The enormity of recent catastrophes across Australia is unprecedented and difficult to comprehend. After enduring a summer of destructive bushfires, people across the country have been impacted by a global pandemic. At such times, it can be priceless to have the physical and emotional support of a caring community. If you or your loved one is in a retirement village during a natural disaster or health crisis, it helps to know how that village will respond.
One of the most important things to remember is that all retirement villages have obligations under the Retirement Villages Act. This varies by state but, in short, it means that retirement villages have an obligation to protect their residents. It also means there will be plans in place outlining what needs to happen in an emergency. Retirement villages offer residents the best of both worlds – independent living with the assurance of a safety net and support in a crisis.
At our RetireAustralia villages across Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia, here’s what we’re doing – and will continue to do – to support residents during a health crisis.
Emergency response team
We have a dedicated emergency team that is focused on preventing COVID-19 from entering our communities, and preparing for the possibility that it might.
The health and wellbeing of our residents and staff is our top priority. We recognise that many of our residents will be vulnerable to the coronavirus and we’ve implemented a range of measures to help protect them.
For instance, we’ve added visitor checkpoints at each village, staffed by well-known members of the team. By establishing these stringent measures and ensuring all visitors are properly screened, we’re helping minimise exposure to the virus and providing extra protection for residents.
We also regularly communicate with our communities to raise awareness and understanding of COVID-19, and give advice about what residents can do to keep themselves safe.
We follow the news so you don’t have to
The situation is evolving quickly and it can be hard to stay on top of all the changes and localised advice. Our emergency response team closely monitors the situation and responds to directives and advice from both State and Federal Governments.
We stay abreast of changes and keep our residents informed. This means our residents can switch off and take a break from the relentless news coverage as needed.
Dedicated COVID-19 hotline
We understand this is a challenging time. Residents and their families might need extra support, advice, and reassurance around what we’re doing to protect our communities. That’s why we’ve set up a dedicated COVID-19 hotline, available on 1800 325 046.
Residents and their loved ones can call and ask questions around our response to the pandemic and what we’re doing to keep them safe.
Increased infection control
This is a new virus that is highly contagious – but the good news is that it’s stopped in its tracks by soap and water and physical distancing. These are our strongest weapons against the virus, and hygiene and cleanliness have never been more important.
To help stop the spread, all staff at RetireAustralia have completed mandatory refresher training on Infection Control policies and procedures – which were reviewed and enhanced early in 2020. We’ve also trained all staff on effective handwashing, and increased handwashing stations in village communal areas.
In addition, we have stocks of personal protective equipment (PPE), disinfectant and sanitiser on hand to maintain a clean and hygienic environment.
Keeping our villages safe
It’s impossible to guarantee that coronavirus will never enter one of our communities. But we’re doing everything we can to keep it out. These measures start at home, and our staff sign a health declaration each day before they start work.
We also have guidelines for visitors who must sign a health declaration before they enter the village.
Daily wellness check-ins
The current situation can feel lonely and overwhelming, but we’re in this together. In our communities, we’re offering independent living residents a daily wellness check-in phone call to see how they’re travelling and connect them with additional support if they need it.
Looking after body and mind.
We know that self-isolation and social distancing can take a toll on emotional and mental health, especially if we’re in this for the long haul. That’s why we’ve given advice to our residents about how to look after themselves physically and mentally. We’ve also shared tips to families and friends about how to support their loved ones, so isolation doesn’t have to be isolating.
Grocery support
Across our communities we’re helping residents access groceries, either going to the supermarket on their behalf or arranging regular deliveries of essential items. Each village is unique so the details of this support may vary. But at each of our communities, there are friendly team members available to help you get what you need.
Connected communities
Social networks are more important than ever – even if they look a little different from what we’re used to. Our village teams and residents are keeping our communities connected, even while social distancing. Take a look at some real stories about village life to get a sneak peek into what it is like to live in one of our retirement villages during a global pandemic.
Ultimately, the safety of our residents always comes first, and we’re doing all we can to keep residents healthy, connected, and informed. Living in a retirement village still comes with all the perks of independent living, but with an all-important safety net – ensuring you have support when you need it most.
If safety and security are important to you in retirement, take a look at The Verge at Burleigh G.C., our brand new retirement village overlooking the 10th tee of the Burleigh Golf Course. Specifically designed for today’s generation of vibrant and independent over 65s, the Verge will offer retirees freedom to live the life they want. But don’t take our word for it, find out what you could be missing out on.
