I’m the Retirement Village Insider. Obviously I can’t use my real name, but you can call me Roy.
I’ve been working in the retirement village industry for many years, for many different operators – big corporations, not for profits, families and investors. I think I’ve just about seen everything there is to see.
I do believe retirement villages are a good lifestyle choice for appropriate people. I have several close family members living in retirement villages – I certainly would not have supported these decisions if I knew they were a rip-off.
I was motivated to set up this website after several media articles made the rounds in 2017 and 2024, where a very biased reporter asserted that retirement villages were ripping people off. “Bleed them dry until they die” I think the headline said. This was not my experience, but I was concerned that too many people were buying into retirement villages without knowing what they were signing up for. It is hard for potential buyers to find good information about retirement villages, so this is my contribution. I hope you find it useful.
How to use this website
I have divided the website into three sections:
The first section, “Buying into a retirement village“, is designed for people thinking about downsizing and possibly moving into a retirement village. There are lots of useful articles to assist with your downsizing decision and introduce you to the option of retirement villages. A good place to start is to understand What is a retirement village?, and What is the difference between a retirement village and a lifestyle (over 50’s) community?, as well as What is the difference between a retirement village and aged care?.
In the next section the articles cover what it is like “Living in a retirement village” and cover many topics never before published, including details around Pets, Visitors and Disputes.
Finally, we cover the issues around Leaving a retirement village. In my experience, this is where most of the issues occur. Make sure you read this section thoroughly and understand what happens when you leave a retirement village.
On all articles you have the opportunity to comment on the post and ask questions. I will try to respond in a timely manner, but remember, I do have a day job!
The Insider’s Guide
To further assist you, I have produced an ebook called “The Insider’s Guide to buying a home in a retirement village”. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to purchase a home in a retirement village. You can learn more about the book HERE.
The Last Word
If you have found this website useful, please tell your friends, share the link, or Follow us on Facebook.
If you would like to say “Thanks” in a more material way, why not shout me a cup of coffee? You can do that HERE. I do love a medium cappuccino!