There is plenty of breezy talk in the media, amongst family and friends of the ‘need’ for people to downsize or ‘rightsize’ their home. But if it is YOU who needs to downsize / rightsize then why does it feel like a step backwards, rather than forwards, in your lifestyle and how can you avoid it?
Stepping forwards, not backwards
What if you could upsize your lifestyle – live a better, more fulfilled and happier life – by rightsizing your property through a fully supported sales process and bank some money too? We know that, in moving to a new home, our homeowners want to bring the life they already have whilst being open to new and exciting lifestyle possibilities.
Home is people. Not a place
If you have ever moved to live in a new village, town, city or country you will have quickly realised it is the new people you meet that make where you now live ‘feel like home’. Creature comforts are important, of course, but industry research* of homeowners in retirement communities put at just 9% the property when evaluating the success factors important to deliver their new, fulfilling lifestyle. For some, it’s all about avoiding social isolation, for others its continuing to learn and contributing to the local and wider community. But all agree that, in moving to a community of retired people, they have made firm new friends.
The 3rd Way of Living – introducing the new ‘Integrated Retirement Community’ (IRC)
Its either your own home or a care home? these are my only choices….?!? It does NOT have to be this way. But let’s also be frank, whilst care homes do a wonderful job in caring for those who need their specific range of care services, they are hardly aspirational. The ‘3rd Way’ is to move into an Integrated Retirement Community such as Castle View, Windsor.
A fully independent and beautifully designed set of 64 apartments (now 80% occupied) also encompass a bistro, lounge bar & cafe, library, private dining and private secure basement parking. Atop it all, above our penthouses, is our unique multipurpose Sky lounge and bar with extensive external terracing and views of Windsor Castle. With your own apartment, front door, kitchen, bathroom, balconies or terraces and all mod-cons, a maintenance-free new home – the 3rd Way – awaits you.
But where do I start?
There is now extensive professional and sensitive support available from Castle View, and our associated partners, for people undertaking the emotionally difficult decision to move from a cherished home into another property. Not yet a home, just a new, unfamiliar property – how to de-risk the decision to move? We welcome new potential homeowners to visit us, attend homeowner events, ‘try before you buy’ and listen to what our homeowners say about living here, before putting their house on the market.
I wish I had done this years ago!
Imagine if that new, unfamiliar property already had many happy, smiling faces there to greet you? “I wish I had done this years ago!” is the phrase we hear most from our new homeowners as they participate in as much, or as little, of community life as they wish.
Organised by the homeowners, for the homeowners, a range of activities and meetings happen both at and outside of Castle View including: Yoga, Pilates, movie night, fashion shows, University of the Third Age (U3A), Women’s Institute (WI), craft club, poetry & prosecco, singing and much more.
Charitable endeavours include homeowners driving supercars in support of Childline and raising funds for Macmillan, the Swan Lifeline and local food banks. All our homeowners agree they have joined a mutually supportive and vibrant community, fully connected with the wider community.
Like living in a cruise liner parked at the edge of Windsor town
Integrated Retirement Communities (IRC’s) may be an unfamiliar term to many and, to be fair, it does not exactly trip off the tongue (!) But it does aptly describe the growth phenomenon in a new type of housing already well established in Australia, New Zealand and the USA. With architecture and interior design more akin to a luxurious cruise liner, they bring a totally different look and feel to later life living.
IRC’s are called lots of different things both in the UK and around the world but they are all, ostensibly, for active people who enjoy a village community setting and in which most, if not all people, are retired or only work part time.
Although the UK is well-behind in building the numbers of these communities to be found in other countries, they have brought a wonderful new 3rd Way of living to the fortunate few who have found and embraced them.
WANT TO LEARN MORE? JOIN OUR DOWNSIZING EVENT ON THE OCTOBER 10th. FULL INFO: https://castleviewwindsor.co.uk/events/downsize_your_property_upsize_your_lifestyle/
For more information and to upsize your lifestyle, please get in touch with Nicky King, our Sales Manager:
E: nicky@castleviewwindsor.co.uk
T: 01753 378127
*ProMatura research study www.promatura.com.
