FAQ | Retirement village information

What is planned?

The Edward River Seniors Living Village will be a community of 32 homes for over 65's who wish to live independently in their own home. Six homes will commence construction early in 2023.

Residents will benefit from living in a fully maintained community environment with almost all costs being covered in the Entry Fee and Weekly Service Fees. See info costs & fees here.

The village operates under the NSW Retirement Villages legislation and is a lifetime lease. Residents do not own the home but have the right to live in the home until they leave or pass away.

When can I move In?

Construction of Stage #1 of Edward River Village Seniors Living Village is now underway, with six new homes ready to occupy by late 2023.

Can I view a contract?

Yes! Of course. Please contact us to arrange.

What are the costs and what do the fees cover?

A major benefit of living in a village is the hassle-free lifestyle and the range of services you can enjoy. All of the Terms and Conditions are covered in the Contract and Disclosure Statement.
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The Entry Fee
The Entry fee for each home entitles the resident to a lifetime lease. The three current floorplans are priced from $475k to $495k.
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Refund on Exit – This will be at least 65% of the Entry Fee
When a resident leaves (or passes away) they or their estate will be entitled to at least 65% refund of the Entry Fee. The village retains what is known as a Deferred Management Fee (DMF) which is calculated at 5% of the Entry Fee per year for a maximum of 7 years. If you stay longer than 7 years, your refund is guaranteed at 65% of the Entry Fee. This DMF helps pay the cost of construction of the village, repairs, refurbishment and future development of the village.

Weekly Service Fees
As a resident, you will pay a weekly fee of $130 to cover the costs associated with the village. Having the convenience of one easy payment means you don’t have to worry about a multitude of bills coming in. The services funded from the recurrent charges include:
- All maintenance and gardening of the common areas of the Village
- Maintenance of the dwellings for normal wear and tear (excludes intentional damage or damage caused negligence)
- All infrastructure and services (with a couple of exceptions shown below)
- Payment of village property costs including rates, water, building and general insurance and waste collections.

What costs are not covered in the Weekly Service Fees?
Your recurrent charges do not cover your own personal costs such as:
- Telephone and internet
- Electricity to their home (Noting the homes come with solar panels)
- Contents and vehicle insurance
- Personal services such as home care or meals, personal monitoring etc
- Activities. The village will not initially offer any activities on or off site. These may be options in future.

See info costs & fees here.

Can visitors stay with me?

Yes. This is your home, so friends and family are most welcome to stay with you. Of course, other residents appreciate the fact that they know who their neighbours are, so for extended stays, residents need to talk to their Village Manager and let them know who is staying and for how long.

The Village Rules (found in the Contract) cover this and most other questions.
Please contact us to arrange to view the contract.

Who can I speak with once the village is operating?

The Village coordinator is a friendly face who will help with matters such as:
- coordinating services and repairs to the village;
- managing payments by residents
- managing the preventative maintenance program for the village assets;
- management reporting; and
- managing residents moving into and out of the village;

Can I view a contract?

Yes! Of course. Please contact us to arrange.

What happens if I can no longer live independently?

We understand that residents’ needs change. If living independently is no longer an option and you require the care of a nursing home or aged care facility.

Once a resident relocates to another facility or passes away, the Village will arrange for the vacated dwelling to be prepared for a new resident. Once the new Entry Fee is received, the Exit Refund will be provided to the resident or their estate (Details provided in the Contract).
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Please contact us to arrange to view the contract.

What happens if I pass away?

Your Lease will terminate automatically if you pass away (or if there are two of you named on the Lease for your dwelling, when the last of your passes away). If this occurs, our objective is to make the process easy for your family. We will deal with your executors in relation to the re-leasing of your villa and the payment of your exit entitlement to your estate.

How is the entry price set?

The village will recommend a price based on recent sales in the village and market conditions. If capital gains are achieved, this will be shared after costs are deducted (Refer to the Contract for details).

Please contact us to arrange to view the contract.

What are the floorplans available

See available home options for more information.

How much are the available homes?

See Entry Price list (and other costs, and the DFM).

See info costs & fees here.

What will the village look like?

See artist impression below.

Can I have a pet?

Yes! (See the contract for village policies)
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Please contact us to arrange to view the contract.

Can I modify the design?

Not for the first 6 units.
There are three interior colour palettes to choose from. These are in neutral tones.

Can I put up my own pictures etc?

Yes!

How do I request repairs?

Call 03 5898 3000 and Council will arrange repairs.

Do I have a fence?

There are fences around the backyards of all homes. They are set midway back from the front  of the house.

Can I have a shed or plant a garden in my back yard?

Yes. The shed will need permission, to ensure it is suitable and built correctly, but sheds are OK.

Will there be internet?

Yes. NBN is included and connected to each home.

Will there be solar electricity?

Yes.

Can I help with the shared gardens in the open space?

Yes. Residents are very welcome to work in the shared gardens. There are some guidelines around this.

Can I go away on holidays?

Yes!

Can I use this as an investment or bequests the dwelling?

Can I "buy" a unit and rent it out?
No. They are for use by residents only.
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Can I invest in a unit?
No. They are for use by residents only.
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Can I bequest the unit in my will?
No. This is a lifetime lease, rather than freehold ownership.

Can I keep my caravan here?

There is an area set aside for caravans. The van parking space is limited and the village operator will review use if required.

Will there be a community centre?

There are plans for a shared space for residents, family and friends to use. It has not been designed yet, but likely will incorporate shared covered BBQ areas and a modest sized shared building kitchen/dining/meeting building.

Will there be services such as meals, health, housework, trips and activities?

Not at this time. This is an independent village and as these services and activities are already provided by other organisations in town, there are no plans presently to duplicate the services.

Is there a security or personal safety service at the home?

The home includes provision for future security and monitoring services as part of the wiring and NBN. A resident can subscribe to a commercial service at their own cost if they wish. There are a number of very good online services available if required by the resident in future.

What are the Village Rules?

These are found in the Contract and Disclosure Statement. It covers matters such as:
Disagreements and disputes, minimum entry age of residents, pets, visitors, parking, speed limits, smoking, communal areas, gardening etc.

Please contact us to arrange to view the contract.

Can I access support services?

Residents require the services of visiting healthcare professionals, such as care providers, general practitioners, physiotherapists and podiatrists. While we do not provide those services, you are able to access the services of external providers at your own cost.

LOCATION

3D TOUR

FIRST RELEASE HOMES

Edward River Seniors Living Village

Frequently Asked Questions

LOCATION

3D TOUR

FIRST RELEASE HOMES

Edward River
Seniors Living Village