About the Village

Sorry, but no – unless, of course, you want to buy it now and move in later. If that is what you’re contemplating, please discuss this with our Sales Manager.

The average age of entry into a retirement village is between 70 and 74 – but there are many who have moved in who are both younger and older.

The most common comment we hear from our residents is “I wish I’d made the move years ago.” Many residents talk of feeling younger, fitter, happier, and healthier since moving to the village.

It is important for anyone intending to purchase a villa in Aspiring Village to fully understand the nature of the ownership of their home. Please see a summary below:

• When you buy a villa or apartment in Aspiring Village, you sign an ORA (this includes our Assisted Living Apartments).
• This gives you the right to live in your villa or apartment and enjoy the use of all the village facilities.
• The title to the land and building remains with Aspiring Village.
• The Occupational Right Agreement does not carry any entitlement to capital gain when you move out and the dwelling is resold.

The ORA is the most common form of occupation and ownership in retirement villages in New Zealand. All villages are governed by the Retirement Villages Act 2003 and its regulations. The Act requires the appointment of a Statutory Supervisor whose role it is to protect the rights of the village residents, particularly so in the event of the village operator failing to honour its obligations under the RVA Act. Aspiring Village has appointed “Covenant Trustee Services” as the Statutory Supervisor for this village.

There is a lot of legal documentation around an ORA, all designed to protect you as a resident. For many, it can be a little overwhelming, so it is important you ask your lawyer to review this and explain it if you have any queries – most lawyers are familiar with this type of contract as it is typical in the retirement village industry. If your lawyer is not, please get him/her to contact us, and we can put them in touch with other lawyers who can run through it with them.

There are three types of payments that you will make to Aspiring Village:

1. The Entry Price – this is the amount you pay for your villa or Apartment.

2. The Weekly Fee – this fee is charged for each dwelling and covers your share of all the village costs – in effect similar to a body corporate charge. This includes:

• Rates
• Access to all community facilities
• Maintenance of your villa or apartment, including window cleaning
• Building insurance
• 24-hour emergency call response system
• Landscaping and garden maintenance, outside your villa or apartment and throughout the village
• Village management and operational expenses
• Maintenance and upkeep of the common facilities within the village.

3. Additional Services

You may choose to buy-in additional services (household, meals etc) through community or private providers. We can assist you with access to these.

The only other costs you will have will be your normal personal living expenses e.g. food, power, gas, phone and internet, TV/Sky provider, and contents insurance. In our experience, many of these costs are lower than when you live in your own home e.g. power costs are lower as your home is new and very well insulated, and petrol costs are often lower as our residents enjoy more of the activities within the village.

Our Assisted Living Apartments provide service packages, including housekeeping and a daily meal. Residents in these apartments are also not charged for power or internet.

The weekly fee will be fixed for the duration of time you spend in your villa or apartment (unless you choose to pay for additional services). Over time weekly fees may be set higher for new, incoming residents.

Aspiring Village insures the buildings (including carpets, floor coverings and fixed chattels). You are responsible for insuring your own contents and personal effects, as well as your car if you have one. You will also be responsible for the repair costs or excess on any insurance claim arising out of any willful damage by yourself or your guests to your villa or apartment, chattels or the Lifestyle Centre.

The village is responsible for the maintenance of your villa. However, any repairs which are not attributable to fair wear and tear and may be charged back to you. This decision is solely at the discretion of the Village Manager. 

When you leave the village, there are no hidden costs or additional “extras” that will surprise you. For independent living villas and apartments, you will receive your original purchase price LESS an exit payment which is a percentage of your original purchase price, calculated on a monthly basis at 5% per year for 5 years, to a maximum of 25%.

The exit payment for an Assisted Living Apartment is the original price you paid LESS  an exit payment which is a percentage of your original purchase price, this is a maximum of 30%; calculated at 10% on entry and 20% thereafter, calculated on a daily basis for 2 years.

Any outstanding amounts relating to weekly fees will also be deducted at your time of exit.

The retirement village industry is a very well-regulated one, designed to protect residents’ needs and give you security and peace of mind:

• First and foremost, retirement village operators need to comply with the Retirement Villages Act 2003.
• Under the terms of the Occupational Right Agreement, a Statutory Supervisor is appointed who represents the interests of the residents. In our case this is Covenant Trustee Services.
• In addition, our residents elect a Residents Association that works with our village team to ensure we meet your needs. The Village Manager’s door is always open to discuss any issues or concerns you may have.
• Lastly, Aspiring Village is a member of the Retirement Villages Association which has a code of practice designed to protect the needs/rights of the residents.

No, the Occupation Right Agreement is not transferable.

No. The Occupation Right Agreement can only be issued in the names of the resident/residents occupying the dwelling. To protect the village and other residents, your villa cannot be rented out or occupied by others. Part of moving into a village is the peace of mind which comes from knowing who your neighbours are, and having confidence that the village will remain a pleasant and peaceful place to live.

Of course, this is your home. Your family and friends are very welcome to stay with you for short periods of time. However, they may not move in on a permanent basis. You will also need to be in residence when your guests stay. Your guests are more than welcome to use the facilities within The Lifestyle Centre, provided you are with them.

Your personal security is also protected with strategically placed emergency call buttons in each villa that are monitored 24 hours a day.

We understand how important pets can be, so a small domestic animal is welcome to join you in your new villa, providing it is an adult animal suitable for village life and unlikely to disrupt neighbours. Unfortunately pets are unsuitable for the apartments. All pets need to be approved by the Village Manager prior to signing an ORA.

If you have an accident and need immediate attention, simply press your emergency button and the response will be immediate. If your health deteriorates, the Village Manager will work with you to facilitate community services to your home as required. Our Health Advisor will work with you and support you in your own home as you regain your health.

Many retirement village residents find that they can remain in their own home, with support from either community care services or private carers. We will ensure that you are provided with information for all available options relating to your increased need for care.

If you are assessed as requiring hospital level care, we have an on-site Care Centre, Aspiring Care which currently offers hospital and dementia care, and is accessed off Cardrona Valley Road – with easy walking connections to the village.

Rooms at Aspiring Care will be available to people in the wider community (as with any rest home/hospital), but priority access will be given to Aspiring Village residents that qualify for this type of care, subject to availability.

We have a wonderful gardening team who plan each villa’s garden, using an extensive range of hardy plants that thrive in the Wanaka climate. Because we are responsible for maintaining the gardens around your villa, we ask that you speak to us about any changes you would like to make to ensure they will be suitable. Depending on the extent of the changes, there may be additional cost for labour, plans and consultation with the gardening team.

The first step is to complete an Expression of Interest form for Aspiring Village by making contact with our Sales Manager. Please call 027 307 3738 to arrange a meeting to discuss your requirements. We operate a waiting list so it is important to get your name and dwelling style preference on the list as soon as possible.

Once you have reserved your home, a refundable $2,500 deposit will be payable. The balance of payment isn’t due until the Settlement Date, which is once the villa is refurbished and ready for occupation.

This will depend on the status of the villa you are purchasing. It may require a refurbishment. We recommend listing your house with an agent three months prior to the expected settlement date for your villa. Our Sales Manager will discuss this with you in detail.