Launch of specialist property service set to support older people in Gloucestershire

THE UK’s leading retirement housebuilder, McCarthy and Stone, has launched a dedicated estate agency service to boost the local housing choice for older people in Gloucestershire looking to downsize.

McCarthy and Stone Resales will support existing homeowners in Gloucestershire to resell their age-exclusive retirement properties quickly and smoothly, while also helping new customers experience the retirement living lifestyle.

McCarthy and Stone Resales has been introduced to promote the many benefits of retirement living, which goes beyond bricks and mortar by providing older people with a lifestyle based around security, companionship and ease of maintenance – within close proximity to a wealth of local amenities.

It finds buyers for pre-owned properties built and managed by McCarthy & Stone, and is just one of the many steps the specialist housebuilder has taken in recent years to enhance the service offered to its homeowners.

David Gabriel, Resales Manager at McCarthy and Stone, said: “As market leaders in Gloucestershire and across the country, we are continually improving the service we provide by giving potential buyers more choice and more ways of enjoying the benefits of living in a McCarthy & Stone apartment. We want to support our customers at every stage of their experience; and, whilst we already provide a range of support services through our on-site management teams, the new resales division will give our homeowners an additional level of support when they come to sell their properties.

“We are confident our extensive experience of the retirement sector will allow us to match potential buyers with sellers more easily, finding them a previously-owned apartment that will be suitable for their individual needs and budget. We will endeavour to achieve a speedy and smooth sale.

“McCarthy and Stone’s in-depth knowledge and understanding of the lifestyle benefits of buying a previously owned apartment means we have a privileged insight into what life is like at a development – and this is unrivalled by a typical high street estate agent.”

When instructed on a sale, the McCarthy and Stone Resales team in Gloucestershire will take care of everything from the initial guide price valuation, through to marketing, finding a buyer and progressing the sale through to completion.

Properties for sale will appear on the dedicated McCarthy and Stone Resales website, as well as on Rightmove, and sellers also stand to benefit from the housebuilder’s access to more specialist routes to market through its links to industry groups such as the Elderly Accommodation Council.

McCarthy and Stone Resales will widen the choice of specialist retirement apartments available to retirees in Gloucestershire, and this is expected to help ‘Generation Stuck’ – the growing number of older people who want to downsize but cannot currently do so due to a lack of suitable housing.

Research shows that for each person moving into a retirement housing development, typically two or three further moves are created on the ladder; and these could potentially be for families in Gloucestershire who might be upsizing, or a young couple buying their first property.

David added: “Downsizing rates in the UK are low simply because there isn’t enough affordable housing choice for older people. Along with helping homeowners sell their retirement properties in Gloucestershire, this new initiative also allows us to provide retirees with another option, and often in areas where there is currently no choice of off-plan or newly-built properties.

“Purchasing a second-hand retirement apartment can be a practical alternative for many retirees. Everyone’s needs and circumstances in later life are different, and this option still opens up access to all of the unique lifestyle benefits McCarthy and Stone offers.”

McCarthy and Stone’s age-exclusive developments give older people in Gloucestershire the opportunity to enjoy an independent retirement in a luxury privately-owned apartment, with the opportunity to benefit from companionship as desired and privacy when needed.

For more information about McCarthy and Stone Resales, whether you would like to purchase a second-hand retirement property or are looking to sell, please call: 0345 556 4104 or visit: mccarthyandstoneresales.co.uk