retirement bungalow

You’re in an excellent position then to snatch one of those bungalows when they do come on the market then. Like Ruby we moved nearer the centre of our small town. It’s within sight of the town square and shops, with the doctors 50 yards away. We don’t need to use the car. It’s quite a bustling spot but that stops any feeling of isolation and there’s usually someone passing who’ll stop and chat! The downside is it’s a house, but we can’t have everything. I hope you find your dream home soon. Good luck!

I've been up there today and the parking bays in front of and around where the bungalow is are all full. I foresee parking problems there and would probably step on someone's toes without meaning to right from the word go.

I've made my mind up to stay in ordinary streets, save the management fees and find somewhere smaller with no problems parking. Logistically it's much harder for tradesmen/removals/landscapers/deliveries of big items etc to do their jobs properly if they have to park away from properties having to bring in heavy/bulky materials etc. I have already discounted a place which had steps down to a row of properties, and was about 20 yards away from the roadside.

I'm in the lucky position of having a large sum of money from an inheritance and can top up with a family loan to find my last home...then will pay relative off when my current home is sold, with interest of course.

In the meantime it means no pressure to sell mine in a rush, I can take my time looking for a suitable place not be stuck with whatever is available in a small window of time. I could also have a period of time if I need it to do decorating/new kitchen/new bathroom if needed before I move in instead of living with it all going on around me.

So the search goes on.

Oh dear. I do understand what you mean, reports aren’t good. Having said that you can’t believe all the negatives on the web, sometimes accurate sometimes not. If the bungalow still feels right why not chat to some people already living there? I can’t imagine anyone would mind. See what they say and then have a think. It is a big decision and harder to make alone but it does sound the right time, no matter which bungalow you choose.

Good luck with your bungalow hunt Bluebird . I hope you find the right one. We are moving to a nice bungalow in (hopefully) two weeks, for exactly the same reasons as you. I am 66 and DH is 69. We have sold our 'quirky' cottage and are just going to the middle of the village, where an old lady has gone into a home. I was monitoring the situation for a while and spoke up when she became very frail and we knew she couldn't stay independent for long. Our interest in the property was welcomed and it didn't go on the market, saving her trouble and money.

Fat fingers again. OP not ok and you are right !!!

Ok I have looked at those reviews and you advert right to be concerned.
It is possible to speak to other owners directly to get their views.
I have left it too late ,please don't do the same.

There are some awful reports about management fees going up, so it may be better to reconsider your options if it’s not a reputable company. Obviously a smaller, more manageable bungalow in easy reach of shops, doctors etc and not isolated would be ideal, but they tend to be at a premium.

Have you already sold? If so, a six month rented property may give you breathing space and put you at an advantage when a good place comes up.

bluebird it looks as though you are right to have second thoughts about this particular management company, thank goodness for Google!
If you haven’t already sold your home you at least have some time to look around at another development or a bungalow.

Good luck.

Moving to our bungalow was the best decision we have ever made its so easy to keep clean and the bills are so much less than in the big family house we once owned.
If you are put off by the management fee's and decide not to proceed it sounds as though you will have other options so be careful on rushing into anything.
Have you sold your present home ? do you have to move by a certain date,best of luck with your choice.

Thank you so much for your input as I have no one to talk this through with let alone anyone who understands how it really feels to be getting older.

Unfortunately I did some internet research late last night to read appalling reviews for the management company who have a stranglehold on these sort of developments - First Port. I have never seen such awful reviews and there are warnings to avoid at all costs. Now conflicted.

I know I have to downsize and I will, maybe this isn't the one to go for though. I have a bit of time on my side and quite a few bungalows in this town....which are usually snapped up. So still not put my offer in. Desperately trying to be sensible and think more about this.

If it goes then it's not meant to be but it does need lots of work done which doesn't faze me as I've done up plenty of places. But dealing with trades isn't easy as I know from experience.

I'm talking myself out of the retirement bungalow aren't I?

Re management fees. Having looked into sheltered housing for my DM a few years ago, we found that the management fees weren’t as expensive as we first thought when we added up all that she was then paying for to stay in her house - weekly cleaner, window cleaner, monthly gardener, higher heating bills, house insurance and other running costs. It worked out at £50 per year more!

