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Why Now is the Time to Move to Wind Crest

August 25, 2020

In May 2019, when Alice and Joe Knox moved into Wind Crest, a continuing care retirement community developed and managed by Erickson Living, they knew they were taking a big step towards the retirement lifestyle they'd always dreamed of.

Both Alice and Joe's parents had lived at Charlestown, Erickson Living's flagship community outside of Baltimore, Maryland, for years, so the Knoxes were familiar with the active, vibrant lifestyle offered by Erickson's 20 managed communities and wanted the same for their own retirement.

They chose Wind Crest, located in Douglas County, Colorado, to be near their daughter, who lives within a 20-minute drive from the community.

After moving in, the Knoxes met their neighbors, got involved in activities, and began enjoying their home in Prospect Crossing, where they reside in the Hayden design, a large two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with a balcony. They especially love the maintenance-free living.

Just a few months later, when the first cases of COVID-19 began to appear in the United States earlier this year, Wind Crest quickly adapted many of its programs, amenities and services to continue to help keep residents and staff safe and healthy under the new circumstances, while at the same time maintaining the rich community life that Alice, Joe and other residents enjoy.

"They've been cautious and conservative in taking care of us," said Alice. "That's been smart."

Health and safety simplified

Like all other Erickson Living-managed communities, Wind Crest has its own on-site medical center, staffed with physicians and health care professionals who specialize in caring for seniors. "The last visit I had with them was through telemedicine, so I didn't even have to leave the apartment," says Alice. When needed, physicians were also able to visit residents in their apartment home, just like an old-fashioned house call.

Joe says that he and Alice feel secure at Wind Crest. "If something happened, and we had to pull the emergency cord to get some help, we know that the security staff members are also all EMTs," Joe explains. "They can respond to us within minutes and then connect directly with the doctors to coordinate care. That's great!"

Staying active

Alice and Joe continue to visit their daughter every few weeks and enjoy daily walks around Wind Crest's picturesque 84-acre campus, which offers stunning views of the Rocky Mountains and the all the natural beauty of Colorado, including the Highline Canal nature trail.

"We can meet with other people at a safe distance and get outside a little bit," says Alice.

"The sidewalks all around the community are so nicely landscaped," Joe adds, "Though there are some hills!" which they admit helps them with exercising.

Since moving to Wind Crest, Joe has been volunteering in the community's TV station. He says that he enjoys keeping people entertained by running the cameras and the sound system for Java and Niteside, two on-site shows that feature interviews of community members, staff, and even those who teach classes.

Alice is part of the quilters group, who would get together with their sewing machines pre-pandemic. Now, the members get together outside and share what projects they're working on. "I recently did a demo on how to make a certain kind of quilted wreath," says Alice. She also participates in outdoor fitness classes that combine stretching, balance, and low-impact aerobics.

"We've been enjoying everything," says Alice.

Why now is a great time to move

"Often, people's decision to move is in part a response to a major life event," says Blair Bryant, a Realtor® and Certified Senior Advisor® with The Stellar Group in Centennial, Colorado. "We find that it is different when people choose to move to an Erickson Living-managed community like Wind Crest—typically, they're being more proactive."

Rob Stark, a Realtor®, senior residential specialist, and team leader with the Stark Real Estate Group at RE-MAX Professionals, agrees. "Generally, life creates the transaction," he says. "With Wind Crest, out of the hundreds of residents I've seen move there over the years, there's almost no one who says that they moved too early. Most people say that they should have done it five years ago."

Both Bryant and Stark say that now is a good time to move for two reasons: first is Denver's strong, diverse economy and job market. "You've got a lot of educated buyers with higher incomes moving here," says Bryant. "No single industry is dominating our economy," adds Stark. 

Second, right now it is truly a seller's market. In August 2020, Bryant says that just under 6,500 houses were on the market in the Denver metro area. "About 4,000-5,000 houses sell each month," Bryant explains. "Buyers are going to have less to choose from."

"I had several homes just this last month that had multiple offers," he says. "One sold for $35,000 over the asking price."

For seniors looking to be proactive about their retirement lifestyle, there's never been a better—or more important—time to make a move. To learn more about Wind Crest, request a brochure today. 

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