Michelle’s warming winter recipe is so easy and delicious you’ll wonder why you haven’t tried it before. With just the right amount of spice, this Thai sweet potato soup, will have you feeling toasty from the inside out.
Thai Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
600g Pumpkin diced
600g Sweet potato diced
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons ginger grated
1 tablespoon garlic grated
1 large brown onion diced
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 litre of chicken stock
400ml cream
Method
Cook ginger, garlic and onion in butter until tender add red curry paste.
Add chicken stock, pumpkin, sweet potato and cook approximately half an hour or until tender
Puree and add cream.
Savouring the little moments at Lincoln Grove
Cook at Lincoln Grove, Michelle Malone, has been warming residents’ hearts and tummies for two years. While Michelle enjoys preparing healthy meals to cater for all tastes, she also knows this comes with the responsibility of ensuring she’s meeting residents’ dietary needs.
Residents often stop by the kitchen for a chat after their meal. Michelle takes great delight in catching up with her community, it’s become a part of daily life.
Whether she’s taking time out on a local beach walk, at her favourite wooden bench seat overlooking Boston Bay or getting creative in the kitchen with the residents wishes in mind, Michelle always remembers to savour the little moments.
Our care needs generally increase as we age and finding high level care while still maintaining independence and autonomy is a real challenge for older Australians. Too often, the way care is delivered comes to the detriment of happiness, mental health and privacy.
By any definition this is a poor outcome and older Australians – our parents and grandparents – simply deserve better. We believe this too, and we also believe that aged care doesn’t have to be limited to hospital-like conditions and care delivered according to a rigid management schedule.
These powerful motivations were the genesis of Glengara Care being established, and are what drives us today. Aged care can be better, and needing care shouldn’t mean sacrificing who you are or the things that bring quality to your life.
Care that goes beyond physical and medical
At Glengara Care, we focus on the whole person. This means care that goes beyond looking after a resident’s physical and medical needs and ensuring we provide all the support they need for their mental, emotional and social wellbeing as well.
Our model of care is led by a team of registered nurses and is delivered with flexibility, so you can be sure of both a high level of care that caters to low, high and end-of-life needs along with the freedom and autonomy of choosing when the care is delivered.
If a resident wants to be woken and supported to dress and shower at 11am instead of 8am for example, that’s fine. The same goes for linen, cleaning and supporting health services. We work with our residents and build their needs into a personalised care plan, and deliver care in a way that’s right for them.
The retirement village is well established, has beautiful grounds, a wonderful array of facilities, a thriving community and an active social calendar. These are all vital ingredients to aging well and help provide our residents with real and tangible health benefits.
The village is also ideally located close to shopping, services and all the natural beauty of the Central Coast.
Aged care has never looked like this
There are many other benefits to living in Glengara Care, too:
The peace of mind of having access to high level care, the comforts of home, and the autonomy to live life to the fullest. It’s what older Australians deserve, and while we won’t pretend that moving to aged care isn’t still a challenging time, the certainty, choice and care offered to residents (and their families) certainly makes things easier.
Former landscaper Les Mills has created a beautiful garden for residents at Carlyle Gardens Retirement Village in Bargara.
Former landscaper Les Mills has taken “backyard farming’’ to a new level by creating a 4,000 square metre small crop garden at Carlyle Gardens Retirement Village in the space of only four years.
A keen advocate for the health benefits of fresh fruit and vegetables, Mr Mills leads a team of residents who plough any spare time into establishing a show-stopping display of everything from pumpkins to spinach.
The huge bounty provides the RetireAustralia village with some of the best and freshest dinner ingredients in Bargara.
“I wanted to create a community garden for everyone in the village to enjoy, as well as provide a steady stream of fresh produce,” Mr Mills said.
“A team of committed residents has worked on the community garden for four years and we now have an acre of productive plants,’’ he said.
“At the moment we’re producing good quantities of pumpkins, pawpaw, bananas, zucchini, tomatoes, and spinach.
“Home-made pumpkin soup has been a favourite among our residents as we’ve harvested about 75 pumpkins this year. We also have cucumbers, cumquats, lemons and herbs – something for everyone really.”
Acting Village Manager Belinda Hensler said the community garden gives residents a sense of purpose and connection.
“When Les asked RetireAustralia if he could create a community garden on some vacant land in the village grounds, we were thrilled to be able to assist,’’ Ms Hensler said.
