I like boating. My wife is a horse lover. We both like open spaces in a natural environment and being near the water. We decided to investigate whether there was a place that would accommodate and support all of our retirement lifestyle desires. Was there a community that could bring together a critical mass of others with similar interests? We think we’ve found it at Long Branch Lakes near Spencer, Tennessee.

Discovering Long Branch Lakes

Our first contact with Long Branch Lakes (LBL) was through its excellent website. My wife was quite excited to discover the site and LBL because it is only 120 miles from where we live now. She contacted the LBL sales department. We received more information in the mail and were invited to attend a “Discovery Weekend” to learn more about the community.

I was skeptical about attending because so many communities promise a lot more than they deliver. I was afraid that I would see acres of undeveloped land and and “planned” amenities indicated on maps and signs. But the appeal of the community lakes and what appeared to be first class equestrian facilities was too much to resist. We had to check it out.

After several cancellations (our fault), we finally drove to LBL. I was equally excited about visiting Fall Creek Falls, one of Tennessee’s most beautiful state parks located on the Cumberland Plateau. LBL is nearby and arranges for many of its visitors to stay at the park lodge. I had never been to Fall Creek Falls so I figured I didn’t have much to lose even if the LBL part of the trip disappointed me.

Getting There

Most of the trip to Long Branch Lakes from Nashville is by Interstate 40 which takes you to the Cumberland Plateau. The plateau is generally located between Cookeville and Crossville, Tennessee and is one of the most beautiful geographic areas in the mid-South. We learned during our visit to LBL how eager the developers are to exploit yet preserve that beauty. In particular, they are placing a conservation overlay on much of the equestrian property in the development. This will insure that the land remains in its natural, undeveloped state. That is a commendable and important decision to us.

Click for Area Map

The final segments of the drive to LBL take you through rural Tennessee. The nearest towns are Spencer and Pikeville, both small communities to be sure. Living in LBL will involve sacrificing the cultural and practical amenities of an urban area. For some prospective retirees, that would be a deal killer. Others (like us), are prepared for and accustomed to that. The benefits of a quiet lifestyle in a place of natural beauty can overcome the occasional drive to the store. Also, LBL has some projects in motion that will help. More about that later.

Long Branch Lakes Design

LBL is a planned community of 5,000 acres. At present, the developers have created 517 homesites in six different “neighborhoods” as generally shown on this color-coded site plan: The neighborhoods are intended to take advantage of different characteristics of the land: wooded, lakefront, creekside, and equestrian. It is way too early to get a true feel for how the different neighborhoods will look. Although 25% of the lots have been sold (since November 2008 – which is amazing if you think about our economy), only seven homes have been built with seven more under construction.

What pleased and surprised us is that almost everything you see on the site plan – the roads, docks, athletic fields, pavilions, etc. – are physically in place. This is not one of those early stage developments where the amenities and infrastructure are more wishful thinking than reality.

The lakes are small which is both good and bad. The bad is that if you are a serious powerboater, you are out of luck. Only human and battery-powered boats are allowed on the lakes. The good is that peace and tranquility on the water can prevail.

If you like to fish, the odds are that you will be happy. The larger lakes are now under a Bill Dance certification program which I understand is good for the fish and for the people who want to catch them! I am a fishing novice but I am eager to learn.

Many of the lake lots have already been sold, which is understandable. They are the most expensive, of course. They are also unique in that most are multi-acre parcels, so you will not have neighbors staring at each other with docks crammed in together. We decided against a lake lot because we already have a house on a lake in Kentucky and hope to be able to keep it through retirement.

There are many heavily wooded lots at LBL. We were pleasantly surprised to discover during our visit that a couple from Nashville whom we know well was in the process of building a beautiful home on one of those lots. They intend to retire to LBL full-time by the end of the year. We also met another couple from our community near Nashville. They had bought property but were not yet ready to build. There are no forced building deadlines for property owners.

You will notice in the site plan that there is no golf course. We were happy about that because of the expense of maintaining a course which would end up being the responsibility of the homeowners. But all is not lost for golfers. The Fall Creek Falls State Park golf course is only a 15 minute drive. Also, the developers mentioned that land adjacent to LBL may be developed into a golf course in the future, but separate from LBL ownership.

