Easy ways to find the right retirement property

How to overcome obstacles to retirement living and find your perfect new property.

By 2030, it is estimated that there will be 15 million over 65s living in the UK.Evidence shows though that currently only a very small percentage of people are downsizing and moving into retirement properties.

Retirement living directory, Autumna believes that the reason for this might be the numerous obstacles it has identified that potential downsizers face and that need to be overcome.

Research carried out recently by its advice line team shows only 7% of retirement living enquiries result in a move into a retirement community or village.

So, what exactly is standing in their way and what can be done about it?

Well, the first obstacle seems to be fairly straight forward.

How to search for a retirement living development?

There are so many different terms for retirement living developments – all meaning essentially the same thing, but all producing vastly different results in an online search.

For example, if you were looking for a care home, you could search for ‘Care homes near me’ and you would no doubt find exactly what you were looking for.

But what if you searched for ‘Retirement villages near me’? Would you then miss out on retirement communities, retirement properties, assisted living developments, sheltered housing, housing with care or integrated retirement communities? The list of terms is incredibly diverse and non-standard.

And what if you search for ‘Retirement property near me’?

On the face of it this ought to work, but usually what happens is it leads to a property portal listing the property but with no mention of the lifestyle, community and care on offer.

In 2022 ARCO who have developed independent retirement living standards launched the term IRC - Integrated Retirement Communities.  This has created a 'catch all' term to incorporate all retirement developments that include some level of care and goes some way to helping families search online for retirement developments.  You can search for ARCO registered developments on Autumna.

Selling the family home, downsizing and moving into a retirement community is a huge decision and so it’s perhaps not surprising then that if you can’t even find something that appeals, then that represents a major obstacle and the whole idea is going to get put on a back-burner.

How can I find the right retirement community for me?

But let’s say you’re not put off and you press on with your search, then the next obstacle you may encounter in your search for the perfect place to spend your retirement, is to find the one with the lifestyle and community feel that suits you.

One of the benefits of growing old is that you know what things you like and what things you dislike.

The comprehensive nature of the listings on the Autumna website means you can find the features that suit you and avoid those that don’t.

Autumna’s directory showcases the lifestyle, the communal facilities and any care provision that might be on offer.

Lifestyle is so important and in fact is the main motivator for considering a property in a retirement village or community.

As such, on many of Autumna's listings you can view a live Facebook feed to see exactly what daily life looks like for the residents who have already moved in.

As well as the individual properties for sale at any particular retirement living development, with Autumna you’ll also be able to see if it has a health spa, a restaurant, sea views or is situated right next to a golf course.

What are the main questions people ask about retirement developments?

Here is the list of questions the Autumna advice line team is most frequently asked when it comes to retirement developments:

• Is there a communal lounge?
• Is there a bistro or restaurant?
• Is there a place for guests to stay?
• Does the retirement development offer care on site?
• Is there a spa in the retirement village?
• Does the retirement community organise any activities?
  

People aren’t just looking to move house when they’re considering a retirement village, they’re looking for a whole new lifestyle – one that offers restaurants, cafes, bars, gyms, salons, art classes and libraries – all of which can be enjoyed in a relaxed way amongst like-minded people.

So, having successfully cleared the first obstacle - identifying available developments in a chosen location....

Then successfully clearing the second obstacle - what communal facilities (in addition to the property) are available....

We now turn to the third obstacle - and it's a big one - the choice of retirement property available, and whether it can support your needs.

What extra benefits does a retirement property offer?

It’s all very well finding out whether a retirement development is made up of houses, bungalows or apartments. And of course it's vital to know how many bedrooms each unit might have. But there is a whole list of other requirements you may be on the look-out for and will want to know about.

For example, the question of storage space is probably top of the list when the Autumna advice line team speaks to prospective residents.

Despite the best intentions, as a downsizer you will always have possessions you are not quite emotionally ready to dispose of – so you will need storage.

It’s surprising how many retirement-living properties regard storage as something of an afterthought and don’t design a lot of storage in.

So, storage, and the lack of it, can represent a major obstacle for a prospective resident.  However, some operators are now working with organisations that provide offsite storage - like the Big Yellow Self Storage, but specifically for the retirement market.  Boxes are numbered and can be delivered when requested by the resident.  

