How Much House Do You Really Need in a Retirement Community?

Yash Rai
09/06/2018

With all of the amenities available to residents at the Villages of Citrus Hills, planning to spend your retirement years here is an easy decision to make. But where things get a little more complicated is when you have to decide exactly how much house you are going to need once you are living here in Florida.

In most cases, you will have a good general idea of how big of a house you are looking for, but we have learned over the years that spending just a little extra time weighing the pros and cons of going a little bit larger or a little bit smaller can be the difference between an almost perfect retirement and one that actually is perfect.

If you are struggling with deciding exactly how much house you are going to need in your retirement years, we suggest taking some time to talk through each of the following five concerns to see how each of them might impact your new lifestyle.

 

Where Do You Spend Time?

One of the biggest differences in the floorplans here at the Villages of Citrus Hills is the size of rooms like the great room, kitchen, and master bedroom. Depending on where you typically spend the most time, you might realize that you would like just a little bit more space in one of these places.

Of course, if you are the type of person who expects to spend the majority of your time out in the community or kicking back on your lanai, then any cost associated with upgrading these interior spaces will be a wasted expense.

 

 

Will You Be Hosting Guests?

The most common reason that many residents choose to go a little bigger on their retirement home is that they are expecting to host guests on a regular basis.

Whether we are talking about long-time friends, children, or grandchildren, having an extra bedroom or two when hosting visitors is always going to be a plus.

What Are Your Hobbies?

Speaking of extra bedrooms, if you are considering picking up a new hobby during your retirement years, you will definitely want to make sure that you have plenty of room to explore your projects without leaving clutter all over the house.

Crafting, puzzle building, and woodworking are all popular retirement community hobbies, and they all require plenty of extra space. And even hobbies like reading and writing can be much more enjoyable if they have their own space in your home.

 

 

What is Your Budget?

The first three questions probably got you thinking about pushing towards a slightly bigger retirement home, but the counterargument that you have to consider now is whether you can actually afford that extra space.

In addition to being able to afford the house itself, it is also important to keep in mind that larger homes will be more expensive in terms of maintenance and utilities.

How Do You Feel About Maintenance?

Speaking of maintenance, another great point to consider is that there are many options like the Care-Free floorplans at the Villages of Citrus Hills that include all of the necessary exterior maintenance on your home.

That means you won’t ever have to bother with cutting grass, trimming the hedges, or exterior painting. But if you’re the type of person who enjoys that type of work (aka crazy), you might not find much value in a home where someone else does the work for you.

Determining the right size for your retirement home is a complicated process that really boils down to analyzing your lifestyle, contrasting it with your budget, and finding the home that best fits those two together. And here at the Villages of Citrus Hills, we have options to cover just about any conclusion you reach.

Terms and Conditions:

No purchase necessary to enter or win. One (1) entry per tour will be provided upon completion of an in-person tour of The Villages of Citrus Hills between May 1, 2026 and July 15, 2026, regardless of the number of tours completed.
Prize consists of a trip for two (2) to the 2026 U.S. Open, including event tickets for one day of play, round-trip coach airfare, and standard hotel accommodations. Drawing will be held on or about July 17, 2026.
Winner will be notified via phone and/or email and must accept the prize within 5 days or an alternate winner may be selected. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.
Travel dates, event tickets, and accommodations are subject to availability and may be determined at Citrus Hills’ sole discretion. Prize is non-transferable, has no cash alternative, and cannot be substituted except at sponsor’s discretion. Taxes, upgrades, and additional expenses not expressly included are the responsibility of the winner.
Employees, affiliates, and immediate family members are not eligible. Offer subject to change or termination at any time without notice. Additional terms may apply.
The US Open is a registered trademark of the United States Tennis Association. This promotion is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by the USTA. 

Terms and conditions:

Offer valid on new construction homes purchased through Citrus Hills Construction with a fully executed purchase agreement between May 1, 2026 and May 31, 2026. Citrus Hills Construction will pay the buyer’s customary lender and title closing costs when the home is closed through Manatee Title, LLC. Closing costs must be verified by an official Closing Disclosure prepared by Manatee Title, LLC. Citrus Hills Construction will provide a credit at closing for eligible closing costs as reflected on the final settlement statement. Offer does not include prepaid items, property taxes, homeowners insurance, optional upgrades, or non-standard lender fees.
Offer is non-transferable and may not be combined with other incentives unless expressly approved in writing. Offer subject to change or termination at any time without notice. Additional terms and conditions may apply. See Sales Executive for details.

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