The Autumn Years!
How life has changed. Retirement is not a word for putting your feet up, pottering in the garden and seeing the grandchildren. Today, those of a mature age busy themselves with projects, travelling, entertaining and sports as well getting to grips with the internet, social media and technology! Rarely sitting down for long and not enough time to do everything on the wish list!
So, whilst designated “retirement villages” such as Millbrook in Exeter, offered through Savills (01392 455700) appeal to those who crave company and a community atmosphere many prefer to downsize from family homes to individual properties. Moorland, countryside, village, waterside all have great appeal and Devon offers them all. The energetic and keen walkers will fall for Stone Cottage, Throwleigh in the Dartmoor National Park, offered by Drew Pearce (01392 201748). A moorland, predominantly single storey, dwelling with lovely gardens lying just off Throwleigh Moor.
When busy lives slow down it is important to retain connections, as opportunities for creating new friendships are less when work, children and life changes into a lower gear. Developments by McCarthy and Stone, Pegasus, Churchill, St. Monica Trust, Renaissance Villages and Blue Cedar Homes develop high quality homes for most budgets and requirements. All are represented in Devon and offer houses, apartments, bungalows and cottages. They are designed with adapting needs for future years and benefit from varying levels of concierge services. Many find the ready -made community a significant source of new friendships.
The sea is always a great attraction. Whether sailing is a dream, a passion or just a spectator sport the south coast has many opportunities to indulge and participate. Marinas in Brixham, Torbay, Dartmouth and Plymouth serve the amateur and professional sailor well. Other estuaries may lack formal marinas but have excellent sailing clubs -Salcombe and Newton Ferrers to name but two - all sources of community friendship. Marchand Petit (01548 844473) and Strutt and Parker (01392 215631) are jointly offering Villa 7, Estura right on the waterfront in Salcombe and within the Harbour Hotel curtilage. Perfect for watching the summer races and constant water activity yet benefiting from the hotel facilities within yards of the front door. Whilst Salcombe and Dartmouth have an eclectic mix of shops and restaurants Newton Ferrers and it’s sister village, Noss Mayo, blend into the countryside as they have for centuries belying the closeness to Plymouth.
Retirement is about having the time to see the world, doing the things you’ve spent a lifetime dreaming about, so home should be easy to maintain, warm and an environment you are likely to spend far more time in than any previous home. So, choose a location that works well -will the family visit or are you too far from them to bother? Will you still feel comfortable in later years when moving might just be a step too far and should one person find themselves living alone, will it work? Too many considerations no doubt. The key is to make sure it feels like home- “it’s all about coming home”.