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When Pat Crabb visited his son Norman who lives near Bourne, Lincolnshire, last year he never guessed that it would result in a 130 mile move north from his home in Clacton-on-Sea to the market town for both himself and his sister Molly Gentry within 12 months.
However, during his trip Pat decided to take a look at The Croft (www.thecroftbourne.co.uk) development to see whether it could offer him the new life he sought closer to his son following the loss of his wife.
The Croft is an age exclusive development for the over 55’s which is being developed by Larkfleet Homes (www.larkfleethomes.co.uk) and Keystone Developments (www.keystonedevelopments.co.uk). It comprises 68 one and two-bedroom bungalows and two and three-bedroom chalet-style bungalows set around attractively landscaped courtyards.
Pat immediately ‘fell’ for the development which “struck a chord with him from his first visit” to such an extent he never looked at any other developments. Pat returned to Clacton and showed The Croft’s brochure to his sister Molly Gentry.
“I wasn’t really thinking of moving but when Pat showed me the brochure I really liked the look of the development and thought it would be nice to live near Pat and his son as they are the only family I have, so I decided to make the move too,” explained Molly.
Molly put her existing house up for sale using Larkfleet’s Ezy-move scheme, which helps buyers to sell their existing home. The scheme can include providing assistance with getting valuations right through to the exchange of contracts and, on completion of the sale, Larkfleet will also pay the estate agent’s fees.
In order to make his own move, Pat used Larkfleet’s Ezy-share scheme to buy his new home.
“The Ezy-share scheme worked really well and meant I was able to buy the property I wanted. It was cost effective, too, as it is an interest free loan, which is only repayable when the property is sold,” added Pat.
The scheme offers buyers the ability to buy a property for typically 85 per cent of the purchase price and then borrow the remaining 15 per cent as an interest-free equity loan from Larkfleet.
Having received an offer for his Clacton home within four weeks, Pat was swiftly able to move into his new one-bedroom ‘Browning’ style bungalow.
Pat explained: “The Croft is just right for me, it offers me an ideal location close to my son, as well as the ability to be independent whilst being part of a community.
“The property itself offers me everything I need, as it is well set out and has lots of storage space. This, coupled with the fact that everything is new and therefore requires little upkeep and all the external grounds maintenance is taken care of, means my life is a lot easier now.”
The Croft is built in the grounds of a former manor house and offers residents a secluded and tranquil environment, with no through traffic and a community feel. The former manor house has been fully restored and is now the hub of the development, featuring a residents’ lounge, kitchen and library all of which can be used for social events and activities.
Molly who will move into her property this month (June) added: “I will definitely be using the manor house facilities, I really enjoy getting out and meeting people. The social aspect of The Croft appealed to me from day one, as it is lovely having the option of mixing with neighbours and the manor has been so well decorated it will be a pleasure to use.
“The addition of a guest suite in the manor house is a further bonus, as it means that even though both Pat and I have brought one-bedroom homes we can still have friends and family to stay, which is very handy.”
Set in the heart of historic Bourne, The Croft offers easy access to the local amenities including the town’s bustling centre which has shops, cafes, restaurants and supermarkets, all of which are only a short walk away.
The added convenience of good public transport links means Lincolnshire’s gems such as Stamford – recently nominated by The Sunday Times as the best place to live in Britain – are also within easy reach.
“We both really like Stamford and I am sure Pat and I will be making trips there and being able to get there on the bus means we don’t need to rely on anyone. It’s the ability to do things like that together, while still living apart and independently from each other, which has made this move so appealing for me,” added Molly.
Larkfleet is offering a range of incentive packages at The Croft which can be tailor made to suit the needs of individual buyers, including a £1,000 cash back for buyers who recommend the site to a family member or friend.
So as Molly Gentry moves in, Pat Crabb is able to bank a £1,000 cheque from Larkfleet as a ‘thank you’ for introducing his sister to The Croft.
For more details on Larkfleet developments, please contact a sales advisor on 01778 391550.
Call the sales team on 01778 426995, pop in to the sales office located on North Road in Bourne or visit www.thecroftbourne.co.uk for more information.