My wife and I moved into Wikiup Greens a little over two years ago. We had never thought about a 55+ senior community to live in. I guess a combination of “just not thinking about it” plus our happiness where we were living kept it off the radar for us. Still, folks age, and our knees started to object to the 40 steps we climbed up and down every day to get to our redwood tree house. Okay, it wasn’t a tree house, but the steps took us well up a hill where we were eye to eye with the squirrels and jays. One day the steps got to be too much and we started looking for something safer and more practical.
Wikiup Greens in Santa Rosa is surrounded on three sides by Wikiup Golf Course. The golf course isn’t ours, but we get the benefit of the greenery, the fresh air, and the wildlife. We’re close to Old Redwood Highway and Highway 101 so it’s an easy commute or bus ride to downtown Santa Rosa. Kaiser has multiple medical facilities just a few miles away and there are other important senior services within easy driving distance. There are only 38 units in this 7 acre complex, so there is plenty of elbow room.
The single story, tile-roofed buildings typically have four units, although a few of the buildings just have three. There’s a mix of two and three bedroom units, mainly between 1,100 and 1,400 square feet. The designs are similar with compact and well planned layouts. Because of our location on a modest hill and the single story designs, many of the units have excellent views. Our unit happens to have a very nice south east exposure and great sunsets as well. Others look over the golf course and Mark West Creek which borders it.
Wikiup Greens is governed by an HOA that seems to have done an excellent job over the years. We have accumulated enough reserve funds that projects like last year’s painting and the staggered re-roofing jobs for the carports are within the budget and accounted for in the long term reserve study. I know from my experience that not every homeowner’s association has prepared so efficiently, so I’m grateful to the Wikiup Green’s HOA and everyone who has served on the board in the past.
Another key selling point for me has been the rebuilding of the swimming pool. The association had fallen behind on our updates to pool safety, particularly the need to have two drains to prevent people from being trapped on the bottom. We rebuilt the whole pool last year to make it safer and upgrade all the equipment. There was also a major upgrade to the solar heating system. Our clubhouse and pool area is now ready for another summer of Sonoma County bliss.
As under-60 members of a 55+ community we are among the younger residents, but new folks moving in have edged us out as “youngest”. What we do have in common with everyone here is an enjoyment of a quiet lifestyle that includes gardening, swimming, occasional pot lucks and barbecues. Most of the residents here are retired, but quite a few of us still work. Lots of people have children and grandchildren that visit, but it’s an overall quiet place. We love it here. If you’re looking for a sensible place to settle down, you might want to consider Wikup Greens