Health and Wellness Now a Top Feature for Master Planned Communities

Master planned community developers now say health and wellness are more important factors than offering a “resort lifestyle,” according to a new report by John Burns Real Estate Consulting. “Resort lifestyle” topped the list for master planned community attractions for years, with only family friendliness coming in above it. Now, health and wellness has stolen the second place spot. JBREC says 76% of homeowners report taking steps to promote their physical health. Features such as a connection to nature, fitness, sustainability, and local food sources are now replacing standard health offerings such as trails and lap pools. Read more to see how some master planned communities are including health and wellness.

1. Immersion into nature
Just as with pre-pandemic travel trends, active and bold experiences are on the rise, with a premium placed on full immersion. Master plans are following suit, increasingly offering exciting outdoor adventures that bring wilderness to suburbia. Favorite examples include: the “Fish Camp” dock in Pomona, a stargazing amphitheater built by the ruins of a ranch home in Headwaters, and The Campout in Esencia (below).

2. Integrating healthcare into community
Consumers want health to be convenient. Even before the pandemic, the American Medical Association found that telehealth was growing faster than any other place of care. Lake Nona—a futuristic smart city on the leading edge of wellbeing and technology—makes a healthy lifestyle easy with purposeful integration of collaborative health care, research, and academic establishments into the community.

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