I looked into some briefly for my Dad, and they're different. Some you purchase the freehold, others just the right to live there. Most have a website and if you google the name of the village you may find all the details you need or at least a contact. A few in Mildura and there seems to be others as well.
-- Edited by jetj on Thursday 2nd of May 2013 05:52:04 PM
Duh said
07:56 PM May 2, 2013
I've thought about this before too, it sounds very nice having bowling greens and swimming pools or spas, hobby workshop, community room/library and games room, outside building and garden/lawn maintenance done, staff on site (all have to be paid and have normal work entitlements, leave, long service leave etc).
But who is going to pay for it? You and the others in the village.
An old couple I know with limited funds sold their home and moved into a retirement village only to find the ongoing costs were too much for them, so sold up after a short time at a huge loss (as part of their exit fees and policy had to pay for the place to be painted inside and new floor coverings, even though they were almost new and in perfect condition, as well as the paint).
They then moved into a strata retirement village, which while it had none of the bells and whistles or staff on side, still had a levy to pay for gardening etc, but much less than what they had been paying. They were handling this ok until it was decided by the committee and offsite village managing agent to upgrade their power requirments to the village, to be paid for by the owners, which was more than what they could afford. They are now looking to sell and find a small home on a freehold title to buy instead.
Some may be able to afford this lifestyle and associated costs etc, but for those on limited incomes it really needs to be look at closely IMHO.
-- Edited by Duh on Thursday 2nd of May 2013 07:57:41 PM
herbie said
09:47 PM May 2, 2013
Beth54 wrote:
Happywanderer wrote:
Theres a village like that in Bundaberg Beth. You just pay rent, don't have to buy into anything. Beautiful units they are too.
I thought there would be. I looked at a couple in Ippy too, but decided I want to stay close to my friends and doctors...the latter unfortunately. Two of my kids are out Ippy way.
The one my dear departed mum was living in ,the rent was calculated out of her pension.it was not cheap for her,every time she had a increment in her pension the rent went up.Us kids had to help her survive while she was there for the five years before her death. Begged her to move out but she liked the company of the other people,so gave up and just payed her power bill and other things.When she sold her own home due to it being too big ,she had to hand over a percentage of the sale price to this retirement village also.They keep that .
-- Edited by herbie on Thursday 2nd of May 2013 11:10:15 PM
Golddetectornomad said
10:32 PM May 2, 2013
I used to sell Retirement Units/Serviced Rooms in Retirement Villages for various establishments...an independant Solicitors advice on the contemplated contract is essential and the best money you will ever spend.....I have seen most of the above situations and more.....many establishments are well aware you are at your most vulnerable at that stage of your life...the Contract/Licence to Occupy setting out your entry costs and even more particularly your exit costs including moving to a higher level of care, are purposely and perhaps out of necessity, many pages long and it requires a competent solicitor to interpret in plain language the various pitfalls you may and generally will encounter, cost wise......I have seen many instances of substantial capital losses particularly if your circumstances change in the shorter term, and you or your relatives can only recover what the next "purchaser/occupier" is prepared to pay particularly if there are a number of units available......it can be very very sad.....like Casinos the 'Establishment' never loses........caveat emptor.....get a solicitor and take ALL the documentation that you will be potentially executing and please follow his/her advice to save yourself much grief.......Hoo Roo
-- Edited by Golddetectornomad on Thursday 2nd of May 2013 10:33:49 PM
Cloak said
12:23 AM May 3, 2013
Can anyone point me to a web site that details on-going charges at these places? Short of speaking to an agent ( no thanks) I need a heads up so Judie and I can look at our downsize options.
The place we have is far too big for us now and we are considering a village in Mildura.
I figure some on this forum may have been there done that...
Cheers and thanks in advance.
Steve
EllenajoeL said
12:56 AM May 3, 2013
+1 Jetj comments....
Steve, I've very recently helped move my father-in-law into a high-care nursing home from his previous address in a portable housing, aged-based 'village'.
