All fees explained

The three types of costs and fees

Learn about upfront costs, ongoing costs, and deferred management fees.

Upfront costs
The initial price you pay for your retirement village home.
Ongoing costs
Charges relating to village operation, maintenance and management.
Deferred management fees
A one-off cost payable when you leave your retirement village home.

Upfront costs explained

Delivering peace of mind and certainty around your finances.

What they are

The main upfront cost is the price you pay for your home. There is a wide variety of Stockland retirement village home types available at a range of prices. Upfront costs can also include third-party payments like legal fees and removalist charges.

We encourage you to speak to a Stockland Sales Professional to gain a clear understanding of the financial aspects of moving into your chosen village. We also recommend that you seek independent legal advice on the form of contract you will be required to enter into.

What they mean

    • Understanding upfront costs helps you plan your finances
    • Depending on your choice of contract type, you can even know your exit repayments in advance
    • Our Six-Month Change of Mind Guarantee* gives a full refund of some upfront costs if you change your mind

Ongoing costs explained

Understanding your day-to-day retirement village expenses.

What they are

You will be charged an ongoing amount (usually monthly) towards the costs relating to the ongoing operation, maintenance and management of your village. You will also need to pay for the likes of electricity, gas, telephone and internet.

What they mean

    • Understanding ongoing costs helps you budget during your retirement.
    • By paying the operational, maintenance and management costs, you contribute to improvements in your village, which in turn will give you a better quality of life in retirement.

The Deferred Management Fee (DMF) explained

The DMF is a model used by many retirement living villages.

What it is

The DMF (also called an exit or departure fee) is a one-off cost that isn’t payable until you leave your retirement village home. This helps you offset the cost of retirement living by reducing the upfront cost. The DMF is deducted from the money you would get from the resale of your home when you leave.

What it means

    • You defer some of your purchase cost until you leave, generally keeping the cost of your home lower than the surrounding real estate market
    • You have access to more funds during your retirement
    • Some of your DMF is reinvested back into your retirement living village to help cover essential costs

Costs and fees FAQs

We’ve put together a list of questions and answers about our costs and fees. Feel free to contact us through any of the methods listed below if you have any further questions.

Where can I find out more about upfront costs?

We encourage you to speak to a Stockland Sales Professional to gain a clear understanding of the financial aspects of moving into your chosen village. We also recommend that you seek independent legal advice on the contract type you will be required to enter into.

Where can I find out more about ongoing costs?

We encourage you to speak to a Stockland Sales Professional to gain a clear understanding of the financial aspects of moving into your chosen village. We also recommend that you seek independent legal advice on the contract type you will be required to enter into.

How much does the Stockland DMF model cost

The idea behind the DMF is to help you enjoy a happy, stress-free retirement.

The DMF is based on a clear and defined percentage of the ingoing contribution outlined in your contract agreement before you move into your new home. It is calculated based on your upfront contribution and how long you stay in the village.

That means someone who lives in a retirement village for three years will pay a lower percentage towards their DMF compared to someone who lives in the village for many years. The overall fee will depend on the contract type you choose when you move in.

Is DMF a standard fee for retirement village living?

Not all DMF schemes are exactly the same. You should always seek independent financial and/or legal advice when joining a village.

For full terms and conditions relating to the Deferred Management Fee, speak to a Stockland Sales Professional. The DMF model does not apply to the Stockland Aspire portfolio.

Get in touch

Get more information or take the next step on your retirement journey.

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1800 72 71 70
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*Stockland will refund all amounts you have paid to Stockland for your home (and if applicable the purchase price paid to the previous owner for a strata title purchase) if you notify Stockland that you want to move out of the village within 6 months of moving in. Offer excludes any amounts payable to third parties for upfront costs (e.g. removalist fees and stamp duty) or ongoing costs (e.g. strata levies and utilities) in relation to your home. Offer applies to reservations made on or after 1 November 2015. Offer is subject to terms and conditions to be included as part of the applicable residence contract. For more information, speak to a Stockland Sales Professional.