Questions people ask

Is Grand Villa a 55+ community?

Yes. Grand Villa is a 55+ community: housing for older persons under the federal Housing for Older Persons Act. It's a street of 69 homes on Springfield's west side, and it stays quiet because the people living here are at a similar stage of life. Ages are checked as part of the application, as federal rules for 55+ housing require.¹⁴

What does the $405 lot rent cover?

Lot rent is for the homesite your house sits on, with two parking spaces. It doesn't cover the home itself, electric, insurance, or the personal-property tax on your home. Ask Cory how water, sewer and trash are billed.¹⁴

See the full breakdown

Is there room? How do I get in?

Grand Villa is nearly full, so it starts with the waitlist. Homes here come up for sale from time to time. When one does, Cory calls the people on the list. You buy the home from its seller, apply to live here, and move in.

How the waitlist works

What if I stop driving?

City bus Route 6 runs along West Grand Street, past the entrance. The Grand and Clifton stop is about a 4-minute walk. It runs Monday through Saturday, 6 am to 10:10 pm, with no Sunday service. City Utilities paratransit runs the same hours. A Walmart Neighborhood Market is on Grand Street too, about 4 minutes by car.⁶⁸¹⁰

Getting around without a car

How close are hospitals?

Mercy Hospital Springfield and Cox North are each about 8 minutes away by car. Cox South is about 12 minutes. These are light-traffic drive times.¹⁰

Are the homes all on one level?

Yes, the homes are single-floor. Many have a few steps up to the porch, so if steps matter, ask Cory about a particular home's entrance before you visit.

What are the homes like?

Most are single-section homes. Many have covered porches or carports. Homes vary in age, size and upkeep, so look at each one closely. Each one is its own house on its own homesite.⁴

Is the water from a well?

No. Grand Villa is on City Utilities of Springfield water and sewer.⁵

Where do I park?

Each home has two parking spaces, and the streets are wide and paved.⁴

Is there any help with the cost?

Missouri's Property Tax Credit lets some renters 65 and older count mobile home lot rent. The credit can be up to $750 a year for renters, and there are income limits. You may qualify. Ask a tax preparer, or read the Missouri Department of Revenue's guidance.¹¹

How the credit works

How do people pay for a home here?

Many pay cash, often from the sale of a previous house. Others use a personal-property loan from a lender that finances homes in communities. Grand Villa doesn't arrange, quote or approve loans, but Cory can explain how buying here works.

Buying a home here

What happens to the home later?

It is your home, so you can sell it. The buyer applies to live here, the same way you did.

Are meals or activities provided?

No meals are provided. Grand Villa is a street of houses, not a service building, so you cook and plan your own days.