Should I stay away from 55+ communities?

[Brandon Smith]

Hello, I’m new to the real estate business and I’m just currently focused on learning everything I can (through books, podcasts, forums, etc). Probably won’t buy my first place for another 2 years but figured I could start analyzing deals now to get an idea of the market in my area. My problem is that the only nice places I can find (being that I’m located in South Florida) are usually located in 55+ communities. Are these viable sources for passive income? Are there any other hidden costs?

[Brian Garrett]

Another downside is they take longer to sell since they require a specific buyer. They also can have high HOA's and rental restrictions so you have to be careful. I stay away from 55+ here locally for that reason as do most of the investors that I know.