A high proportion of the UK population is now aged over 50 – indeed as much as 30%, according to the charity, Age UK.* As many as 76% are owner occupiers who own their property outright and as many as 68% are under-occupying their main home. For those with children grown up and living away from home, downsizing can be a good option to help reduce living costs, free up equity (either to help fund a lifestyle or help younger generations access home ownership) or to move closer to children and grandchildren.
Jane Bailey, Sales Manager at Bewley Homes, says: “As the bank of mum and dad has played an increasingly important role in property purchase in recent years, so the downsizer market has grown to be a significant demographic group. Downsizers may want fewer bedrooms and less outdoor space but they do not want to compromise on reception areas, storage space, quality or location. They still want to entertain, they still want to go to shops and restaurants. Many will want to go up to London to visit a museum or to go to the theatre, so good transport links are also important.”
Indeed when asked by an Age UK survey what stage of life they were currently in, 43% of 60-64 year olds and 23% of 65-69 year olds said they were in ‘middle adulthood’, rather than ‘later life or old age’.
It is with this in mind that developer, Bewley Homes, has created Rothsay Court in Weybridge. The development features 14 two bedroom apartments (including 2 penthouses). It is situated on Gower Road, a quiet residential road on the periphery of St George’s Hill and close to shops, cafes and restaurants of Queen’s Road. The development comes with everything a downsizer could want – large, open-plan kitchen/reception room; a lift; additional storage; 2 allocated parking spaces; and a mature communal garden. In addition, it comes with the quality finish for which Bewley Homes is renowned and which is so terribly important for discerning buyers. In terms of location, those who enjoy the recreational pursuit of golf have St George’s Hill Golf Club on the doorstep and somewhere to store their clubs after a busy day on the course.”
Jane adds: “Those who have already bought within Rothsay Court have done so for a variety of reasons including to move closer to children and grandchildren; to use as a lock up and leave as they spend an increasing amount of time abroad; and to release equity to help children access home ownership. Now with over 50% sold, anyone considering a downsize needs to take the opportunity to look at one of these stunning apartments.”
If you are considering downsizing:
- Think about where your family and friends are and work out where you want to be.
- Talk it through with your family. Selling the main family home will be an emotional process involving many different people; and if your move is out of area and motivated by a wish to be closer to children, make sure they have no plans to move away.
- Consider how much storage space / parking you will need.