A historic building converted into a retirement home

Today, in an era of inflation, significant stock market fluctuations, and a general downturn in markets worldwide, we are increasingly looking for ways to diversify our capital. In my opinion, investing in real estate is a natural direction. Since 1989, property values have been steadily rising, and there is no indication that this trend will reverse. A historic building converted into a retirement home is one of the ideas I would like to present to you today.

In an era when we are becoming a society of seniors, this is a strong incentive to take a closer look at properties that will serve as care homes for the elderly! An aging population is one thing, but another important aspect is the investment perspective. As it turns out, this can be quite a profitable business, provided you consider several dozen seniors. A smaller number doesn’t make business sense, so if you want to go in this direction, look for larger facilities.

From what I can see, such buildings attract wealthy investors, but increasingly, large investment funds are boldly entering the market, having sensed a huge untapped niche. In general, the entire market is shifting its focus to seniors — from real estate, travel, clothing, cosmetics, and services, to food and supplements. This is a powerful sector of the economy that can no longer be ignored.

On this dynamic market, two strong trends can be observed. The first is the construction of an entirely new building as an investment, while the second involves searching for properties to adapt. Each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages. We know well that starting the construction of a new building today can require a significant financial outlay. However, from the design stage, it is possible to precisely plan a property dedicated specifically for seniors.

A historic building designated as a nursing home – difficult choices

On the other hand, the second approach involves adapting an existing building to meet the requirements of this business. We skip purchasing from the primary market or relatively new developments, and instead focus on a property that is a historic building intended for use as a nursing home. This is where a series of challenges begins that we need to address along the way—but let’s start from the beginning.

Today, I will discuss this case using the example of a historic Villa in Oborniki Śląskie, which is located in a historically significant area. From the very beginning, the entire building was designed with wellness purposes in mind. In fact, before the war, Oborniki Śląskie was called Bad Oberningk, a place strongly focused on relaxation and rejuvenation.

This was closely linked to the discovery of the iron-rich mineral spring, so naturally, many spa properties were built in this area. That’s why the villa itself, designed in the residential style, is named Stare Miasto and served that very function.

And today?

Today, the property is up for sale, and is listed in the register of monuments of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship under number 553/1-5/A05, pursuant to the decision dated 17.11.2005. This is a crucial and important piece of information, especially for anyone seriously considering investing in such a property. The regulations clearly state that if you want to adapt the building for specific purposes, you must obtain permission from the provincial heritage conservator.

It just so happens that this charming villa has such a permit, so the future investor doesn’t have to worry about the future of the entire investment. This is an extremely important aspect that real estate agencies often forget about, which is a shame.

Investment property for seniors – key information

Perhaps now a handful of facts about this fascinating historic building. This enormous villa boasts over 1,600 square meters, set on a 2,270-square-meter plot. So there’s plenty of space to develop for a future heritage site intended as a retirement home. The buyer doesn’t have to worry about being limited by the size in any way.

The current owner has designed this residence with 32 rooms, as well as a spacious restaurant that could easily serve as the central meeting spot for seniors. This area covers 240 square meters, so it’s quite large! The property was designed for hospitality services, a retirement home, or as a venue for weddings and events.

For me, the most perfect idea is a senior home, and that’s what I’m sticking to. As I mentioned, the villa has received all the permits for reconstruction, along with a construction project. In addition, the owner has invested a lot of work and resources here to partially renovate the building. This includes things like concrete injections and steel beams—typical work to reinforce the structure of the property.

I could go on and on about this place, but it’s best if you see this historic property, now designated as a retirement home, for yourself. I invite you to visit Oborniki Śląskie.

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Michał Cylwik


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