Know before you sign

Guides

The financial side of a retirement-village decision is knowable in advance — it's all in documents most people sign without reading. These guides translate them, grounded in the filed terms of all 540 registered villages. First guides are landing shortly.

Occupation Right Agreements

What an ORA is — and why you don't own the home you're paying for.

Coming soon

Licence to occupy

The legal structure behind nearly every NZ village, in plain English.

Coming soon

Retirement village costs

Entry price, weekly fees, deferred fees — the full picture.

Coming soon

Retirement village contracts

What to look for before your lawyer certifies the ORA.

Coming soon

Deferred Management Fees

The 20–30% most families don't see until the exit statement.

Coming soon

Exit fees explained

What leaving a village really costs, and when the money comes back.

Coming soon

Are retirement villages worth it?

The honest trade-off: lifestyle gained, capital foregone.

Coming soon

The 2026 law changes

Mandatory repayment timeframes, interest on delays, fees stopping on exit.

Coming soon

Questions to ask before you sign

The checklist for the sales-office visit.

Coming soon

Helping your parent choose

The adult child's guide to doing the diligence without taking over.

Coming soon

What happens when you leave

The exit process, the exit statement, and your family's position.

Coming soon

Renting vs ORA vs unit title

The alternatives — and how the numbers compare.

Coming soon

Glossary

Every term in the disclosure documents, translated.

Coming soon

In the meantime, every village page explains its own filed terms in plain English, and the estate calculator shows what any set of terms means for your family.