Also, my parents moved to an "over 50's" manor/gated community-type thingy from their original home, in recent past.
Anyway, the differences and complexities regarding purchase price, recurrent charges and financial imposts upon sale (where applicable) are truly many and difficult to comprehend.
This set of differences applies both between the different 'types' of accommodation AND the differing organisations offering a particular 'type'!
So...whatever you do, I'd suggest you compare a few similar options very carefully....esp in relation to the contract and the rules....there will almost certainly be upfront costs/retainers involved as well as ongoing costs....and maybe even optional/extra costs. As such, there's no specific answer to your 'reasonable' question, IMHO.
Happywanderer said
01:44 AM May 3, 2013
Most of these villages will have an office attached. You would be best to go to the ones you are interested in and get the details before comparing. The one I was in over 10 years ago, Greenbank Gardens in Parkridge Qld, I bought the house but not the land. I paid a weekly fee, can't remember the amount but would be a lot higher now. They certainly are all a lot different depending on who owns them.
Duh said
02:23 AM May 3, 2013
You should be able to google the village you are looking at and ask them to send you out some info on their charges for entry, occupation and exit charges.
This link is NSW but it may have some good info on it, also some others;
We looked at this a few years ago and decided to purchase our own unit away from any structured retirement village.
The pitfalls and traps for the unwary was frightening, extras as in costs of ongoing fees and hidden clauses very well hidden in complicated language.
Before I would even contemplate signing on the dotted line I would seek advice from a solicitor.
Ken
vanman said
03:07 AM May 3, 2013
I know of someone who has moved to a village in Hervey Bay. They own the property but not the land so they get rent assistance from Centrelink. The cost of getting in was $5000 no silistors or conveyancing etc. just like buying a caravan/mobile home etc. There are no exit fees so what you sell for is what you keep. you can sell through the village onsite office or a outside agent it is your choice. This village does not have water meters so water is included in the fortnightly fees. There is free caravan/motorhome or boat parking in a secured area and you can walk to the banks/post office/shopping centre if you wish.
There is also the option of investing the money from the sale of your property, and renting in a retirement village. From what I understand, there are no extra costs, just pay your rent each week.
I can only rent so I've also been looking at my options from that angle.
Happywanderer said
03:43 AM May 3, 2013
Theres a village like that in Bundaberg Beth. You just pay rent, don't have to buy into anything. Beautiful units they are too.
Beth54 said
04:22 AM May 3, 2013
Happywanderer wrote:
Theres a village like that in Bundaberg Beth. You just pay rent, don't have to buy into anything. Beautiful units they are too.
I thought there would be. I looked at a couple in Ippy too, but decided I want to stay close to my friends and doctors...the latter unfortunately. Two of my kids are out Ippy way.
Sheba said
05:40 AM May 3, 2013
Been looking into all these options myself lately, and am not rushing into anything. Was thinking of Independant Living, or just renting, but with some of these things, I would feel like I was in Jail. Still think I might just sell the House, and buy a little shed somewhere, mainly as a base and to store Books etc., while I'm on the road.
Haven't got the paperwork handy right this minute, but I think the rental option is that they take at least 75% of your pension. Doesn't leave much.
Cheers,
Sheba.
ShortNorth said
07:03 AM May 3, 2013
Just my two-bobs worth.
My late father 'bought' into a village on the Gold Coast (which shall remain nameless) - it was cleverly marketed as a village for 'transportable homes'. Each home was built by the developer and designed to be split in two to be transported to another site. However, the big catch was the internal roads within the complex were deliberately made too NARROW to be able to get a suitable truck to any home in the park. So, they effectively sold 'captive' homes, not transportable ones. Dad had his on the market for nearly two years before he found a buyer. And the buyout fees and commissions were horrendous.
The other big catch was the village bought bulk electricity at discounted prices, but then internally on-sold that to each individually metered home at rip-off rates.
herbie said
07:14 AM May 3, 2013
ShortNorth wrote:
Just my two-bobs worth.
