New on The Ridge: Ali & Don Corbett
Ali and Don Corbett met in California. Later, after marrying, her career took them to many cities across the United States from Portland to Chicago before finally wrapping up in Toronto, Canada, about 10 years ago. Thinking about what they wanted next brought them right back to where they started — the East Bay.
While they initially didn’t intend to move to The Ridge at Paradise Valley Estates, both of their families are big believers in Life Plan Communities. Ali recently discussed their decision to move to The Ridge and what they’re looking forward to about their new home.
How did you find out about The Ridge?
“Don was starting to feel the burden of managing a home and property, so we wanted to start looking at our options,” she says. “In my family, it is our culture to consider continuing care retirement communities. It is very much a part of the way we think about planning for the transitions in our lives. So, we decided to take a look at what was available locally.”
What led to you to make a reservation?
“We’d actually signed with another community, but, over time, we realized we never seemed ready to move in and, along the way, found they were not very flexible,” she says. “So, we decided to take a look at Paradise Valley Estates. What became so clear was they had very good choices for residences, very good options, and they were very, very flexible. Paradise Valley Estates was the kind of environment we wanted to be part of. We loved it!”
What about Paradise Valley Estates gave you clarity?
“The care and responsibility for your own home is a lot, so it’s appealing that maintenance and housekeeping services are provided. But the community has so much to offer, not only with the people in the resources area, but the fun things to do. We think the environment is going to be very enjoyable. And everything is really very close by and available, too.”
How did you choose your residence style?
“We were open to anything. We originally reserved a duplex, but as we thought about the space and our needs, we were concerned about size. So, then we looked into a villa,” she says. “The buildings are only 10 units, so they’re intimate. And we saw we’d have views of hills that will never be built upon. A villa was a good fit for us, space wise and style wise.”
Was it difficult to choose a floor plan?
“We liked all of the designs. In ours, we love the openness of the living room and kitchen. It opens out onto a large balcony that’s very similar to what we have now, and we use it a lot,” she says. “The two bedrooms are on opposite sides so there’s privacy which will be nice for visitors. There’s a beautiful den, and we spend a lot of time in a space like that now so that was appealing. As far as interiors, we had choices for cabinets, counter tops and flooring. It was all very fresh, and we had options. We didn’t have to go the traditional route.”
What are you looking forward to when you move later this year?
“We’re energized, and looking forward to meeting our new neighbors, and the new community. I’m familiar with that part of Northern California, and we love it. We’re looking forward to exploring what’s available and things to do there, nearby,” she says.
