There are currently over 250,000 people in Britain living in specially built residential park homes, but what is it that makes them so popular?
To put it simply, park homes are modern and comfortable residences, situated in picturesque parks that give a real sense of community.
They’re particularly popular with those who have hit retirement and wish to downsize, but they’re increasingly being bought by families and others wishing to get onto the property ladder.
Here are five top reasons why you might wish to consider park home living.
They’re cheaper than conventional homes
Perhaps the biggest benefit of a park home is that it’ll be considerably cheaper than a bricks and mortar alternative of a similar size.
To get an idea of how much you can expect to pay for a park home, check out Sell My Park Home.
As you can see, the properties are excellent value for money, and you can expect a much more luxurious property than you would for a similar value property.
The value that park homes hold makes them perfect for downsizing and releasing equity in your previous property.
They promote independence
While they do have a fantastic community feel, residential parks are also fantastic at giving their residents a feeling of independence.
They always have a single storey layout and flat surroundings, making them ideal for elderly residents, with the knowledge that there are other residents just down the road if you need a hand with anything.
They’re more spacious than you might think
While they are only single storey buildings, park homes are often a lot more spacious than you might think, both on the inside and out, especially when you consider what sort of space you would get for a similar price with a conventional home.
Instead of a cramped terraced home, you could have your own detached park home to yourself, as well as a nice piece of land separating you from the neighbours, as well as a small garden to tend to.
Residential parks are safe and secure
When compared to living in a city or suburb, residential parks are generally a lot safer, as they’re often situated well out of the way of other residential areas.
Others in the community go out of their way to look out for each other and make sure everyone feels safe, and parks often operate policies such as ID cards to make sure that nobody can enter the park who shouldn’t.
Park home owners have also been given much better protection against ‘rogue’ park owners in recent years as you can see in this BBC article from 2013.
You’ll only pay minimum council tax
An added bonus to living in a park home is that you’ll almost always be in the lowest band of council tax, Band A.
This is especially helpful if you are on a fixed income such as a pension as it will keep your monthly outgoings to a minimum and be one less thing to worry about.
If you are considering park home living, head to IPHAS (The Independent Park Home Advisory Service) for impartial advice and information.