“He has put together a dedicated team of residents to look after the garden, recruiting former builders and fellow green thumbs.
“We have other generous residents who contribute financially, and their donations go towards maintaining the garden and purchasing seeds, fertiliser and building materials.
“There is an abundance of produce every month, which is put into the community centre for residents to take home.’’
Drayton Villas holds a special place in Nelson Bothmann’s heart. It was here he had his first date with his late wife, Naida, when this was home to a drive-in theatre. After Naida was diagnosed with terminal cancer, they decided to downsize into Drayton Villas and as Nelson says poignantly, “our last date was here as well”. Even though Naida sadly passed away 15 months after they moved in, Nelson says moving into the community was a wise move. “It was the best decision we made, with all the friendship and support we received through the whole process.”
As a third-generation farmer, Nelson spent 55 years on the family farm in Oakey before downsizing. “We had milking cows, pigs, chooks, oaten hay and forage sorghum,” he says. “I was running the piggery at 16, and when I was 18 Mum and Dad went for a holiday to the coast and left me to run the place.”
Nelson was an athletic youngster, winning the state medal for high jump in 1955. He also remembers riding his push bike down all the stairs while the teachers were away at lunch. (Don’t try this at home, folks.) As for the best advice he’s ever been given, he says, “don’t ride your pushbike up a blacksoil road when it’s wet!”
He met Naida, who happened to be his first girlfriend, at a church fellowship group. Love blossomed after their first date, and they were married in 1964. They both worked on the farm and had two children, Thalia and Wayne. On windy days, Nelson would tell Naida to skip the farm work so she could stay inside, out of the cold. On those days, Naida would ask if Nelson wanted anything. “I’d say pancakes, so she would make me pancakes for dinner.”
Despite Naida’s tragic passing, Nelson’s story has a happy ending, as Drayton Villas was the location for another love story. In 2011, he was recovering from a Hercules Tendon operation, and spent two months in a moon boot. As he tells it, “that was when Noreen started coming over to help me. She was fantastic, looking after me and bringing me food. I took her out for lunch to thank her and it all sort of started from there really. We’ve been on a few holidays together and enjoyed each other’s companionship now for nine years – it gives people something to talk about.”
Apart from finding the two loves of his life here, Nelson’s favourite memory at Drayton Villas is of Christmas street parties with their neighbours. In day-to-day life, he most enjoys the “good staff and residents who are good to get on with.” Plus, the village is convenient to everything.
Older Australians are well-known for their resilience, in fact we’ve marvelled at the lack of fuss among our thousands of residents while the rest of the world is in turmoil during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In some respects, this resilience is borne out of sheer life experience and the knowledge that navigating a path through life’s many ups and downs is simply part of the journey. But it’s also generational, and we consistently see examples in our villages of residents and communities coming together, staying positive, and dealing with challenges as they come.
The essence of this community spirit, and the sense of togetherness and security it fosters, is precisely what we’re talking about when we describe our retirement villages as ‘independent living with a safety net’.
Our villages are modern, but the sense of community is very much an homage to times past when neighbours genuinely looked out for one another. There really is always someone, usually many people, who care in a RetireAustralia village.
Adversity bringing out the best in our communities
Since the onset of the pandemic we’ve been lucky enough to witness some extraordinary acts of kindness, generosity and community by the residents and staff in our villages. These acts, large and small, have been vital to maintaining the health and happiness of so many.
To bring these wonderful stories to life, we launched the Good News Hub – a series of short stories that showcase the warmth, humour and creativity of our residents. From the ‘bored board’ at Bartonvale Gardens, to Wacky Wednesday’s at Harwin Estate and bear hunts at Wellington Manor, our staff and residents have pulled together in the best possible way.
It’s these small gestures and genuine community spirit that make all the difference when times are tough, and it’s why so many older Australians are looking for the safety net of a RetireAustralia village.
Safe appointments, property inspections and move-in procedures
When the pandemic hit our shores, we moved quickly to establish new protocols in our villages to ensure the safety of residents and staff. We also adapted the way we work to ensure new residents could safely attend sales appointments, inspect properties, and move in.
These protocols mandate that social distancing, personal hygiene and cleaning practices are strictly adhered to and go a long way to securing the safety of our villages for existing and prospective residents. We’re also facilitating virtual property tours and village tours for those who want to take extra precautions.
We don’t know how long the pandemic will last, but we’ll be riding out the storm day-by-day with our residents from beginning to end.
