Considering the alternatives of staying in the family home and moving to a village community requires examination of not only the financial benefits of each, but also the quality of life aspects as well. Factors to consider are:

Downsizing to a village

• releases cash to invest, to live on and to
• provide a financial buffer
• is lower in all operating costs, with co-op purchasing
• replaces an old house with a new house
• is designed for ageing safely in place
• provides emergency support at no extra cost

Staying in the family home

• locks away the asset/cash value
• ongoing maintenance requires cash
• poor maintenance will affect the value of the home
• renovations may be required to make ageing friendly
• solo residents may have to increase security measures