Instead of waiting until their health deteriorates or they are at the mercy of their children, some older adults are deciding to move into retirement facilities early. And these are not your typical “old folks homes” either. They are communities set up to allow older adults to live active lives while they are still healthy and then provide medical care if needed as they age.

The crisis in the housing market hit these communities just as it hit other sectors of real estate. At the same time, of course, economic woes also hindered the target population for these communities. A common means of affording this type of living arrangement is to sell your current home and use that money to pay the fees these communities impose incoming residents. This means that some of these communities are offering incentives to get buyers and if you are at the point where you are considering such a move, you may want to see what is available. The incentives range from moving assistance to arranging for a relocation broker to buy your house if it doesn’t sell.

If the idea of a retirement community is not appealing, but you would like to downsize to a smaller home or a townhouse, talk to top Annapolis realtor John Day. A community like South River Colony is an option because they have residences that are set aside of people who are “55 or better.” You can be around your peers, but will still be close to a large, vibrant community with people of all ages.