“I envision myself here now” — our luxury retirement community podcast

A future resident of The Arboretum Villas at Plymouth Place, Dave Grimes is beyond excited about moving in. In fact, he already envisions himself here. “I’m looking forward to it,” he said in our recent podcast episode. “Unfortunately, we have a few more months to go.”

Ever since Dave heard about The Arboretum Villas, he’s been a big fan. He immediately visited Shelly at our Design Center at 26 S. La Grange Road in La Grange. After she answered all his questions, he set up another appointment with two of his sons. “I pulled out my checkbook and wrote a deposit. I was so impressed,” he said.

A widower, Dave had been living in “the big house” for a very long time and knew he needed to make decisions about his future. His mother, who lived to be 105, very much enjoyed her lifestyle in a retirement community. “She told me through the years, ‘People wait too long to move from their house and then it becomes traumatic for them,’” said Dave. “I’ve had that in the back of my mind for many, many years. I want to do it when it’s not going to be overwhelming. You need to do it when you’re able to do it and not when you have to do it.”

You need to do it when you’re able to do it and not when you have to do it.

Heeding that advice, Dave is already enjoying the vibrant lifestyle at Plymouth Place. He has stopped by with his family for lunch. He also frequents his favorite place, The Spa. “It’s one of the best massages I’ve ever had.”

To meet Dave and discover all the reasons he looks forward to an exciting new future right here, tune into this lighthearted episode. To secure a Villa of your very own, please contact us HERE. We encourage you to act soon. We only have five Villas left!

FOLLOWING IS A TRANSCRIPT FROM OUR PODCAST:

Nitsa Foundos: Hello. Welcome to Living Without Limits, our fun and informative podcast about the Arboretum Villas at Plymouth Place in La Grange Park, Illinois. I’m your host, Nitsa Foundos, and joining me today is David Grimes, one of the future residents of the Arboretum Villas. Welcome, David.

David Grimes: Well, thank you. Thank you. It’s nice to be here.

Nitsa Foundos: I can’t tell you how excited I am that you’re here and we get to have this conversation today. And for the listeners out there, could you just maybe give them a little bit of information about yourself?

David Grimes: Sure. I grew up in Naperville, and when we got married, my wife was in Aurora and we picked La Grange as kind of the halfway in the Burlington because she worked for Northern Illinois Gas and I worked for IBM in the city. We’ve had four sons. Two live in La Grange, two live in Western Springs. Two of my granddaughters live in La Grange. So this is our community. Unfortunately, my wife passed away a little over two years ago, so I’ve been living in the big house for a long time. And when this opportunity came along, I said, “This is exactly what I’m looking for.”

Nitsa Foundos: Well, when you say that, what truly led you to us? What was it that you heard or saw? Just kind of tell us a little bit.

David Grimes: Well, I was having lunch with my son this summer, and he said that some friends of his that I know had bought a place, the Villas. And I said, “Gee, I didn’t even know they were selling them.” So that was on a Thursday lunch. I went right over and saw Shelly at the design center, talked to her for an hour and a half or so, set up an appointment for Saturday morning and brought two of my sons. After a couple hours there, I pulled out my checkbook and wrote a deposit. I was so impressed.

Nitsa Foundos: Oh, thank you.

David Grimes: And they were too.

Nitsa Foundos: Well, thank you for saying that. It’s all about the customer experience. We certainly want to nurture you through this process. This is new territory for us, Dave. And I have to tell you, it’s so exciting to see where we started and where we’re at today, and the fact that we’ve had wonderful weather this winter.

David Grimes: Oh boy, I guess.

Nitsa Foundos: We’ve been able to stay so ahead of schedule that I have to tell you something really funny. One of our Founders said, “I thought I was going to have a couple more years before I’m moving in, but you guys are really moving fast, aren’t you?” And I said, “Yep.” So anyways. So as of this recording, I don’t know if you’ve kept track, how many villas do you think we have left to sell?

David Grimes: I think I heard like 5.

Nitsa Foundos: Look at you. You are staying up with the times. I’m impressed. And why do you think we’ve been so successful?

David Grimes: Well, I don’t think there’s any place that offers the advantages that the villas do. Personally for me, I like the villas. I wasn’t ready to go into a retirement community per se. But when I saw the villas that gave me the ability to have the independence, but yet have the advantages and the facilities of a retirement community, I think that’s one of the advantages. And I think the location is terrific. And I think after seeing the design center and working with Shelly and Grace and making the selections, which is a project, everything is first class and it sells itself.

