How Renting Senior Apartments in Ottawa Will Give You the Care-Free Retirement You Deserve
Is renting better than owning? If you want to eliminate maintenance, taxes, and unforeseen housing costs from your life and enjoy your retirement to the fullest, then, yes!
Renting vs. owning in retirement is a common decision retirees face. But when work is no longer a part of your daily routine, renting will make you more comfortable, more relaxed, and eliminate unwanted stress and responsibility.
Here’s a look at how renting a home in independent-living retirement residences in Ottawa can give you the carefree retirement lifestyle you deserve.
THE DRAWBACKS OF OWNING YOUR HOME IN RETIREMENT
Here are some of the major drawbacks of home ownership during retirement:
Larger Financial Commitment & Less Convenient Than Renting
Owning a home is a major financial responsibility in retirement. Along with mortgage payments—or even if you don’t have mortgage payments anymore—you have to pay for property taxes, insurance, utilities, and maintenance costs.
And sometimes, these maintenance costs can hurt your financial security. The cost of any major repair or replacement (roof, furnace, water heater, etc.) can often be too much for those on fixed incomes.
Lots of Upkeep, Maintenance, & Home Repairs
Home ownership comes with lots of work. In fact, the average homeowner will spend between 1% and 4% of their home value on annual upkeep, maintenance, and repairs. And the older the home, the higher the annual costs.
Homeowners also face greater challenges keeping up with home maintenance as they get older. And as a result, issues can worsen, and the costs of home maintenance will only increase. An unexpected major repair can also put a lot of financial stress on those living on fixed retirement incomes.
Health Expenses & Life Expectancy
Along with putting a dent in your bank account, home maintenance and upkeep can take a toll on your health as you get older. Lawn and garden maintenance, shovelling your driveway and walkway, moving heavy objects, and making the many repairs your home needs will eventually be too much work for you to manage physically.
And if a sudden health issue arises and you need to sell your home, you could be stuck with the added stress and costs of selling in a hurry—such as selling at a loss or having to wait months or even years to sell your home.
Increasing Property Taxes & Home Insurance
Even if you’ve paid off your mortgage, you will always have to pay for property taxes and home owner’s insurance. And as with everything affected by inflation, these costs will increase with time, sometimes becoming too costly to afford on a fixed income.
WHY RENTING IN A RETIREMENT LIVING COMMUNITY IS SO ADVANTAGEOUS
Here are just a few of the advantages of renting in a retirement community:
More Amenities
Retirement communities have more amenities for tenants that make life easier and more convenient. These include gyms, pools, dining, recreational activities, elevators, wheelchair access, bathroom grab bars, housekeeping services, and staff on site to help out and address any issues that come up.
These communities provide a variety of services that are tailored to the needs of the residents, so you can opt in and out of services you need and age in place comfortably.
Community of Like-Minded Individuals
Retirement communities are full of your peers—like-minded people who have also chosen to spend their retirement comfortable, care-free, and enjoying life to the fullest.
So moving to a community like this will only improve your social life, helping you make new friends you can enjoy activities with—whether it’s going for walks, shopping, playing games, watching movies, or simply enjoying a cup of coffee and having meaningful conversations.
More Financial Freedom
Selling your home will give you access to your home equity, which is helpful when living on a fixed income. The proceeds from the sale of your house can provide a comfortable cushion for financial freedom in retirement.
And with the fixed costs of renting, you won’t have to worry about unexpected home costs popping up. This extra money will also be helpful if medical costs arise
Better Location
Retirement communities are often situated in the heart of communities, providing easy access to shopping, parks, museums, theatres, art galleries, restaurants, cafés, recreational centres, and transit.
These centrally-located communities are much more convenient compared to many homes, especially those in the suburbs and on the outskirts of town where you have to drive quite a ways to get to your nearest grocery store.
Less Maintenance & Home Repairs, More Freedom
Renting in a retirement community means you never have to worry about shovelling, raking, mowing the lawn, or making those costly home repairs again.
All the hassles of home ownership are now the responsibility of the property manager. This will allow you to have a carefree retirement without overworking or overspending to maintain your home.
Being a Tenant is Ideal for Those Who Like to Travel a Lot or Require Ready Funds for Health Purposes
Renting means less time and money spent on home maintenance and more freedom to do what you please, including travel. And if you have any health issues that arise in retirement, you won’t have to worry about the financial burden of owning. So you will be better able to afford medical expenses on a fixed income.
Downsizing is Liberating
Renting a smaller home that suits your needs is much more convenient than living in a house that is too big or too far from amenities. Downsizing provides more freedom, and if you have mobility issues, it’s much easier to live a single-story home, apartment, or condo.
Downsizing also allows you to unload all the clutter that you’ve accumulated throughout your life. And once you declutter, only keeping meaningful belongings, you will feel much lighter.
Freedom to Move Whenever You Want With No Hassle
Renting makes moving easy. If you decide to move in a few years, you won’t have to go through the hassle of putting your home on the market and trying to sell it in a reasonable time and without losing money.
Instead, you can give your landlord written notice, pack up your belongings, and move wherever your heart takes you.
THE TAKEAWAY
If you’re considering moving and downsizing in retirement, take into account the financial and physical freedom you’ll have with renting a home in a retirement community.
Never again will you have to dread shovelling snow non-stop in the winter or worry about the rising costs of home maintenance and property taxes. And best of all, you’ll have more time to do what you love in a community full of convenient amenities and like-minded people whose company you can enjoy in Ottawa senior apartments.