Downsize for a leisurely life
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THERE’S a lot to be said for forward planning, especially when it comes to life in your later years. And not leaving it too late to downsize so you can free up capital to enjoy a more leisurely lifestyle is key. Take John and Jackie Hayward, for instance, who downsized last summer into an Ortus Homes apartment that they can lock up and leave whenever they decide to go away, confident it will be secure.
John, 71, and Jackie, 67, are just back from three weeks in the Caribbean with their son, his girlfriend and her parents and now they are preparing to visit their daughter in Australia.
“Being able to leave our apartment without any worries or hassle is an invaluable benefit of Ortus Homes,” says Jackie. “This is why we have not hesitated to book our next trip to Australia to see our daughter and granddaughter who live out there.
“We try our best to visit them at least once a year but our move to Walmsley Place will certainly make spending time over there much easier for us.”
The couple have lived in Bishops Waltham, Hampshire, for 20 years and were looking to downsize when they noticed Ortus Homes, part of the McCarthy & Stone group, was building in the area.
“We both wanted to downsize at a young enough age so that we could enjoy our new lifestyle to the fullest but we struggled to find an appropriate property in the area,” says John.
“We were absolutely delighted when we saw that Ortus Homes were building in Bishops Waltham as it meant that we were lucky enough to be able to stay in the beautiful, historic town that we love so much. We were attracted to the development because it offered us the peace of mind of being able to leave the apartment for holidays without having to worry about security.
“We have just come back from a three-week holiday in the Caribbean and it was great knowing that while we were away we could lock up and leave, knowing our home was completely safe and secure.”
Jackie says: “Being able to leave our apartment without any worries or hassle is certainly an invaluable benefit of Ortus Homes. Our move to Walmsley Place certainly makes spending time over there much easier for us.”
Their two-bedroom apartment has also been altered to create a combined kitchen and lounge area, because trained chef Jackie enjoys hosting dinner parties.
“I enjoy cooking for my guests but I wanted a bigger space I could prepare food in but still talk to my guests at the same time,” explains Jackie.
“Our apartment was already lovely and open plan but a few slight tweaks here and there have allowed us to put our own unique touch on it, which we like. We hosted our first dinner party here the other week with eight family members and it was absolutely lovely,” she adds.
“We thought that maybe when we downsized we wouldn’t have the room to entertain guests, however this was not an issue as we had plenty of room – and even though I was the cook, I still got to be a part of it all!”
After escaping the British winter John and Jackie are happy to spend summer at Walmsley Place, enjoying the company of new neighbours and the communal gardens.
“Life at Walmsley Place is very busy and flies by in a blur of coffee mornings, leisurely lunches and even the odd cocktail party,” says Jackie.
“We have made great friends with some of the other homeowners so it will be lovely to be at home for the summer to plan more activities together.”
Ortus Homes are available exclusively for over-55s and as well as maintained communal grounds, each has a management service team who ensure residents don’t need to INFORMATION: 0800 201 4847 or go to ortushomes.co.uk