Time to make your move?
We have 27 retirement villages across Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia. You can find one near you on our Communities page, and our friendly sales team are always ready to answer your questions.
While many are weighing up the pros and cons of living at home versus moving into residential aged care one day, there’s another group who have discovered an alternative with RetireAustralia – an independent lifestyle with support when you need it.
In our villages, the focus is on offering an independent lifestyle with the right level of support to maintain a quality of life so that residents can spend the rest of their lives in a community they are familiar with.
Residents tell us that the peace of mind that comes with being able to grow old in a community you are familiar with and which supports you is unbeatable. By continuing to live in your own home, regardless of age, or ability, you can maintain as much of your independence, comfort, and lifestyle as possible.
At RetireAustralia, no matter how life changes, you can feel confident and supported in the retirement village you have chosen. Right now, you might have limited support needs or none at all. If that changes, our experienced team can offer a range of care options to meet your needs.
Tailored support, on your terms
Staying healthy, happy and active is so much easier when your home is the centre of a welcoming community with a vibrant social and activities calendar, excellent amenities and in a convenient location with easy access to facilities outside the village.
In a RetireAustralia village you’ll be able to age positively and live on your terms.
When you’re healthy, you can enjoy relaxing in a beautiful, low maintenance and secure home, with all the time and opportunity you need to enjoy the things you love with the people who matter most to you.
With time, your care needs may change – but that won’t mean you’ll stop wanting to live your life comfortably, in your own home, in a community you are familiar with – surrounded by family and friends and a team of familiar faces.
When that time comes you can choose from a range of care and support services to meet your individual needs, whether that means ongoing, daily support in one of our serviced apartments or flexible Support at Home services delivered right into your independent living unit or care apartment.
Our trusted, on-site team members genuinely care about each and every resident and take pride in promoting their independence by delivering quality care and support.
Support at Home
Our Support at Home services make life a little easier, so you can enjoy the freedom of living your way, knowing support is available if you ever need it.
Our reliable and experienced team is here to make life easier – from household chores and meal preparation through to showering, dressing, and nursing care. It’s all about keeping the sense of home you love, with support that fits your life.You can pay privately for services or use government funding. We can even guide you through the process of applying for government funding so it’s simple and stress-free.
“It really was the biggest and best decision we made to get support through RetireAustralia Support at Home Services. Now we feel like we’ve finally retired.”Kitrina & Colin, RetireAustralia residents
Serviced apartments
Our purpose-built serviced apartments will support you to keep doing what you love, no matter your age or ability. They are perfect if your care needs become higher and you want to continue living an independent lifestyle alongside your friends and family.
Unlike traditional aged care, the most important person in your life – your partner – can continue to share your life. Our serviced apartments are designed for both of you, even if one of you has few, if any, care needs. In some of our villages, your pet can even join you if that is what you wish.
You’ll be able to enjoy life in a private, secure apartment with the support you need to remain independent, from chef-prepared meals to help with cleaning and laundry and additional care and support if you need it.
Our serviced apartments are generally located in the village community centre and range in size from studio to two bedrooms with a private bathroom, kitchenette and living space.
Before you move in, our care manager will sit with you to design a personalised care plan. We’ll take everything into account: your independence and your physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing. And, as your needs grow or change, we’ll respond and support you.
“I had a major stroke, so I wanted to think about my life and my health. When I studied up on this village, it had independent living apartments and it had serviced apartments, so I could think of the long term in the village.”Noelle, RetireAustralia resident.
Our on-site teams genuinely care about each and every resident and will be here for you through thick and thin, so you can live every day with confidence and options to choose from.
Living in one of our communities, you’ll experience our commitment to best practice and beyond, as we compassionately deliver quality care and support. You’ll always have the dignity of choice, allowing you to maintain control of the way your life unfolds.
Whether we like it or not, most of us are going to require some form of care as we get older.
While many are weighing up the pros and cons of living at home versus moving into residential aged care one day, there’s another group who have discovered an alternative with RetireAustralia – an independent lifestyle with support when you need it.
In our villages, the focus is on offering an independent lifestyle with the right level of support to maintain a quality of life so that residents can spend the rest of their lives in a community they are familiar with.
Residents tell us that the peace of mind that comes with being able to grow old in a community you are familiar with and which supports you is unbeatable. By continuing to live in your own home, regardless of age, or ability, you can maintain as much of your independence, comfort, and lifestyle as possible.
