Finding the right home when you retire can be difficult. Some look to downsize, others look to lock up and flee abroad now the kids have gone; and others look for personal security. But there is something for everyone, says Anna Bowden.
Providing homes for ‘retirement’ is a hard task, as the above-55 age bracket spans around a 40-year age range. As people live longer they also live ‘younger’, with today’s 60-year-olds infinitely more active than those of our grandparents’ generation. The concept of retirement homes, therefore, has also had to change, and the facilities provided vary widely from development to development. For example, some of the developments for more recent retirees offer properties for those who want to downsize after the kids have left home and who want to get out and about more now that they have no responsibilities. So the homes available are smaller, low-maintenance and secured by gated access so that residents can take holidays in the knowledge that their home will be safe in their absence.
Other developments, for the slightly older market, offer homes with 24-hour porters, video entryphone systems and communal living areas to give residents a greater sense of security, comfort and companionship within the home. Here we take a look at some of the best examples for all ages of retirement.
Bourne Lodge is an elegant development of two-bedroom apartments by Antler Homes, located just a quarter of a mile from Caterham town centre in Surrey. The apartments are being built in a traditional style and offer the convenience, luxury and low maintenance of a newly built home, as well as the high specification and quality offered by Antler. Fully fitted kitchens comprise integrated appliances including gas hob, double electric oven, dishwasher and fridge/freezer. Master bedrooms offer fitted wardrobes and Porcelanosa tiled en suite bathrooms and some of the homes feature French windows opening out onto balconies or terraces.
A further benefit for residents is that the development is maintained by a management company responsible for the upkeep of all communal areas, including the landscaped gardens, the lobby area and the staircase, taking away the worry.
Prices at Bourne Lodge start from £334,950 for a two-bedroom apartment. Call 01883 347883 to find out more.
Laing Homes is currently offering a modern development of 20 elegant apartments for the active retired in Milford, Surrey. Surrounded by breathtaking countryside and set in a stylish yet secure environment, the development boasts easy access to Guildford and its shopping, leisure, cultural and historic amenities while also offering a traditional village atmosphere.
Prices start from £300,000. Call 01438 422337.
McCarthy & Stone specialises in the construction of purpose built properties for the over-60s, providing practicality and ease of maintenance with the older home buyer in mind. Security is hugely important to the older home owner so each apartment provides a TV entry system plus 24-hour emergency Careline in addition to sophisticated fire detection equipment and intruder alarms. As well as security, practicality and convenience play a huge role. For example, all plug sockets are positioned at waist height, taps use lever mechanisms making them easier to turn on and off, doorways are slightly larger than standard for ease of access and washing and drying machines are easy to access with waist-high door openings. Each development incorporates a lift servicing all floors.
All McCarthy & Stone developments are low maintenance -- one service charge covers all external maintenance of the building, including all communal areas, in addition to providing for the maintenance and upkeep of the gardens, meaning that residents can own a home without having to face many of the most draining responsibilities.
McCarthy & Stone developments include Albert Court in Braintree, Essex where one-bedroom flats start from £127,950 and two-bedroom flats start from £201,950 – call 01376 567720 for details; Heron Court in Ilford, Essex, where one-bedroom flats start from £153,950 and two-bedroom flats start from £194,950 – call 020 8553 3425 for details; Saxon Court in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, where one-bedroom flats start from £148,950 – call 020 8815 9167; and Bentley Court in Lewisham, south-east London, where one-bedroom flats start from £167,950 and two-bedroom flats start from £232,950 – call 020 8690 5578 for details.
The latest release of two-bedroom homes at Kennet Heath in Thatcham, Berkshire, has opened the development up to buyers looking for somewhere to retire. Redrow’s collection of homes has so far appealed to families, but its The Fern release, where two-bedroom apartments are priced from £179,950, offers something for everyone.
All homes at The Fern offer spacious living accommodation, including lounge and kitchen/dining room; kitchens also boast high-quality integrated appliances including stainless steel oven, hob and chimney style extractor. Bathrooms feature white suites with chrome finish fittings and all windows are double glazed (with PVCu frames for easy maintenance).
The development is within walking distance of Thatcham mainline station, and there are local bus services to Reading, Newbury and Basingstoke. The M4, M40 and M3 motorways and the A34 are also close by. Call 01635 863026 for more information.
Within two weeks of launch Millgate Homes has sold all six of its new three-bedroom homes at Willow Gardens in Twyford, Berkshire – and nearly all to downsizers. David Wrigley, Millgate’s head of sales and marketing, said, ‘Since the opening of the show home two weeks ago business has been very brisk, and we are surprised by the number of prospective purchasers who do not need a mortgage.’
There are now just three two-bedroom apartments remaining at Willow Gardens, priced from £289,950; all of them boast Pilkington-K glazed conservatory and a top-of-the-range fully fitted kitchen. The show home is open daily from 10am to 4pm – for further details call Millgate on 0118 932 0009 or selling agent Romans on 0118 936 6611.
Pegasus Retirement Homes is one of the UK's leading developers of purpose-built retirement properties exclusively for the active retired. Pegasus apartments are designed to make life easier, more comfortable and secure, free of all the worries of managing an older property and Pegasus Court, in the historic spa town of Tunbridge Wells, is an excellent example. The development offers a total of 15 apartments, including five one-bedroom apartments and ten two-bedroom apartments in ten different designs.
Features at Pegasus developments, designed to make life easier, include a communal lounge with library area and separate kitchen; a visitors’ suite with en suite shower room where guests can stay the night; lifts to all floors; security cameras to all main entrances; a 24-hour emergency call system; parking with electronic access gates; external recharging facility for battery cars; assisted living lifestyle options and landscaped gardens.
Tunbridge Wells itself boasts excellent shopping and cultural activity and more gardens and castles open to the public than in any other area of the UK.
Prices at Pegasus Court range from £268,950 to £322,950. To find out more call the show apartment, open daily between 10.30am and 4.30pm, on 01892 519936.