YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED LIFESTYLE COMMUNITIES: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS The answers to many of the questions you may have about Lifestyle Communities are listed in this document. For any further information or to assist with specific information about your personal circumstances, please contact one of our sales consultants on 1300 50 55 60. WHY LIFESTYLE COMMUNITIES? Why do people want to make the move? For some it s because the kids have moved out and they re stuck in a big old house with lots of costly time-consuming home and garden maintenance; For others it s because their neighbourhood isn t what it used to be; Some want to free up extra money and enjoy true financial freedom; Many want the company of like-minded people who have a passion for life. More money in your pocket! No council rates No body corporate No stamp duty Do I have to be retired? Lifestyle Communities is not a retirement village. Our homeowners are frequently working full-time or parttime. We recognise that people in their 50s, 60s and even 70s are often too young and too active to retire. We help people live life on their terms by combining luxury facilities with affordable low-maintenance homes in a secure gated community. Another important difference is that you are in control of your future from the opportunity to release equity and boost your nest egg, to the focus on independent lifestyle and freedom of choice. BUYING A NEW HOME AT A LIFESTYLE COMMUNITY Do I own my own home? Unlike other senior living options where you never own your home, at Lifestyle Communities you own your home, live independently, and you have a long-term (90-years) secure lease on the land on which your home is situated. Do I own the land? One of the reasons that homes at Lifestyle Communities are affordable is that we separate the ownership of the land from the ownership of the home. In this way you are not paying for ownership of the land, which frees up money to do other things. When you buy a home at Lifestyle Communities you enter into a secure lease of 90-years on the land on which your home is situated, and your lease is paid via a site fee each fortnight. The secure lease gives you an exclusive right to occupy the land and to use and enjoy the spectacular facilities. No fees payable to a conveyancer when you buy Discounted electricity No water rates What does the home price include? All homes include built-in wardrobes, kitchen with stainless-steel appliances including dishwasher, tiled kitchen and bathroom, and carpets throughout. New homes are decorated throughout according to your selection from one of our interior colour packages. Outside, the price also includes landscaping around your home such as fencing, paths, clothesline and carport. We ll maintain your front garden all year round No compulsory refurbishment fees on departure DMF is a scaled percentage, capped at 20% LIFESTYLE COMMUNITIES: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 2
Who will build my home and what sort of quality guarantees come with my home? Your new home will be built by one of Victoria s leading homebuilders. Your new home comes with a 3-month maintenance period, 2-year non-structural warranty and 6-year structural warranty from the date Lifestyle Communities accepts handover from the builder. All homes are constructed from high-quality materials and finishes and come with a certificate of compliance from a structural engineer. Are there other buying costs? There are no stamp duty or search fees payable when you buy or sell your home at Lifestyle Communities, and there are no fees to be paid to a conveyancer. The site fee gives you the right to occupy the land where your home is situated for up to 90 years, and is used to pay the costs of running the community including the following: On-site Community Management team; Maintenance of common garden areas and your front garden; Maintenance and running costs of the clubhouse and other common facilities. Under the agreement with Lifestyle Communities, the weekly site fee is payable by direct debit each fortnight. The site fee is reviewed on 1 July each year and any increases are capped at CPI or 3.5% - whichever is greater. LIVING AT A LIFESTYLE COMMUNITY How much is the site fee? Personal financial circumstance Single person on the Age Pension Weekly Site Fee $96.57 ($161.77 less $65.20 Rent Assistance rebate) Couple on the Age Pension $125.49 ($186.89 less $61.40 Rent Assistance rebate) Single self-funded retiree & those still working full time Couple self-funded retirees & those still working full time $161.77 $186.89 Can I get Federal Government Rent Assistance on the Age Pension? Depending on your personal financial circumstances, you may be eligible for Federal Government Rental Assistance to reduce the site fee. You will need to contact Centrelink or Veterans Affairs to find out what you are entitled to receive. If you contact our sales team on 1300 50 55 60, we can put you in touch with someone at Centrelink or Veteran Affairs who is familiar with Lifestyle Communities and can assist you further. Do I pay body corporate fees? Council rates? There are no body corporate fees or council rates at Lifestyle Communities. Who pays for utilities such as electricity, water and gas? Each service is separately metered at each home, and you are responsible for the costs associated with supply and usage of gas and electricity, and water usage in your home. You do not pay any water supply charges. Please note: Centrelink reviews the Age Pension and Rent Assistance on the 20th of March and the 20th of September each year. This information was obtained from Centrelink on 20 March 2016. For more information please call Centrelink on 13 23 00 or visit www.centrelink.gov.au. Information correct as at 20 March 2016. What about pets? Pets are part of your family and small pets are very welcome. There are some common-sense rules to follow, as we are conscious that we need to respect the rights of all homeowners at Lifestyle Communities, including those without pets. LIFESTYLE COMMUNITIES: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 3