The roads and common areas inside have a distinct natural feel, with lots of rough timber and stone construction. It blends in well with the natural beauty of the area. There are even two covered bridges that have a similar architectural feel. Some of the 30 miles in riding trails run throughout portions of the residential areas.

Another nice design feature is that all of the utilities are underground. The developers are even running fiber-optic cable throughout the community which will come in handy as we all progress to viewing online media content. Goodbye cable and satellite!

Long Branch Lakes Recreational Amenities

In addition to the Equestrian Center which I will discuss separately, LBL has plenty of recreational infrastructure in place even though only a handful of property owners have moved in. These amenities include lakeside open-air pavilions adjacent to Camp Lake (50 acres of water) and Long Lake (80 acres), boat docks, and bathroom facilities.

The Camp Lake recreational area also has a stunning lakeside heated swimming pool fed by a natural stone waterfall. For the grandkids and visitors, there is also a children’s pool and changing facilities.

For the real athletes, the Camp Lake recreation area includes tennis courts, a basketball court, and softball and soccer fields.

Future Amenities

An extra benefit of our Discovery Weekend at LBL was the presence and participation of Rick Klewein, one of the developers. He was quite accessible and more than willing to answer our questions.

Rick excitedly showed us his construction plans for a “General Store” that will be built inside LBL. This was an important factor to us. The General Store will have a restaurant but more important, a grocery. Without it, buying a gallon of milk or loaf of bread means leaving LBL on a significant expedition.

Rick also explained what LBL is and will be doing to control growth of nuisance plants on the lakes. This has been a problem at other communities we have visited. You have to stay on top of it.

Another structure on the drawing board is a fitness center. This will also be important to building and sustaining a population of full-time active adult residents.

Long Branch Lakes Equestrian Center

The Equestrian Center is such an important feature of LBL that it has its own website and resident managers. The facility is located within a 1000 acre “equestrian village.”

The plans are to fully implement the equestrian center in two phases. The first phase was complete when we visited and includes an 8-stall barn, storage barn, working pen, and fenced pastures. The second phase will include a 20-stall barn, indoor riding arena, a rider’s lounge, additional paddocks and pasture areas, and parking areas for horse trailers. The developers and managers want the equestrian facility to be fully capable of hosting different events for horse lovers inside and outside LBL.

Currently, the LBL Equestrian Center offers pasture boarding at reasonable prices and instruction in a variety of different riding disciplines. I am not an expert in anything equestrian but my wife (who is an expert) was impressed with the facilities and with Lamar and Vanessa, the equestrian managers. To me, the facility managers projected both professionalism and a relaxed, easy-going manner. They actually live on the property.

One of the highlights of our visit was the on-property trail ride, guided by Lamar and Vanessa. The trail and pasture areas were picturesque and serenely beautiful.

It’s unlikely that one would become bored riding at LBL. In addition to its own 30 miles of trails, LBL connects directly to the Bledsoe State Forest which has an additional 60 miles of riding trails. All of that is accessible without ever having to load a trailer!

The weather on our ride was particularly enjoyable.  A nice benefit of life on the plateau is that it is cooler compared to middle Tennessee where we now live. That helps with outdoor living in the summer. Also, there was a refreshing breeze which we were told is a regular visitor to the area and which effectively keeps the flying insects away.

As a true greenhorn, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the riding at LBL. It persuaded me that I could easily adapt to horseback riding as another retirement activity.

It was after our ride that I decided that we needed to give LBL serious consideration as a place to buy property. Fortunately, our sales host Buddy Frazier made exploration of the property a pleasant experience.  Buddy was a knowledgeable yet relaxed advocate for the LBL lifestyle. There was no high pressure “what can we do to sell you now” sales tactics too often found at other developments.

Condominium Living at Long Branch Lakes

When we first learned about LBL, the properties being offered were large, single family building lots. I later learned that LBL had decided to build a small condominium neighborhood called “Trout Hill.” This intrigued me. Although we have never lived in a condo, the idea of a low maintenance retirement lifestyle appealed to me.