At RetireAustralia, no matter how life changes, you can feel confident and supported in the retirement village you have chosen. Right now, you might have limited support needs or none at all. If that changes, our experienced team can offer a range of care options to meet your needs.
Tailored support, on your terms
Staying healthy, happy and active is so much easier when your home is the centre of a welcoming community with a vibrant social and activities calendar, excellent amenities, and in a convenient location with easy access to facilities outside the village.
In a RetireAustralia village you’ll be able to age positively and live on your terms.
When you’re healthy, you can enjoy relaxing in a beautiful, maintenance-free and secure home with all the time and opportunity you need to enjoy the things you love with the people who matter most to you.
With time, your care needs may change – but that won’t mean you’ll stop wanting to live your life comfortably, in your own home, in a community you are familiar with – surrounded by family and friends and a team of familiar faces.
When that time comes you can choose from a range of care and support services to meet your individual needs, whether that means ongoing, daily support in one of our serviced apartments or flexible home care services delivered right into your independent living unit or serviced apartment.
Our trusted, on-site team members genuinely care about each and every resident and take pride in promoting their independence by delivering quality care and support.
Support at Home
Our Support at Home services make life a little easier and give you peace of mind that, should your needs change, you can continue to stay safely in your own home for longer.
Our care team can help with household chores, meal preparation, showering, dressing, and medication support, to name a few. Care is tailored to your individual needs and funded privately or through access to an approved government funding. We can even help you navigate Support at Home approval through My Aged Care, the government assistance platform.
“The loving care provided by Elizabeth, Pam and Cherie in assisting me with showering and making the bed, changing and laundering the linen, delivering an evening meal in all weather and even taking the bins out was more than 5 star service. I was being pampered back to health by these ‘care angels’ and my wife.”Norman, RetireAustralia Resident
Respite care
Recovering from illness, injury or a hospital stay? If you live in your own home but need a little extra care in the short term, respite care could be the answer. For just $75 a day, you can stay at a private care apartment in one of our retirement villages across Adelaide.
Serviced apartments
Our purpose-built serviced apartments will support you to keep doing what you love, no matter your age or ability. They are perfect if your care needs become higher and you want to continue living an independent lifestyle alongside your friends and family.
Unlike traditional aged care, the most important person in your life – your partner – can continue to share your life. Our serviced apartments are designed for both of you, even if one of you has few, if any, care needs. In some of our villages, your pet can even join you if that is what you wish.
You’ll be able to enjoy life in a private, secure apartment with the support you need to remain independent, from chef-prepared meals to help with cleaning and laundry and additional care and support if you need it.
Our serviced apartments are generally located in the village community centre and range in size from studio to two bedrooms with a private bathroom, kitchenette and living space.
Before you move in, our care manager will sit with you to design a personalised care plan. We’ll take everything into account: your independence and your physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing. And, as your needs grow or change, we’ll respond and support you.
“ I had a major stroke, so I wanted to think about my life and my health. When I studied up on this village, it had independent living apartments and it had serviced (care) apartments, so I could think of the long term in the village.”Noelle, RetireAustralia resident.
Our on-site teams genuinely care about each and every resident and will be here for you through thick and thin, so you can live every day with confidence and options to choose from.
Living in one of our communities, you’ll experience our commitment to best practice and beyond, as we compassionately deliver quality care and support. You’ll always have the dignity of choice, allowing you to maintain control of the way your life unfolds.
Lucy finds purrfect place to retire on Central Coast
A senior tabby cat is living the best of her nine lives after moving into Glengara Care Retirement Community in Tumbi Umbi with her owners, Joan and Maurice Simpson-Morgan.
While the Simpsons were ready to make a move to higher care living, they were not ready to lose Lucy, so they needed to find a new home that suited the whole family.
Glengara Care by RetireAustralia is a premium and positive alternative to aged care located within the existing Glengara Retirement Village on the Central Coast.
Joan, Maurice and Lucy moved into the new $35 million 70-apartment care facility after living in Erina for the past 25 years.
With Maurice nearing 90 and his care needs increasing, the couple felt it was time to look into options to help them age positively in a safe and secure care-focused environment.
Joan and Maurice’s son Tony Simpson-Morgan said one of the major deciding factors for his parents in choosing Glengara Care was the ability to bring their beloved cat Lucy with them.
“Mum had made some enquiries but if there were no pets allowed that was it, the phone would go down,” Mr Simpson-Morgan said.
