Seven best friends buy a mansion so they can all live together when they're old

A group of girlfriends have done what many of us will joke about but never actually get round to doing - they've bought and renovated a mansion that they can all live in together when they're old and grey. Insane, right?

And it did, in fact, start as little more than a joke - a fantasy they never thought would materialize.

Back in 2008, the group of seven women 'dreamt up' this idea that they would all grow old together in a dream house when they were retired.

The dream became a reality just last year when the ladies came across a stunning three-story property in the suburbs of Guangzhou, south-eastern Guangdong province and decided to renovate it and turn it into their ideal retirement home.

The refurbishment project cost the group four million yuan ($578,500 US) between them. Now, the gorgeous mansion - which is surrounded by stunning paddy fields - features floor-to-ceiling glass windows, a tea pavilion, a sizable kitchen, and a swimming pool.

The 7,535-square-foot home, located in a village about 70 kilometers away from Guangzhou's city center, boasts a spacious communal space on the ground floor and one room for each of the ladies on the above floors.

"At first, it was just a joke," one of the friends named Jin Du told Yitiao. "We said we would get together when we were 60 and live the retired life together."

The seven pals, who are all in their 30s, met 20 years ago and, needless to say, they've been best friends ever since.

The mansion also contains tatami mats for gatherings, a huge dining table for group meals and furniture from India and Morocco.

The friends, who just so happen to be big tea fans, decided to build the tea pavilion in the middle of the field, which leads to their mansion through a bamboo walkway.

"We'll cook, have barbecues in the fields, sing and collect food from the village," Jin Du added.

The ladies have all made a pact that each of them will master a skill - such as cooking, traditional Chinese medicine, growing vegetables and playing music - that will serve them well in their retirement.

"We're all independent individuals but we can communicate and rely on each other at the same time," Jin Du said. "Ten years later our children would have all grown up. So we hope we can be together again in 10 years."