What to look for in a bungalow? Downsizing.

jackieblack

hazyjo said:

Maybe consider Frinton-on-Sea in Essex if you're flexible. I absolutely love it. Lovely huge dog friendly beaches. Hope to retire there one day. One small smart high street which has one pub, restaurants, coffee shops, a few clothes stores and several others.

Dogs only allowed on the beaches October to April, but the beach is lovely.
Huge retired population. There used to be a promotional poster (below) for the ships sailing from nearby Harwich to Europe that proclaimed “Harwich for the Continent” - locally the saying has always been “Harwich for the Continent, Frinton for the incontinent” 😁
Connaught Avenue used to be lovely but has gone downhill a lot recently (although really it started when the pub arrived), many of the independent shops have been driven out by national chains. It’s a shame.
Property prices are amongst the highest in the local area, due to all the incomers retiring there and driving prices up beyond affordability for local people.

hazyjo

jackieblack said:

hazyjo said:

Maybe consider Frinton-on-Sea in Essex if you're flexible. I absolutely love it. Lovely huge dog friendly beaches. Hope to retire there one day. One small smart high street which has one pub, restaurants, coffee shops, a few clothes stores and several others.

Dogs only allowed on the beaches October to April, but the beach is lovely.
Huge retired population. There used to be a promotional poster (below) for the ships sailing from nearby Harwich to Europe that proclaimed “Harwich for the Continent” - locally the saying has always been “Harwich for the Continent, Frinton for the incontinent” 😁
Connaught Avenue used to be lovely but has gone downhill a lot recently (although really it started when the pub arrived), many of the independent shops have been driven out by national chains. It’s a shame.
Property prices are amongst the highest in the local area, due to all the incomers retiring there and driving prices up beyond affordability for local people.

Heard it all 😆 My MIL lives there. Know it all very well! I actually think it's got a bit younger and slightly more modern in the last 8 years. Coffee shops and cafes now. 

Would be very happy with an older population. It's part of the attraction tbh! Love it.

MysteryMe

Not living a million miles away from Frinton I was tempted to do the Harwich for the Continent joke but resisted. I am pleased to see it has been posted though!

deejaybee

MalMonroe said:

I'm feeling incensed about deejaybee's comments!  (Can you tell from my post above?)
But I'd like to say (as someone who lives in a divine ground floor flat, lucky me!) just make sure your windows are double or triple glazed and that they lock securely. Also that they don't open too wide - you can get those windows with a particular setting that you can just bypass when you feel like flinging your windows wide open. (We have them, they're great.) Just a safety precaution against those nasty burglars. I don't fear my neighbours in the slightest but you never know who may come lurking round in the night, that's the problem.

Calm down mal !  Sit down and have a mug of ovaltine ;-)

I was just agreeing with Dave's opinion about preferring to live amongst a more mixed-age community..

I wasnt having a go at old people pre se, in fact I'm 60 this year ( is that classed as middle-aged now :-)  ) so i'm no spring chicken myself , though i do have a young outlook.... off to beach for a spot of bodyboarding & paddleboarding ( surfing for old people ) tomorrow...

sheramber

As your downsizing look for lots of storage place as you will miss having places to put stuff.  

youth_leader

I have had now had a look at Frinton and Walton-on-Naze, very interesting, I especially love seabirds. Love the quote!   As for being with older people I am 63, I would prefer a mixed age group.  I was an IT lecturer in an FE college (16-19) and hadn't realised how much I miss being with young people until I volunteered at a wildlife centre in the SA bush two years ago. It was really hard graft and I found some of the work difficult, especially feeding the crazy ostrich which scared me to death, but they were fantastic and really looked out for me.   I really like young people.  

hazyjo

Forget Walton, it's pretty dire and not really comparable with Frinton. I actually find Frinton mixed and not quite as deserving of its reputation as some might say lol.