Retirement Villages or Security Villages in South Africa?

March 5, 2011 - PRLog -- Retirement Villages or Security Villages is the question... So they sit down for a serious discussion. She feels that with retirement pending, they should buy a property in a South African security village, and he feels that a house in a retirement village, preferably in the Cape Town or Somerset West area, would be the better choice. Or for that matter, a retirement estate, he adds. A security estate then, she proposes.

(New information on gated villages in South Africa, such as assessing the sale prices of property in security villages can be found on http://www.securityvillages.co.za)

My love, he says, then we will be without a frail care facility should we need that. Not so, she says. We can always make use of an existing frail care facility in one of the retirement villages around. I have two objections to that, he replies. First, they have to look after their own people in principle, and when people in need apply to be assisted in the frail care facility, we from outside would stand second in queue. Secondly, I will not be happy lying in bed in a strange environment where I do not know the people around.

One will only be there for a short while, she reacts. Frail Care is basically a short term facility, one gets well, then goes home again. As such it is not inexpensive and property in retirement villages is also more expensive than property in security estates.

For a reason, he says. Retirement villages offer facilities like a frail care facility, club house, restaurant, library, gymnasium and a hair salon. You have gardens to enjoy and you have likeminded people around you. No more teenagers rocking away on your nerves, no more egos still stumbling around to turn into mature human beings. Quietness and peace, my darling.

What about long term illnesses, she asks? I suppose one can get nursing support in a security village too. Yes, it is available, he answers. But it will be more expensive than the care available  in retirement villages.

But we will be in our own home, she says. It will be much more personal, we will be able to still continue with the lifestyle we both love. I agree, he says, but we must keep in mind that at a point in life we will be frail and the assistance in a retirement village would for sure be more intensive than outside.

Security in both retirement villages and security villages are normally of a high standard, so on that one we don't have to argue, he says.

Okay, she mellows, I'll tell you what we should do... We keep all of this in mind and then we go and visit both retirement villages and security villages in the Western Cape. Then we shortlist our choices and so we will get to the property in either a retirement village or a security where we will feel at home. At least all of them will be gated villages - gated estates. That is a good starting point, partner of mine!, he agrees. The Eureka moment will come!

More specific information on gated villages in South Africa can be found on http://securityvillages.co.za/apartments-for-sale-hermanu...

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Wim van der Walt of http://www.securityvillages.co.za offers lots of information on specific secure apartments and security villages South Africa has on offer.