My late father 'bought' into a village on the Gold Coast (which shall remain nameless) - it was cleverly marketed as a village for 'transportable homes'. Each home was built by the developer and designed to be split in two to be transported to another site. However, the big catch was the internal roads within the complex were deliberately made too NARROW to be able to get a suitable truck to any home in the park. So, they effectively sold 'captive' homes, not transportable ones. Dad had his on the market for nearly two years before he found a buyer. And the buyout fees and commissions were horrendous.
The other big catch was the village bought bulk electricity at discounted prices, but then internally on-sold that to each individually metered home at rip-off rates.
We were ripped off re the power thingo in a van park in WA ,just exactley the same as you describe here. Reported it but the loop hole regarding it all ment a long process and i just did not need the stress ,as we were moving back to QLD. But the funny thing is i hear he is almost broke as no one will go near his rundown park.So what comes around goes around as they say.
GarrynLyn said
12:00 PM May 3, 2013
Lots of good info here, and I have digested it all with interest. I recently took an elderly relation for a look at a rental type retirement place. The units struck me as small and for the weekly charge, I could rent a 3 bedroom house.
Will be leaving my options open when it comes time for me to down size and settle down.
Garry
tezza said
02:39 PM May 3, 2013
we looked at both the Vines and Mildura gardens. Were very impressed by both and the cost was reasonable, about 260k and $60 - $70 per week( covers gardening, insurance, maintenance and use of community facilities so your only outgoings are consumables). We decided against it purely because we weren't absolutely sure we would be there for the rest of our lives and it costs too much to get out. The get out costs are a deferred management fee which is how they can let the fee while you are there be so low from memory they take a percentage of your sale price dependant on your length of tenure. That's fine if it comes from your estate but if you are only there for a few years it would be like capital gain in reverse ie, capital loss. We bought a house in Mildura instead and the village will come later if we decide we will stay here.
Golddetectornomad said
02:50 PM May 3, 2013
I ceased being involved with Retirement Villages when I saw the substantial capital losses incurred by the next of kin of those I had sold "Licences to Occupy' and were now deceased. Losses that would be difficult to incur if buying a "normal" strata unit in a complex with a strata title and nothing to do with a Retirement complex......the 'Establishments' I found have little interest in pushing/promoting one of these now vacant 2nd hand units when they invariably have new units/services rooms/apartments available as well competing at sometimes lesser amounts than the original deceased occupants paid........I saw the Establishments make ridiculously low offers to the next of kin to take them "off their hands" after their units had remained vacant for considerable time with no takers... it is a minefield of supply and demand, and of course location, and as I said earlier all at a time in one's life when they are the most vulnerable....it never ceased to amaze me how often quite lively elderly folk entered these Institutions/Establishments and how quickly they were getting around on walking frames with many I feel 'going to the their last round up' far too prematurely than if they had remained in their previous units/homes with some day care assistance...just my observations...I wont be going into one while I still have my faculties, no matter what age I am...get Independant Solicitor advise and hasten slowly.....Hoo Roo
-- Edited by Golddetectornomad on Friday 3rd of May 2013 02:55:35 PM
magraret said
03:07 PM May 3, 2013
Hi there i have just got out of a village at waterford very nice park but very restricked also one car only as the natives would get upset
they all have rules ( cant park out front, cant park your van outside your house for more than 2 days, and they go on and on
i was in it for 3 years paid nearly $6000 a year for the fees
I just got married 2 years ago so we where able to sell both houses and buy a smaller on where we only pay 1 third for rates than we wherefor fees
They are very easy to get into but very very hard to get out off as they dont realy want to sell pre loved if they are building new ones
my house was on the market for 18 months and real estate agents cant do much for you as it is a differant ball game
i brought mine for $ 200,000 3 years ago i had to sell it for $150,000 and i kept pushing them every week and that was the best they could get and my home was one of the best in the park
also if you get sick unless you are in one that provides for that you would have to move and to move means you have to sell and if it takes a long time your family are still stuck with the monthly fees which still have to be paid
