More than 45,000 people live in retirement villages throughout New Zealand and research suggest that most people enjoy a high level of satisfaction living in a village. Of course, it all comes down to choosing a village that is right for you.
Make sure you visit a village more than once before you make a decision, and if possible, visit more than one village to get a feel for how each has its own culture. Meet the people you will have contact with in the village – this may include the owner, the manager and other residents. Talk to several residents to hear their perspective. Find out if there are regular social events or meetings and ask if you can come along and see if the village community feels like a place you would want to be a part of.
Some questions to consider as you begin the journey of finding a village that suits your needs include:
- Is the village registered? Not all villages have to be and there are pros and cons with each option. See retirement.govt.nz
- Is its accreditation certificate current? See www.retirementvillages.org.nz
- Who owns the village (a listed company, a not-for-profit trust or private partnership)? How might this affect you?
- Do the owners have experience operating or developing other villages? Are they reputable?
- Who manages the village?
- Is the village finished? If not, could you handle the noise and mess of ongoing construction or expansion? What if it never gets finished?
- Do you prefer your own company or are you a social butterfly? How might village living affect your quality of life?
- What are the village’s rules? Can they be changed? If so, do residents have a say in changing the rules?
Use our full checklist to help you decide if village life could suit you – find it at the link below:
https://www.eldernet.co.nz/knowledge-lab/make-a-good-choice-use-our-retirement-village-checklist
Then start searching available properties in your price range here.
Updated: 12 May 2023