55+ Communities · Temecula Valley
55+ Communities In The Temecula Valley
55+ communities in the Temecula Valley include age-qualified neighborhoods in Murrieta, such as The Colony at California Oaks and Four Seasons at Murrieta. Saundra Stormer of First Team Real Estate helps buyers explore these communities and plan the sale of their current home alongside the next purchase.
The Basics
What A 55+ Community Is
A 55+ community is housing that federal fair housing law (the Housing for Older Persons Act and HUD’s rules at 24 CFR 100.304 to 100.307) allows to operate as housing for older persons. To qualify, at least 80 percent of its occupied homes must have at least one resident who is 55 or older, and the community must publish its age policies and verify residents’ ages. Each community then adds its own rules in its CC&Rs and HOA policies.
The federal rule describes the community as a whole. It does not decide whether a particular buyer qualifies; that comes from the community’s own rules.
This is a plain summary, not legal advice. Sources: 24 CFR Part 100, Subpart E and HUD’s fair housing booklet.
Before You Buy
What To Ask Before You Buy
The listing tells you about the house. These questions tell you about the life that comes with it.
HOA Dues And What They Cover
Ask for the current monthly dues in writing, and what they pay for: the gate, the clubhouse, landscaping, the pool. Ask whether any increase or special assessment is planned.
The Community’s Own Age And Guest Rules
Federal law sets the floor. The community’s CC&Rs and HOA policies spell out who may live in a home and how long guests may stay. Read them before you commit to a home.
Single-Story Floor Plans
Not every home in a 55+ community is one level. If stairs matter to you now or later, filter for single-story plans from the start.
Golf And Amenity Fees
Some amenities are covered by the HOA, and some carry their own fees or memberships. Ask which is which, so the monthly number you plan around is the real one.
Gate And Access
Ask how the gate works for you, your guests, and deliveries, and whether it is staffed or uses a code or remote.
Selling Your Current Home First
If you are also selling a home, decide early whether you will sell first, buy first, or line up both closings, because that choice shapes every offer you write.
Where To Look
Two Murrieta Communities To Explore
Two age-qualified communities in Murrieta, described from each HOA’s own public website.
The Colony At California Oaks
A gated 55+ community in Murrieta with 1,586 homes, built in phases from 1989 to 2005, with 24-hour access control and the California Oaks Golf Club, a par-70 course within the community.
Four Seasons At Murrieta
A 55+ community in Murrieta built by K. Hovnanian, with 524 homes. The HOA dates the community to 2000, and its recreation center, The Lodge, is 13,000 square feet.
Looking at the wider town? See Murrieta real estate or the retiring in the Temecula Valley page.
Side By Side
How Do The Colony And Four Seasons Compare?
What each HOA publishes on its own website. Where a cell says “not stated by the HOA,” ask before you buy.
| Detail | The Colony At California Oaks | Four Seasons At Murrieta |
|---|---|---|
| Homes | 1,586 | 524 |
| Built | 1989 to 2005 | Since 2000 |
| Builder | Ryland Homes, Mastercraft, Crowell & David | K. Hovnanian |
| Gated | Yes, with 24-hour access control | Not stated by the HOA |
| Golf | California Oaks Golf Club, 18-hole, par 70, within the community | Not stated by the HOA |
| Recreation center | Clubhouse with an auditorium | The Lodge, 13,000 sq ft |
| HOA dues and age rules | Ask the HOA for current documents | Ask the HOA for current documents |
Sources: thecolonyatcaloaks.com and 4seasonsmurrieta.com, the two HOAs’ official websites.
Your Agent
Who Can Help Me Buy In A Murrieta 55+ Community?
Saundra Stormer of First Team Real Estate (CA DRE 01308120) has spent 25 years in the Temecula Valley and has sold more than 450 homes. She helps you compare communities, request the HOA documents, and line up the sale of your current home with your next purchase.
Sell Your Current Home And Move Into A 55+ Community
How Can I Sell My Current Home And Buy My Next One?
Selling one home and buying the next at the same time takes a plan. STORMER helps you line up both sides: pricing your current home, timing the sale and the purchase, and requesting the community’s documents so you can read its rules before you commit.
Tell her the towns you are looking at and your timeframe. She will follow up to talk it through, with no obligation attached.
Prefer to talk now? Call or text (951) 541-4555.
Planning The Next Chapter?
The best downsizing moves are planned well ahead. It costs nothing to start the conversation early.