(Image): Vickie & John Falcetta
When Vickie & John Falcetta realised that the house they lived in was too much to maintain and was far too big for their current needs they tossed up the financial and lifestyle benefits they would gain by downsizing their home. They set about researching the suburbs near where they lived as they wanted to stay in the same area, with low maintenance and low cost but nothing appealed.
They visited some retirement villages but nothing seemed to fit their needs. Vickie had a friend who lived at Forest Lakes Village and decided to take a look; they were impressed with the location, design and the quality of the full refurbishment – all of this making the decision to make Forest Lakes Village their home an easy one and was right for them.
For John & Vickie moving at the beginning of the COVID lockdowns in 2020 presented some unique challenges. “We knew what had to be done but how would we cope?” said Vickie, “All the charity stores were closed, we did not want strangers coming to buy things from our home, so we mostly gave stuff away to friends, family and those in need” “I panicked a little thinking I would not be able to fit much into our new home, but we were able to fit far more than we thought. The villa is so well designed and we have managed to utilise every space and enjoy the simplicity and how easy it is to maintain.”
Like most couples they had concerns about their decision and “if” it was right. John in particular struggled with the move but now he loves it. “We don’t feel the need to get away now, I feel secure, and I’m sleeping so much better than I did and feel so much more relaxed.”
Vickie agrees, “there is so much less we need to do now. We are both more relaxed and have so much more time to chill. We feel our timing for the move was perfect. We are in our 60’s and feel we have done well in regards to value for money with the opportunity to enjoy the lifestyle. The timing permitted us to make a conscious decision to downsize versus delaying which may have led to having to make a decision in difficult circumstances. We had the luxury of being able to make our own decisions and it was the best option for us. We have been married for 43 years and because it is daunting to sell and move you tend to delay the decision, but I believe the sooner the better. We love it, we live with like-minded people, feel safe and secure while still having our privacy.
Our 7 year-old grandson, Jayden says it’s ‘like a little town’. The grandchildren love using the pool and walking the dog with Poppie over at the local park. We love that when you walk out of your home, there is always someone to say hello to, you don’t have to bare your soul but it is a pleasant uplift to get that response.”
