and easy to operate, but they do have some security drawbacks.

Automatic gates typically have a gate arm that raises and lowers, or large metal gates that swing open. They’re generally opened by pressing a button on a garage door remote that’s programmed to work with the gate.

These gates also have a call box that enables residents to permit visitors, mail carriers, and service personnel to enter the community. Each resident has their name programmed into the call box via a resident code. Visitors type in the resident code, which sends a notification directly to the resident’s phone. To ensure the utmost security, the resident then enters a security code on their phone, allowing the visitor through the gate.

If the resident needs to enter the community but doesn’t have their remote, they can enter a code to automatically open the gate as needed. However, residents often share this code with friends and service personnel, which can compromise community security.

Some communities with automatic security gates may have security cameras monitoring the gates as well. These cameras can be an added layer of security, recording everyone who enters and exits the community.

Guard Gated Communities

Guard gated communities are more secure than automatic gated communities, but they’re also more expensive. They typically have a guard shack with a gate attendant. In some communities, the attendant is a hired professional. In others, residents take turns staffing the gate.

Most have two lanes entering the community, one for residents and one for nonresidents. Residents can open the gate by one of the following means:

• Punching in a code on a call box
• Using an electronic card
• Using a remote control
• Allowing the gate attendant to see a sticker on the resident’s windshield

Anyone attempting to get in without cause won’t be allowed to enter. Attendants must be notified by a resident of expected service personnel and visitors, or those people won’t be allowed into the community.

Some guard gated communities only staff gates during the day and revert to the automatic gate system at night. If you want 24-hour guard gated security, make sure to ask about this when touring communities.

Guard Gated Communities with Roving Patrols

A community that’s guard gated with roving patrols is the most secure, but also the most expensive. In addition to the guard gates already discussed, these communities have roving patrols that provide several valuable functions.

These patrols drive around the community looking for anything that appears suspicious or out of place. When residents are gone for extended periods of time, the roving patrols may do periodic house checks, checking the windows and doors to ensure that the house is secure and everything appears in order. The roving patrols can help residents with things like flat tires or dead batteries, while also providing directions to visitors who need help navigating the community.

Benefits of Living in a Gated Senior Community

Living in a gated 55 and over community has its perks. Here are just a few of the benefits you can enjoy:

• Limited traffic: Gates restrict unwanted visitors, so random people aren’t able to drive through the community to get from one place to the next. Less traffic means more peace and quiet.
• Sense of intimacy: With exclusive amenities like swimming pools, community centers, and community festivities, residents get to know others within the community and can develop close friendships.
• Sense of security: Incoming and outgoing traffic is monitored by guards and security cameras. Criminal activity is reduced, and gates can be locked down to prevent criminals from exiting the neighborhood, making it easier to capture them in the event of a crime.
• Privacy: Since traffic from the outside world is limited, gated communities provide greater privacy to residents.
• Homeowners associations: Gated communities often have homeowners associations (HOAs), which means rules are put in place to keep each neighborhood looking its best.
• Fewer solicitors: Solicitors will have a harder time getting into the neighborhood.
• Limited crime: Although some burglaries do occur, they’re less frequent in gated communities.
• Landscaping and upkeep: Gated communities are often beautifully landscaped. Many have their own private parks and walking trails, providing a peaceful and beautiful place to enjoy the great outdoors.
• Better sale prices: Since homes are often better maintained and gated communities create a scarcity effect, there’ll be fewer homes for sale within the neighborhood at any given time, and you’ll be more likely to get a better price if you decide to sell your home.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Gated Community

There are a few issues you’ll want to consider when choosing to live in a gated senior community:

• Higher home costs: Homes within these communities may come with a higher price tag.
• Ongoing costs: It’s expensive to hire professionals to staff the gates in a guard gated community, which can increase monthly dues or HOA fees. That said, the costs can be minimized in larger communities; the more houses there are, the more the costs are spread out.
• Homeowners associations: Although HOAs have their benefits, some people find them too constraining and dislike all the rules they have to follow. It can be costly to pay HOA fees, and even costlier to cover the required maintenance and upkeep.
• Slower entrance and exit: Waiting for gates to open and close takes time. This may mean waiting in lines at peak hours to enter and exit the neighborhood.

Cost of Gated Senior Communities

Many choose to live in a gated senior community because of the added security and the amenities, which can be anything from a small park to a full-size community center. These amenities may increase the cost of houses in the community. And, since HOAs are commonplace in gated retirement communities, you can expect to pay substantially more to maintain your property.

That said, the cost of living in a gated senior community can vary greatly. Whether you choose to live independently in a residential gated community or a gated assisted living community, the type of house and location you choose will impact the price. Prices even vary greatly from one single-family home to the next, depending on the size, features, and location.

How to Pay for a Home in Gated Senior Communities

Your location and personal financial situation will determine how you’ll pay for a gated senior community. If you’re purchasing a single-family home in a residential neighborhood, you’ll make the purchase just as you would any other conventional home.

If you choose to live in an independent living community, you’ll generally need to pay out of pocket. Self-pay options can include personal savings, retirement accounts, and reverse mortgages. If you choose a community where medical care is offered, you may also be able to use long-term care insurance, Medicaid, or Veterans Benefits to help cover costs.

How Do I Find Gated Senior Communities Near Me?

The following resources can help you locate a gated senior community:

• The U.S. Administration on Aging’s Eldercare Locator
• Your local Area Agency on Aging
• Your local Chamber of Commerce.
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development resources in your state
• SeniorLiving.org’s community search tool
• SeniorLiving.org’s helpline

Gated senior communities are becoming more and more popular. For many older adults, the benefits of living in a gated community easily outweigh any drawbacks. Having a layer of security between your home and the rest of the world can be quite comforting. When trying to decide what type of community best meets your needs and lifestyle, it’s important to take the time you need to weigh all your options. If you need additional help finding the right community for you, be sure to consult our guide on planning for housing in retirement!