Tag Archives: where to retire

Top 5 Places to Enjoy the Romance of Resort Retirement in Sunny Australia

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Post by Sharon Freeman, freelance Australian writer and blogger

When you think of Australia, whether you are from here or elsewhere, the tendency is to think of a bright and sunny place with rolling deserts, exotic plants, wildlife and endless beautiful beaches. With more and more seniors enjoying active lifestyles well into retirement, there is a new kind of retirement community beginning to gain momentum, known as the ‘retirement resort.’

With all the amenities and enjoyment of a permanent vacation combined with that perfect Australian weather, some of the best new resorts up and down the East and West coasts are made for those 50 and over. Check our recommendations of the retirement resorts in the country.

1) The National Lifestyle Villages

Located in West Busselton, Western Australia is the Busselton at the Bay retirement resort. This resort is owned by the National Lifestyle Villages and only a short drive or pleasant walk from the town centre.

Unlike yesteryear’s retirement facilities designed for 65-and-overs, those operated by National Lifestyle Villages are designed for people aged 45 and up. This young and fun vibe is great for hanging out by the pool, playing tennis, having BBQs or beverages in the outdoor entertaining area or relaxing in the spa. Enjoy the surrounding natural environment of Geographe Bay, Naturaliste and area attractions like Margaret River Vineyards and the Busselton Jetty.

2) Lifestyle

Taking the idea of ‘resort living’ very literally, Lifestyle has a handful of top retirement resorts both existing and in-development across the country.

Victoria offers one of the best retirement experiences and the Lifestyle Warragul retirement resort is one of them. Mixing a ‘Country Club’ environment with resort amenities, Warragul offers a spectacular rural setting an easy drive outside of happening metropolis, Melbourne. Enjoy an active lifestyle with the bowling greens, gymnasium, billiards room, tennis courts and even dance floor! Choose from a range of custom-made 1 and 2 bedroom homes for ultimate comfort and relaxation at home. Just south of the Sunshine Coast, this is a Queensland retirement dream!

3) IRT Parklands Currimundi

For those retires who like the beach, bush and bustle of the city all in one centrally located resort retirement community, Currimundi is the best option.

Currimundi has beautiful world-class beaches and only less than an hour’s drive away from Brisbane. Heading to the west, you can enjoy the serenity of the Glasshouse Mountains and surrounding National Parks. Even without leaving home, residents here live amongst a rainforest habitat and enjoy seeing the natural wildlife wandering the grounds on a daily basis. A unique feature here is the availability of 3 bedroom homes, whereas many retirement resorts offer only 1 and 2 bedroom units. This is great for visiting family and friends. Residents here must be over 50 and pets are allowed.

4) Crighton Lifestyle Resorts

If you aren’t quite ready to retire, it might be worth waiting for The Hermitage Lifestyle Resort- Tea Gardens.

Located just north of Sydney and between two top-touring destinations of Sydney and Byron Bay, this New South Wales retirement village already has several stages completed and more phases to come. Retirees who enjoy golf will love the chance to play a round at the top-tier country club while enjoying the scenery of Waterlilly Lake. For an extra touch of luxury and romance, take a stroll through the “Monet”-inspired grounds and gardens. Check out the newsletter on the official Hermitage website for an idea of what is going on in the community and with the development.

5) Palm Lake Resort Deception Bay

You can find this little gem, the Palm Lake Resort, on the beautiful Deception Bay in Queensland. The resort is truly designed for retirees who want a quiet retirement and those who want to continue enjoying an active lifestyle.

In addition to the usual pools (indoor and outdoor), bowling greens and tennis courts, this retirement resort features a croquet lawn, craft room and handyman work shop. If you are more interested in molding your mind than working with your hands, there are other facilities – a full library and a computer room. If you’re more musically-inclined, enjoy the baby grand piano in the clubhouse. Located right on the water, many residents own watercraft or enjoy dining, shopping and nightlife in town.

Sharon Freeman is an Australian freelance writer and blogger. Since 2007, she has been writing about buying, selling, renting real estate and articles for companies like http://taylors.com.au/

How to Decide Where to Retire

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From my US News & World blog

One of the most important retirement decisions we will make is deciding where to live. We must decide whether we want to retire in place or relocate to a more exotic locale. Some people downsize, transition from a house to a condo, or move to a retirement community upon retirement, while others just make some changes to their existing homestead.

[See The 10 Best Places to Retire in 2012.]

I have spent a considerable amount of time contemplating myideal retirement location and have decided it would look something like this:

  • Near the beach and rolling waves—three to five blocks ideally, a few more if absolutely necessary
  • Walking distance to the local downtown where we have our favorite coffee bar, breakfast restaurant, bookstore, dinner establishment, and wine bar
  • Temperate weather and no snow
  • A diverse age group with young and old making up the local population
  • A small-town feel, but with modern conveniences
  • A good public transportation system
  • Access to quality hospitals and health services

[See 11 Retirement Benefit Changes Coming in 2012.]

Important questions to ask. If you have not begun your investigation, here are a few preliminary considerations:

1. How important is the outdoors and nature? If you cannot live in it, how close do you need to be to it?

2. Do you prefer a big city with lots of cultural experiences and nightlife or a small-town feel?

3. What kind of weather is desired or acceptable?

4. How important is having friendly neighbors? Here you may want to spend some time walking through the prospective area, getting a feel for the people and families, and talking with local vendors to get their first hand view on things.

5. Can you comfortably afford the cost of living? In retirement our funds are limited, so be brutally honest in this analysis.

Relocate or renovate? Many retirees are happy with their existing home, established network of friends, and familiarity of surroundings. For these people, the option of sprucing up their current dwelling may be more attractive than moving to a new place. Here are a few ideas for getting the most for your renovating dollars.

  • Improvements that aid accessibility are useful as we age. Try to choose fewer and shallow steps, lower kitchen and bathroom counters, and handles on doors rather than doorknobs. Easy access bath tubs and showers are nice upgrades.
  • Better lighting throughout the house.
  • Improved insulation to keep warm in winter and cool in summer.
  • Drip irrigation is efficient and easy to care for.

[See The 10 Sunniest Places to Retire.]

As you plan for retirement, consider the many variables that can contribute to living a fulfilling life as a senior citizen. Carefully plan for contingencies such as failing health as well as identifying fun things you will do to keep active. You may need to evaluate several possible retirement locations.

Dave Bernard is the author of Are You Just Existing and Calling it a Life?, which offers guidelines to discover your personal passion and live a life of purpose. Not yet retired, Dave has begun his due diligence to plan for a fulfilling retirement. With a focus on the non-financial aspects of retiring, he shares his discoveries and insights on his blog Retirement–Only the Beginning.

Start planning now where to retire

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Have you given any thought to where you want to retire? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to retire to that lovely spot in that wonderful neighborhood near that ideal downtown? Or maybe we already live in that perfect Shangri-La with no wish to move elsewhere. Whichever the case, if we do not plan now for where to retire we are making things harder on ourself than they need to be.

Creating a list of what our ideal retirement home and location would look like can help direct our efforts toward realizing a more fulfilling retirement. I did just such a study some time ago and described my results in where to retire – a boomer case study.

Independent senior living often requires adjustments and adaptations to fit the needs of aging. Housing with a universal design in mind can help meet these needs and better assure longer term independence.

The bottom line is it is important to plan in advance to allow time to research options and make adjustments while we can still make changes. We will be retired for a long time and a little preparation can make the journey that much more enjoyable.

This weeks blog in US News & World discusses some of these important issues in How to decide where to retire.