FAQ's

The following information will help answer some common questions about moving into Oakfield Rise Retirement Estate. This information is not intended to replace the legal documentation you will receive if you decide to proceed but rather help you in your initial decision making process.

This information covers off key things that we understand people like to know when moving into a retirement village. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have additional questions or would like further clarification.

  • Who owns and manages Oakfield Rise Retirement Estate?

    Oakfield Rise Retirement Estate will be a 180 villa retirement estate located in Mt Barker, South Australia and constructed over several stages. It will include significant community amenities which will be shared by residents, family, friends and the general public.

    Southern Cross Care (SA & NT) Inc. (‘Southern Cross Care’) own and will manage Oakfield Rise Retirement Estate (‘Oakfield Rise’). Southern Cross Care is a charitable, non-profit organisation.

    Southern Cross Care has been providing independent living, community care and residential care services to South Australians for 50 years. We pride ourselves on the community spirit our residents enjoy and the enthusiasm and professionalism of our staff in looking after our residents.

    Stage 1 is under construction and is due to be completed by May 2019. It comprises a mix of 2 and 3 bedroom villas, landscaping, visitor parking, a retention basin and a shared use path which meanders along the creekline and takes you into the heart of Mount Barker.

    As the village grows, a manager will be located on site to liaise with residents and to coordinate maintenance, services and facilities as required.

  • Who can live at Oakfield Rise?

    Oakfield Rise is designed for retirees or those over 55 years who are able to live independently. Living at Oakfield Rise enables you to enjoy all the normal aspects of living in your own home, but without the burdens of home and garden maintenance that are required in your standard residential property.

    Residents will also enjoy much more than just their architecturally designed, spacious villa. The communal facilities will also be available to enhance general health and well-being.

    Southern Cross Care is committed to providing all residents at Oakfield Rise with a secure, peaceful, friendly environment with a vibrant, social atmosphere.

  • What are the costs of securing a villa?

    If you would like to secure a villa at Oakfield Rise you will pay an ingoing contribution to Southern Cross Care. This ingoing contribution is paid as: a deposit fee (refundable) of $5,000 when an application for a villa is made with the balance of the ingoing contribution paid at settlement date.

    The amount of the ingoing contribution varies, depending on the villa size, number of bedrooms, floorplan style, location, lot size and aspect, etc. With 22 villas and 5 different floorplan styles with 10 different facades, there is a diverse range of prices.

    Each architecturally designed villa has been styled by an interior designer and comes complete with extensive high quality fixtures and fittings, including Smeg kitchen appliances.

  • What stamp duty is payable?

    Nil. This is a considerable saving compared with a typical residential property purchase or a strata title. Southern Cross Care is the owner of Oakfield Rise and, whilst residents have full occupation rights in respect of their villa, there is no transfer of title at the Lands Titles Office therefore no stamp duty payable.

  • Will I have full entitlement to my villa?

    Upon becoming a resident of Oakfield Rise you will be granted a licence to occupy the villa and will have those contractual rights set out in your Residence Agreement.

  • Why leasehold?

    All residents living at Oakfield Rise will occupy their homes under a leasehold arrangement, which is also referred to as a Licence to Occupy. Whilst Southern Cross Care will maintain the title ownership of the property, The Retirement Villages Act and the Residence Agreement protect the residents’ tenure.

    Southern Cross Care (the owners and managers) has a long term interest in the ongoing success of Oakfield Rise and will therefore be committed to maintaining a high standard of facilities and services.

    Your interest in the villa is secured by a lifetime lease. The rights and obligations of residents are clearly set out in the lease, and cannot be changed without the residents’ consent. This means that although residents do not have the title to their villa, they will have the exclusive right to occupy their villa for his or her lifetime if they wish, subject only to certain exceptions set out in the Retirement Villages Act.

    Continuity of management is ensured by this form of contract.

  • Will there be an emergency call system in place?

    Yes. A 24 hour emergency call system will be in place, offering you and your family members additional peace of mind. Your weekly maintenance fee includes the standard provision and monitoring of the emergency call system.

  • What are the services and benefits covered by the maintenance fee?

    A.The maintenance fee is designed to simplify household budgeting by incorporating many of the typical household costs into one regular charge. Additionally, it also funds the ongoing operation of the facilities and services provided at Oakfield Rise as detailed in your contract.

