"It’s been the best move for mum!"

After bringing up her family in London, Beryl relocated to Bourne End, Buckinghamshire where she lived for 10 years in a three bedroom detached home. 

Maintaining and running a large house was becoming more challenging, and her daughter, Alison, also worried about security, with her mum being alone. They both knew the time had come to make a move, but finding the right alternative was proving difficult, until they came across Wooburn Bales in November 2023. 

High on the list of priorities for Beryl's new home, was to be close to Bourne End where Alison lives. The home-hunting process took a while, with Alison commenting: “We looked at a couple of residential homes which Mum didn’t like. We saw The Wharf Lane development in Bourne End, but there wasn’t any availability and mum also ideally wanted somewhere brand new”.

Alison discovered Wooburn Bales shortly after while searching online, and immediately thought it looked like a potential alternative. She visited that same day, with Alison noting: “Straight away I thought it was fantastic! I was absolutely sold on it as a development for Mum, in terms of the build quality, security and location,  right in the middle of the village and just three minutes from us.”

Situated at the heart of Wooburn Green, the community is moments away from an array of local shops, restaurants, and a regular Village Fête, as well as the picturesque village green and The River Wye – perfect for countryside walks. 

In addition, the new-build style of the home greatly appealed to her: “The way the apartments were finished to such a high standard, the colours and style., it just ticked all the boxes!”

Downsizing to rent in retirement 

Research carried out by Pegasus Homes showed over a third of over 55’s (37%) cited ‘the hassle of moving’ and decluttering, as the main barriers to downsizing to a more suitable home. 

The daunting prospect of sorting through a lifetime of belongings can be off-putting.  Pegasus Homes offers customers a complimentary moving service through Aprico, a specialist downsizing and removals company to assist with the process. Alison notes: “Mum was downsizing from a three-bedroom detached house to a one-bedroom, so it was a real challenge. The Aprico service was absolutely brilliant, the team were great and it worked really well.” 

Whilst owning one’s home has always been seen to offer stability, choosing to rent in later life can provide both flexibility and financial liquidity when paired with downsizing, whilst removing the responsibility of costly home repairs and maintenance.
 

Making the most of later living 

Like other Pegasus Homes communities, Wooburn Bales has a dedicated on-site host available to support and assist, with Alison commenting: “Lisa, our Senior Buildings and Communities Coordinator is superb. She is always on hand to help and support and has been great at bringing residents together. There’s a super weekly programme of activities and Mum tries to join in something every week - from fitness sessions on Monday to afternoon tea on Thursdays.” 

The sense of community at Wooburn Bales has been an unexpected bonus for Alison’s mum. Alison explained: “The wonderful aspect of the community is everyone is in the same or similar position, so there is automatically some common ground and Mum didn’t feel isolated. This has been so good for Mum, as she has been able to share her experience, and also hear how positive other residents are about their moves.”

Alison commented: “I can honestly say moving to Wooburn Bales has been the best outcome we could have hoped for. I go to bed every night without a worry about her being safe and secure and she loves her new home. She is more independent now as the home has been set up and built to help residents at an age where having an easy and comfortable kitchen and bathroom means so much.” 

On the subject of whether they would recommend Pegasus Homes Wooburn Bales to a friend, Alison agreed: “I definitely would, it’s been the best move for Mum and for me as her daughter.”

Wooburn Bales by Pegasus Homes offers the perfect countryside location for downsizing with modern one, two and three-bedroom homes available to rent in an idyllic and sociable village, with wondrous views of ancient hills, woods and meadows all around.

Rent from £2,500 pcm. For more information, please get in touch with our friendly sales team 01628 918 064 or email [email protected].