Equity release puts Yorkshire couple on top down under
By Tony Watts - Editor - 05/09/2008
The trip of a lifetime is awaiting a South Yorkshire couple later this year – following their decision to release part of the value locked up in their home.
When Alan and Sarah Booth got the call from their family friend in Australia, asking to meet up, they asked their four children what they should do. “They told us to go,” says Sarah. “Their words were: ‘You’ve worked hard all your life, so make the most of it now’.
“We’ve got some savings put aside, but we really didn’t want to dip into them, so we looked at the possibility of taking out some of the equity in our cottage. Our four children were incredibly supportive, even when we said it would mean leaving a little less for them.”
Their friendship with Peter in Australia goes back a long way. “When my father was in the Navy during the war he was invalided out and placed with a family in Australia,” says Sarah. “They nursed him back to health. So as you can imagine some very strong bonds were made. The families have always kept in touch over the years. Mum and Dad have now passed on, but we’ve kept contact with Peter.
“We had a letter from him recently and, as he says, he is now 70. You never know when you’re going to get the chance to meet up again. The money we released through In Retirement Services - £15,000 – will be more than enough to pay for a long visit to Australia, a cruise the following year and a major holiday the year after.
“So while we still have our health, and we can carry our own bags, we can really have some holidays to remember.”
Health, in fact, figures large in Sarah’s life. While her husband retired from the police force some time ago, she still works as a visiting Marie Curie Nurse. As she says, it’s a rewarding but often very demanding job. There, at the end of a difficult day though, are the couple’s two Labrador dogs. “They are seven and three, but they still think they’re puppies. They always need walking!” says Sarah.
Applying for equity release, says Sarah, couldn’t have been easier. “We responded to several advertisements, but chose to go with In Retirement Services. They weren’t pushy at all, and what impressed me most was that they sat us down and pointed out all the potential drawbacks, and guided us towards a scheme that has proved to be just right for our circumstances. And, as they told us, we can always dip back in for more funds if we need them later on – which is very reassuring.
“I was really surprised at just how thoughtful they were.”
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Case studies and testimonials are genuine, although names and locations have been changed to protect the privacy of In Retirement Services customers