Exploring the New Breed of Home Designs

With features including outdoor entertaining areas, walk-in pantries, guest bedrooms and even lifts, the new breed of Hometown Australia homes deliver comfortable and modern living.

Downsizing.com.au spoke to Hometown Australia’s long-time National Development Manager Michael Grosvenor to discuss recent changes to over 50s lifestyle community homes. Mr Grosvenor said that, over the past seven years, he’s seen Hometown Australia’s new homes deliver a plethora of additional and strengthened features in response to consumer demand.

“These days consumers are looking for that more traditional style home built on site rather than the factory-built home you may have seen brought into these communities in the past,” said Mr Grosvenor.

Hometown Australia has responded to consumer demand by introducing home design features including:

• Dual parking, including recreational vehicle parking if possible and enclosed garages.

• Step-free access to the home, wider hallways and plenty of space to move about in the main bathroom and bedroom.

• Spacious, covered alfresco entertaining areas relating to indoor/outdoor entertaining.

• Solar panels, to reduce the cost of power.

• Multi-purpose rooms, which could be used as studies if people are still working, or for hobbies or a guest room for friends or grandchildren when visiting.

• Second bathrooms, many with clever two-way access options providing a “second” ensuite.

• Custom options, including butler’s pantries and extra parking spots.

• Options of two-level living to capture views whilst retaining ease of access via an internal lift.

“In the seven years I’ve been in the industry, I’ve seen massive changes in home designs. Much of it has come down to the fact that we are accommodating to the market of over 50s who aren’t necessarily retired but are working, semi-retired or planning for future retirement. Home designs offer double space garages, multi-purpose rooms that can be utilised as a home office and spaces where you can entertain and enjoy life. In addition, people are looking for quality homes which are architecturally and aesthetically pleasing than what you may have seen in the past,” said Mr Grosvenor.

It’s worth taking a closer look at the new home designs on offer across Hometown Australia’s Communities.

The two-bedroom, two-bathroom Lighthouse home design is available at Hometown Australia’s new Glenfern community near Port Macquarie on the NSW mid-north coast.

This home is perfect for over 50s who are looking to downsize while at the same time don’t want to compromise on space. Future homeowners will be able to enjoy sunsets over the natural bushland from their private master suite balcony, located on the upper level of this architecturally designed two-level home that comes complete with internal lift access. The home’s layout takes advantage of the extensive alfresco entertaining areas, accessed via double sliding doors from both the living and dining rooms.

The Wallaby home design is available at Riverside at Evans Head in northern NSW. Given this home design contains a multi-purpose room, it’s well-suited to over 50s who are semi-retired or transitioning into retirement.

The Wallaby offers a large modern kitchen flowing seamlessly onto the dining, living room, and outdoor terrace – which also makes it perfect for entertaining. Future homeowners will be able to retreat to their master bedroom, which features a built-in wardrobe and ensuite bathroom. Guests or visiting families and friends can use a spacious second bedroom, also with a built-in wardrobe and separate bathroom.

Apart from the multi-purpose room, the Wallaby home design also features an undercover carport, ceiling fans and air-conditioning.

The Sands home design at Beachfront in Halliday’s Point on the NSW mid-north coast is perfect for downsizers looking for a low maintenance life. The home features a master bedroom and guest bedroom with built-in robes, bathroom, and separate laundry room, along with a large kitchen with walk-in pantry and light and bright living and dining room. Future homeowners will be able to take in the morning sun with a coffee on the large porch while looking over their low maintenance landscaped garden.

Finally, the Montrose home design at Orianna at Bribie Island in Queensland is also perfect for those who are transitioning to retirement and love entertaining. It features an entertainer’s kitchen, guest bedroom, plus a spacious master bedroom with walk-in wardrobe and ensuite bathroom, along with a guest bedroom with separate bathroom. In the home, you’ll find an entertainers’ kitchen with island bench, large pantry, and quality appliances, along with an open plan dining and living room with raked ceilings which links to an outdoor terrace, double car garage, and a low maintenance garden.

All the above homes are available under Hometown Australia’s innovative land lease model, where residents own their dwellings and then secure a long-term lease on the land on which it stands. This model has significant benefits, including allowing residents to avoid paying stamp duty or council rates, while also having the potential for eligible homeowners to claim Commonwealth Rental Assistance.