While many people dream of quitting the day job, spending hours pursuing long-neglected hobbies or travelling child-free to exotic outposts, recent events have shown that having a lot of time on our hands, possibly isolated from relatives or friends, is not something we particularly enjoy.
Even more reason to plan carefully for retirement.
One solution that is becoming increasingly popular, is to opt for a retirement village.
These state-of-the-art communities offer the best of both worlds, combining independent residences with the knowledge that someone is on hand should you need them, as well as plenty of social interaction should you wish to partake.
According to Later Living UK’s Healthier and Happier report, the average person aged 80 living in a retirement community feels as good as someone 10 years younger, which Julie Ward, divisional sales director at McCarthy & Stone London and South East, believes is down to the mix of opportunities a retirement village affords.
There is a warm and welcoming community when you want it, but privacy too when you need it, not to mention on-site restaurants, reading rooms, landscape gardens and even wellbeing suites.
Another major factor is the location.
There is a raft of properties across Surrey, all making the most of the county’s beautiful countryside and considerable transport links.
One example is Elmbridge Village in Cranleigh which offers residents a range of facilities, such as a village shop, restaurant and medical centre, while set in 28 acres on the edge of the village.
Sales are managed by local agent Roger Coupe who says that buyers are not just looking for a home but choosing a lifestyle. They are often seeking independent living with the benefits of additional security alongside an active lifestyle in a sociable environment.
The thought of downsizing and saying goodbye to a lot of your possessions is something that often prevents retirees from making the move sooner rather than later.
But at Edward Place, a stylish McCarthy & Stone development in Walton-on-Thames, would-be residents can choose the perfect property for them. A mix of one and two-bedroom apartments (starting price £397,000) are available and while a range of facilities is on hand, residents at the Churchfield Road site are within walking distance of Walton’s town centre shops and facilities.
Downsizing gives you the chance to move into just the right location for you,says Julie.
It may be closer to family and friends, have a range of amenities and shops on the doorstep, enjoy the hustle and bustle of a town or the peace and quiet of the countryside.
Another benefit of retirement village living is that you don’t have to buy the property outright with many having a variety of owner/rental opportunities.
Julie says: You can now take advantage of different options to suit you and your personal circumstances – whether you wish to purchase an apartment outright, rent or part-buy, part-rent – you can even ‘try before you buy’.
Finally, a big bonus when thinking about such a life change is the freedom these developments offer in terms of maintenance and wear and tear. For a lot of people in later years, constantly keeping your home in tip-top condition is a time-consuming and costly activity they could well do without.
A retirement village offers residents the chance to personalise their property without any of the arduous upkeep.
Many sites also offer domestic assistance to give a helping hand as and when you might need it. Says Julie: So you can focus on using your time for enjoying the things you really love.
What more could you want?
