Retirement homes are communities explicitly created for people who wish to retire from an active working life, whether out of necessity or choice. Communities for people over 55 differ from senior living communities, with one of the most significant differences being the absence of in-house medical aid and assistance.
More and more people worldwide are considering taking voluntary retirement to enjoy the fruits of their labour in peace and contentment without being burdened by the usual responsibilities needed to run and maintain their homes. Retirement villages in Sydney have been specially designed, considering the requirements and lifestyle of people aged 55+.
Early retirement becomes more attractive when you know of a safe place to enjoy your life easily. But why choose to live in a retirement village over your own home? To see the answer to this, consider the following reasons for choosing to live in a retirement village:
The benefits of living in a retirement village
- Financially viable:Owning and maintaining your own home is not only a taxing responsibility but also an expensive one. Along with the maintenance, you must pay house tax, electricity, gas, and water bills, and take out insurance to safeguard your property. In contrast, retirement villages in Sydney are smartly designed with temperature-controlled interiors equipped with modern amenities. Maintenance and upkeep of the homes and the external grounds are the responsibility of the management team appointed for this purpose, for which you will pay a fixed amount. Additionally, your purchase has no council rates or stamp duty charges. Contact the community’s sales representative or counsellor to know the exact cost of living in a retirement village.
- Security: Retirement villages are planned and designed to create beautiful homes surrounded by greenery and landscaped gardens. Every unit is built at an adequate distance for privacy, safeguarded by fenced-in gardens and boundaries. The locale is chosen to keep in mind the safety, peace, and connectivity of the homeowners. Many villages also have closed-circuit cameras and security at the community entrance for added security. Visitors and guests usually need approval from those visiting to enter the community grounds. Every community has a different cost distribution and payment system, so check with the retirement village office if you are considering buying a home to spend your retirement.
- Community living: By age 55 or older, most people have fulfilled their responsibilities towards their children and families and are often living by themselves. You will enjoy the best of both worlds at a retirement village. Living an independent life without everyday responsibilities and enjoying the company of other homeowners at the common meeting areas built within the village grounds.
- Perks and amenities: Villages are designed as mini-cities where most of the usual recreational amenities and services are provided for the owners. The amenities might include:
- Fitness centres
- Community clubs with libraries, swimming pools, sports courts, and gyms
- Stand-alone fitness centres
- Golf course
- Dog parks
- Art centres
- Drycleaners and laundrettes
- A general medical facility or clinic
- Cafes or dining areas
- Residential Association: To maintain the general upkeep and cleanliness of the community, encouraging villages and homeowners to form an association. The association takes responsibility for maintaining the shared services, parks, and grounds. If your village has such a set-up, the cost of maintenance included in the upfront payment may not be included or might be reduced. The owners can also choose to share the responsibility with the managing committee of the village.
- Stress-free life: Living in a retirement village in Sydney means living away from the noise, the pollution, the traffic, and the noisy children and teenagers. A peaceful and serene lifestyle that is neither close to the hustle and bustle of city life nor too far away to make you feel alienated and cut off from the world.
The one crucial point to remember when choosing a home in a retirement village is the unavailability of medical facilities as part of a comprehensive package with the house, as is the case in senior living communities where medical aid and an on-call doctor are included in the package. Some village communities might have a clinic in the market area, but it is not a given. So check the facilities and amenities available in the retirement village in Sydney and make your arrangements accordingly.
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