As you grow older and your needs evolve, it may be a good idea to explore the benefits of moving to a retirement estate. Central Developments offers exclusive living in secure lifestyle estates custom-designed for people over fifty. Make no mistake, these are not 'old age homes'! Every aspect of these estates encourages a healthy, active, and independent lifestyle among peers.
When it comes to retirement property ownership, there are a few options. Deciding between life rights and full ownership is a vital choice when planning your retirement. Let's look at the key differences between these two ownership models.
Choosing a life rights property means the property does not belong to you. You are purchasing the right to occupy the property and not its ownership. It remains the developer's property. It is essentially a lifetime lease agreement with the developer. As a result, your children cannot inherit the property, and when you vacate the property, only the original price you paid, or a portion thereof, is returned to you or your estate.
The main advantage of life rights is the lower initial costs. Additionally, you do not pay any transfer duties. The property's owner (typically the developer) is also responsible for its maintenance, upkeep, and security, depending on the agreement.
Another disadvantage is that only the life rights owner and their spouse can live in the property.
You will still pay a monthly levy for items such as security, services, the use and upkeep of the common property, etc.
On the other hand, full ownership means you own your unit outright and can rent it out, sell it, or leave it to your children as an inheritance. You also own an undivided share in the common property since it is a sectional-title scheme. This means you benefit from the property's capital growth and can pass it on to your family.
In South Africa, where there are only a limited number of prestigious retirement villages and estates, the value of these highly sought-after properties appreciates quickly, offering above-average returns on your investment. Therefore, one of the main advantages of full ownership is the financial benefits it provides.
When you buy a property at one of Central Developments' retirement estates, you also do not pay any transfer costs or duties, since you are buying directly from the developer and will be the first owner of the property, resulting in significant savings. For example, on a R1.5M property, you will save approximately R48 000 in transfer costs and duties! Should you buy the property with a bond, these savings could increase to R92 000, since the bond registration costs are also included!
Despite the advantages of buying a full-ownership retirement property from Central Developments, buying is not always the best option for everyone. You might be waiting for your family home to sell before you can buy your ideal retirement property, or you might want the freedom to move to another unit easily should your needs change. Should that be the case, renting a unit in one of Central Developments retirement estates provides you with the same benefits and access to all the amenities as an owner, but without the added responsibilities of owning a property.
Many retirement villages in Gauteng plan to build their communal lifestyle and care facilities only in the last phase of development. Often, this results in these facilities never being built. There have also been cases where retirement developments had to shut down their frail-care facilities because the developers underestimated what it requires to manage them successfully. In both cases, owners with either life rights or full ownership face serious challenges.
This is where Central Developments' retirement estates stand out from the crowd. Our lifestyle centres, which include health- and frail-care facilities, a restaurant, a coffee shop, a hair salon, doctor's consulting rooms, and many other amenities, are built in the first phase and are fully operational from the very start!
We have also been refining our award-winning model for more than 15 years. As a result, the frail-care facilities of all 14 of our well-managed estates are still operating – a testament to our expertise and commitment to our residents' needs.
As mentioned, Central Developments has delivered 14 successful retirement estates in Gauteng to date. Currently, we are selling retirement property at Bergvallei, Celebration, and Birdhaven Retirement Estates in Gauteng.
As a developer of retirement estates, we believe that security, a healthy, active lifestyle, excellent care and support services, and a strong sense of community and belonging are the foundations of these developments, so we design our estates to prioritise them specifically.
All our retirement estates feature:
And if you are a pet lover, the houses are all small-dog-friendly.
Situated in the pleasant temperate climate of Montana, north of Pretoria, Bergvallei is our dream bushveld retreat. It borders a 17-hectare nature park with free-roaming impala and abundant birdlife, giving it its distinct bushveld atmosphere. Despite this beautiful setting, you have all the city amenities and conveniences just minutes away.
Those who enjoy the freedom of caravan travel will be glad to hear that Central Developments also ensured that your caravan has a designated space to relax between your exciting trips.
Bergvallei has apartments, garden cottages, and two- and three-bedroom houses with private gardens, for sale and to let. You can view our show houses and meet our on-site sales consultants specialising in retirement living seven days a week. If you would like more information, please visit the Bergvallei website by clicking here.
Celebration Retirement Estate is our city oasis situated in Randburg. It is a natural sanctuary within the city, featuring a beautiful wetland area and bird hide, panoramic views over the surrounding hills, and picturesque walking trails. Despite its peaceful atmosphere, the hustle and bustle of Johannesburg's shops, restaurants, theatres, sports facilities, and excellent hospitals lie just beyond the gates.
Celebration's offerings include apartments, garden cottages, and two- and three-bedroom houses with private gardens. Our expert sales consultants are eager to take you through our stylish show houses and answer all your questions about retirement living and investment. You can also visit our website for more information by clicking here.
Birdhaven, our flagship retirement estate, is the latest addition to our retirement portfolio and is the culmination of more than fifteen years' experience and lessons learnt. Nestled within a beautiful 16-hectare green space, this estate is going to be a retirement masterpiece. In addition to the facilities mentioned earlier, Birdhaven will also feature a cinema, load-shedding solutions, an aviary, an indoor swimming pool, and a mini gym. The 24-hour frail-care centre will also provide dementia care and home-based care.
Show houses are available from November 2025. If you are interested in buying one of these prime retirement properties, you can register on our website to be first in line to select and purchase a unit.
Whether you are planning to retire, still working but wish to enjoy all the amenities, or are an investor, you are always welcome to visit any of our retirement estates. And remember, you only have to be over fifty to live in our retirement estates, but anyone of any age can buy our retirement properties.