i am not sure what age you are or what your finances are but think long and hard about where you want to spend the rest of your life because you will lose something if you move into one
i no that it works for sum but as a carer in the community i have seen the down side more than the up side and having lived in one and i am a young 64 it was not for me
so all i can say is do your home work very well
brickies said
03:24 PM May 3, 2013
I would seek legal advice before entering any such set up, Have a friend who has a son who is a lawyer and went ahead without seeking his advice and he told them to get out has quick has they could . The scheme that your buy your home and rent the land look inviting because of rent assistance but you have no control on rent increases
Happywanderer said
07:37 PM May 3, 2013
I found the one I was in mentioned earlier, very easy to get into and very easy to get out of. I dealt the the owner of the unit through the office. Paid him 85,000. Have no idea if the owner of the unit paid any commission to the owner of the complex. When I sold less than 12 months later for 135,000, remember this was over 10 years ago. I sold to a couple who had been looking in the village to buy. No money went to the owner of the complex for commission, no lawyers were involved. No real estate was involved and the office wasn't involved in the sale at all. I did hear while there a lot of complaints that the owners of the complex were buying bulk power and selling on to us at a higher rate. They came around and read the meters every fortnight. We paid it to the office on top of the weekly fee of 65.00, I got rent assistance from Centrelink to help with that. There were no other fees that I was aware of. They are all so different from park to park. Best to look at each one separately to form you own opinion.
jetj said
08:21 PM May 3, 2013
I think the good villages have a waiting list of people wanting to take a residence.
Buyer beware of what you are buying into.
herbie said
10:13 PM May 3, 2013
After reading your report on these places ,and what we went through while my mum was in one of these places, i will be happy to pass over into the next world, out bush under a gum tree,
barina said
10:44 PM May 3, 2013
I am reading these posts with interest as I am intending to look at what they call Home Parks around central NSW in a couple of years. And my limited knowledge at this stage is you buy the relocatable home (considerably cheaper than house and land units) and as you are renting the land you can apply for rent assistance once on the full aged pension. You also pay a fortnightly fee which usually is the same wether you are a single or a couple. I have not yet investigated the selling up clause wich is sometihing I will do.
Happy for any comments if people know about these parks...
Cloak said
12:28 AM May 4, 2013
This is all fantastic info thanks everyone.
We will be taking a short holiday in Mildura later this year and will have a nose around the freehold unit market I think.
From the Web there are over 100 places in our price range before even looking at gated / over 50's.
We like Mildura because it has the river, plenty of PT work opportunities, is both a large and small town.
Ideally we'll find a gated community as we don't like rowdy young people and their noisy cars and barking dogs.
Cheers and thanks again.
Steve
Beth54 said
02:17 AM May 4, 2013
That seems a better option to me Steve.
For me, I'll most likely have to go into what used to be called a Housing Commission unit in Qld. Not sure what it's called now, but I know it'll be a seniors one bedroom unit. I like the idea of moving to a small country town, but I can't/don't want to move away from friends, doctors, and hospitals.
Happywanderer said
02:37 AM May 4, 2013
They are still called Housing Cimmission Units Beth. Do you want a room up here. I have a small country town I can recommend. lol
Beth54 said
02:43 AM May 4, 2013
Happywanderer wrote:
They are still called Housing Cimmission Units Beth. Do you want a room up here. I have a small country town I can recommend. lol
I looked into some briefly for my Dad, and they're different. Some you purchase the freehold, others just the right to live there. Most have a website and if you google the name of the village you may find all the details you need or at least a contact. A few in Mildura and there seems to be others as well.
http://www.thevinesmildura.com.au/home.aspx
http://www.milduragardens.com.au/
http://www.roselifestylevillage.com.au/
-- Edited by jetj on Thursday 2nd of May 2013 05:52:04 PM
I've thought about this before too, it sounds very nice having bowling greens and swimming pools or spas, hobby workshop, community room/library and games room, outside building and garden/lawn maintenance done, staff on site (all have to be paid and have normal work entitlements, leave, long service leave etc).
