<p>So you&#8217;re buying a new home, congratulations! You&#8217;re starting the process of looking for the perfect location for your new home, as well as the best builder, community, amenities, etc.</p>
<p>Well before you move forward with your planning and looking, make sure that you at least consider building or buying your home in a planned community. There are many different benefits to living in a planned community. By living in a planned community, you get community friendships, beautiful planning, etc.</p>
<p>So whether you are just starting to consider a planned community, or you already understand all of the benefits of a planned community and you&#8217;re just trying to find the best one for you, let me help you out.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-Correct wp-image-3176" alt="Williams-landing-house-and-land-packages" src="https://medusamagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Williams-landing-house-and-land-packages-600x279.jpg" width="600" height="279" /></p>
<p><strong>Here are 6 things to look for in a planned community:</strong></p>
<h3>1. A Good Location</h3>
<p>It doesn&#8217;t matter how great your planned community is; if it isn&#8217;t located in a great location, or if that location doesn&#8217;t fit your needs, then the rest of the benefits of the community won&#8217;t mean much to you. So start by finding a planned community that is located in a good location, and that the location is close enough to your work, school, family, etc.</p>
<h3>2. A Great Clubhouse</h3>
<p>One of the greatest benefits of living in a planned community is the aspect of having access to the clubhouse! The majority of planned communities have clubhouses in them. These clubhouses usually include an indoor area for relaxing, reading, watching television, etc. Many of them have areas that the residents of the community can reserve for family events. These clubhouses can be enjoyed year round, and they provide an easy and comfortable alternative to your own home.</p>
<h3>3. A Pool</h3>
<p>Speaking of the clubhouse, make sure that you are also looking for a swimming pool! Especially if you have children, or if you just enjoy being out in the sun during the summer, you should look for a planned community with a pool. It can get expensive, and very inconvenient, to drag your whole family to the pool or beach as often as you&#8217;d like in the summer. But with access to your planned community’s pool, you don&#8217;t have to spend any extra money (these planned community pools are usually free for their residents and their guests), and you don&#8217;t have to worry about the hassle of traveling far to go to the pool, because you have access to one in your very own community!</p>
<h3>4. Amenities</h3>
<p>A pool and clubhouse aren&#8217;t the only amenities you should look for in a planned community. Many planned communities will also have additional amenities as part of their community. Some of these extra amenities can include tennis or basketball courts, parks, or even more targeted amenities like dog parks or even water parks. On top of that, some planned communities will even have schools and retail locations right within the grounds of their community. So, think of the types of things you enjoy or that will benefit your family, and look for a planned community that includes some of those amenities.</p>
<h3>5. Parks</h3>
<p>Most people enjoy some sort of outdoor activities. So find a planned community that caters to your outdoor interests. Not only are there pools located at many planned communities, but many of them also have other outdoor amenities like hiking and biking trails, golf courses, even fishing piers. So again, just like with the other amenities, think of some of the outdoor activities you enjoy and find a planned community that includes those types of activities.</p>
<p>But even if you don&#8217;t specifically like to spend (or you don&#8217;t have time to spend) a lot of time outdoors, there is still benefit to these outdoor parks. By choosing a planned community that has incorporated nice parks, water features, hiking trails, etc into the planning of the community, this will make it a more beautiful area for you to live in, as well as increasing the value of your home.</p>
<h3>6. Activities</h3>
<p>Some planned communities take their planning even a step further by hiring an activities person or a lifestyle director. These individuals are in charge of planning fun activities for their community residents. So, take advantage of a planned community that has a person like this on staff, and you will never be bored while living in your community!</p>
<p>Nicole writes for Riverstone. They are a Fort Bend area master-planned community built by one of the top luxury home builders Perth.</p>