    The fee is levied to meet the cost of:

    • Rates and taxes – e.g. council, water, emergency services levy
    • Emergency call system
    • Insurance (excluding contents) of building, common areas, plant and equipment
    • Public lighting
    • Repairs, painting and maintenance of buildings, plant and equipment and common areas
    • Use of communal Community Centre
    • Administration costs – wages for manager, administration, cleaning, gardening and maintenance staff
    • Cleaning of common areas and rubbish removal

    The maintenance fee is charged per week and is payable every four (4) weeks in advance. The amount of the maintenance fee and the basis upon which it is calculated may vary from time to time.

    The cost of periodic refurbishment of a villa or the communal areas is funded by Southern Cross Care from funds which are held in the Capital Replacement Fund.

  • What other expenses am I responsible for?

    When a resident/s vacates a villa, the ingoing contribution made to Southern Cross Care will be discharged by Southern Cross Care, who will pay the following amounts to the outgoing resident or the resident’s estate:

    Villa vacated during settling-in period  100% ingoing contribution  
    Villa vacated in:  
    • first year  *95% of resale price 
    • second year  *90% of resale price 
    • third year  *85% of resale price 
    • fourth year  *80% of resale price 
    • fifth and subsequent years  *75% of resale price 

     

    The balance of the above % is retained by Southern Cross Care and is commonly known as a Deferred Management Fee (DMF) or an exit Fee.

    The Deferred Management Fee enables residents to enjoy the lifestyle and facilities of Oakfield Rise without having to pay for them until the villa is sold at a later date. It also means residents have access to more of their funds earlier, rather than committing them to provide for their housing requirements (see Residence Agreement for full details).

    *The following costs are deducted from this amount at settlement.

    • A contribution to the Capital Replacement Fund of 1.2% per year or part year or part year of the original selling price of the villa (i.e. ingoing contribution). This amount is capped at 12% after ten years.
    • A remarketing fee of 1.5% of the resale price (i.e. the next ingoing contribution) of the villa, to cover advertising, sales agent and administration costs in negotiating the sale of the vacant villa. 
  • How do I secure a villa at Oakfield Rise?

    Upon being offered a villa by Southern Cross Care, you will be asked to complete an Application Form and pay a refundable deposit of $5,000 which will secure your interest in that villa.

    Whilst the village is under construction, you will initially be provided with a Reservation Agreement to execute, however closer to completion, you will enter into a Residence Agreement.

    The balance of the ingoing contribution is paid at settlement.

    We recommend that you seek independent legal advice of your choice prior to signing the documentation. Fees for such advice will be an additional expense to you.

  • Will you accept an application for a villa ‘subject to the sale of my property’?

    Absolutely, this is a very common situation.

  • How long will you give me to sell my property?

    We will give approximately 3 months to confirm the sale of your property.

  • Will there be a ‘cooling off’ period after signing the agreement?

    Yes, you may choose to withdraw from the arrangements within 10 business days after signing the Agreement, provided written notice is given to Southern Cross Care. Southern Cross Care will refund in full any money paid by you.

  • Are visitors allowed?

    Yes, of course. Your family and friends can visit you in the same manner that you are used to.

    Overnight guests are also welcome, however prior written consent needs to be provided by Southern Cross Care if those guests stay with you for more than 10 days in one period.

  • Are pets allowed?

    Domestic pets are welcome at Oakfield Rise as long as prior written consent has been provided by Southern Cross Care. The organisation reserves the right to withdraw such consent should any pets cause inconvenience and annoyance to others, and the consent will automatically lapse upon the death of the pet.

  • Are there limitations on absences?

    We acknowledge that the villa is your home, however, for security reasons, we would appreciate receiving advice from you, if you intend to be absent from your villa for an extended period.

  • Can I still work if I enter into an agreement to live at Oakfield Rise?

    Yes. However, in each villa there must be at least one retired person. This means that at least one resident in each villa must have attained 55 years of age and be retired from full-time employment.

  • What inclusions/chattels does the villa contain?

    Your villa comes complete with floor coverings (i.e. carpets, floor boards, depending on selections chosen); Smeg wall oven, cooktop and range hood and Miele dishwasher; ducted heating and cooling; filtered water system as well as other fixtures and fittings as outlined in your documents.

  • Can I make variations/additions to our villa?

    Each villa has been architecturally designed to provide optimal living spaces and styled by professional interior designers to ensure that the presentation suits most requirements. Much thought and planning has gone into each villa so we do not expect there to be much demand for variations or additions.