But who is going to pay for it? You and the others in the village.
An old couple I know with limited funds sold their home and moved into a retirement village only to find the ongoing costs were too much for them, so sold up after a short time at a huge loss (as part of their exit fees and policy had to pay for the place to be painted inside and new floor coverings, even though they were almost new and in perfect condition, as well as the paint).
They then moved into a strata retirement village, which while it had none of the bells and whistles or staff on side, still had a levy to pay for gardening etc, but much less than what they had been paying. They were handling this ok until it was decided by the committee and offsite village managing agent to upgrade their power requirments to the village, to be paid for by the owners, which was more than what they could afford. They are now looking to sell and find a small home on a freehold title to buy instead.
Some may be able to afford this lifestyle and associated costs etc, but for those on limited incomes it really needs to be look at closely IMHO.
-- Edited by Duh on Thursday 2nd of May 2013 07:57:41 PM
The one my dear departed mum was living in ,the rent was calculated out of her pension.it was not cheap for her,every time she had a increment in her pension the rent went up.Us kids had to help her survive while she was there for the five years before her death. Begged her to move out but she liked the company of the other people,so gave up and just payed her power bill and other things.When she sold her own home due to it being too big ,she had to hand over a percentage of the sale price to this retirement village also.They keep that .
-- Edited by herbie on Thursday 2nd of May 2013 11:10:15 PM
I used to sell Retirement Units/Serviced Rooms in Retirement Villages for various establishments...an independant Solicitors advice on the contemplated contract is essential and the best money you will ever spend.....I have seen most of the above situations and more.....many establishments are well aware you are at your most vulnerable at that stage of your life...the Contract/Licence to Occupy setting out your entry costs and even more particularly your exit costs including moving to a higher level of care, are purposely and perhaps out of necessity, many pages long and it requires a competent solicitor to interpret in plain language the various pitfalls you may and generally will encounter, cost wise......I have seen many instances of substantial capital losses particularly if your circumstances change in the shorter term, and you or your relatives can only recover what the next "purchaser/occupier" is prepared to pay particularly if there are a number of units available......it can be very very sad.....like Casinos the 'Establishment' never loses........caveat emptor.....get a solicitor and take ALL the documentation that you will be potentially executing and please follow his/her advice to save yourself much grief.......Hoo Roo
-- Edited by Golddetectornomad on Thursday 2nd of May 2013 10:33:49 PM
Can anyone point me to a web site that details on-going charges at these places? Short of speaking to an agent ( no thanks) I need a heads up so Judie and I can look at our downsize options.
The place we have is far too big for us now and we are considering a village in Mildura.
I figure some on this forum may have been there done that...
Cheers and thanks in advance.
Steve
+1 Jetj comments....
Steve, I've very recently helped move my father-in-law into a high-care nursing home from his previous address in a portable housing, aged-based 'village'.
Also, my parents moved to an "over 50's" manor/gated community-type thingy from their original home, in recent past.
Anyway, the differences and complexities regarding purchase price, recurrent charges and financial imposts upon sale (where applicable) are truly many and difficult to comprehend.
This set of differences applies both between the different 'types' of accommodation AND the differing organisations offering a particular 'type'!
So...whatever you do, I'd suggest you compare a few similar options very carefully....esp in relation to the contract and the rules....there will almost certainly be upfront costs/retainers involved as well as ongoing costs....and maybe even optional/extra costs. As such, there's no specific answer to your 'reasonable' question, IMHO.
The one I was in over 10 years ago, Greenbank Gardens in Parkridge Qld, I bought the house but not the land. I paid a weekly fee, can't remember the amount but would be a lot higher now.
