Retirement Communities in Vancouver Washington
Vancouver Washington has been one of the hottest cities to move to for the past few years for many different reasons. Our city has a beautiful mild climate, lots of nature and outdoor recreation, proximity to Portland and PDX airport, lower cost of living, and no state income tax. Vancouver attracted many young people looking to start their families and a lot of seniors looking to live an active retirement. The senior population increased from 12.4% in the 2010 census to 16.2% in the 2020 census.
Seniors looking to retire in Vancouver might consider moving into a 55+ retirement community to be with neighbors of similar age and interest. But isn’t that age discrimination according to the Fair Housing Act? Nope! The Fair Housing Act allows for “Housing for Older Persons” exemption for 3 different types of housing: elderly assistance, 62+, and 55+ housing. It should be noted that age exemption does not open the door to discriminate against other protected classes. In order to qualify for the 55+ exemption, the facility or community must meet these standards:
- At least 80% of the units are occupied by someone who is 55+
- The community must have policies to show that they intend to operate as a 55+ community
- The community must verify the ages of the residents
In Vancouver, there are many types of 55+ retirement communities. Let’s explore what they are and where you can find them.
Manufactured Homes
There are 2 types of manufactured homes: homes on real property and on leased land. Homes on real property come with deeded land so you own both the building and the land underneath it but the house is a “pre-fabricated” manufactured home instead of a traditional stick home. Manufacture homes on leased land are more commonly known by most people as mobile parks.
Manufactured homes are an affordable way to secure housing for your retirement. Since you’re only paying for the building, it can cost you anywhere between $100,000 to $300,000 (as of October 2022). The downside is that you pay land rent which is between $500 to $1,000 per month but the fee typically covers your water, sewer, and garbage bill. Some of the parks include amenities such as a swimming pool, a workout area, or a club room.
Here’s a list of all the 55+ mobile home parks in Vancouver Washington:
Condos and Townhouses
There are 6 55+ condo and townhouse communities in Vancouver: Oaks Condo, Madrona Lane, Takara Condo, Boardwalk Garden Homes, Pepper Tree Condo, and Fairway Village. These are priced similarly to regular condos, from $200,000 to $450,000 for a luxury floor plan. You also pay an HOA fee and depending on the HOA, the fee usually covers common area maintenance, exterior maintenance such as siding or roof, sewer, water, and trash.
Oaks Condo is the perfect place for golf lovers, it is located right next to Royal Oaks Golf Course and has easy access to Vancouver Mall and several shopping plazas.
Madrona Lane is a small little complex right on Mill Plain Blvd. It’s right in the middle of Vancouver and only a few minutes away from downtown.
Takara Condo is centrally located in Hazel Dell and has easy access to grocery stores and restaurants just down the street. It’s a little far from the rest of the city but Hazel Dell is developing quickly into a foodie spot. Fun fact, Hazel Dell is an unincorporated area and is not actually part of Vancouver so you will notice a difference in services.
Boardwalk Garden Homes is right next to the biggest park in Vancouver, David Douglas Park. In this 88-acre park, you’ll find walking trails, picnic areas, and baseball fields.
Pepper Tree is located in Minnehaha right by St. Johns Rd. Perfect for nature lovers, it’s just down the street away from Vancouver’s biggest dog park (Ike Memorial Dog Park), Leverich Park, and Arnold Park.
Fairway Village is the most well known and desirable 55+ community. It’s a mix of condos and single-family homes near Fisher’s Landing and it comes with a ton of amenities. There’s more about that in the next section!
There’s only 1 townhome community called Villas at Salmon Creek. It’s located between I-5 and I-205 so it can get a little noisy but it’s right down the street from the grocery store and shopping center. It’s also right across from the Salmon Creek cardiologist clinic and just a mile away from Legacy Medical Center.
Single Family Homes
There are 2 55+ single-family retirement communities in Vancouver and 1 in Ridgefield: Points West, Whipple Creek Village, and Fairway Village.
Points West is in north Hazel Dell (not too far from Takara Condo). It’s near the freeway entrance and Hazel Dell Shopping Center which has Target, Kohl’s, and several restaurants. Here’s a virtual tour that I did to give you an idea of what you can get.
Whipple Creek Village is a new construction luxury community built in 2021 located just 2 miles north of Salmon Creek. The homes come with beautiful quarts counters, roll-in showers, vaulted ceilings, and hardwood floors. It’s very close to Whipple Creek Park, the Amphitheater, and Clark County Fairgrounds so there are a lot of recreational options but since it’s on the border of both “Vancouver” and “Ridgefield” the location is not very convenient for city activities.
The best and last is Fairway Village. Fairway Village lifestyle is what you think of when you picture 55+ retirement communities: golfing in your spare time, attending events and classes at the event center, and living in a quiet residential neighborhood. Fairway Village is centrally located and has easy access to everything Vancouver has to offer. It’s right next door to 2 shopping plazas on 164th Ave, down the street from Highway 14 entrance, less than 15 minutes away from downtown Camas, downtown Vancouver, and PDX airport. Plus, the community has its own 20,000 sq ft clubhouse with amenities such as a gym, pool, sauna, library, art room, ballroom, billiard room, etc. And did I mention that residents get a reduced fee for tee time at the golf course? But all of this comes with a price.
The HOA fee is $625 per person per year. And if you live in a condo, you also have to pay an additional condo HOA fee of $313 per month (in 2022). The average condo price for 2022 is $367,000 and single-family home is $589,000.
I hope this helps you on your retirement journey! Get in touch with me if you have any questions about your home buying or selling process.