The Trout Hill site plan was unique because it comprised only eight low-rise buildings arranged in a natural setting adjacent to a small lake. One of the floor plans was just what we needed: Two bedrooms and a solarium in a 1500 sq. ft. single-level, open design, a large porch overlooking the water, and a garage with a storage area. I was determined to investigate Trout Hill.

Here are architectural renderings of the front and rear elevations of a Trout Hill condo building (click to enlarge):

We had to use our imagination when inspecting the Trout Hill site because the building pads had not even been cleared. But after also considering one of the new “bunkhouse” building lots in the equestrian village, we decided that the condo concept worked best for us.

We were the first to place a deposit on a Trout Hill unit. Now we are waiting for construction to start. We are eager to explore a condo retirement lifestyle in an equestrian community.

Final Thoughts on Long Branch Lakes

LBL is unique in several respects. First, it provides a full course of equestrian living with a large helping of lakes, streams, and natural beauty. Second, it is large enough to create an environment where active adults and retirees can build a true community together. Third, it gives a buyer a selection of properties to consider that are diverse in size, geography, and price.

The risks you would take in buying and living in LBL must also be considered. First, with only 7 homes built, 7 more under construction, and an uncertain economy, it could take several years at least before a critical mass of full-time residents is achieved. That’s not a big concern for us because we have time for things to evolve. The second risk is that you might not enjoy the relative isolation. It is a probably a 40 minute drive to a major medical facility, library or airport, with smaller facilities in Pikeville and Sparta. I think we can handle that, as long as we remain healthy.

If you are a trail-rider or nature lover, isolation goes with the territory and is part of the lifestyle you crave. After all, at Long Branch Lakes, the phrase “riding into the sunset” takes on a literal meaning. I think it will be a good ride.

Photo credits: Some of the photos in this article were taken by us during our visit. Others were supplied by Long Branch Lakes at my request. For the record, Long Branch Lakes did not ask me to write this article or provide any incentive for doing it.

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The MMI report analyzes the communities where boomer and older households live and whether the residents are happy with those different 55+ and active adult communities.

Also studied were those in the 55+ who had recently moved, including where they went, where they came from, and why they moved.

According to the Current Population Survey of U.S. Census Bureau, the number of Americans who are over-55 has grown from 52.2 million in 1990 (21% of the total population) to 70.6 million 2007. The NAHB projects that the 55+ population will increase to 76.6 million in 2010 and to 85.3 million in 2014.

Where Boomers are Living

Regarding existing 55+ populations and communities, these are the key findings of the NAHB/MMI report:

• The majority of 55+ Americans do not live in age-restricted or other 55+ communities but that number is on the increase. The share of those living in active adult age-restricted communities grew from 2% in 2001 to 3% in 2007.
• Residents in 55+ communities registered the highest satisfaction rates. However, most 55+ survery respondents stated they were happy with their current homes.
• Within the community, design and looks were most important to 55+ single-family home buyers, while closeness to family and friends was a higher priority in age-restricted rental and multi-family communities.

Where and Why Boomers are Moving

• The primary reasons stated for moving to a 55+ community were family or personal reasons, financial or employment reasons, and the desire to have a higher quality home.
• Family was the number one reason for moving to multi-family communities, along with reducing costs and increasing quality.
• Home and community location relative to work are important for 55+ and boomer households. 
• The number of 55+ households working from the home rose from 2001-2007. 
• The number of movers into other 55+ owner-occupied communities rose from 6% in 2001 to 13% in 2007.
• Active adult communities are attracting younger buyers (age 60 and under).
• The share of home buyers in age-qualified communities with some college education or more has increased in the past six years, from 50% in 2001 to 73% in 2007.
• The share of all 55+ buyers of newly built homes using a mortgage has increased significantly in the past six years, except for other 55+ communities which declined from 54% in 2001 to 40% in 2007.

Final Thoughts on Boomer Housing Trends

I can understand the desire to live in a community with others who are in the same age group, without children. In some cases, however, this can conflict with a goal of being near your own children and grandchildren.