    Consent is required for variations or alterations, such as pergolas. Conditions may apply and may also be subject to approval in accordance with statutory requirements.

  • Is a community centre available to socialise with other residents and friends and what activities can I expect to participate in?

    Yes. Oakfield Rise will include a wide range of in-house facilities and services for you. You will be warmly welcomed and encouraged to make use of these fabulous facilities as often or as little as you like.

    It is planned to construct these in conjunction with Stage 3 (subject to sales); there will be a café/bar, gym, hair and beauty salon, internet and library, billiards room and multi-purpose activity room for gatherings and private functions hosted by residents. (Not yet finalised and subject to change)

    You will of course be invited to participate in any activity that is planned by the Oakfield Rise community.

    The Wellness Centre will offer health, fitness and well-being classes and services such as a range of allied health services (scheduled fees will apply for these services).

    Oakfield Rise will also feature several outdoor ‘green spaces’ for exercise, socialising and general enjoyment, heath and well-being.

  • Will meals be provided at Oakfield Rise?

    We encourage everyone to continue their usual activities, including entertaining with friends and family as you would in your previous home. There are also many restaurants in the nearby vicinity.

    Refreshments and light meals will be available for purchase from the café (days/ hours yet to be determined). From time to time, resident functions will be organised, with catering provided at the cost of those participating.

    Residents are also encouraged to use the facilities for private functions.

  • What parking is available, and how much will this cost?

    Each villa has either an under-main-roof garage or an under cover carport, dependent on the type of floorplan you choose. Car spaces, as per your villa type, are included in the purchase price of your villa.

  • Does each villa have its own air conditioner?

    Each villa has an individual ducted reverse-cycle air conditioning system.

  • Where are TV points installed?

    Each villa has 3 TV points, positioned in bedrooms 1 and 2 and the living area.

  • How can I vacate or be compelled to leave a villa?

    A person may vacate a villa at any time by giving thirty days written notice to Southern Cross Care. Subject to the provisions of the Retirement Villages Act, Southern Cross Care may also terminate the lease, but only if a person has breached any of the terms of the lease or if, in accordance with medical advice, the villa is no longer appropriate for daily living.

  • What arrangements can been made for entry of residents into aged care facilities?

    When the need arises, Southern Cross Care will work with you to understand your care needs and use our best endeavours to assist you to have priority access to ongoing care in Oakfield Lodge, a Southern Cross Care Residential Care home adjacent to the village, or one of Southern Cross Care’s other existing residential care homes, subject to assessment by the ACAT Team and a vacancy. Admission will be subject to Government requirements at the time.

    Oakfield Lodge Residential Care also offers short-term respite care (subject to availability).

  • Once I move in, do I have a settling-in period?

    Yes. You have 90 days from when you move in to decide if you like the retirement village lifestyle. If you do not, we refund your money in full, less market rent for the time that you have occupied the villa, and less any other expenses incurred by us.

  • Is Oakfield Rise a gated community? How will I access my villa?

    Oakfield Rise residents will have vehicular and pedestrian access through secure entrances. Each villa will be fitted with a video intercom and access to the village will be via automated gates. This system will allow remote access for friends and family.

  • What happens if I require urgent maintenance assistance outside of normal office hours?

    Southern Cross Care has a member of the maintenance team rostered on call twenty four (24) hours a day, every day of the year for emergencies. The cost of this service is included in the weekly maintenance fee.

  • Where are the closest shops?

    Oakfield Rise is ideally located within walking distance to several shopping precincts including Gawler Street, Victoria Crescent and Mt Barker Central. Here you will find a range of supermarkets such as Foodland, Coles, Woolworths and Aldi, along with variety store K-Mart and a wide range of specialty stores, financial institutions and food outlets.

    Mt Barker Community Library, Wallis Cinemas and Tavern and historic Auchendarroch House, are also just a short stroll from the village.

    Fuel outlets, Bunnings and several cafés and hotels are a short drive away, as is the entrance to the South Eastern freeway which takes you to Adelaide within 40 minutes.

  • Will there be transport available for outings, shopping and appointments?

    There is a bus stop located 500m from Oakfield Rise on the corner of Hawthorn Street and Adelaide Road, servicing Hahndorf, Stirling and Adelaide. The Dumas Street Park n’ Ride is located adjacent to the village and also services Adelaide and Mt Barker

  • Where will I collect my mail/post?

    Like in your own home you will have your own secure letterbox at the entrance to your villa.