What about health services? All of the services you need including hospitals, doctors, dentists, pharmacies, Medicare and other Government services are usually located within close proximity to the community. Is public transport close by? Lifestyle Communities are conveniently located close to public transport. There is also a community bus that is operated by the Community Manager and homeowners/ social committee for your use. What happens when I go on holidays? A high level of security gives you added peace of mind while you enjoy your holiday. And of course we maintain your front garden the whole time. Can my visitors use the clubhouse and other facilities? Visitors are welcome to use most of the facilities when they are accompanied by a homeowner. Can visitors stay? Your visitors are welcome to stay for a short stay (usually less than 30 days). If you have visitors staying for longer periods, please speak to your Community Manager. Who maintains my home? Homes are designed to be as low-maintenance as possible. As it s your home, you are responsible for maintenance where required. To ensure that Lifestyle Communities is an attractive place to live now and in the future we ask that you maintain the exterior of your home keeping with the community standards. Where do I park my car? Your home has a carport where you can park your car. Additional visitor parking is located at the front of your carport, throughout the community and surrounding the clubhouse. Where can I store my caravan, boat or trailer? There is a specific area set aside in each community to store trailers, boats and caravans. Spaces are limited and a weekly fee applies, please speak to the Community Managers to check for availability. Who collects my rubbish? Your home has two rubbish bins (household and recycle) that are collected by the Council. Where is mail delivered? Your home has its own mailbox at the clubhouse where Australia Post delivers your mail. Can I customise my home? It s your home and you can make whatever interior changes you desire once you move in. Any changes to the exterior or façade of your home must be in keeping with the overall look and feel of the community and you ll need to let us know of your intentions prior to commencing any works. Who looks after my garden? The Community Management team will look after your front garden. The watering of your front garden is done by a highly efficient underground dripper system using water from your home supply. You are responsible for maintaining your garden at the rear and side of your home. What can I add to my garden? Provided your addition is consistent with the landscape plan you can add almost anything to your garden you ll need to let us know of your intentions prior to commencing any works. Can I get Pay TV and Internet access? Of course you can have Internet access and Pay TV connected to your home. There s also free Wi-Fi, highspeed Internet access and Foxtel in the clubhouse. LIFESTYLE COMMUNITIES: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 4
LEAVING LIFESTYLE COMMUNITIES What about the Deferred Management Fee? To help keep the home purchase price and weekly site fee at an affordable level Lifestyle Communities recovers part of its costs for developing, running and maintaining the community when you sell your home. This payment is known as the Deferred Management Fee (DMF) and is a scaled percentage depending on how long you have been in the community. Your Deferred Management Fee will be capped at a maximum of 20% and payment will be deferred until you sell your home. This is a lot less than other places you may be looking at. How do I sell my Lifestyle Communities home? You can sell your home at any time through the Lifestyle Communities sales team, by yourself or through a local real estate agent the choice is yours. When you have sold your Lifestyle Communities home a new lease will be provided to the purchaser. Are there any other selling costs? There is a Selling Commission Fee of 2% of the selling price payable to Lifestyle Communities if we sell your home for you. You could select a real estate agent to sell your home, in which case you negotiate a separate selling commission with the real estate agent. There is an Administration Fee of 1% of the selling price payable to Lifestyle Communities for us to prepare the paperwork, administer the sale and act in the capacity of a conveyancer for the sale of your home. For any further information or to assist with specific information about your personal circumstances, please contact one of our sales consultants on 1300 50 55 60. Please note: Information is correct as at 20 March 2016 unless otherwise stated. All information is subject to change without notice. For the latest updates in information and pricing, please see your sales consultant. E&OE. LIFESTYLE COMMUNITIES: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 5