‘I’m a young 52! Should I wait until I’m older to buy into a land-lease community?’

Q: I’m 52 and recently divorced. I’m currently living in our four-bedroom family home and want to downsize but aren’t sure whether to buy into a land-lease community now or wait until I’m in my 60s. I don’t want to live in a community with people very much older than me because I don’t feel that old yet!

A: Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that retirement communities are ‘full of oldies’. Many are vibrant, active communities and not everyone who lives in these communities is retired either. The trick is to find your tribe, and the only way to do that is to get out there and look.

Taking a tour is a good starting point but I always recommend finding a social event you can attend, ideally at the community because it’s an opportunity to get a real sense of what the vibe of the community is and whether it’s going to suit you.

Some communities will also let you ‘try before you buy’, which may mean a stay of a week or two, possibly longer, in one of the community’s properties. If that’s on offer at any community you like the look of, my advice is grab it! At the end of your stay, you will know if it’s the right move.