We started this business of planning to down size radically and move to an Apartment in a Retirement Complex some few years back.
Like yourself although we are two,we have no family back up and at that time we were the wrong side of 75 and both with lifethreatening illnesses.
Thinking ahead we felt we had no real choice.It had to be done for our future security and peace of mind.

Twice we have lost out one way or the other,the last time was just prior to christmas, and so we have resumed our plans again just recently.

It takes a lot of upheavel as we found initially because we have a large property with grounds to match, and every season it is getting very difficult,and costly, to maintain.
Of course having bought a while ago,trimming both home and garden into our ideal place...... it is a wrench.

However when you think of your age,health,proximity to all amenities and then getting much older but still having to cope, of course moving into a smaller home makes a lot of sense.
Although ours was and still remains an Apartment of choice, a small bungalow with little grounds and within a close with similar aged people,whilst obviously you can manage those management fees, it seems the sensible approach indeed.............please do not hesitate.

If we have any regrets, it is that we perhaps should have decided on all this around 70............fit and well enough to cope with the upheavel of a move, whilst young enough to make this new place into a cosy little home............with time left over simply to enjoy.

Just go for it and Good Luck!!!

We did exactly this nearly 2 years ago. We lived in our dream home in a dream situation and never dreamed we might leave it. However my OH has PD and I had an unhealed broken foot and a problematic hip replacement. Our home was on a steep hill and it all became too difficult - even the drive was steep.

So....we moved to a bungalow in a nearby village. It is not a retirement bungalow as such and is quite big really, but it has a bus service, children nearby, a large area of flat decking all around so we can walk out easily - it just all made sense.

I decided that there had to be something also worth falling in love with or we might be unhappy after our wonderful home. That something is the lightness and airiness - and also the lovely view. So here we are.

There are things I miss, but on the whole it has been a good move.

It sounds as though your new bungalow has things to love about it and these will soften the blow of leaving the home you are used to. Also, like us, you are making the decision and it is in your control, and you have choice. We were concerned that we might find ourselves in a position where we could not manage at all and would be forced to move into the first half-way decent place we could find. As it was we took the decision at a time when we could look about and make a choice and were not under too much pressure.

So - go for it, and lots of good luck in your new home!

20 years ago, post-divorce, I sold the family home.
I decided then to buy my big old Victorian ground-floor flat in preference to a small modern house.
I was thinking 'future-proofing' even at the age of 50 and am so glad I did.
This has been reinforced over the last month while recovering after breaking my femur.
No stairs to negotiate, shops and gp practice within 5 minutes. Excellent transport links and neighbours on hand if needed.
You have made the right decision so enjoy your new home.

It sounds like you are doing absolutely the right thing. It is sensible to make the move while you are able to do it slowly and thoughtfully, rather than wait until there is a crisis of some sort.

You will appreciate not having so much building and garden to look after, and have a more manageable lifestyle. Management fees need to be considered, but if you have savings from the sale, and presumably your new bungalow will be cheaper to run, then you will know if you can cope with them.

I do hope your offer is successful.

Bluebird, could you find out if the fees are fixed for a stated length of time? There was quite a lot about this subject on a recent thread about retirement properties, but I don't know if that related only to new builds. Those sort of charges are what puts us of making a move. But your bungalow does sound tempting.

You sound so sensible. It’s a hard decision to make but I’m sure it will be the best thing you could have done.
Too many people leave the decision making too late and spend many years in homes that cause them nothing but stress. I’m ‘only’ 65 but am giving the move some thought already.

It sounds lovely bluebird it will be so nice not to have the thought of lots of house repairs to do later on, a weight off of your shoulders I would think, and shops close by too, sounds ideal.

Enjoy your new home

Thank you OldMeg. I am being realistic and going to move before I feel that it may get too difficult. I will be fine with it at the moment.

I will be leaving a bustling area [with traffic fumes] but there are a rank of shops there, GP's surgery a short walk and a long riverside walk away from traffic.

I’d say it sounds as if you’ve given this a lot of thought bluebird and weighed up the pros and cons.

These decisions are never easy, but we do what we must.

Good luck ☘️