Downshifting to canal boat or park home maybe

kinger101

I think moving away from bricks and mortar is a big mistake. Park homes especially are a rapidly depreciating asset; should you change your mind, you'd may not have the capital to move back into a proper house. Even if you could find a site that allowed 12 month stays, the cold weather in winter would eventually have an impact on your health.

As many people have alluded to here, many of the site owners are rather predatory creatures, charging excessive ground rents and commisions to finance their sitting on !!!! all day lifestyles. One notch below the door-to-door salesman who love conning pensioners.

You should check Rightmove to see if there are any small retirement properties in your area. Typically, these are one or two bedroom properties which are only available to over 55's. They are usually well below the price of anything else on the market.

pineapple

kinger101 wrote: »

Typically, these are one or two bedroom properties which are only available to over 55's. They are usually well below the price of anything else on the market.

Did I say I was over 55? But yes - I am 63
Tbh I am wondering whether even renting might be a better option. At 63 I have a limited shelf life and I have no one to leave my ill gotten gains to

lincroft1710

As you're 63, have no heirs, then buying a park home might suit you as most parks are for over 55s and you won't worry that your depreciating asset will lose money for your heirs.

BTW you can pick up some recently built retirement apartments for under £100K, but do check service charges and ground rent.

lincroft1710

kinger101 wrote: »

Even if you could find a site that allowed 12 month stays, the cold weather in winter would eventually have an impact on your health.

Park homes (as opposed to static caravans) are designed for year round living in UK, so are well insulated and have efficient heating systems. Park home parks are open all year round.

pineapple

lincroft1710 wrote: »

As you're 63, have no heirs, then buying a park home might suit you as most parks are for over 55s and you won't worry that your depreciating asset will lose money for your heirs.
.

Yes but if I rediscover my inner wild child and want to sell up and do something crazy, I might find all I can run to is a wet weekend in Clacton

cattie

As you are over 55 couldn't you think about a flat? Flats that are exclusively for the over 55's are usually far cheaper than a comparable open to all development. Ok, you'd have to pay service charges, but whether a boat or a mobile home, you'd still have monthly service/site charges to pay.

I downsized into a 2 bed flat last summer after years of living in houses, but as the room sizes are very generous, I probably have roughly the same sqr footage as I had in my 3 bed house. Plus I have the bonus of a garage that I didn't have before & the best neighbours I have ever had in my life.

The development I live on is not age restricted & is a mix of young professionals, middle aged & retired people for the most part.

Of course, I have a good few thousand in the bank left over from the sale of the house & purchase of the flat, so that is a very comforting feeling. I love it here & don't intend to move ever again.

A lot of friends tried to dissuade me from my idea of buying a flat & none of them had ever owned a flat before, so had no knowledge or experience of how life in a flat could be. I'm so pleased I made up my own mind & took no notice of the opinions of my friends.

lincroft1710

pineapple wrote: »

Yes but if I rediscover my inner wild child and want to sell up and do something crazy, I might find all I can run to is a wet weekend in Clacton

I'm actually older than you and I often also wonder if the "wild child" is trying to reappear. But I have to be realistic - age, current health, OH and "WC" don't mix

moneyistooshorttomention

There is even the (very) occasional house that is up for sale at 2 price levels. That is, the normal price level that people basically have to pay. On the other hand...a rather lower price level if the person buying it is over a certain age (not sure if that only gives "ownership" until the person's death...rather than the standard unfettered ownership iyswim?).

Davesnave

pineapple wrote: »

Tbh I am wondering whether even renting might be a better option. At 63 I have a limited shelf life and I have no one to leave my ill gotten gains to

Noooooooooo!!!!!:eek:

As an older person, private renting is not the way to go.

The bottom line is that you will have no security and be subject to eviction at two months notice, any time your landlord decides is convenient.

I'm older than you and I still look at my shelf life in a positive way....but then I have a friend who was a WW2 pilot! :rotfl:

Is just moving to small house in a cheaper locality not an option?

moneyistooshorttomention

My reaction to the "shelf life" comment was also to think "I'm expecting a fair bit of shelf life yet" and I'm in very much the same age group.

One point to consider is that I would say, overall, renting is more stressful (in this day and age a LOT more stressful) than being a home-owner. Stress is one of the causative factors of many illnesses and certainly won't help with any illness it hasn't helped cause.

Pineapple I do think its worth bearing in mind that some people do get worse health as they get older and to be living in a home that's rented with advancing years is something I feel wouldn't be helpful with that.

At least in your own home then you can make yourself comfortable/have your d!cor/make sure everything is fully working okay and if you have cause to feel miserable (ie bad health) then you can at least be miserable in a degree of comfort. It is a big reassurance to know that, no matter what I feel like (health-wise or of myself) that there is warmth/room for a good stock of food/etc and the place isn't falling down round my ears (though it feels like it right now, as I've just bought it, but that will pass).

Anyway...the "golden years" are meant to be exactly that. That is...the years when people can do exactly what they please at last...without the need to hold down a job etc etc. Never mind youth as being the time to Discover Yourself. The golden years are a very good opportunity to do that and Be The Person you've been wanting to be all that time.