They certainly are all a lot different depending on who owns them.
You should be able to google the village you are looking at and ask them to send you out some info on their charges for entry, occupation and exit charges.
This link is NSW but it may have some good info on it, also some others;
http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/Tenants_and_home_owners/Retirement_villages.html
http://www.itsyourlife.com.au/
This Victorian Consumer Affairs site may be helpful too, see;
http://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing-and-accommodation/retirement-villages/guide-for-retirement-village-living-audio-guide
Also; http://www.iseniority.com.au/retirement_villages.asp
Some very good advice here.
We looked at this a few years ago and decided to purchase our own unit away from any structured retirement village.
The pitfalls and traps for the unwary was frightening, extras as in costs of ongoing fees and hidden clauses very well hidden in complicated language.
Before I would even contemplate signing on the dotted line I would seek advice from a solicitor.
Ken
I know of someone who has moved to a village in Hervey Bay. They own the property but not the land so they get rent assistance from Centrelink. The cost of getting in was $5000 no silistors or conveyancing etc. just like buying a caravan/mobile home etc. There are no exit fees so what you sell for is what you keep. you can sell through the village onsite office or a outside agent it is your choice. This village does not have water meters so water is included in the fortnightly fees. There is free caravan/motorhome or boat parking in a secured area and you can walk to the banks/post office/shopping centre if you wish.
http://goldenshores.com.au/
Regards Chris
http://goldenshores.com.au/
There is also the option of investing the money from the sale of your property, and renting in a retirement village. From what I understand, there are no extra costs, just pay your rent each week.
I can only rent so I've also been looking at my options from that angle.
I thought there would be. I looked at a couple in Ippy too, but decided I want to stay close to my friends and doctors...the latter unfortunately. Two of my kids are out Ippy way.
Been looking into all these options myself lately, and am not rushing into anything. Was thinking of Independant Living, or just renting, but with some of these things, I would feel like I was in Jail. Still think I might just sell the House, and buy a little shed somewhere, mainly as a base and to store Books etc., while I'm on the road.
Haven't got the paperwork handy right this minute, but I think the rental option is that they take at least 75% of your pension. Doesn't leave much.
Cheers,
Sheba.
Just my two-bobs worth.
My late father 'bought' into a village on the Gold Coast (which shall remain nameless) - it was cleverly marketed as a village for 'transportable homes'. Each home was built by the developer and designed to be split in two to be transported to another site. However, the big catch was the internal roads within the complex were deliberately made too NARROW to be able to get a suitable truck to any home in the park. So, they effectively sold 'captive' homes, not transportable ones. Dad had his on the market for nearly two years before he found a buyer. And the buyout fees and commissions were horrendous.
The other big catch was the village bought bulk electricity at discounted prices, but then internally on-sold that to each individually metered home at rip-off rates.
We were ripped off re the power thingo in a van park in WA ,just exactley the same as you describe here. Reported it but the loop hole regarding it all ment a long process and i just did not need the stress ,as we were moving back to QLD. But the funny thing is i hear he is almost broke as no one will go near his rundown park.So what comes around goes around as they say.
Lots of good info here, and I have digested it all with interest. I recently took an elderly relation for a look at a rental type retirement place. The units struck me as small and for the weekly charge, I could rent a 3 bedroom house.
Will be leaving my options open when it comes time for me to down size and settle down.