“Lucy was quite timid when she came into their lives four years ago. Since then, they’ve grown close and she’s been very special to Mum and Dad. It’s been great that Lucy could go with them. It gives them an interest as well”.
Glengara Care Village Manager Sharon Stuart-Gray said pets were a welcome addition to community life at the village, with residents encouraged to bring their furry friends with them, even in their care apartments.
“Owning a pet in your senior years can help improve your mood, increase your socialisation and keep you active, she said.
“We know how special the bond is between pets and their owners and we’re proud to offer our residents the choice to keep their best friends near as their care needs change.
While Lucy spends a lot of her retirement lazing on the sofa, Joan and Maurice have embraced a more active lifestyle, participating in social activities, including a Mexican-themed dress-up day during the COVID-19 lockdown.
“Both Joan and Maurice’s health has significantly improved since joining us at Glengara Care. Having their care needs met by our nursing staff and their meals cooked by our in-house chef has given them a lot more time and energy to enjoy community life” Ms. Stuart-Gray said.
And how has Lucy settled in?
“She is spoilt rotten. When I go to visit, she’s usually sprawled out on the couch like she owns the joint!” Mr Simpson-Morgan said.
Glengara Care Apartments are a unique alternative to aged care and form part of RetireAustralia’s expanding portfolio of retirement villages across New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia.
The spacious apartments offer the privacy of a separate bedroom, lounge area, bathroom and kitchenette, with views to the internal atrium and rural landscape.
Meals are prepared by professional chefs and the care team is on hand 24/7 to meet the needs of residents, including an emergency response team and high level day-to-day support and clinical services.
Residents also benefit from access to Glengara Retirement Village’s wide range of existing facilities and activities, including expansive gardens, a bowls green, gym, cafe, private treatment rooms, bar, swimming pool and beauty salon.
To find out more about the new Glengara Care offering, visit glengaracare.com.au or call us on 1800 955 070.
Last month we wrote about the early housing market reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that while turbulent times had been touted by the media, a negative impact was yet to be realised in property values.
The data we presented in that article was from March, so perhaps it wasn’t too unexpected to see prices relatively stable. But with figures released by CoreLogic last week reporting on May prices, it’s interesting to see the picture hasn’t changed much at all. There’s been some small declines, and surprisingly even a few cases of prices rising.
Prices around the country
Nationally prices dropped by 0.4% with declines in five of the eight capital cities:
Sydney -0.4%
Melbourne -0.9%
Brisbane -0.1%
Perth -0.6%
Adelaide +0.4%
Canberra +0.5%
Hobart +0.8%
Darwin -1.6%
The picture is slightly better in the regions with only three of the seven markets recording lower prices:
Regional NSW -0.1%
Regional Vic +0.1%
Regional Qld 0.0%
Regional WA -0.8%
Regional SA +0.7%
Regional Tas +0.6%
Regional WA -1.2%
Given the severity and reach of economic restrictions, this is a remarkable result. But what does it all mean looking forward?
Cautious optimism but still uncertainty
Most commentators had predicted a deeper slide in prices than we’ve seen to date. So does this mean we’ve escaped the worst of the COVID fallout, or is it still around the corner?
According to Paul McAlpine, RetireAustralia’s General Manager of Sales and Marketing, there may be a case for cautious optimism.
“Clearly we’ve seen some quite severe economic impacts due to the pandemic, but the resilience of the property market so far has been remarkable.
“When we consider the gains the market has shown over the past 12 months, a fall of less than half a percent is a very small correction.”
The bigger question is of course, what to do if you’re planning on selling this year – act now while things are relatively stable, or hold out?
While the outlook is uncertain, it’s possible the next few months could prove to be the best conditions for selling in the medium term.
“The lockdown conditions have sent a shockwave through the economy which for the time being is supported by government stimulus, but what happens when those stimulus packages begin to be rolled back is really hard to predict.
“If I was planning to sell this year, I’d be very seriously considering doing it now because the process of a house sale does take time and you want to give yourself the best chance in the current stable conditions,” Paul concluded.
With all this uncertainty around, many older Australians are seeking the security and peace of mind on offer in RetireAustralia communities. Our financial model ensures you know exactly what you’ll receive when you leave the village, so there’s no need to worry about future uncertainty or downturns.
If you’re interested in taking another look at retirement living, get in touch with one of our friendly sales consultants to discuss how we can help you make the move.
