Frequently Asked Questions

Willow Cobram Residential Resort is not a retirement village. As long as you are over 50 years old, Willow provides a resort style community of like-minded people who want to enjoy the lifestyle they choose. Willow provides residents with luxury facilities and new modern homes in a secure gated Resort.

Another important difference is that you are in control of your future – from the opportunity to release equity and boost your nest egg, to the focus on an independent lifestyle of choice.

Willow is a much better option. Your house can be sold without the costs and complications associated with retirement villages.

The differences are:

• Retirement villages charge high exit fees, known as Deferred Management Fees (DMFs), which can be as high as 45% of the sale price when the occupant leaves the Village.
• Willow does NOT charge any Deferred Management Fees. When you decide to sell you house, Willow will only charge a flat fee of $5,500 + GST. This fee covers the sales commission and administration fee for the preparation of legal documentation and administering the sale of your house.
• Willow has NO imposed refurbishment fees, unlike retirement villages. When the owner decides to sell their house at a Willow Resort, they can elect to spend money on refurbishing and would directly engage with trades people.
•  Willow residents pay a weekly rental for their house lot. This fee covers the house lot rent, Resort maintenance and management, utility charges and council rates. It also gives the resident complete access to all Resort amenities including clubhouse, bowling green, swimming pool and gym. The only other costs to the resident will be their individual electricity, telephone and internet charges.

Unlike other senior living options where you never own your home, at the Willow Cobram Residential Resort you own your home, live independently and have a long-term 50 year secure lease on the land on which your home is situated. As a homeowner at Willow, you are also protected under the Residential Tenancies Act for additional peace of mind. The secure lease gives you an exclusive right to occupy the land and to use all of the Resort’s luxury facilities.

NO stamp duty* or other government fees and charges are payable when you purchase a home at Willow Cobram Residential Resort.

* For full-time residents

All homes are constructed from high quality materials and finishes selected to stand the test of time. Your new modern home comes with a three-month defect liability period, a two-year non-structural warranty, and a seven-year structural warranty.

All Willow homes have superior finishes and are fitted with quality products throughout. Heating and cooling is included in your home, as well as carport, decking and landscaped front garden. All homes come in a range of colours and facades from, which to choose.

The site fee gives you the right to occupy the land where your home is situated and is used to pay the costs of running the Resort including (but not limited to) the following:

• Onsite Resort Manager
• Maintenance of common garden areas and your front garden
• Maintenance and running costs of the Resort’s facilities
• Use of the Resort’s bus
• Full use of Resort’s facilities all year round
• Covers council rates, sewer and water charges
• No other fees charged by Willow

The site fee is reviewed on 1 July each year and any increases are capped at CPI or 3% – whichever is greater. Please contact us directly for our current site fee costs.

Depending on your financial circumstances, you may be eligible for Federal Government Rent Assistance to reduce the weekly site fee. To find out what your entitlements are, you can visit the website www.humanservices.gov.au or you can visit or call your nearest Centrelink for information.

These charges are included in your fortnightly rental fee.

When you decide to sell your house, Willow will charge a flat fee of $5,500 + GST. This fee covers the sales commission and the costs associated with processing the sale of the house. A new lease agreement is prepared for the new owner once the sale transaction has taken place.

Yes, NCN Health at Cobram, formerly known as Cobram District Health, includes a public hospital with acute beds, high care residential aged care beds, a GP managed Urgent Care Centre, Operating Theatre, Palliative Care Unit and diagnostic services. The Community Health Centre provides a wide range of allied health services. Also, an aged care facility is under construction adjacent to the Willow Cobram Residential Resort.

You are welcome to have visitors stay with you for a period of up to 4 weeks. During this time, they are invited to use the Resort facilities when accompanied by a resident.

Visitor parking spaces are found throughout the Willow Cobram Residential Resort, predominantly around the clubhouse. Visitors are also permitted to park in front of your carport. 

Pets are part of your family and are very welcome at Willow Cobram Residential Resort. We are also mindful of those who choose not to own pets, so we provide a list of basic rules for pet owners to make sure all residents’ rights are respected.

Any refurbishment to the inside of your home and back garden can be made without prior approval. However, the external façade and front gardens must be kept in accordance with the design guidelines that ensure the overall look of the Resort is not compromised.