To me, the ideal may be an active adult community that is within a short drive of other family. This combines the best of both worlds.

Related posts:

1. Traveling Light – Boomer Style

Del Webb Active Adult Communities

If there is a larger developer of active adult and 55+ communities than Del Webb, I haven’t found it.  They have communities in at least twenty states and are continuing to add more.  One of those communities is Lake Providence in Tennessee which I have written about previously.  It has a relationship with Pulte Homes, which is another place to look for retirement single family homes.

Jensen Communities

Jensen Communities is developer of 55+ communities.  It has 28 locations in seven eastern states.  Some of the New Hampshire locations are “all age” communities.  

Robson Active Adult Resort Communities 

Robson has six locations in Arizona and Texas.  It characterizes its developments as “active adult resort living” with a “premium lifestyle.”   Thus, there is significant focus on golf and similar amenities.

WCI Communities

WCI is a developer of diverse resort and active adult communities in Florida, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Virgina.  Not all of them are 55+ however.  Home prices range from $100k to over $8 million so apparently there is something for everyone!

ACTS Retirement Life Communities

ACTS is somewhat unique in that it is a not-for-profit business yet offers resort-style retirement communities in six states (Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. The communities are life care (continuouse care) communities. This means that as you grow older and need to move to a place with less work and more help, you can do it within that community without having to pay more. For most boomers it is probably too soon to worry about that but its something to keep in mind for your next move.

There are many more to add which I will be doing in the coming weeks and months.  If you know of any worth listing, please let me know.  

Of course, this list does not include the many stand-alone retirement and 55+ communities out there.  I plan on listing those as I learn more about them, hopefully through personal visits.

Photo credit:  Dan Perry

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Features we liked about Lake Providence:

1.  It did not have a golf course.  We are not golfers and for that reason don’t want a lot of community resources tied up in golf property.

2.  The club house was fantastic in both appearance and amenities offered.  It was on a level with many resort facilities we have seen.

3.  Recreational amenities were first rate, including a fishing/canoeing lake and outside sport and game facilities for residents and younger guests.  The lake was on the small side – actually more of a large pond.  

4.  Several of the model homes and floor plans were appealing to us and very affordable.  There was one plan in particular that was perfect for our lifestyle.

5.  The residents whom we met were very friendly and proud of their community.

6.  The suburban location is convenient with nearby commercial facilities, including health care and large airport.

Features we disliked about Lake Providence:

1.  The lake was not properly maintained, with substantial floating weed cover in sections.  We were told this was a temporary condition.

2.  The existing homes were poorly positioned with respect to each other.  The homes were close together which we understand.  However, in many cases the views across the back yards were directly into another home.  In most communities of this type, berms or other natural physical features are used as visual barriers.  Although this was attempted at Lake Providence, it was not executed well.

3.  Lot selection was limited.  If you wanted a certain model, you had to find a lot where that model was scheduled to be built.  Lake Providence is being opened in phases but you are not permitted to reserve lots in future phases.  I suppose that policy is to insure that existing lots are sold first, keeping construction costs to a minimum.  From an overall marketing perspective, I’m not sure that is the best strategy.  It certainly discouraged us.

4.  Exterior finishes were too similar.  Many of the home models were quite similar in exterior appearance and ended up being built directly next to each other.  On some streets, the “cookie cutter” effect (which cannot be eliminated completely) was severe.  I think they should do a better job of mixing in contrasting exterior design features to reduce the repetitive visual impact of a living in compact community.

5.  Design changes are discouraged or just not permitted.  Although there are many options offered in interior finishes and upgrades, making a minor change to a floor plan is not allowed.  For example, we inquired about adding a single wall and door to enclose the toilet area inside a bathroom.  Although this is simple to implement, we were told that no change of that type would be considered during construction.  We would have to wait until after the house was finished and then make the change ourselves.

Here is a virtual tour of Lake Providence.

We have not made any final decision about active adult communities in general or about Del Webb Lake Providence in particular.  We intend to continue to investigate the 55 plus community option for ourselves and for other baby boomers.  Stay tuned.

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