Columba Court Retirement Village
photos: operator / Village Guide
Retirement living · Oamaru, Waitaki

Columba Court Retirement Village

Pso Retirement Villages Limited · South Hill, Oamaru · seven independent stone villas with ensuite, gardens & complete privacy
Life Score
20
Basic
Capital Back
30
the money ↓
See what life here is like — then weigh what it means for your family further down.
The village

Life here

Columba Court is a intimate retirement village of just seven one-bedroom villas nestled in the elevated South Hill suburb of Oamaru, close to the waterfront, shops and public gardens. Built from distinctive local Oamaru stone, each home is designed to catch the sun and offer complete independence with the comfort of your own private space. The friendly community prioritises privacy and established gardens, while modern conveniences—heat pumps, whiteware, heated towel rails, en-suites—ensure everyday living is effortless. Operated by Presbyterian Support Otago, it's a place where you can enjoy life both inside and out.

Your home

Living options

Independent Living

Seven one-bedroom townhouses built from Oamaru stone, each with its own character and garden.

One bedroom with ensuite
Heat pump and whiteware included
Heated towel rails
Private and common gardens
Modern appliances
Secure lockable windows and doors
Spacious, sun-filled design
Living options
A day in the life

What living here is actually like

Living at Columba Court means enjoying the best of Oamaru on your doorstep.

Community & Location

The village sits in the heart of attractive Oamaru, close to the waterfront, local shops and public gardens—perfect for walks and exploring all this popular Southern town has to offer. Residents benefit from a small, friendly community where privacy and independence are paramount.

Walking distance to Oamaru waterfront
Close to local shops and amenities
Public gardens nearby
Established private gardens at each villa
Quiet, elevated South Hill location
Always something on
On your doorstep

Facilities & services

Private gardens
Common gardens
Heat pump heating
Modern kitchen appliances
En-suite bathrooms
Heated towel rails
Peace of mind

Care for life, on site

If your health changes, you won't have to leave the place you know. Columba Court Retirement Village offers these levels of care on site:

Independent
✓ Priority access to Iona Resthome & Hospital (based on availability)
Care and community
Where it is

Setting & neighbourhood

Columba Court is located in the elevated South Hill suburb of Oamaru, a popular Southern town rich with character. The village sits in the heart of Oamaru, close to the waterfront, local shops and public gardens, offering residents easy access to walks and all the town has to offer. The neighbourhood is quiet and established, with each villa positioned to capture sunlight and views.

Interested?

Like the look of Columba Court?

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Now the practical part

The money — what comes back to your family

You've seen why you'd love it. This is the part most families only discover at the exit statement — so we put it in plain sight. Every figure is from the village's own filed Disclosure Statement.

Capital Back score
30
Capital-unfriendly · #442 of 520
Better than 15% of NZ villages — yet the market median is just 46. The sector is tough.
Deferred fee
25%
~$34k on a $135k unit, over 4 years
Your share of capital gain
0%
operator keeps 100% of any uplift
Time to get capital back
not enough resales disclosed
Fees after you leave
Continue
charged until the unit resells
7 years
Your estate receives
$105,000
Operator keeps (deferred fee)$30,000
Share of your $135,000 back78%
Before you sign, get independent eyes on the contract.An ORA-review lawyer or independent financial adviser — never paid by any operator — checks what it really means for your family.
⚖ Get independent advice →
How the 30 is built

Nothing hidden — every component

The Capital Back score is a transparent weighting of five filed terms — you can see exactly where this village wins and loses.

Move-in fee you don't get back Deferred Management Fee — weighted 30%
25% deferred fee — lower is better.
38
Share of capital growth Capital gain to resident — weighted 15%
0% — the operator keeps any resale uplift.
0
Fees stop when you leave Weekly fees on exit — weighted 15%
Fees continue until the unit resells.
0
Interest if repayment is slow Interest on delayed capital — weighted 10%
Interest is payable if capital is returned late.
100
The filed terms, in plain English

What the Disclosure Statement actually says

Every operator uses different words for the same thing — we normalise them so you can compare like with like.

%

Deferred Management Fee

25% of $135,000 = ~$34,000

Accrues over your first 4 years, charged on the entry price.

Market: median 30%; only 16% of villages charge under 25%.

Capital gain

0% to the resident

Any increase in the licence value at resale is kept entirely by the operator.

Market: just 8% of NZ villages share any capital gain.
!

Fees & interest on exit

Watch this

Weekly fees continue until the unit resells, and interest is payable if your capital is returned late.

Market: 220 of 520 villages keep charging weekly fees after you've gone.
Before you sign the ORA

The reckoning usually arrives too late

  • You're buying a licence to occupy, not the home — you can't sell, rent or borrow against it.
  • Roughly $34,000 is gone in deferred fees within 4 years, whatever the unit later sells for.
  • Your family carries the risk of how long resale takes — and the operator's ability to pay.
  • None of this is hidden — it's all in the Disclosure Statement most people sign without reading.
Have someone independent read it first

We'll connect you with a retirement-village review lawyer or independent financial adviser — no operator pays to be here.

Request an ORA review → Talk to a financial adviser