Ethel finds her happy place with Spring

Finding a retirement development with genuine community spirit was key for Ethel Duggan. Not wanting to lose her independence she so greatly treasured, Ethel wanted to find a new home where she could make new friends, have space for family to come and stay, but also to have peace of mind with support services on site should she need them.

The importance of community

The support and vast array of social activities is why Ethel fell in love with a retirement property at the McCarthy Stone Eastwood development. She was instantly wowed at what was on offer and knew it was somewhere she could be happy.

“I wanted to be part of a nice friendly community and I loved the idea of not having to worry about the upkeep of a large bungalow with expensive bills, plus feeling safe and secure was also a priority for me,” said Ethel.

Time to downsize

Former publicans, Ethel and her husband Dennis had been married for 56 years and lived in their Nottinghamshire home for over 20 of those years. When Dennis sadly passed away in 2017, Ethel missed the companionship and social life they had built together and decided it was time to downsize to somewhere more manageable, whilst still being near to her family.

“My husband and I ran pubs for many years, even after we both retired, we were always involved in local events and thrived on being around other people and I really started to miss that when Dennis passed away,” explained Ethel.

So, she could begin the new chapter she wanted, Ethel put her bungalow on the market with a local estate agent and after a short time, accepted an offer. Unfortunately, the offer fell through leaving Ethel without a buyer and unable to proceed. Ethel spoke with Colleen the Housing Manager of the Eastwood Development and telephoned Georgia at McCarthy Stone to discuss her options.

“Colleen and Georgia talked through the options available to me as I didn’t want to put my house back on the market as it was so stressful, and I couldn’t go through losing another buyer. So, when they suggested Spring’s part-exchange service, it was the ideal solution for me. Selling my home to Spring meant I didn’t have to put my house on the market or wait around for it to sell”, said Ethel.

Making the move stress free

Wanting to make the move as soon as possible, Ethel contacted Spring to get an offer on her Nottinghamshire home. “Spring made me an offer within 24 hours and it was a very fair deal, I was really impressed,” said Ethel. “Once I accepted the offer, the sale was guaranteed and I knew it wouldn’t fall through, which made me feel a lot more relaxed and settled. Having my sale all agreed with Spring allowed me to reserve the 2-bed apartment I loved at Eastwood – it all worked out perfectly and in the time frame I wanted.”

To make Ethel’s move into her new apartment easier, Spring offers a free ‘license to occupy’ feature as standard, which gives sellers access to their existing property for up 28 days post completion. This additional time allows for better planning and an easier move, a feature that downsizers like Ethel find particularly appealing.

“I found the 28 days ‘license to occupy’ amazing and it was such a relief to not have to move from one property to the next in just a single day. On the day of completion, my daughter Tracey was on hand and could then go on holiday relieved, knowing I had the flexibility of the ‘license to occupy’ whilst she was away, this was so helpful. I even moved a few smaller items myself so was able to start making my new apartment nice and cozy, the extra time just made everything so easy and stress-free, it was brilliant,”, explained Ethel.

Living my best life

Ethel is now settled into life at Eastwood and is making the most of all that’s on offer, including the Wednesday morning coffee mornings, monthly bingo and regular events that bring the residents together. Having a spare bedroom gives Ethel the option to have family stay over and Tracey particularly enjoys this 'Mother-Daughter' time.  She’s enjoying her new life and has already made many new friends.

“I love it here, especially the communal gardens - they are so beautiful - I can sit and relax, enjoying the surroundings and the company of anyone who joins me.  Who knows - we might even have a garden party!  I am so grateful to Georgia and Colleen, here at Eastwood, for recommending Spring. I can’t praise Spring enough for their prompt, efficient and friendly service.”

 

 

Pictured: Ethel enjoying a glass of wine in the beautiful McCarthyStone communal gardens

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