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Senior Living Options: Should I Buy or Should I Rent?

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Senior Living Options: Should I Buy or Should I Rent?

Understanding Your Senior Living Housing Options

You’ve begun shopping for a senior living community and have already discovered just how many options are available to you. The Glenview at Pelican Bay, one of the Naples area’s most reliable resources for senior living information, addresses the subject of senior living options regularly. This way, you always have access to the most current information possible. We encourage you to visit our blog Equity Ownership in Senior Living for a foundational understanding of the five most common senior living options available to you in the marketplace. Then, we have more insight for you.

In this feature, we’re going to zero in on just two of these five options—the rental option and the equity-ownership option—in hopes of clarifying further the features, benefits, and differences of each as you continue planning your future.

Now, there’s one more component to consider before we go further. For ease in understanding, let’s assume you already know you want a worry-free future by planning ahead for unforeseen healthcare needs, if and when they might occur. This is a great decision! Now, do you want to rent and have access to healthcare or do you want to buy and have access to healthcare? We’re ready for a deep dive into the details of these two different types of contracts and how they might compare to a community like The Glenview at Pelican Bay.

Basic Descriptions: Rental Model vs. Equity Ownership Model

Rental

Financially speaking, there is no up-front entrance fee or “buy-in” required with a rental model. Typically, you will not find the same level of services and amenities offered as with other senior living options, such as a CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community). For instance, they may not offer guaranteed priority access to healthcare, if needed. And all needed healthcare will be paid for at the full per diem rate. This senior living option is thought to be the most affordable among senior living housing options.

Equity

With this type of senior living contract, you actually purchase and own your home. It becomes another investment in your portfolio, and you or your family benefit from the appreciation of value or equity. As far as healthcare is concerned, every community varies. You can most commonly expect to receive a pre-determined number of “health center days” and/or health services at a discounted rate because you are a homeowner in the community.

Where Does The Glenview Fit as a Senior Living Option—Rental or Equity?

The Glenview at Pelican Bay is unique as a nonprofit equity-owned LifeCare community (a CCRC)—the only one in Florida. It is LifeCare that adds another level of uniqueness to The Glenview. Here, you enjoy all the services and amenities offered, along with the security of healthcare, as needed, by paying a monthly fee. But, there is no entrance fee at The Glenview. The community is designed for seniors who have always owned their own home, want to continue to do so, as well as benefit from the appreciated value when their home sells. You control your wealth and health at the same time. In your search for the perfect community, you will find that some communities offer equity ownership. Some have LifeCare. But no community in Florida—except The Glenview—has both.

Are there Lifestyle Benefits Associated with Rental or Equity-Ownership Senior Living Options?

The most obvious benefit of equity ownership is the sense of security that comes with knowing your home is bought and paid for. It’s yours to decorate and make totally your own. You’re investing in your community, too. A shareholder with a voice in decision-making for the good of the community.

What’s more, in a LifeCare community like The Glenview, monthly fees incorporate:

  • interior and exterior maintenance
  • meals
  • housekeeping
  • wonderful services
  • and miscellaneous homeownership fees.

This financial freedom of equity ownership promotes your independence, leaving you free to enjoy your active, enriched lifestyle that connects you with neighbors and friends who like the same things you do. And if you choose The Glenview, the Naples area offers wonderful coastal and cultural activities to explore.

Balancing What Matters Most

The lifestyle benefits of a rental option vary from those of equity ownership. You can experience the same independent lifestyle and perhaps have more flexibility since you are not tied to your home. Contracts are usually month-to-month, meaning there is no long-term commitment on the part of the community to the resident. However, you might have a little less security as you may be looking toward yet another move in the future when it comes to where you live. For example, at The Glenview, you can age-in-place with peace of mind thanks to the availability of concierge-style GlenCare Home Care Agency that comes right to your home. In a rental community, you may be looking at another move due to future healthcare needs.

When researching and visiting rental options, be sure you fully understand what lifestyle and healthcare benefits are included in your senior living contract. Plus, understand what might be available as your wants and needs change in the future. And in terms of cost, the rental and equity-ownership options may not be as different as they first appear. Consider the projected lifetime cost of the lifestyle you want to live and where you want to live it.

More Questions?

Again, The Glenview is your area resource when it comes to your questions regarding senior living options. We’re here for you. Visit our Parade of Homes online, and then contact us so we can take you on a personal tour of the community.

 

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