Bucking the trend - a selection of images from the new retirement village at Richmond Northampton. External view, serviced apartment sitting room, and a care bedroom.
Date: July 2008
Richmond Villages bucks the property trend with buoyant sales to baby boomers
Richmond Villages, which develops and operates high quality retirement villages in the UK, is reporting buoyant sales despite the downturn in the property market. While there is some hesitancy amongst buyers considering whether or not to move home, baby boomers - notionally born between 1946 and 1964 - are purchasing property in the company’s villages off-plan, and buying into a complete package where quality of life, care and fun are all equally important.
Keith Cockell, founder of Richmond Villages, says: “At our latest development in Northampton, the first phase of 17 homes was fully sold off-plan, and the majority of the second phase of 33 homes also sold before building was completed in June this year. It has been much the same story with our other villages. This is quite remarkable considering we are dealing with a very careful generation who you might not expect to commit to something they cannot see.
“The baby boomers - and I am one, too! - are from a generation that worked hard to buy their own homes and quite rightly don’t want to lose that investment just because they are growing older. We offer them the opportunity to reinvest their money into various types of property within our villages, where they can enjoy excellent facilities and specialist care if and when they need it. Many want to retain their independence for as long as possible and don’t necessarily want to move into a conventional care home if their health deteriorates. We offer a real alternative.”
Richmond Villages has developed a number of ways people can buy its homes, enabling them to make the move to carefree retirement sooner rather than later. Keith adds: “We want people to enjoy our villages and everything we have to offer, so we tailor the purchase to suit their individual needs. In this way they can move in whenever they are ready, and can get on with their lives without having to put everything ‘on hold’ until the market improves.”
The company is also offering a managed sales service which takes care of the complete sale and purchasing process, looking after all the legal requirements and even arranging an interest free bridging loan if required. Moving home at any time of life can be stressful, but this completely ‘out sourced’ service takes the worry and hassle away from the individual, who might not have moved home for well over 30 years.
Spiralling food, fuel and general living costs are a big worry for many, especially those on a fixed income or pension. Richmond Villages can offer a fixed service charge at all its villages for the next two years, so residents don’t have to worry every time another price rise is announced on the news.
There are three types of accommodation available: independent village apartments, ‘assisted living’ in hotel-style serviced apartments, and en-suite care bedrooms*. Some villages also have specialist dementia care apartments.
Independent village apartments have a living room, kitchen and one or two bedrooms, and the majority also have an en-suite bathroom. Serviced apartments have their own sitting room, kitchenette or galley kitchen and an en-suite bedroom; some two-bedroom serviced apartments are also available. Spacious care bedrooms include an easy-access en-suite shower room, and state-of-the-art equipment such as electric profiling beds.
At Richmond Northampton there are a number of serviced apartments designed to help couples stay together where one partner is suffering from dementia.
Facilities at the villages include elegant restaurants, cafés, clubs, shops, libraries, hairdressers, beauticians, landscaped grounds and in some, such as Richmond Painswick, a wellness spa with a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, gym and treatment rooms.
What makes Richmond Villages different to other retirement villages is the level of nursing and care staff on site and available to assist, 24-hours a day. Each village has nurses and carers within the care centre, in addition to its own on-site registered domiciliary care team, which attends to residents day and night.
Richmond Villages currently has four operating villages: Richmond Northampton - Tel: 01604 432600; Richmond Painswick - Tel: 01452 813902; Richmond Coventry - Tel: 02476 645544; and Richmond Nantwich - Tel: 01270 629080. Prices start from around £90,000 for a one-bedroom serviced apartment, and £195,000 for a village apartment.
Construction of Richmond Villages’ fifth development has already commenced at Letcombe Regis near Wantage in Oxfordshire, and several others are in the planning pipeline.
Further information is available on www.richmond-villages.com or 0845 607 6405
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Notes to editors
* The care bedrooms are available on a daily/weekly fee basis. Village apartments and service apartments are also available to rent if preferred.
Living in a serviced apartment allows residents to maintain their independence by owning the property and having their own front door, but they can relax knowing that all daily chores such as cooking, cleaning and laundry are taken care of. ‘Assisted living’ includes all meals and drinks, and residents have free use of all village facilities, yet still enjoy the privacy of their own ‘home’. Cost varies according to requirement.
Service charge
A service charge is made per property to cover ground maintenance, external property maintenance, a daily mini-bus service to and from shops and events, buildings insurance, window cleaning, administration and security.
Issued by: Anne Toomey/Tracey Bretherton
tracey.bretherton@lawsonclarke.co.uk
LawsonClarke PR
Tel: 01285 658844
Fax: 01285 650080
RV35/2008 www.lawsonclarke.com
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Bucking the trend - a selection of images from the new retirement village at Richmond Northampton. External view, serviced apartment sitting room, and a care bedroom. |
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Bucking the trend - a selection of images from the new retirement village at Richmond Northampton. External view, serviced apartment sitting room, and a care bedroom. |
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Bucking the trend - a selection of images from the new retirement village at Richmond Northampton. External view, serviced apartment sitting room, and a care bedroom. |