But that's not all. Here's some other questions Autumna has been asked about retirement living developments in recent months:

• Is there are buggy or car charging point?
• What is the Wi-Fi like - what speed is it?
• How is waste recycled?
• Is there a laundry on site?
• Do you have resident transport to local towns?
• Is there a bus stop nearby?
  

If the answer to any of these questions is unsatisfactory then, again, it will represent an obstacle that needs to be overcome but we are seeing operators begin to address these problems.  There are a growing number of electric car charging points and buggy points, Wi-Fi speed is definitely being addressed and there is a growing awareness of a range of environmental issues like waste recycling and public transport.

The expansive nature of the Autumna directory attempts to provide the answers to all these lines of enquiry, so the prospective retirement property resident gets the information they need on the widest possible options, to make the most informed choice.

Regulation, standards and money

Just contemplating these words is enough of a barrier to many people.

As we’ve already mentioned, retirement living is a very confusing sector and prospective residents need to be reassured and feel confident that they are making the right decision about their future – and in particular their financial future.

With so many things to consider like exit fees, legal restrictions and extra service charges, it’s no wonder that some people can find the process a little overwhelming and consequently back out of negotiations and decide to stay put.

Autumna is all about transparency, which is why we encourage retirement living operators who advertise on our directory to list all the fees that may be involved in the purchase or rental of any one of their properties.

Autumna works closely with ARCO (Associated Retirement Community Operators) and would recommend that anyone looking seriously for retirement living accommodation that also includes the provision of care should look for the reassurance of the ARCO badge.

This extra reassurance can only be a good thing for anyone as they continue their retirement living journey.

Whilst more than 60% of the retirement living enquiries that come through to Autumna say they have minimal or no care needs, we always recommend that you future-proof your move and make sure that something will be available should you need it in later years.

Where can I get some help with my retirement living enquiry?

This is another barrier for people considering a retirement community. You have questions but don’t always know where to look for the answers.

Different retirement living operators have different methods and resources for handling questions and visits from prospective residents.

Some, for example, close their marketing suites at the weekend but bear with them, if you leave a message they will respond.

A flexible approach to visits is becoming much more the norm though and many operators now offer availability at weekends and evenings.

Some too will put on open days which are regularly publicised in Autumna’s community calendar.

The Autumna advice line is one place to get all the answers you need and is open 7 days a week. Our team of retirement living experts has inside knowledge and experience in the sector and can either answer your questions directly or point you in the direction of people who can.

Can I get help with my move into a retirement community?

Many retirement living operators offer help with the physical move into a new retirement property. Details can usually be found in the ‘Property and Prices’ section of a profile on Autumna.

Some operators like McCarthy Stone offer their own service, others use companies such as The Senior Moves Partnership.

Downsizing, especially in later life, can be an emotionally daunting task. With lots of options to consider, for example, putting items into storage, giving them away to family members, recycling and even throwing things away plus the physical move, it's no wonder that, if not handled correctly, this could be a very worrying and stressful time.

Calling on the services of sympathetic and empathetic professionals for help and advice is probably the best way to overcome this particular obstacle.

How quickly can I move into my new retirement property?

Research tells us that the average amount of time it takes to sell a family home is a lengthy 10 months.

Comparing this statistic to data that Autumna collects at the start of all retirement living searches, then there appears to be a considerable disconnect – 73% of you tell us you would like to move within the next 6 months.

These figures show a real difference between reality and expectations, and again can represent a major obstacle to making that move to a retirement property and a whole new lifestyle.

There are ways to fast-track the whole process though. Many operators for example offer part-exchange schemes. 

In addition, Autumna works closely with Spring Home Buying Service. Spring is the UK’s largest home buying service and has already successfully helped thousands of people who were struggling with the sale of their home, to make the move painlessly and quickly!

It’s true, at face value, there can appear to be many barriers in the way of your move into the retirement community property of your dreams, and yet none of them are in any way insurmountable.

Let Autumna help you shortlist some developments that could meet your needs. Fill in this short form and we’ll get our team working on a possible place that will provide the lifestyle you want now and into the future.