RETIREMENT ADVISER:  It’s Difficult to Customize Home Plans In Most Active-Adult Communities
By Mary Lu Abbott

My husband and I recently traveled to Texas to see a number of active retirement communities. Imagine our disappointment when we discovered that the builders do not make any changes to their floor plans.This leaves us out of the communities as we’ve collected numerous antiques and other items that we want to have in our retirement home. I recently contacted a community in Georgia (before making the drive from Mississippi) only to find out that they also do not make changes to the floor plans.Are there any communities (specifically in the South) that do make changes to the floor plans?
- Patti Gage

We checked with Del Webb, the largest builder of active-adult communities, and with Robson Communities, another major builder of 55+ neighborhoods. Both have large communities in Texas, and Del Webb has communities across the country, including throughout the Southeast.

Neither allows major changes in their floor plans. A spokesperson for Del Webb says builders will make modifications for persons with disabilities, such as altering the placement of light switches and electrical outlets, but does not mix and match plans or do alterations to customize a home.

“We do ‘livability’ studies periodically with homeowners who recently bought from us to ask what they like and do not like about their homes. Based on their feedback, we analyze trends and commonalities and make adjustments to our plans accordingly,” says Caryn Klebba, corporate communications manager for Del Webb, part of Pulte Homes.

Robson allows limited changes and minor adjustments within a home but no changes in exterior dimensions, according to spokeswoman Murphy Kulasa. You’re likely to encounter similar policies among most large production homebuilders, according to our random check of some other builders and our experiences visiting communities. They’re not custom builders. However, their active-adult communities usually offer a number of varied floor plans. For instance, Del Webb often has 10 to 12 floor plans for its large communities, and the Robson Ranch Texas development outside Denton has 15 floor plans. Also, the communities normally have a design center offering a myriad of options and upgrades to personalize a home.

However, we do know one builder of active-adult communities in Florida that will customize homes. Pringle Development, (800) 325-4471, has four communities in central Florida: Legacy of Leesburg, Lakes of Mount Dora, The Heritage and Renaissance Estates. Additional communities are already sold out. Pringle has been honored by the National Association of Home Builders for its housing quality.

Besides selling their models as is, Pringle allows two other choices of homebuilding. You can pick “smart options,” floor plans that include frequently requested changes and upgrades, which can be adjusted further to suit your needs. Or, you can have an individually customized home. Working with a Computer-Assisted Design program, an architectural-design team customizes the floor plans for you. Individualizing plans does add time to the building process. Pringle offers 21 floor plans, with homes starting in the mid- $200,000s. Its Web site, www.pringle. com, has all the floor plans and extensive information about the building process.

You also may want to look at planned communities that are attracting many retirees but aren’t age-restricted. For example, in eastern Tennessee, Fairfield Glade, (800) 383-7600 or www.fairfield glade.net, will customize its home plans for buyers. Near Crossville, the community has extensive amenities, including five golf courses, 11 lakes and a wellness- fitness complex. It has more than 30 home plans and a full-time staff to work with buyers to modify the plans and custom-build homes. Home prices start in the $190,000s, but customizing does add to the price.

Also, you may find more flexibility in planned communities that have several different builders and/or allow buyers to choose their own builders, though the home plans normally must meet guidelines set by the community.

Reprinted from Where to Retire Copyright 2007. For subscription information, call 713/974-6903, or visit www.WheretoRetire.com.