Silvergate improves with age

Lucette Moramarco

Associate Editor

Silvergate Retirement Residence hosted a small group of guests for lunch and a tour Aug. 18. Executive director Patty Martinez detailed the attractions of moving to a place like Silvergate – giving up house maintenance and cooking, having care when and where you need it, new friendships and a variety of activities.

Besides chef-prepared meals, amenities include weekly house cleaning and linen services as well as 24 hour emergency call response and bus trips to doctor appointments (includes Temecula and the Tri-City area) and outings all over the county.

Unlike many similar facilities, the staff at Silvergate includes several long-term employees. Longevity of service starts with Martinez who has worked for Silvergate's parent company, Americare, for 18 years. Many of the others have worked there for over 10 years, while several residents have lived there for many years with 20 years being the longest time in residency.

While some senior care facilities move residents from independent living to assisted living spaces, Silvergate allows residents to stay put in their original apartment and receive more care where they are instead of moving them. There is also a Memory Care building with more personal care for 12 residents in each of the two wings.

In its 30th year, Silvergate Retirement Residence is keeping its environment fresh with continual updating. The outdoor courtyard is ready for dining and a gazebo can be used for entertainment, with game tables, a fire pit and walking path also available.

They are now beginning Phase 1 of room renovations designed to create deluxe one and two bedroom apartment homes coming this fall. Management listened to what residents want and will be combining existing rooms, expanding kitchenettes and upgrading floors and countertops using a contemporary color scheme.

For those seniors wondering if they can afford to live there, Martinez assured them that, "if you're a homeowner, you can afford it." She added that residents are on month to month contracts with no buy in fee required. So, if they sell their house, the money will be in the bank accruing interest.

The guest speaker, Chris Hasvold of Coldwell Banker Village Properties, said he has been in the real estate industry for 40 years and "I've never seen what we are experiencing today" in the real estate market. The average list price of houses in Fallbrook is $1,200,000; entry level homes average $500,000 with others selling for up to $2 million. While there will be a market adjustment at some point, "now is the best time to be a seller in the last 40 years," Hasvold said.

The limited supply of homes has driven sale prices up and interest rates are very low so those with buying power can afford the high prices. However, according to Hasvold, inventory is creeping up and rates won't stay this low so it is a good time to sell. He also talked about other forces at work including the diminished lobbying power of the California Association of Realtors in regards to protecting Prop 13 and the possibility of property taxes going up.

As an example of the hot market, Hasvold talked about a house for sale that had 36 showings in two days and 16 offers. If a house is priced appropriately, he said it should sell within two weeks.

After his talk, the guests were taken on a tour of the property to see examples of the three kinds of apartments that are available. Those are studios, one bedroom and two bedroom suites. After the tour, they were treated to a lunch of cauliflower bisque, Mediterranean salad with a choice of salmon or chicken, and hazelnut sorbet for dessert.

Anyone interested in finding out more about Silvergate can visit https://silvergaterr.com/silvergate-fallbrook-elder-care/ or call 760-728-8880.