Sandhills Retirement Community

Sandhills Retirement Community

Hello and welcome to the WRX Property Group website and blog! We’ve been looking at the retirement communities in Kitchener-Waterloo (and the Townships beyond) to give you an idea of what sorts of options are available.

Today we’ll be looking at the Sandhills Retirement Community: the first in our series that’s located in Kitchener. Located at 20 St. George Street in Kitchener (at the intersection of St. George Street and Queen Street), Sandhills is one of Kitchener-Waterloo’s finest, friendliest residences and retirement communities.

Let’s find out what makes it stand out!

The Sandhills Retirement Community opened in 2001. It’s designed for people over the age of 50 looking for affordable, independent living quarters.

Sandhills has a basis in the Christian faith, and it’s a multi-dimensional, non-profit corporation.

Sandhills is an independently-oriented retirement community, meaning it’s most suited for more active residents who don’t need the additional support offered by some other retirement communities.

Location

Sandhills has a great location: right in the heart of downtown Kitchener, one block away from the perennially pretty Victoria Park. A wide range of shops, restaurants, cafés and more are within a few minutes’ walk, and the streets of downtown Kitchener are really quite lovely for a stroll.

With the blossoming downtown tech industry, and the City of Kitchener’s investment in revitalizing several major streets, there’s never been a better time to be in downtown Kitchener, and residents of Sandhills are perfectly situated to take advantage of the sights and sounds to see and hear.

The Charles Street Terminal is quite nearby, providing transit links to areas all across the TriCities (Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge) as well as various other cities outside the region, and the LRT will have nearby stops once Kitchener-Waterloo’s ION system starts running.

The famous Kitchener Farmer’s Market is a few minutes away, as well as THEMUSEUM (downtown Kitchener’s impressive, interactive museum), and of course, Victoria Park.

Sandhills residents need only take a short jaunt up Joseph Street to reach Victoria Park, Kitchener’s oldest and perhaps loveliest park, which boasts plentiful trails, events throughout the year, and Victoria Lake, which features several pedestrian bridges (you can find out more about it in WRX’s article on Kitchener’s best parks).

Life Lease

Recently, Life Leases have become increasingly popular. It’s a convenient, safe, savvy way to stay involved in the real-estate market and also ensure you have an affordable, safe place to live, without having to worry about monthly rent.

Not only do you get the benefits of the Sandhills Retirement Community (its affordable prices and social opportunities, which we’ll get into later), but you also get to invest your money in real-estate. Kitchener-Waterloo market reports show it’s a good investment, and upon redemption, you’ll get market value of the property (minus redecorating and marketing costs).

WRX Property Group has a full explanation of what a Life Lease is (and why it might be a good fit for you) – check it out here.

Accommodation

The Sandhills building is five storeys tall, and it consists of 58 living units. Suites come in several shapes and sizes, and because they are Life Leases, their prices are typically much lower than condominiums of similar sizes and locations (downtown Kitchener’s condo market is indeed on the rise).

Prices typically range from around $140 000 to just under $200 000. Primary options include smaller one bedrooms suites; one bedrooms + den; and two bedrooms.

All Sandhills suites feature large, bright windows, and plenty of room to move around and host company (particularly in the spacious, well-lit, and quite large living/dining room).

Suites include kitchens, en suite bathrooms, and laundry/storage rooms. As noted, some suites include a den, some have a second bathroom, some have a balcony or a solarium, and some ground level suites include a patio.

Sizes range from approximately 700 square feet to over 1100 square feet.

Suites come with a refrigerator, a stove, a washer/dryer, and most include a dishwasher. Hot water/forced air heating serves to heat each suite individually, and suites have rooftop air conditioners to keep cool, especially during the spring and summer months.

The terms of the Life Lease require that residents are responsible to pay for their utilities, but the Sandhills systems (and the building itself) are designed with efficiency in mind, so that these costs are kept to a minimum.

There are two levels of secure, indoor parking available for those with vehicles – especially handy during the winter. You can check out the floor plans here (there are 14 different layouts). You can take a look at which suites are available (as well as their prices) here.

Amenities

One of the major benefits of living at Sandhills Retirement Community is, of course, the community itself. As they say on the Sandhills website, “Sandhills is a caring community of like-minded residents who enjoy a smaller more affordable home with less maintenance responsibilities.”

The main floor at Sandhills features a large community room and lounge, with plenty of comfy seating for residents to enjoy.

There’s also a large, well-equipped kitchen for residents’ use, which is perfect for organizing social events like potlucks and communal meals (great for celebrating holidays together, or if you’ve got a recipe you’d love to share).

There are multiple dining tables available here, which are handy for everything from a nice meal with friends to a quick cuppa in the morning.

Conclusion

Sandhills Retirement Community is a great place for independent adults over the age of 50 looking for an affordable home in a community with fellow independent, mature adults.

Its location is absolutely fantastic: everything that downtown Kitchener has to offer is mere minutes away, yet the price is kept low as it’s a Life Lease.

Sandhills is a Christian-faith based organization, and there are several nearby churches nearby. If you’d like to contact the Sandhills Retirement Community to find out more, or if you’d like to schedule a tour of one of their suites and their facilities, you can contact them here.

Finally, if you’re looking to sell your current property, WRX Property Group can help you with that – so please don’t hesitate to contact us!

Written by Will Kummer

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