Summerset by the Lake
photos: operator / Village Guide
Retirement living · Wharewaka, Taupo

Summerset by the Lake

Summerset Villages (taupo) Limited · beside Lake Taupō · villas, apartments & rest home care · five minutes from town centre
Life Score
85
Exceptional
Capital Back
49
the money ↓
See what life here is like — then weigh what it means for your family further down.
The village

Life here

Nestled on the outskirts of picturesque Lake Taupō, Summerset by the Lake is a beautifully landscaped modern village where residents enjoy convenient access to local shops and state highways. A day here is enviable—you might bowl on the all-weather green, tend the communal vegetable gardens, enjoy a meal at the Divine Café, or simply take a short walk to the waterfront. Whether you're seeking independent living in a spacious villa or need rest home care, the village's on-site Activities Coordinator ensures there's always something to do, and you can do as much or as little as you choose.

Your home

Living options

Homes Designed for Modern Living

Summerset by the Lake offers carefully designed accommodation with modern conveniences, safety and style. Much of the village comprises spacious two-bedroom villas and townhouses, some with studies, alongside one- and two-bedroom apartments and care rooms.

2-bedroom villas or 2-bedroom with study
Modern, bright and spacious open-plan living
Contemporary kitchen, large bathroom and self-contained laundry
Outdoor living area and garden
Single or double garage with internal access
1- and 2-bedroom independent apartments
Serviced apartments
Care centre rooms (subject to availability and eligibility)
Living options
A day in the life

What living here is actually like

Life at Summerset by the Lake revolves around connection, activity and choice.

A Full Calendar of Activities & Dining

An on-site Activities Coordinator ensures a full calendar of events and entertainment. The Divine Café and in-house catering serve contemporary menus prepared on site with wholesome, seasonal, fresh and locally-grown produce. Indoor and outdoor facilities mean there's always something to do, whatever the weather.

All-weather bowling green and lawn bowls
Indoor spa pool
Gym and exercise classes
Divine Café with on-site catering
Residents' bar with happy hours
Library, piano and arts & crafts
Pool table and board games
Communal vegetable gardens
Organised outings and social events
Resident dinners and entertainment
Hair salon
Courtesy van for outings
Computer with internet access
Always something on
On your doorstep

Facilities & services

Divine Café
Residents' bar
Indoor spa pool
Gym
All-weather bowling green
Library
Hair salon
Pool table
Piano
Arts and crafts room
Communal vegetable gardens
Barbecue facilities
Resident workshop
Lounge with large screen TV
Computer with internet access
Courtesy van
Organised outings and activities
Peace of mind

Care for life, on site

If your health changes, you won't have to leave the place you know. Summerset by the Lake offers these levels of care on site:

IndependentServicedRest home
✓ Doctor available for appointments · Physiotherapy available for appointments · Housekeeping · Linen change · Meal deliveries
Care and community
Where it is

Setting & neighbourhood

Summerset by the Lake is nestled in an idyllic setting just a stone's throw from Lake Taupō, in the Wharewaka area. The beautifully landscaped modern village enjoys convenient access to state highways, with local shops and pharmacies close at hand. Residents can take a short walk to the waterfront or a longer stroll to Rainbow Point. The village is just five minutes by car from Taupo town centre, making it the perfect base for a relaxed retirement lifestyle with easy access to amenities.

Interested?

Like the look of Summerset by the Lake?

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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
49
Around average · #195 of 520
Better than 63% of NZ villages — yet the market median is just 46. The sector is tough.
Deferred fee
25%
charged on your entry price
Your share of capital gain
0%
operator keeps 100% of any uplift
Time to get capital back
~216 days
median, from 23 recent resales
Fees after you leave
Stop
good — many villages keep charging
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 49 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
Speed your capital returns Median resale time — weighted 30%
216 days across recent resales.
77
Fees stop when you leave Weekly fees on exit — weighted 15%
Charges end on vacancy.
100
Interest if repayment is slow Interest on delayed capital — weighted 10%
No interest on delayed repayment.
0
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%

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.

How fast your capital comes back

~216 days median

Your capital is repaid once the unit is re-licensed to a new resident.

Market: median 154 days; 21 villages still average over a year.

Fees & interest on exit

Resident-friendly

Weekly fees stop when you vacate.

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.
  • A large deferred fee is gone within a few 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