Friends to neighbours
HOW many of us joke about living with a group of friends to keep us company once we’ve retired, when work colleagues have scattered and children flown the nest? Very few of us actually go through with this, of course, communal living is not as much fun as it sounds – although living in the same neighbourhood as an old friend always works.
Or you can go one better, as friends Janet O’Sullivan and Derrick Brand decided to do, by buying homes next door to each other so there’s always somebody to turn to for help and companionship.
Janet, 77, and Derrick, 78, have been friends for years and when both found themselves downsizing at the same time, they thought it would be fun to move to the same area in Kent.
“Though my most recent home was in Coulsdon, in Surrey, I have previously lived in Kent and have always liked Tenterden,” explains Janet.
“My daughter and granddaughters live in villages around Ashford, while Derrick’s family live in Tunbridge Wells. So being based in Kent makes a lot of sense for being able to easily visit family.”
Moving to Tenterden was not just about being near family, though.They researched the area to make sure there were plenty of clubs and facilities that would appeal to them both so they could become part of the community, with or without each other.
“It was really important for us that there was an active lifestyle on offer in Tenterden,” says Janet. “We researched online and found that there is aWomen’s
Institute, which I am interested in joining, and an Arts Society.
For Derrick, finding out that Tenterden has both an archery club and U3A was a big selling point.Tenterden also has a leisure centre with swimming and exercise classes.
“Finding out what was happening in the local area was a very important part of the decision-making process for us.We wanted somewhere where we could meet new people and enjoy ourselves.”
Initially both were looking for a new home in the second-hand market but it proved difficult to find two homes that suited each of their needs, within sugarborrowing distance.
“I realised that finding one home that fitted my requirements would be difficult, let alone finding two and making sure they were close to each other,” says Janet.
“I wanted a home where I didn’t need to do much work and upkeep would be minimal, so we started looking at the new build communities in and around Tenterden and found Redrow’s Appledore Green.
Luckily for Janet and Derrick, there was a pair of semi-detached houses available that were just what they were looking for, with three bedrooms and open-plan layout on the ground floor.
“It could not get more convenient then having Derrick as my neighbour. It was the ideal solution to our house hunt and in a beautiful setting,” says Janet.
Appledore Green is a development of Arts and Crafts-inspired homes and part of Redrow’s award-winning Heritage Collection. Three and four-bedroom houses are on sale from £464,995 (01580 466052; redrow.co.uk) although more are coming.
The homes are on the edge of Kent’s High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and close to historic market town Tenterden, with its tree-lined High Street.The awardwinning winery Chapel Down, with a 22-acre vineyard, is also nearby.
As for Janet and Derrick, now that they are settled in, they’re loving the chance to get together for a cup of tea and a chat over the garden fence.