Should I move?

Not all flats are leasehold. When I was considering a flat I found some shared freehold ones.

Don’t cross me out Grammaretto 😢

Everyone is going to have a different opinion I would absolutely hate being in a complex with old people whereas Travelsafar loves it. lm not keen on bungalows never understand why they are so much more expensive than houses
I ve lived in flats and they can be nightmares and even if you find one with nice occupants they can move and not so nice ones can move in. It’s a real circus so get all your ducks in a row
I wish you lots of luck in your move. Bit do think of everything
My mum and dad moved when they were early sixties and thought they d thought of everything but they hadn’t considered the two steps up to the front door or the size of the back garden nor the fact that what seemed a short walk to the bus stop was actually a long one for someone in their late eighties

We put accessibility right at the top of our list. Accessibility to family and accessibility to shops and services. Accessibility, Accessibility, Accessibility was our driving force. We knew the are we needed to be in and we visited and reviewed at leat 6 towns in the area, before finding one which has all the services we could need, doctor, dentst, optician etc etc in the town centre, plus a good range of shops, and activities thatinterest ours. We then bought a house 100 yards from the town centre.

All good. However when it came to buying we went completely off-piste. We are old house people, preferably old house in need of restoration people, so we bought a 500nyearold project house. Nearly all the work is being carried out by builders and will take, off and on, 18 months.

But after 30 years of village living and having to drive everywhere. To be able to walk out of the house and have everything on my doorstop, and to know that if we both had to stop driving tomorrow, everything we need for every day living is within walking or buggy distance, really is the peace of mind factor we all want as we get older.

So if your house is convenient for everything, try and adjust the house or move very locally. I the bungalow is perfect but you need to get on a bus to get anywhere. What happens if you lose mobility and cannot walk to the bus stop or get on and off it?

I love Edwardian terraces. Your geographical location sounds perfect, near shops, and you're obviously fairly settled
While you're still youngish and mobile, have you considered turning your own house into a couple of flats (with maybe a light, airy extension on the back?)

Have you any spare rooms Downstairs for bedroom & bathroom conversion?
What about letting out the top floor?
We are the same. Lovely area, bowling green, tennis courts & huge green park.
Bungalows are hard to find around here that have been modernised & aren’t being charged silly money.
Plus our neighbours are superb.

Chardy that is more difficult than you would think. I considered doing this. It cannot be in an inappropriate area; i.e; mine would have been with no flats around, only big detached or semi. houses. You would need to separate the water, elec. & gas. Separate front door and stairs up to flat & divide the gardens. Cost would be great & then house deeds etc. etc.

I wonder if you have consulted an estate agent. We think we know our own towns but their may be hidden corners you haven't found yet where there may be a few bungalows. We have certainly found this. Estate agents may be helpful and knowledgeable of any forthcoming sales.

Definitely stay. Get a stairlift when you need to

Definitely, definitely stay. Get a stairlift when you need to.

I would stay where you are and put a stair lift in. It is a gamble moving with neighbours and area.

Surely not ALL the bungalows are far out?

We are now on the move from our bungalow in a lovely village but we are now in our 80s and thinking it is time to give up the car , we have found a wonderful 2 bed bungalow that is near to shops and a bus only 20 yards away , if we stay where we are it will be very difficult to get to shops etc so we are lucky to have found what we are looking for in our old age

Now is the time to move, if you’re going to. I downsized seven years ago to a house 40% smaller as I was on my own. My new house is a new build within five minutes of a railway station in three minutes of a bus shoot with many buses. The local health Centre is a 10 minute walk away and the location is very good as it has a pleasant outlook but is convenient for supermarkets. I agree that a flat could be a bit of a gamble depending on neighbours and of course there’s a property management fee on top of everything else. A small bungalow could be perfect if it had a small garden and was conveniently situated for public transport.

Definitely get on estate agents’ viewing lists and visit possible properties. In this way you will see different kinds of property in different places that will offer different pros and cons to consider. Nothing will be absolutely perfect, but some will better suit older age than others.

You might also get your property valued so you know how much money you have to play with.

I would suggest that you do that now while you are fit and able. Then you have much more to go on and can decide either way.

I moved to a bungalow at the age of 66, in good health and I happily live alone. Its the best thing that I ever did. My independence is very important to me. I drive. I walk 4 miles every day. I chose a bungalow in a nice area, on a bus route ( future proofing) and near shops and amenities. Ive altered the layout inside to suit my lifestyle better and upgraded the kitchen and bathroom. I have 3 bedrooms but I use one as a dining room and the smaller one as a dressing room. I felt it was best to move whilst still in good health and able to cope with the changes. I've made lots of new friends. I have no regrets. I hope that you do what feels right for you and are as happy as I am.

I'd been thinking of moving from a 3 bed semi due to health.
Anyway with prompting from DD I decided to get mine valued and look on line at bungalows
Decided I'd look at some ,found the 1 put mine on the market and it sold in 2 days moved 6 months later and 7 weeks after having a hip replacement
It was the best thing I ever did I'm 68 and wouldn't do it again lol
Love my bungalow and neighbours.
Im only 10 minutes from where I used to live but still think it's the best thing I did
Good luck to whatever you decide

Could you do downstairs libing in your current house? Maybe turn a reception room into a bedroom?

Pleas, stay where you are, I tried a move late in life and it's been a disaster. We need the familar when we age, the strange does'nt work. Find small changes but best not move. Bless..

IMO....there is no clear cut answer. Having done most of what previous posters have suggested......we are still in the same place! Struggling with the ideas of moving yet again to the so called 'right place'.
We live in a pleasant bungalow in a village have a regular bus service to the nearest city centre (approx 4 miles with a P&R facility also 2miles away). The village has a shop and 2 pubs, all within walking distance.
The inconvenience of moving and horrendous costs, we believe, are not worth it if you like where you live and are fairly comfortable. We have accepted that we will need help in the future to help maintain the property and upgrade where necessary. We already employ a gardener to help us and also a window cleaner. If driving becomes an issue, the saving of car exoenses would go towards taxi fares . I already have a main shop delivered.
I wish you luck with your decisions.

Some people can’t climb stairs when they get older BUT some of us can! My mother could go upstairs like a young person when she was in her eighties and I’m the same. It keeps you active and fitter. Don’t disregard a house with stairs.
If I was moving it would be to a modern house with good insulation ( less heating bills) and less worrying about things going wrong .

Could you afford to stay in an AirBnB as an experiment in your chosen area?

Turn off radiators in unused rooms, shut the doors and forget them. Get a stairlift now before some emergency (not after). Otherwise continue as you are. Not for nothing is the programme called Location, Location, Location.

do some research on the public transport in other areas or ensure you are able to drive to shops etc.
some villages have little buses and as other councils are cutting back funds are withdrawn

Following my divorce, I moved from a 5 bedroom, 3 living rooms , 1/2 acre property to a small house by comparison, still 4 bedrooms (smaller sized) and a postage-stamp garden.
The best thing I ever did - I certainly couldn’t have afforded to live in the big house. This house is cosy and I love it.

Do a list of pros and cons e.g location, access, convenience, neighbours, workload, rates

Have you thought what the implications of moving to a completely different town? Mine is full of bungalows, right in town.
First step is to talk to a number of estate agents and tell them you are looking to swap but want to remain local. It is possible that you may find one nearby, tucked away, but they may advise as to the frequency of these.
Might it be possibly to split your current home into a ground floor flat for you and rent out the upstairs, so you have control of the tenants?