Nitsa Foundos: Thank you. And in terms of the standard items that are going into these, what would you say about them?

David Grimes: They were well above my expectations. We did do some add-ons, but quite honestly, not as much as I expected. I’d never done anything like this before, so it was a new experience. But again, the standards were such a high level, you didn’t have to say, “Oh, I got to get an upgrade.” I’m not getting a fireplace, but if somebody wants a fireplace, you can get a fireplace. But I thought the selections were terrific.

Nitsa Foundos: And you chose a beautiful floor plan called, The Maple, and there’s not very many of them.

David Grimes: Right. We were lucky.

Nitsa Foundos: You were very lucky. And when you think about the customization part of it all, there’s not too many other communities that are allowing you to take that customization to a whole new level. Would you agree with that?

David Grimes: I would agree. I have not really looked at a lot of other communities. I’ve been to other retirement communities, but I’ve not really been in a buying mood at that time. So I didn’t go into a great detail, but my experience here has been I can do anything I want basically with the unit.

Nitsa Foundos: Well, I know that you’re not moved into the Villa yet, and you have been taking advantage of some of the services and amenities that we already have here at Plymouth Place. You want to tell us more about that?

David Grimes: Right. I was never a massage guy until years ago. My wife gave me a gift certificate for a massage, so I got a massage, “Oh, this isn’t bad.” And through the years I’ve been continuing to get massages, and when you all gave me a tour through the promenade or the lower level, we saw the salon and I saw that there was a massage room and the facilities looked terrific. And I thought, well, I’m going to try it. And it was actually terrific. It’s one of the best massages I’ve ever had. I mean, she’s great. It’s convenient. So I have taken advantage of that. I look forward to taking advantage of some of the other facilities, items in the building as well too.

Nitsa Foundos: Yeah, absolutely. We have that infamous pub, where we have live entertainment and the bar menu is amazing. I don’t know if you’ve tried any of the food there yet.

David Grimes: No, we had lunch in the, I don’t know what you call it, the coffee shop kind of place.

Nitsa Foundos: Bistro.

David Grimes: Bistro, last Saturday as a matter of fact. And the sandwiches were delicious, the prices were right. It was a great treat. I brought my son and daughter-in-law over to show them the facility, and they were very, very impressed.

Nitsa Foundos: We have several Founders and order food and pick it up and take it home. So keep that in mind. You don’t have to cook if you don’t want to. So what do you think of the new community we’re creating? And what I mean by that, some of the add-ons that we’re taking advantage of the wonderful… We sit on 18 acres, right?

David Grimes: Right.

Nitsa Foundos: And that’s including the main building of Plymouth Place. So things like the pickleball court, the greenhouse, things like that. What do you think that’s making you excited to participate in when you envision what we’re bringing to the table here?

David Grimes: A whole number of things. One of the things I just noticed, and I was showing my son and daughter-in-law on Saturday is there’s a garden basically right next to my unit. And I thought, “Oh, great. I can plant my tomatoes and have some fresh tomatoes in Aug July and August.” But I think the pickleball court, the putting green, the swimming pool, the exercise facilities, I’m looking forward to all of it.

Nitsa Foundos: I’m so glad that you are. And it’s all about living life to the fullest.

David Grimes: I agree.

Nitsa Foundos: Absolutely. So let’s talk about some of the social activities. You’ve participated in a few of them where you’ve got to meet your neighbors. Which event that we’ve had has been your favorite, thus far?

David Grimes: Well, I enjoyed the Christmas dinner. It was great to meet all the new residents. And the food was excellent, of course, let me say that. We had, as I recall, filet and shrimp. And I remember the bread basket was terrific, the vegetables, dessert was outstanding. I mean, it was a fine dining experience.

Nitsa Foundos: Yes. We set the standard very high when it comes to cuisine and presentation and making each event feel very personal and special.

David Grimes: Right.

David Grimes: But that was a great opportunity to talk to other people and see what they’re looking forward to here. And I think everybody’s pretty much like me. They’re all looking forward to this new chapter, and the facilities and the opportunities to keep busy are innumerable.

Nitsa Foundos: And there’s people that maybe aren’t as socially active that prefer more quiet time, and that’s definitely okay in our books.

David Grimes: Sure.

Nitsa Foundos: The fact that having those opportunities at arm’s length is what makes this so unique is that you don’t have to go very far if you want to be active, if you’d like to socialize. So anyways, I’m really excited. I can’t wait till it’s finally done.

David Grimes: You and me both.

Nitsa Foundos: So moving advice. I think that weighs heavily on everyone’s mind. And how have we helped you prepare for that move?

