A home trend that is becoming popular More and more adults 55+ are ditching mortgages for an easier way of life!

Many homeowners over 55 dream of selling their home to move to Florida. A vision of palm trees and sun, beaches and cocktails, boating, travel and of course, all of this with no snow. A life with no state taxes sounds good. Maybe a home by the water or with a great golf course view. The possibilities are endless, but according to Realtor.com, many homeowners are ditching the mortgage for an easier way of life, and are flooding the rental market.

On August 10, 2023, Yahoo Finance ran an online article stating that there are a number of reasons why older Americans may now be renting. "Some boomers have sold their homes in recent years because they wanted to get top-dollar for their properties. But now they're having difficulty finding new homes to purchase, given the lack of homes for sale and the competition in the market," said Clare Trapasso, executive news editor at Realtor.com. As a result, "they're renting for longer than they might have expected." Other boomers are renting by choice. "They don't want to deal with the maintenance and repairs that owning a home requires," Trapasso said. "They would rather have someone else fix the drain, cut the grass and take care of anything that goes wrong. In addition to the convenience factor, some boomers are drawn to renting because of the additional amenities they can gain access to."

As more adults over 55 move to Florida, they may find that they are priced out by record high insurance premiums, 10-year high interest rates, over inflated values and property taxes. The thought of renting sounds like the answer, but the idea of living in a building with children running about, or never knowing if your neighbors will stay for more than a year, may make it less than optimal. Until recently, there was a gap between home-ownership and renting a traditional apartment. A gap filled with active adults searching for a place that alleviated the burdens associated with home-ownership while offering an upgraded resort lifestyle only found in active adult for-sale communities.

One community on the Gulf Coast of Florida answered the call. The Floridian Club of Sarasota is a leasable villa resort on the west coast of Florida that has combined the rental concept with the perks of homeownership.

Nothing rental about it. One level villa.

Coastal-style, one-level living w/attached garages, the ability to customize and a community-feel that is situated only 5 miles from pristine beaches. The Club boasts maintenance free living inside and out, a 10,000 S.F. clubhouse filled with resort amenities, to include 2,000 S.F. dedicated to fitness. A full time onsite social director offers a robust event calendar, with activities, trips, live music and more! Located within Sarasota County, Florida, The Floridian Club truly embraces the Active Floridian Lifestyle.

For more information on The Floridian Club of Sarasota, visit Floridianlife.com.

Kristi Bender