Downsizing to Morningside in New Hamburg

Morningside at a glance

Morningside's website says the community was established in 1988 and "encompasses 298 single family homes and two amenity buildings across 120 acres". The site names River Meadow Homes, a family-run company, as the builder that "continues to manage the Morningside Community". The street address is 10 Homestead Place, New Hamburg, N3A 2G1, which is in the Township of Wilmot.

On age, the community describes itself in its own words: the home page says "Residents aged 50+ enjoy serene country-style living". Ontario does not have a 55+ housing law, and the Human Rights Code protects against age discrimination in housing for anyone 18 or older. See the age question under rules and fees below.

Sources: morningside.ca, Morningside community page, River Meadow Homes.

What you would own at Morningside

Settle this first. In a land lease community the buyer owns the house and pays a regular amount to lease the lot it sits on, along with a share of services. That differs from a condominium, where you own your unit and a share of common property, and from a freehold home, where you own the lot outright. Morningside is managed by its builder and sells its homes through its own office, so ask that office which of these applies, and ask for the agreement you would sign before you make an offer.

Have a lawyer review it with you. Three things are worth getting in plain words: what the monthly amount includes, how it can rise and how often, and what happens when you resell. Ask also whether the community approves buyers and how its waiting list works; its website mentions both resale homes and a waiting list. Our guide to condo, townhouse, bungalow or life lease compares these ownership forms.

Homes and layout at Morningside

Homes are single family houses. The website says there are nine house models and lists them by name: Balmoral, Carlyle, Chelsea, Devonshire, Kensington, Kent, Sheffield, Sutton and Waverly, with a floor plan to download for each. The page shows floor plans rather than written descriptions, so compare the floor plans for bedrooms, the number of steps from entry to living space and whether laundry and the primary bedroom are on the main floor.

Ask for the plan of the exact home and a list of exterior items the community maintains. Morningside's contact page lists sales@morningside.ca and 1-866-661-2748.

Source: Morningside house models.

Amenities and clubs at Morningside

The community's amenities page lists swimming, a fitness room, a community garden, a library, pickleball, woodworking, AquaFit, bingo, bocce ball, darts, a putting green and golf net, horseshoes, billiards, shuffleboard, sewing and quilting, crafts, poker, cards, fishing and walking and biking trails. Its virtual tours name a Village Centre and a building called The Shed.

A list of activities on a website is not a schedule of what runs today. Ask which clubs are active now, who runs them, whether any carry a separate charge and when the pool and fitness room are open.

Source: Morningside amenities.

Rules, age and fees at Morningside

Fees change over time. Get the current schedule in writing and ask what it covers: any land rent, maintenance, snow clearing, lawn care, water and any property tax. Ask also about rules on pets, guests, rentals and exterior changes.

On age, ask Morningside in writing how any age expectation is set out in the agreement or the community's rules, and whether it applies to every adult in the home. Then have a lawyer give you a view. The Human Rights Code, sections 2, 10 and 15, protects against age discrimination in housing and allows preferential treatment based on age only at 65 or over, and the Ontario Human Rights Commission's policy says there is no defence that permits "adult lifestyle" housing that excludes people under a certain age. See the Human Rights Code and the OHRC housing policy.

Getting to and around Morningside

Morningside's website says that Grand River Transit's Route 77, a BusPLUS service for Wilmot, has a stop just outside the community and runs weekdays with flexible routing through New Hamburg. Grand River Transit lists a Route 77 Wilmot schedule on its bus and train schedules page, so check current times and the stop there before relying on it.

Health care near Morningside

Waterloo Regional Health Network lists emergency services at WRHN @ Midtown, 835 King Street West, Kitchener and WRHN @ Queen's Blvd., 911 Queen's Boulevard, Kitchener. Confirm current emergency department hours and which hospital serves your needs with your own care providers rather than treating any one as a default.

Source: wrhn.ca.

Flooding, winter and insurance at Morningside

The Grand River Conservation Authority's Map Your Property tool shows regulated areas, including flood plains, by address. Check the exact lot. Overland flood and sewer backup cover are typically optional add-ons to a home policy, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada. Our flood and home insurance guide lists what to ask an insurance broker.

Who clears snow depends on the agreement and the community. Ask what is cleared (roads, driveways, walkways), when and by whom, and do not assume it for your own steps.

Taxes and local government at Morningside

Morningside is in the Township of Wilmot, in the Region of Waterloo. Property tax is billed on an assessment by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation. Ask who is billed the property tax, whether it is passed through in a monthly amount and how it is calculated. The Ontario Senior Homeowners' Property Tax Grant is worth knowing about: it is up to $500 a year, for an Ontario resident who owned and occupied a principal residence and paid Ontario property tax, with an age of 64 or older and income under $50,000 for a single person or $60,000 combined for a couple, claimed with the tax return. If the lot is leased, ask a tax professional whether the grant applies. Details are on the Ontario grant page.

Property tax deferral programs for seniors are set locally. Kitchener runs one for qualifying seniors, but whether and how Wilmot does is a question for the Township of Wilmot, so ask it directly. Ontario land transfer tax is paid by the buyer when the transaction closes, and how it applies to the interest you would be buying here is a question for your lawyer. Read more on the costs and taxes page and try the net proceeds calculator for the home you sell.

Questions to ask before you buy at Morningside

• Do I buy the land or lease it? Can I have the agreement and the current fee schedule in writing, and what exactly does the monthly amount cover?
• How and how often can the amount rise, and is there a cap or a notice period?
• Who is billed property tax, and how is it passed on?
• What happens on resale: approval of buyers, any fee, any waiting list and who finds the buyer?
• How is any age expectation set out in the agreement, and what does my lawyer say about it?
• Which exterior items and which snow and lawn tasks does the community handle for this model?
• What are the rules on pets, guests, rentals and exterior changes?
• What does the Township of Wilmot offer for tax relief, and who do I ask?

Comparing this with other adult lifestyle communities or staying put? Read our step-by-step downsizing guide, the Wilmot page and buying first or selling first. When you are ready, get introduced to an agent on the eXp Realty operating team.