4 minute read
Life in the slow lane
ByRuby Harfield
ABOVE:The11-metre1993MitsubishiFusocalled‘Ilene’ BELOW:CanterburywomanMichelleNelsonnowlivesinabus. Photos/Supplied
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The thought ofpaying offa large mortgagefor therestofa Canterbury woman’slife led her down an unusual path.
With many people nearing the end of their working lives considering downsizing or moving into a retirement village, Michelle Nelson broke the trend by moving into an old school bus.
Four years ago Nelson soldher home in Mount Somers and bought an 11-metre 1993 MitsubishiFuso, fondlyreferredtoas‘Ilene’.
“Shewas a decommissioned school bus, converted by the guyI bought her off.
“She’snot a luxury fit out, but she’s rustically homely, fully self-contained, with a deck of solarpanelsatop, anda 12-volt inverter onboard.”
There’s a three-way fridge,gas cooker, gas hot water anda wood burner.
“I don’t miss living ina houseatall, what is there to miss? Ican getmy housework done in 30 minutestops.
“It’s tiresome when itrainsfor days on end, but such is life.
“ Ilene is the ultimatelock-and-leave home and if necessary,I can driveher out of here.”
Nelson’sdecisiontodownsize was for a lifestyle change, freedom andtospend more time with her grandchildren.
“Iwas 60 years oldandlikelytobepaying offmy mortgageuntil the dayI popped off the mortalcoil.”
Addtothat,insurances, utility bills,rates and on-going home maintenance costsand it was reallya no-brainer, she said.
“I don’t havea fortune butcount myself very fortunate.
“This year I’llget my SuperGoldcardand accompanying pension. I’ll probably have moredisposable income than I’ve ever had.
“Iwanted offthe treadmill,I needed a freehold home, andatthe time Ilene ticked all the boxes.”
Once shehad decided on the change she neededtowork out howtodo it– especially making thechoice betweena tiny house and a mobile home.
“Iresearched my options andtobe honest, would have preferreda tiny house.
“I liked the idea of an urban tiny house community, however, there’s an on-going bureaucraticbattle between tiny house dwellers and localcouncils in thisareaand I wantedtosimplify my life.
“It’s also wayeasier to movea mobile home thana tiny house.”
The bus is currentlyparked up on a lifestyle block in North Canterbury.
“I worka couple of daysa week at dog boardingkennels nearby. I spend two or three daysa week in Christchurchcaringfor my grandchildren.
“Obviously, we had no inklingthatCovid was looming four years ago,but with two new additionstothefamily, both born in the first lockdown, the landscape has changed.
“It’s my absolute joytobe freetocare for thesebabiesinsuch uncertain times.”
The process of downsizingwas achallenge but also fulfilling.
“Itwas initially daunting sifting through the endlessstuffaccumulated over 60-odd years, and that leftbehindbythree kids as they movedout,moved home, traveled, moved home,studied and finallystarted their ownfamilies.
“CouldI reallypart with that hideous pottery vasecarefully crafted by little fingers in an art class long ago?”
She became ruthless ingetting rid of her possessions, whichwas cathartic, but thevaseearneda spot in a storagebox of precious things.
When Nelson first contemplated buying a bus shefelt she neededa big one but she’snowconsidering swapping Ilenefor something smaller.
“Onreflection,I realised I only ever lived ina small areaof the housesI owned, and suspect others might find the same.
“Aside from the kitchens and utility areas, I satinthe same chair, ate atthe sametable and slept in the same bed.
“Those are still my habits, andI could happily live ina smaller, more maneuverable bus.”
Ilene is hard to drive, witha top speed of 80km, and Nelson said she would travel more ina smaller bus.
What’s for sale. What it’s worth.
“Ithink it’s a great investment and great value...
I only took two steps in and immediately felt at home. It was a great size - plenty of room in the kitchen as I love to bake - a good size bathroom. It had everything I wanted plus my lawyer thought it was a good investment.“
LIZ CAMPBELL RESIDENT & RETIRED GOURMET FOODS RETAILER
“I’m really passionate about what this industry can offer people. When we talk about best interests at heart, the most obvious demonstration of that is the share of capital gain. It’s fair. However, that’s not the only thing we want to be known for. At Karaka Pines Villages we believe it’s important to listen to the people who live here. For us, taking on board what’s important to the people in each village is BOO K YOU R P R I VATE Vwhat counts and it’s those individual nuances that make each Karaka Pines Village different. It’s theirs and the place they can truly call home.” I L LAGE TO U R
M O NT H U RS11.30A M3.30P MADAM YATES CEO KARAKA PINES VILLAGES | CA L L 0800 K A R A K A
There are many reasons why a Karaka Pines Village could be the right choice for you. Why not book your private village tour or visit our website and discover just how much more there is to be gained with Karaka Pines Villages’ new take on retirement living.
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