A Look at Retirement Costs, Phoenix AZ

articleCool thing about the internet, when people find something you’ve put out there, you get to see the search terms they used to get there. Maybe it’s the down economy or maybe people are just smart, but the words “cost” and “retirement” seem to go hand in hand.

Take Phoenix Metro for example. Someone out there searched “cost to live at Encanterra” in Google, and found our previous bit about the Southeast Valley.

In that article, we mostly talked about golf and amenities. We went on about how Encanterra’s golf course offers “elements reminiscent of the traditionally great private clubs” and how the main restaurant, Bistro 1528, offers “a casual yet sophisticated feel with emphasis on delicious continental cuisine, superior service and genuinely friendly team Members” We did not attach price tags to our descriptions, but we are aware that price is always a factor.

Here’s the thing – buying a retirement home, and associated 55+ active adult retirement lifestyle, is a little more involved than buying, say, a toaster, an entertainment system, or a car. There are a lot of variables to consider, and each one will have an up or down impact on “what it costs to live at Encanterra”.

First of all, there are a variety of floor plans to choose from, and each floor plan has different architectural styles to chose from. Then there are details such as what type of counter surfaces will there be in the kitchen, bathroom(s), etc. With so many options to choose from, purchase prices for your dream retirement home can range from approximately $160K to up to over $500K.

The up side is that this means that most people who are in the position to buy a retirement home can likely buy at Encanterra, but the down side is that when someone asks “how much” we always have to point back at “that depends”…

Then there’s the “green tech” stuff. According to one article in Arizona Foothills Magazine about Encanterra, “As eco-consciousness makes its way into the everyday, one Valley community is finding that the once costly and unattainable benefits associated with green building are not only a possibility, but also a reality.”

So now we have to address the fact that Encanterra offers some standard energy saving features that other builders might charge extra for. Saving energy is saving money, so it’s like getting an upgrade for free and then you have to calculate the savings – which might also depend on things like how cold you like to set the thermostat in the summer. Like the ad people like to say about weight loss, “individual results will vary”.

So really, the best answer to the question is, “contact your real estate agent, or contact a representative of Encanterra directly and talk to them.” All we know is that the housing market as a whole dropped to levels not seen since 2000, an some people are seeing prices pick up again, just a little. Once you know what’s available and what it actually costs, then you’re in position to make an intelligent decision about buying in. Just asking the internet seems a little risky.