Once you’ve decided to make Heron’s Key your new home, your next decision is which specific residence you want. That involves selecting a floor plan, of course, and a location within the community.

The selection of homes you’ll have to choose from will depend on the availability of your preferred floor plan(s) at the time you want to move. When it comes to narrowing down your options to a top choice, you’ll want to consider a number of factors.

East Side or West?

When people visit our community to have a look around, something they may notice right away is there’s a choice—for independent living—between homes on the side facing east (which we refer to as the “campus view”) or the side facing west.

Everyone Has a Point of View

For some, the views from their chosen home is an important consideration. For others, this may not be a priority, especially if they’re engaged in activities that frequently take them away from home during the day.

Either way, homes on both sides have appealing views. Those facing west look out onto the nature preserve, whereas the campus view homes face our beautiful campus.

Edker Matthews, who lives on the east-facing side, enjoys watching the small groups of residents who volunteer to make our campus even more attractive by planting and tending a colorful array of flowering shrubs and other plants. He refers to their collective efforts as a “love affair” because, he says, it’s obvious their efforts come from the heart.

Even more, he enjoys seeing the fruits (or in this case the blossoms) of their labor, particularly during the spring and summer when the plants show off their brilliant hues. In the autumn, he says, the maples and other deciduous trees put on a glorious display, dressed in dazzling shades of maroon, gold, copper and deep orange. All throughout the year, the stand of evergreens on the other side of Borgen Boulevard is a majestic sight, especially from the upper floors.

Sunrises and Sunsets

No discussion of the views at Heron’s Key would be complete without mentioning the spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Edker is fond of watching the morning sky from his apartment as it changes from deep lavender and raspberry just before dawn to lighter shades of rose and amber as the sun rises higher in the sky. On summer evenings, he likes to sit on his balcony and watch the shadows grow as the sun sinks toward the horizon.

Those who live on the west-facing side can feast their eyes on the captivating skies that often accompany the setting of the sun—and if you’ve spent any time here in the Pacific Northwest, you know what we’re talking about!

Convenience and Accessibility

When choosing a specific home, you’ll also want to keep in mind other priorities you may have. While there isn’t a large degree of difference among our residences when it comes to how convenient and accessible they are, the subtle differences may be enough to sway your decision.

For instance, if you make frequent trips to and from your car, you might want to choose a campus view apartment that’s closer to the parking area. Likewise, if you think that you (or your partner) might someday need to live at Penrose Harbor or stay there for a while, then a campus view apartment would also be advantageous.

Your level of involvement in community activities and your mobility may also factor into your decision. As an example, residents who use an assistive device such as a walker, typically prefer living in a home that’s close to the elevator or near the dining venues. And that brings us to another topic …

Your First Home at Heron’s Key May Not Be Your Last

Moving from one residence to another is not unusual in our community, even if residents remain in independent living. The reasons vary, but Edker’s experience is a case in point.

He and his wife, Susan, had a home in the Seattle area before moving to New Mexico, where they lived for more than 15 years. They had been planning to move back to the Puget Sound area, into a continuing care retirement community, and had toured several communities during annual trips to visit their family—including at least four tours of Heron’s Key. Edker says each year they would compare a different community or two to ours, and each time Heron’s Key “continued to come out No. 1.”

The upturn in the housing market led them to move a few years earlier than they intended, and initially they chose a one-bedroom campus view apartment, which Edker says they were pleased with. When a two-bedroom apartment became available down the hall, however, they decided to move and take advantage of the extra space.

Other residents may decide their two-bedroom home is larger than they need and move into a smaller apartment. Or they might take a look at an apartment that becomes available and find they love the flooring, the kitchen or some other aspect of the home and decide to move.

Occasionally, people will choose an available residence simply to move into Heron’s Key because the timing is right for them, even if they know they will move again when another one of our homes opens up. They may want to make sure they can join our community while their health is good so they can fully indulge in our social activities and other amenities we offer.

Everyone’s situation is different, and we gladly work with individuals and couples to ensure they are happy with the home they choose at Heron’s Key no matter how many times they move.

Making Your New Home Your Own

No two homes at Heron’s Key are alike, in part because of the diversity of floor plans we offer and because the homes were built with a variety of finishes and furnishings. And, naturally, everyone decorates their home to suit their personal tastes.

But the differences go beyond that. There are times when residents want to customize their home even more—like Edker and Susan did, for example.

The previous resident had hardwood floors put in while living there, and then after Edker and Susan moved in they decided to have the kitchen cabinets resurfaced and different countertops installed. They also switched out the window treatments.

If you have an opportunity to see inside some of the occupied homes here at Heron’s Key—whether during an open house event or perhaps on a personal tour—you’ll see the loving touches residents have added and how much pride they take in their homes.

What All Homes at Heron’s Key Have in Common

Every home in our community comes with countless opportunities to enjoy the active lifestyle that’s so attractive here in the Pacific Northwest. And, no matter which home you choose, you’ll enjoy the same wealth of amenities and peace of mind that only a Life Plan Community can offer.

You’ll also live among some of the most interesting neighbors you could ask for. Residents at Heron’s Key have lived and traveled all over the world and have a fascinating assortment of experiences. Their commitment to making our community the best it can be is unwavering and unparalleled.

If you’re looking at retirement communities in Gig Harbor, Washington, we hope you’ll spend some time exploring our website. Then, if you like what you see, consider joining us at one of our upcoming events.

You can also contact us to arrange a visit, which is the ultimate way to decide if—and where—you’d like to live at Heron’s Key.