Residence styles include one story single family homes and attached homes (and apartments), and the ownership legal structure is either condo ownership or co-op ownership.   Buyers of condos receive a deed and own the the airspace within the domicile, plus a share of common spaces used by other residents.  Buyers of a co-op become a shareholder in a corporation that owns the building, and the buyer carries a leasehold interest in the individual unit.  

There are more than 90 different floor plans from which to choose, and sizes range from one bedroom to three bedrooms.  The variety does not end there, though.   Some homes have 2-car garages; other have carports.  Some have flat roofs; some have pitched, tile roofs.   Some share laundry facilities; some come with a washer and dryer.     Most residences have air conditioning.  Current prices range from roughly $55,000 for a cozy one bedroom condo with 750 square feet to $1 million or more for a lovely hillside two bedroom condo with 2,200 square feet, upgrades and golf course views.   Inventory in the $100,000s and $200,000s is quite good.     Private homes are also for lease from around $1,000 per month.  

All homeowners, condo owners and co-op owners, pay a monthly HOA fee, and this fee is rather steep, starting from $520 per month.   It covers a good amount, though, including water, trash collection, basic cable TV, landscaping, all home exterior maintenance, 24-hour private security patrol, shuttle service within the development and the upkeep on seven clubhouses, five swimming pools, the two golf courses, an equestrian center and more than 230 community clubs.   For co-op owners, the monthly fee also  includes  interior maintenance.  Property taxes and insurance are not covered.   Residents of The Towers pay a monthly fee of $1501 to $1801.

As mentioned earlier, there are income requirements to purchasing here.    Co-op buyers must have an annual income of $36,000, and condo buyers must have an annual income of $42,000.   Buyers must also have a minimum of $125,000 in assets over the purchase price of the home.   Assets can include property, cash, stocks, 401ks, etc.  Income requirements for The Towers range from $32,527 for one occupant in the smallest unit up to $50,620 for two residents in the largest three bedroom penthouse. 

Laguna Wood Village's amenities are many.  There are golf courses (one 27 hole and one 9 hole, plus a driving range and chipping area), seven clubhouses (with five swimming pools, indoor and outdoor), a fitness center, a performing arts center, a tennis complex with ten courts, a computer lab, a community library, two garden centers (plot sizes range from 200 sq. ft. to 400 sq. ft.), classes, clubs and workshops.  The equestrian center features a show ring and a grandstand and provides an opportunity for riding lessons and trail rides; it also boards horses.  There is a community bus system, and new residents are greeted with monthly orientations.  Saddleback College offers the Emeritus Program in which 100 courses are available to residents of Laguna Woods.  Channel 6 is the community TV station.  Social workers are also available for counseling as needed.

The city of Laguna Woods has been named one of the safest places to live in the U.S., and Laguna Woods Village is safe as well, with gated, controlled access and roving security patrols throughout the community.  It also has free, guided tours of the development for prospective buyers the first three Thursdays of every month.  These include visiting the recreation facilities and peeking inside two open houses that belong to current residents.   A free lunch is included!  

Medical facilities, shopping centers, theater events and restaurants are all close by, but none are located within the development itself.  Temperatures vary between 65 degrees and 85 degrees throughout the year, and precipitation is low.  It's southern California.

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