David Grimes: Well, you do have the service, and we did talk. At this point, fortunately, my wife was not a saver, but we still have a lot of stuff. And my goal is I go through a room every month and get the kids over and say, “What do you want?” And they take what they want and the rest of it, we’re going to donate someplace. So I’m on my second room right now. So by October, November we’ll be in good shape.

Nitsa Foundos: That’s awesome.

David Grimes: And I’m going to bring some of my furniture, but I’m going to also buy some new furniture too.

Nitsa Foundos: Oh, I can’t wait to see what you’re going to pick. Well, I think that’s great. The fact is, yes, we have Moving Station, which is a national real estate organization that helps you do some home evaluations to ensure that you’re getting the best price for your home. And they have an aggressive marketing plan that moves the process a little bit quicker than just a standard realtor.

David Grimes: Right.

Nitsa Foundos: Because they understand our business and they only work with senior living communities. That’s the differentiator. Then we have Honoring Aging. Honoring Aging, so the stuff that you have left over that you want to donate or you don’t know what to do with, or the fact that when the time comes, you want them to come in and pack everything up for you and move it, physically move it from your home to the new Villa. We want this to be simple and easy. We don’t want people to stress out about that. That’s what brings me joy, is that people can think, “My goodness, the day of move, I went and had lunch with my son. I came back at dinner time and everything was all done and put away.” That’s what I want to hear.

David Grimes: I do too.

Nitsa Foundos: All right. So when you think about someone that is considering, and go back several months…what advice would you give someone that is perhaps scratching their head wondering, is this something I really want to get into?

David Grimes: It’s interesting you say that. My mother moved into a retirement community. She was 85 at the time, and she lived to be 105.

Nitsa Foundos: Wow.

David Grimes: And she told me through the years, she said, “People wait too long to make that move from their house, and it becomes traumatic for them.” And I’ve had that in the back of my mind for many, many years. And I said, “She’s right.” And I want to do it when it’s not going to be overwhelming. And even though that’s a little bit overwhelming, you need to do it when you’re able to do it and not when you have to do it.

Nitsa Foundos: Right. That’s very good advice. I think sometimes people feel there’s a huge difference in price or what is going to cost them to make that transition from point A to point B in choosing a community like the Arboretum Villas. But if you don’t inquire, you’ll never know. And so there’s part, and I don’t know, what can I tell you, there’s part fear of taking that first step and finding out. One thing I can tell you, and I think you’ve experienced this, we’re not pushy people.

David Grimes: Not at all.

Nitsa Foundos: You schedule an appointment, you meet with us, we lay out all the facts on the table. But ultimately, the decision is yours. We cannot twist your arm to make this decision. And that’s what I’m proud of, is that we have high integrity and we want this to be the right fit for you. And if it’s not, we’re going to be honest with you.

David Grimes: I thought the pricing variations and possibilities, it’s a wide spectrum. And in fact, somebody said, “Well, how much is it costing?” It’s different for everybody.

Nitsa Foundos: Exactly.

David Grimes: Depending on what plan you take. And it’s not easy to explain. You have to sit down, look at it, and look at your own personal financial situation to see what’s best for you.

Nitsa Foundos: You’re absolutely right.

Nitsa Foundos: So is there anything else you’d like to add?

David Grimes: No, other than it’s so far I’ve been a wonderful experience and I can’t wait for it to finish so I can get moved in. I’m looking forward to it. I envision myself here now. Unfortunately, we got a few more months to go.

Nitsa Foundos: Can you believe we’re in the year, though?

David Grimes: I know.

Nitsa Foundos: I mean, we’re not talking two years out. It’s within the year that this is all going to come to fruition.

David Grimes: A year from now, it’ll be done.

Nitsa Foundos: I know. And then we’ll be celebrating the new year of 2024. We got some exciting things coming up. Stay tuned for that.

Well, thank you so much, David, for joining me today. I love your excitement and how you can’t wait to move in. If you’re considering the Arboretum Villas at Plymouth Place, I advise you to act soon. We still have several beautiful villas left, but expect to sell them out soon. You can reach us at (708) 482-6634, or visit arboretumvillas.org and check out our events page for upcoming lunch or dinner presentations. If you’d like to see our beautiful floor plans and finishes in person, stop by our design center at 26 South La Grange Road in downtown La Grange and say hello to Shelly. We’re open Monday through Friday from nine to 5:30 and Saturday by appointment. Thank you so much everyone, for tuning into Living Without Limits. We look forward to talking with you again. Until then, I’m Nitsa Foundos.