Having the ability to pop in and see family can be a lifeline for those living on their own or not able to get out and about as much as they would like. So, when Mr Harris decided it was time for a change and downsize to a smaller property ready for his retirement, he wanted to move nearer his niece Debbie so he could spend more quality time with her and the family on the coast.
Location, location, location
Mr Harris lived happily in his 3-bed detached property for over 50 years in Bromley Kent, but after regularly visiting Debbie at her home near Portsmouth over the years, he decided a move to the coast would be the fresh start he wanted.
“My uncle was born and bred in Bromley and knew many people in his local area, but as he was nearing retirement he wanted to move out of his large house and find somewhere more suitable with less upkeep. It made sense for him to move closer to me on the South Coast as he loves the sea and being closer to us meant he could visit us more regularly, and we could also drop in to see him.” explained Debbie. “He wanted to move in a retirement community so would have the opportunity to make new friends and take advantage of the wide range of activities available too.”
Finding the right solution
After visiting several sites, Mr Harris found his ideal property at a McCarthy Stone retirement village in Wickham, located about 15 mins from Debbie’s family home. “The village had everything on his wish list and once my uncle decided to go ahead and buy the apartment, he wanted to move as soon as he could. However, with his own house not on the market yet, we sat down with the McCarthy Stone team and discussed his options. The team told us about their Part Exchange service offered via their partner Spring, and how this would be ideal for my uncle as it would mean he wouldn’t have to wait to sell his house via an estate agent, nor would he have to host any viewings which really didn’t appeal to him,” said Debbie. “As a family we knew it was the best way for my uncle to sell and get him in as soon as possible, plus it allowed us to plan ahead knowing the sale of his Bromley property was guaranteed and wouldn’t fall through.”
Time to plan
With the sale of his Bromley property all agreed with Spring, Debbie was able to book the removal company, help her uncle declutter and start packing. “I found that Spring was open and transparent about their pricing from the onset of our conversations and the whole Part-Exchange process was really easy,” explained Debbie.
Extra time to move
Moving day can be a challenge, so to help with the transition from one home to the next, Spring offers a complimentary ‘license to occupy’ as standard. This feature gives an extra 28 days to access the property once the sale has completed, which can help prevent unnecessary stress and gives customers flexibility to move on a timescale that suits them.
“Having the extra 28 days to access my uncle’s property was the best feature of the whole Part Exchange process for us. We couldn’t have done the move all on one day, so having the extra time took away a lot of the stress and made him feel more relaxed in his new surroundings.”
Quality time
Now settled into his new McCarthy Stone apartment, Mr Harris is enjoying all the facilities on offer and more regular visits with Debbie and her family. “My uncle is pleased he made the move, plus its lovely we are able to see him more,” said Debbie. “He has also benefited from an additional payment since moving into his new apartment from the Spring Price Promise, which is another great feature of the service. I would recommend Spring’s Part Exchange, especially to those who doesn’t want to sell via an estate agent, host viewings or wait for a buyer – it takes away a lot of the stress and hassle”.
