Property management company FirstPort has teamed up with retirement property specialists Retirement Homesearch to find out which areas of the country are top of the leaderboard among retirees looking to settle.
The latest stats reveal sales in the southwest of England during the summer months had increased by 32%, which is up by almost a third compared to the same time last year, with Dorset and Devon securing the top spot.
FirstPort – the UK’s leading property management company – looks after over 1,000 retirement developments across the country. From bustling suburban towns to the scenic coastal countryside, there are plenty of options when it comes to deciding where to retire to in the UK.
FirstPort Development Manager Marian Parsons believes the increased interest in the Devon area seems to be linked to the coronvirus pandemic, when people reprioritised what they were looking for in terms of lifestyle.
Marian, who manages The Manor House in Totnes, explained: “We continue to have lots of interest in retirement properties in the area and I’ve really seen a flurry of interest in recent months for The Manor House, which is a beautiful listed building.
“Our residents love the outdoor space on offer here – we’ve got a large garden, woodland, and conservation area.
“Residents tell us that they move here because they not only love the development, but they also love the area and being close to the coast. For instance, someone is waiting for a property to become available here and they are currently living in Halifax in West Yorkshire.”
Over 90% of the sales in the Southwest between May, June, and July this year were at retirement developments just minutes from the coast.
Across all sales during this time, two thirds were by the coast, but buyers were also keen to settle in Cheltenham – a picturesque spa town on the edge of The Cotswolds in Gloucestershire.
The research by Retirement Homesearch, which specialises in the sale of independent-living and assisted-living retirement developments throughout the UK, revealed their top ten most popular areas in the UK to retire to are:
1. Bournemouth
2. Torquay
3. Christchurch
4. Cheltenham
5. Exmouth
6. Poole
7. Penzance
8. Cambourne
9. Plymouth
10. Gloucester
Laura Fisher, Sales Manager at Retirement Homesearch, said: “Retirement living continues to be a popular choice for those people looking to keep their independence but who also want to benefit from the safety, security and companionship that comes from living in a communal development setting.
“We continue to have a lot of interest in the southeast of England, but over the past few months we have seen even more sales across our developments on the southwest coast. It’s obviously a firm favourite with retirees and it’s clear you really can’t beat the appeal of retiring by the coast."
Retirement Homesearch has properties available across the UK. You can find out more here.
