An artist’s impression of the finished subdivision
In a first, 24 homes are being built for people aged 45 and over in New Zealand.
“It’s a new concept. People haven’t really done a downsizer community development like this before. People put age restrictions on properties, but not for the reasons we have done it,” North Ridge Director John Shearer told The Star.
John Shearer
Even though the age limit is 45 and over, most of those who had bought so far were empty-nesters closer to 55.
“They want to travel a bit more, get into their bowls a bit more, and just have a bit of an easy property to live in,” John said.
The two subdivisions with houses for people aged 45 and over are in Christchurch, in New Zealand's South Island.
Listing agent Damian Dellabarca from The Change Agents said the two- and three-bedroom homes are priced between NZ$849,000 and NZ$1.189 million.
“The needs of a downsizer are completely different from those of a first-home buyer. (Elmbridge Mews) is aimed at meeting the needs of a generation that wants to downsize, but isn’t quite ready for a retirement village,” he said.
“The whole point is to create a community of people that are at a similar stage in life.”
Families are welcome in the subdivision, but a 20-year covenant requires that at least one property owner must be aged 45 or older.
