Over-50s resort offers $25k to replace HomeBuilder grant
Residents excluded by the HomeBuilder grant scheme have been offered $25,000 towards a new house by a lifestyle resort developer.
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TOOWOOMBA residents excluded by the Federal Government's HomeBuilder grant scheme have been offered $25,000 towards a new house by a lifestyle resort developer.
Pradella Property Ventures, which develops and owns the Seachange Lifestyle Resorts across Queensland, has launched a "You Deserve It" grant for residents wanting to move into their new development at Hampton St in Harristown.
Because PPV retains ownership of the land at its development, people wanting to build within the resort are excluded from applying for the HomeBuilder scheme.
PPV's Mia Pradella said the $25,000 grant was aimed at over-50s looking to downsize into one of the resorts.
"Due to a technicality, the HomeBuilder grant cannot be accessed by over 50s wanting to build or buy a new home in one of our lifestyle resorts," she said.
"It's disappointing because the HomeBuilder was intended to boost construction and to help people buy new homes, which they are doing.
"At Seachange, we don't think that is fair at all - our homeowners have worked hard their whole lives and deserve to be rewarded.
"Seachange Lifestyle Resorts has stepped up and is offering the same grant.
"We are calling it the $25,000 'You Deserve It' grant because we feel what better time for our over 50s to enjoy their retirement.
"We felt the need to help those who miss out on that opportunity, and it's already working with dozens of people expressing interest in our resorts over the past two weeks."
Urban Development Institute of Australia's Queensland CEO Kristy Chessher-Brown called for the criteria to be expanded on the HomeBuilder grant to include resorts.
"We see it as a lost opportunity to support housing choices within the community and stimulate the economy by creating construction jobs," she said.
"Seniors are a large segment of the property market and including them in HomeBuilder would have enabled many to move into housing that better suits their current needs."
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