Frequently Asked Questions

As the time approaches when you start thinking about downsizing and perhaps moving into a retirement village, there will undoubtedly be many questions you need answered before you can make an informed decision. To help answer some of your questions and make the decision making process easier, we have listed the frequently asked questions that have been directed at us over the years. The list is by no means exhaustive, but it will answer some of your questions and perhaps bring to light others we haven’t thought of yet! We’ve also included our top ten tips for retirement village purchasers, so you’ll be well prepared if and when the day arrives!

If I live at Grace Gardens, will I really have ‘a home among friends’?

Yes, definitely. Living in Grace Gardens will enable you to join in and make new friends of similar age and interests as yourself.

Absolutely. We aim to provide facilities in which all residents can participate. You can do as much or as little as you like.

  • Visitors and house guests are always very welcome at Grace Gardens, but in the interests of security we ask that you advise management when visitors are expected for an extended period of time.
  • Children and grandchildren brighten any home and are very welcome at Grace Gardens.
  • At Grace Gardens we love animals; however, in the interests of all residents, the manager has absolute discretion over whether an animal/pet is suited to the village.
  • Each villa at Grace Gardens has its own car space. Visitor’s parking spaces are provided throughout the village.

Absolutely. Security is our priority. At Grace Gardens there is a 24-hour emergency call service. The front electronic gates open at dawn and close at dusk. However, you can use the remote control or the code to enter and leave whenever you want. If you have friends or family visiting out of hours, they can buzz your home and you can check their identity.

Yes, we require a $1,000 refundable holding deposit.

  • The purchase of a villa or an apartment can be made conditional on the sale of your house. If you do not sell your house for any reason, your deposit will be refunded in full.
  • The purchase price, including the 10% deposit, is paid out of the proceeds of the sale of your house.
  • If required, we will be pleased to arrange a free appraisal of your house at any convenient time.
  • Upon purchase, you will have the purchase price (depending on which villa/apartment you choose); your solicitors fees; removalist charges; connection charges for electricity, gas and phone.
  • Everyday charges include a service or body corporate fee (this low fee is indexed to inflation, and includes a 24-hour emergency call service, council and water rates, maintenance, gardening, outside light and power, and building insurance); and your own personal use of electricity, gas and phone.
  • Upon sale, your costs will include your solicitor’s costs and agent’s commission, and, as with almost all retirement villages, the departure fee. This fee should really be added onto the purchase price, but to make buying a villa or an apartment as affordable as possible, we defer this payment until the property is sold. It is equal to 3% of the sale price for each year you own the villa or apartment, for a maximum of 10 years.

Yes you can because all the units at Grace Gardens have their own individual Titles. You can use the financial equity in your villa or apartment and borrow against it for any really good reason.

  • The Retirement Villages Act ensures that your rights are protected.
  • You have a 199 year lease.
  • You may be registered on Title as the first mortgagee.
  • Find a solicitor with retirement village experience. Retirement villages are a complicated and specialised area of law, so it makes good sense to use a lawyer that has suitable experience.
  • Give your solicitor a copy of all the disclosure material and legal documentation you receive.