Stylish home in 'vibrant and friendly' Fisher retirement village hits the market

A stylish two-bedroom residence in one of Canberra’s highly sought-after retirement villages offers downsizers an opportunity to live independently in a vibrant and friendly community.

Unit 64 of the Araluen Retirement Village at 177 Badimara Street, Fisher, is north-facing with open-plan living areas and a big single garage.

LJ Hooker Dickson sales agent Nic Salter-Harding says the home offers great value, with a starting price of $399,000.

“Downsizers who have sold their home in Canberra could purchase this property and have plenty of money left over for renovations, holidays, or just to live comfortably,” Nic says.

Built in the early 1990s, the home is in fantastic original condition and ready for its new owners to move straight in. But you have the freedom to renovate the property and really personalise it, Nic says, as each residence at Araluen is independently owned.

“If the new owners want to renovate from top to bottom, they can,” he says.

“Or it’s ready to just move straight in and start enjoying the fantastic lifestyle.

“Araluen is unusual as most retirement villages don’t allow you to renovate the homes – you’re treated more like a tenant than a homeowner.”

When it comes time to sell, the new owners - or their families - can list the property for sale and secure real market value down the track.

“The village doesn’t just repay the original purchase price like most other complexes do," Nic says.

"The price that may have been paid 10 or 15 years ago could have seen significant growth since."

The residence is light-filled, with an open-plan living area leading into the north-facing courtyard and two bedrooms.

“The main bedroom is huge, with enough room for a large bed, dresser and even a lounge chair if you want,” Nic says.

“It has a garden area out the back that flows onto the communal garden and the courtyard area can be fenced off to make room for pets.”

Set over one level, the home is low maintenance, with the village groundskeepers taking care of the gardens and general maintenance. The residence has also been upgraded with ducted reverse-cycle air conditioning.

Nic says the village is ideal for retirees or downsizers who value freedom and choice and want to live independently.

“Residents have the freedom to live their own lives, but there is help at hand should they require it,” he says.

Araluen Retirement Village offers a number of cultural and fitness activities, from walking groups to one-day bus trips, and also features a host of communal amenities, including an indoor heated pool, bowling green, games room with a full-sized pool table and barbecue area.

There’s also a licensed bar – with happy hour – plus a chapel, library and an arts and crafts centre.

“All the activities and groups are resident-led, and residents can take part in as much or as little as they like,” Nic says.

“People who share interests can be as active and engaged as they want to be. From playing mahjong or backgammon in the games room to bus trips to attractions and events around Canberra, there’s always something happening at any given time.

“But if people prefer to keep to themselves and be at peace in their own home, they can do that as well.”

The village bus runs regular trips to the Woden and Cooleman Court shopping centres and the bus can be booked for group outings. There’s also a coffee and breakfast van that visits every Wednesday morning.

The home and all amenities are fully accessible with ramps to all communal facilities.

Located on the old Fisher Primary School site, the village is a sprawling community with abundant trees and gardens.

“The village has a great feel to it and has retained some of the school’s character," Nic says.

"The village centre was the main school hall and the village dining room was the original assembly hall.”

Nic says many residents are active in community and fundraising events and very welcoming to newcomers.

“It’s just a great community here, and people who have moved in recently have felt at home quickly at Araluen,” he says.

Number 64 is currently the only residence available in the village.

To keep up to date with availability at Araluen, Nic is the best point of contact and lets his customers know about newly-available residences before they hit the open market.

To arrange an inspection of Unit 64 at Araluen Retirement Village, 177 Badimara Street, Fisher, contact Nic Salter-Harding on 0412 600 085.

Article originally written and published by The RiotAct.