Single 31-year-old moves into a RETIREMENT community

A 31-year-old who moved into a retirement community in Florida as a single woman is opening up about her blissful life in the building, where she can lounge by the pool, do puzzles, and eat homecooked meals with her senior citizen neighbors.

Liz White, a lifestyle blogger who is known as @LizWizdom on social media, was living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when her job became remote during the pandemic, allowing her to work from wherever she wanted. 

After breaking up with a long-term boyfriend, she headed to southwest Florida to stay with her parents in the retirement building — where almost all of the residents are 55 or older — and ended up moving in full time. 

‘Basically, I am retired in my soul, but not in my bank account that requires me to have a full-time job,’ she joked in her latest TikTok video, explaining that her parents and most of her neighbors are ‘snowbirds’ who spend the winter down south. 

She was working in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when her job became remote during the pandemic. After staying with her parents in the building, she moved into an open unit 

White’s neighbors (pictured) are all 55 or older, but she loves hanging out with them 

‘Another unit became available for rent in the building, and the rest is history,’ she added, but it certainly helped that the residents already knew her. 

White had to apply to live in the building, go through an interview process, and agree to abide by the rules. She noted that there isn’t an ‘enforced age minimum’ to live there, though almost everyone is retired.

She has given a number of video tours of the building and its amenities, which includes water views, a heated pool that is ‘still too cold for residents,’ an herb garden for everyone to use, a gym, and a library room for book and puzzle swapping.’

While the retirement community seems to be too good to be true, she did point out that most of the machines in the gym are broken. 

White recently visited Austria with her nearly 80-year-old neighbor and her husband, who took her hiking during the magical trip to Europe

In another clip, White discussed what it’s like to borrow books from the library, explaining most of them share one characteristic. 

‘A funny thing about some of these books is they are written in large font for the older eyes to read,’ she said. ‘So if you see me out and about reading a book on the beach, know that it’s probably a large print book.’

White has also detailed some of the rules in the building, though she admitted to breaking a few of them from time to time. 

‘One rule is you cannot back into parking spots,’ she said. ‘You have to park front forward. I love this rule because I personally believe backing into parking spots is a red-flag personality trait, but that’s just me.’

White tweeted about how she wanted to live in a retirement community years ago, and her dreams have come true 

White has given many video tours of the building, which has water views and a heated pool, though she noted that the other residents still think the water is ‘too cold’ 

The residents have access to a library room for book swapping and puzzles. White noted that a lot of the books are large print 

There is a community herb garden and a gym, but a lot of the workout machines are broken

There is a small section of covered parking that is given by seniority only, and some people have been waiting for over a decade to score a coveted spot in the shade.  

‘In order for someone to get a covered parking spot, someone else either has to move out or pass away,’ she said. 

When it comes to the pool, she can’t have food or drinks in the area, and as a common courtesy, she wears her long hair back in a braid whenever she swims. 

‘No one wants to be swimming and have long hair wrap around their arm in the water,’ she explained. ‘It’s just gross.’ 

White said that residents are not allowed to back into parking spaces, which she loves

There is a small section of covered parking that is given by seniority only, and some people have been waiting for over a decade to score a coveted spot in the shade

‘There’s also a rule that if you have an overnight guest, you’re technically supposed to put their name up on this bulletin board,’ she added. ‘No comment on if I’ve ever broken that rule.’

There are also some social rules she has learned to follow while living with a bunch of senior citizens.  

‘Every unit has a regular door and a glass door,’ she explained. ‘If you leave the regular door open, that means you are open to visitors. It’s kind of like a college dorm. If you see the door shut, that means leave people alone. If it’s open, go ahead and go on in.’ 

White may be decades younger than everyone else in the building, but she has a great social life and has become friends with a lot of her neighbors.

When it comes to the pool, she can’t have food or drinks in the area, and as a common courtesy, she wears her long hair back in a braid whenever she swims

White said living in the building is similar to a college dorm. If neighbors have their front doors open, it means they are welcome to visitors. If not, you should leave them alone 

She recently visited Austria with her nearly 80-year-old neighbor and her husband, who took her hiking during the magical trip to Europe.

In another video, she revealed she was a ‘seventh wheel’ on a dinner date with three other couples who live in her building. 

Hilariously, White is also at war with one of her 79-year-old neighbors, but the ‘feud’ isn’t what most people would imagine. Apparently, the issue is that the woman is too nice.  

‘She and her husband are so sweet. They invite me over for dinner parties, which are literally three-course homecooked meals with dessert,’ she gushed. ‘They will invite me out to dinner with them. She’s constantly giving me little treats and stuff — and I can’t keep up.’

White explained that the woman has done far more nice things for her than she had done in return, which she feels badly about. 

‘The other day I went to the grocery store, and I bought extra grapes, and then I texted my neighbor and asked if she wanted them, and she did. I was like, “Yes! I did a nice deed back.”‘ she recalled. ‘Then the next morning she texted me that she just went to the farmers’ market and dropped some fresh things off at my door.’

In another video, she revealed she was a ‘seventh wheel’ on a dinner date with three other couples who live in her building

White also shared that she is in a ‘feud’ with her 79-year-old neighbor over who can be nicer to the other, saying the woman is always giving her treats and inviting her over 

When White gifted the woman a new towel to show her gratitude, she was given a charm bracelet in return 

White asked viewers to give her some ideas of thoughtful things to do with her neighbor, and many people agreed that spending time with the woman was the best thing she could do. 

She agreed, but she also wanted to do more and ended up buying her a nice towel. Of course, the win didn’t last for long.  

‘I failed,’ she admitted in a follow-up video. ‘She sent me a sweet test thanking me. She likes it, she’s keeping it, and then she knocks on my door ten minutes later and gives me this bracelet.

‘She says, “You can’t just give me things in return for me doing nice things for you. That’s not how it works.” And yet, she gives me this,’ she added, holding up the bracelet.