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01/07/2009
Falling house prices and a shortage of mortgages have scuppered the plans of many first-time buyers, homeowners and property developers. Whether you’re struggling to get onto the housing ladder, can’t decide if now is a good time to sell, or are wondering what improvements will add most value to your home, property expert Sarah Beeny, together with moneysupermarket.com is here to help
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June Jamboree - Selected properties, super locations, low rent levels!
Girlings wish to provide you with as many options as possible to help you move into the Retirement property of your choice, so for a strictly limited time they are offering selected properties on one year Assured Shorthold Tenancies (renewable) or, for a higher rent, you may choose to rent on an Assured Tenancy which gives you security and peace of mind for life.
Girling's Featured Property for June
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This month, Girling's featured property is Ashdown Gate, situated in a popular residential area of East Grinstead.
When caring can mean sharing
Millions of people with care needs are enabled to stay in their own home because they receive informal help from friends and family, or drop-in assistance on a more formal level via their local authority or a private contractor. But here are two other alternatives to consider.
Planning care into your life
Staying in our own home for all our lives might be an ideal for many of us. But sometimes that’s just not practical. Millions of us reach the point where we need a level of care input on a daily basis. Now that may be deliverable in our own homes, or it may be best provided in a care home context.
"It’s the sense of community"
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The best retirement developments are those that manage to achieve a sense of community as well as provide a secure, independent lifestyle. We look at St George’s Park in Ditchling, which already has a thriving community of 140, and is now about to expand with a further phase.
Part exchange proves the cat's whiskers for Bill and Joyce
Bill and Joyce Griffiths faced two conundrums when they set their hearts on moving into a retirement apartment: how to move quickly in a difficult housing market... and what to do with their beloved cat Rosie. Fortunately, they were able to resolve both problems by choosing a developer that has a flexible part exchange policy and allows pets.
The time of your life?
The days when people looked forward to a ‘pipe and slippers’ retirement have long gone. But while it’s relatively straightforward to live an active retirement when you live in your own home, what happens if you move into a dedicated retirement accommodation? More of the same, if you choose your new home with care, says Mature Times editor Tony Watts.
'Transfer Fees' for retirement properties 'unfair'
The Office of Fair Trading has secured an agreement from a major builder of UK retirement apartments to amend its leases, especially in relation to the re-sale of properties. McCarthy & Stone plc has agreed to remove from future contracts, and not enforce in existing contracts, a term in its leases that involved charging consumers a ‘transfer’ fee of 1 per cent of the sale price when the property was subsequently sold.
There's never been a better time to rent a retirement property
The fall in house prices is having one positive effect in the rented home sector: even more competitive rents, making this an excellent time to make a move.
Girling's, the UKs leading provider of homes and apartments for the over 60s has just announced a January Sale with some spectacular deals for properties in prime locations in Devon, Dorset and Southport as well as great deals in other parts of the country.
Could you help the BBC?
Researchers for the BBC are currently producing a documentary for BBC1 based on schemes where older and younger people live together. The idea for the programme is that a young person between the age of 25 and 35, who is living at home with their parents, moves in with an older person for one week. The hope is that the older person will be able to pass on advice and life experiences to their younger housemate and encourage them to become more independent.
Cut your heating costs overnight - with free or subsidised insulation of your walls and loft
The cost of heating and lighting our homes has risen sharply over the last few years – the era of cheap fuel prices is now well and truly over. That means all of us are looking for ways to trim our bills. But help is at hand – from the energy suppliers who are keen to help by offering insulation of your home – at discounted or even no cost, to help you cut up to £300 a year from your fuel bills.
What would YOUR life be like in a Park Home?
A hugely popular retirement housing option for many people is living in a Park Home. Some of the the locations are superb and prices are well below those you would expect to pay for a conventional house. Britannia Parks is one of the UK leaders in the sector and here their Marketing Manager Mark Garbers sets out what your life could be like in one of their 19 residential parks nationwide.
Where have all the wardens gone?
Residents in sheltered housing are struggling to adapt as electronically controlled care and 'floating support' replace onsite 24-hour wardens. But with support from Help The Aged and the launch of a new website, residents from Scotland to Southampton are fighting back ...
Cashing in on foreign exchange
How you choose to transfer money overseas can make a big difference to your bank balance. Mark O’Sullivan, director dealing at foreign exchange specialist Currencies Direct offers advice to retirement-age Brits planning a move abroad.
