Buyers value friendships as much as their new active adult homes

Fifty years ago, Del Webb changed retirement living forever.

He created a lifestyle community that catered to the retirement dreams of thousands of Americans - a self-contained community where retirement was an active, productive period in people's lives.

On a sunny day in 1960, 100,000 people showed up to see the five model homes at Del Webb's development in Sun City, Ariz., the first 55-plus active adult retirement community in the country.

This flagship development became a model for other communities developed by Del Webb (now a part of Pulte Homes), and this new and exciting concept soon spread across the country. The original development became a prototype for today's active adult communities.

Early on, many retirement communities were designed as a second home for snowbirds heading south for the winter. But when builders realized that many buyers wanted to stay where they had lived most of their lives among family and friends, communities cropped up around major cities in cold climates, too.

Today, Del Webb and Cambridge Homes offer several active adult communities in the Chicago area where residents enjoy all kinds of amenities, clubs and interest groups to form lasting friendships.

"It's all about lifestyle", said Dave Smith, vice president of sales and marketing for Cambridge Homes. "People aren't just buying a house, they're buying a lifestyle in a resort-like community, and they get to live there 365 days a year."

Most Del Webb and Cambridge Homes communities feature a clubhouse that serves as the social hub of the community.

At Cambridge Lakes in Pingree Grove, the clubhouse offers activity rooms, a full-service exercise studio with top-of-the-line equipment, and indoor and outdoor pools.

"The indoor pool is designed with a slope so that residents of varying heights can participate in water aerobics," Smith said. "It's not just for laps, it's really for exercise.

"For guys, there's almost like a sports bar with poker tables and pool tables. So people can have great fun indoors during the winter months."

Likewise, Creekside Lodge in Pulte's Edgewater community in Elgin includes indoor and outdoor pools, state-of-the-art fitness center and a hot tub.

Each clubhouse features meeting rooms where various clubs and interest groups gather for activities such as tai chi classes, computer club, crafts and ceramics. Outdoor amenities may include a golf course, tennis courts, horseshoes and bocce ball.

"All our communities focus on time to explore you," said Chris Naatz, Midwest area director of marketing for Pulte Del Webb. "A lifestyle director coordinates programs, clubs and classes based on the interests of homeowners, along with special events and day trips."

Edgewater offers three golf courses with leagues for men and women while Carillon Club features a three-hole golf course at no charge. "It's great for a little golf game with friends," Smith said. "It's designed with three sets of tees for each hole, so we don't have the maintenance costs of a full blown golf course."

Cambridge Homes often hosts events with Realtors and potential customers. Most events include homeowners - "because they're the best advertising we have," Smith said.

"We just had a progressive dinner last week at three of our residents' homes where we catered a three-course dinner. Prospective homebuyers were there, and residents were just gushing about the lifestyle. They love their homes and the people there. And they love showing off their homes. It turned out to really be a lot of fun."

A unique characteristic at Del Webb communities is the sense of volunteerism and philanthropy. For example, at the Edgewater community, one of the interest groups received feedback from a veteran who said sometimes veterans get cold at outdoor ceremonies or activities. So the group started to make knit caps for the veterans to wear under their gear. "A lot of our folks get involved in those types of activities," Naatz said. "This is a huge aspect of Del Webb communities.

"We believe we need to inspire people and offer them unique and flexible means for living out some of their lifelong dreams, and we are able to do that

"It's not if you build it, they will come. We understand how to facilitate lifestyles. We know what our primary audience wants."

But, of course, build it they must. Today's homes have come a long way from the original Sun City residence - a one-level, 840-square-foot white brick home with carport that sold for $8,500. Homebuyers are different too. Then, most buyers were married and retired. Today, buyers are a diverse group of married and single people, many of whom are still employed.

Both Del Webb and Cambridge Homes feature open and inviting ranch designs with the latest technology and amenities. And all homes are energy efficient, which makes them more comfortable and affordable.

"Even inside their homes, people want to feel connected in open plans, where the kitchen is open to the great room, while garden rooms and sunrooms open the home to the outdoors for a connection to nature," Naatz said.

Kitchens, the gathering hub of the home, feature upscale amenities including stainless steel appliances, 42-inch maple cabinetry, Corian countertops, island, breakfast nook and pantry.

"We have fantastic kitchens," Smith said. "Even if homebuyers don't cook a lot, they like to have nice kitchens. With the open plans, there's a lot of light in the kitchen, and many homes offer the option of a sunroom, which even brings more light into the living area."

Often master suites are secluded from the living space and other bedrooms for privacy for the homeowners. Some amenities you'll see today are double-door entries into the master suite, bay window in the sleeping area, compartmentalized baths, raised vanities, separate walk-in showers and soaking tubs, and radiant heat so you have that warm, toasty feeling when you step out of the shower or tub, Naatz said.

Many homes also offer universal design elements such as wider doorways, raised dishwashers so homeowners need not bend over so far, and switches and outlets designed for easier accessibility, Smith said.

For added security, communities often include a gatehouse at the main entry that is manned 24 hours a day with transponder and key card access at secondary entrances.

"We are innovative," Naatz said. "I'm in awe about all the different ways they can design one-level living."

Del Webb offers four active-adult communities in the area: Sun City, Huntley; Edgewater, Elgin; Grand Dominion, Mundelein; and Shorewood Glen, Shorewood. For more information, visit delwebb.com.

Cambridge Homes features Carillon at Cambridge Lakes, Pingree Grove; Carillon Club, Naperville; and Carillon at Stonegate, Aurora. For more information, visit mycambridgehome.com.