Kenna Real Estate Group · 55+ living
Before you buy in an active adult community, read the covenant, not the brochure. Here are the age rules, the visitor limits, what dues really cover, how resale works, and the tax and mortgage rules for buyers over 55.
A live person answers. Not a robot, not a phone tree.
Federal law lets a community call itself 55+ when 80% of its homes have at least one resident 55 or older; the other rules are written by each community and vary more than buyers expect. Most Colorado covenants require one resident 55+, allow a spouse or partner over 40, and cap grandchildren visits at 30 to 90 days a year. Dues run from about $150 a month plus a metro district in newer single-family communities to $500 to $900 a month in the older condo communities where dues include heat, water, exterior upkeep and the clubhouse. Resale is slower because the buyer pool is smaller, and prices carry a 5% to 8% premium because supply is short.
Age rule
80%
Federal Housing for Older Persons Act.
Grandchildren
30 to 90 days
Nobody under 18 or 19 as a permanent resident.
Dues
$150 to $900
Older condo communities include heat and water.
Resale
5% to 8% premium
but a smaller buyer pool and slower sales.
| Community type | Included | Not included |
|---|---|---|
| Older condo (Windsor Gardens, Heather Gardens) | Heat, water, sewer, trash, exterior, roof, clubhouse, golf, pool, security | Electric, insurance on contents, special assessments |
| Patio home community | Yard, snow, exterior paint, sometimes roof | Structure insurance in some, metro district tax |
| New single-family 55+ | Front yard, snow on common areas, clubhouse, pool, pickleball | Your roof, your exterior, plus a metro district tax on the property bill |
You can only sell to buyers who qualify under the age rule and want an age-restricted community, so the pool is smaller and days on market run longer than the rest of the city. In exchange, supply is short and the price premium is 5% to 8%. Location and the condition of the clubhouse and reserves decide value. Buy in a community that is still building or has a waiting list; avoid one with a 30-year-old clubhouse and a thin reserve.
kennarealestate.com · free guide
Every major Front Range active adult community side by side: age rule, dues, metro district, amenities, the catch, and this week's prices
Windsor Gardens and Heather Gardens are the least expensive way in and carry the most homes for sale. The newer communities cost two to three times as much and add a metro district. Compare the total monthly cost, the recorded covenant and the reserve study.
Prepared by
KENNA REAL ESTATE GROUP
Call or text 303-955-4220 · A live person answers.
Call or text 303-955-4220. A live person pulls the HOA documents for any community on the map and walks you through the age rule and the dues.
Call or text 303-955-4220See the 55+ mapA spouse or partner over 40 can in nearly every community. Permanent residents under 18 or 19 are not allowed, and the 20% of homes without a 55+ resident is a cushion for surviving spouses, not a loophole for buyers.
Thirty to ninety days a year in most Colorado communities. Read the recorded covenant; the number differs by community.
About $150 to $300 a month in newer single-family communities, plus a metro district tax; $250 to $450 in patio home communities; $500 to $900 in the older condo communities where dues include heat, water and the clubhouse.
Slower than the rest of the city because only age-qualified buyers can purchase, but prices carry a 5% to 8% premium because supply is short. Community condition and reserves decide value.
At 62 and up, an FHA HECM for purchase buys the home with roughly 45% to 55% down and no monthly payment for as long as you live there.
No. It requires ten years in the home, so it starts over after a move. Budget for full property taxes, plus any metro district, in the new community.