People are trading in their large, high-maintenance homes and estates for the lock-and-leave lifestyle they can get with luxury townhomes in Pasadena. It’s a trend that’s happening all over the country as homeowners recognize the advantages of being able to get rid of all that maintenance and have more time to enjoy leisure pursuits. At the top of the list: more travel.

“Many baby boomers (38 percent) say they have created a travel bucket list that they hope to embark upon within the next several years, according to an AARP survey,” said US News. “Boomers have an average of eight places they hope to visit.”

Elevators foster ease of living in these low-maintenance luxury townhomes in Pasadena.

Elevators foster ease of living in these low-maintenance luxury townhomes in Pasadena.

The survey found that the most popular domestic and international spots on retirees’ lists include Hawaii, Australia, and European cities including Italy, France, and London. That kind of travel can require extensive planning to make sure your home is secure and taken care of while you’re gone. Luxury townhomes in Pasadena provide ease of living and peace of mind when traveling, while allowing buyers to maintain their high standards of space and style when at home.

A nationwide trend

“With retirement comes freedom,” said Ladera, a series of active adult communities in Texas. “The freedom to engage in your favorite hobbies. The freedom to learn that language you’ve always wanted to learn. The freedom to explore this great country or even the whole world. Yet typical homeownership creates limitations in that freedom, especially when you want to travel.”

Arizona is another place where the lock-and-leave lifestyle has taken hold in response to baby boomer trends and the typical constraints of large single-family residences. “Imagine a shiny brand-new luxury condo in a desert paradise, where you can jet off to the South of France for a month. That is the lifestyle many affluent homebuyers want these days,” Wendy Walker, leading sales associate with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Arizona’s Paradise Valley, said on the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury blog.

However, “It’s not just happening in Phoenix, which tends to be a second home market. It’s happening everywhere,” she said. “I was just in New York City for a conference with many luxury real estate agents who represent the top 1% in the country, and we all agreed that the major trend driving the luxury real estate market right now is ‘the lock and leave lifestyle.’ High net-worth individuals want less maintenance, more amenities, quality finishes and smaller square footage.”

In upstate New York, lock-and-leave options are growing out of high demand by baby boomers, said the Wilmington StarNews. “What they want is housing that will let them grow old…with freedom and an active lifestyle.” Low-maintenance homes, once a rarity a decade ago, are now one of the fastest-growing new-home categories. Said one local builder: “Boomers are driving the market right now.”

That is certainly true in Southern California. Here, luxury townhomes in Pasadena like Villas at The Ambassador Gardens are attracting retirees and pre-retirees whose goals include downsizing their footprint and maintenance while being able to enjoy their new freedom in a top location that provides walkable access to favorite hotspots.

Walkability another key

Location is a strong driver for boomers looking to move, and key to finding the right one is walkability. Those who already live in Pasadena, or in nearby cities like La Canada and San Marino, are eagerly trading their large estates for luxury townhomes like Villas that allow them to walk to their favorite Old Town restaurants and shops, as well as museums and local events. Living at Ambassador Gardens also means they can also stroll through the historic gardens, enjoying the acres of rolling lawns, meandering walkways, towering trees, lush flowers, and bubbling fountains and streams, just by stepping out their door.

Villas offers upscale three and four-bedroom, 2,904- to 3,717-square-foot townhomes with gourmet kitchens, great rooms, formal dining rooms, and private terraces. Each of these luxury townhomes in Pasadena also offers a private, in-unit elevator and a four-car garage. Villas is priced from $2 million.

For more information and to schedule a tour of these exceptional residences, visit Villas at The Ambassador Gardens. You can also click here to register, which will ensure you are kept up to date on phase releases and other important news.