Garry
I ceased being involved with Retirement Villages when I saw the substantial capital losses incurred by the next of kin of those I had sold "Licences to Occupy' and were now deceased. Losses that would be difficult to incur if buying a "normal" strata unit in a complex with a strata title and nothing to do with a Retirement complex......the 'Establishments' I found have little interest in pushing/promoting one of these now vacant 2nd hand units when they invariably have new units/services rooms/apartments available as well competing at sometimes lesser amounts than the original deceased occupants paid........I saw the Establishments make ridiculously low offers to the next of kin to take them "off their hands" after their units had remained vacant for considerable time with no takers... it is a minefield of supply and demand, and of course location, and as I said earlier all at a time in one's life when they are the most vulnerable....it never ceased to amaze me how often quite lively elderly folk entered these Institutions/Establishments and how quickly they were getting around on walking frames with many I feel 'going to the their last round up' far too prematurely than if they had remained in their previous units/homes with some day care assistance...just my observations...I wont be going into one while I still have my faculties, no matter what age I am...get Independant Solicitor advise and hasten slowly.....Hoo Roo
-- Edited by Golddetectornomad on Friday 3rd of May 2013 02:55:35 PM
Hi there i have just got out of a village at waterford very nice park but very restricked also one car only as the natives would get upset
they all have rules ( cant park out front, cant park your van outside your house for more than 2 days, and they go on and on
i was in it for 3 years paid nearly $6000 a year for the fees
I just got married 2 years ago so we where able to sell both houses and buy a smaller on where we only pay 1 third for rates than we wherefor fees
They are very easy to get into but very very hard to get out off as they dont realy want to sell pre loved if they are building new ones
my house was on the market for 18 months and real estate agents cant do much for you as it is a differant ball game
i brought mine for $ 200,000 3 years ago i had to sell it for $150,000 and i kept pushing them every week and that was the best they could get and my home was one of the best in the park
also if you get sick unless you are in one that provides for that you would have to move and to move means you have to sell and if it takes a long time your family are still stuck with the monthly fees which still have to be paid
i am not sure what age you are or what your finances are but think long and hard about where you want to spend the rest of your life because you will lose something if you move into one
i no that it works for sum but as a carer in the community i have seen the down side more than the up side and having lived in one and i am a young 64 it was not for me
so all i can say is do your home work very well
I dealt the the owner of the unit through the office. Paid him 85,000. Have no idea if the owner of the unit paid any commission to the owner of the complex.
When I sold less than 12 months later for 135,000, remember this was over 10 years ago. I sold to a couple who had been looking in the village to buy. No money went to the owner of the complex for commission, no lawyers were involved. No real estate was involved and the office wasn't involved in the sale at all.
I did hear while there a lot of complaints that the owners of the complex were buying bulk power and selling on to us at a higher rate. They came around and read the meters every fortnight. We paid it to the office on top of the weekly fee of 65.00, I got rent assistance from Centrelink to help with that.
There were no other fees that I was aware of.
They are all so different from park to park. Best to look at each one separately to form you own opinion.
I think the good villages have a waiting list of people wanting to take a residence.
Buyer beware of what you are buying into.
After reading your report on these places ,and what we went through while my mum was in one of these places, i will be happy to pass over into the next world, out bush under a gum tree,
I am reading these posts with interest as I am intending to look at what they call Home Parks around central NSW in a couple of years. And my limited knowledge at this stage is you buy the relocatable home (considerably cheaper than house and land units) and as you are renting the land you can apply for rent assistance once on the full aged pension. You also pay a fortnightly fee which usually is the same wether you are a single or a couple. I have not yet investigated the selling up clause wich is sometihing I will do.
Happy for any comments if people know about these parks...
We will be taking a short holiday in Mildura later this year and will have a nose around the freehold unit market I think.
From the Web there are over 100 places in our price range before even looking at gated / over 50's.
We like Mildura because it has the river, plenty of PT work opportunities, is both a large and small town.
Ideally we'll find a gated community as we don't like rowdy young people and their noisy cars and barking dogs.
Cheers and thanks again.
Steve
That seems a better option to me Steve.
For me, I'll most likely have to go into what used to be called a Housing Commission unit in Qld. Not sure what it's called now, but I know it'll be a seniors one bedroom unit. I like the idea of moving to a small country town, but I can't/don't want to move away from friends, doctors, and hospitals.
Do you want a room up here. I have a small country town I can recommend. lol
Very tempting Marj. lol