MAKING YOUR HOUSE A HOME
Not sure whether park home living is for you? Here we follow one couple’s journey from their old home in town to their new park lifestyle in the rural countryside at Tingdene’s Whitehill Park in Hampshire.
Things can only get better
After three months of roadworks outside their flat in Bordon, Hampshire Ray Bacchus and his partner Roz were tired of the noise and disruption caused by the workmen. In fact, this was really the last straw, as they were already experiencing continual parking issues and disputes over bins with other residents within their block flats. In truth they had fallen out of love with their current home. They were ready to find an alternative place to live.
Having discussed their situation with a work colleague and subsequently heard all about Tingdene’s Whitehill Park in Borden, where one of Ray’s colleagues lived. Ray decided it was time he and Roz took a trip to the park to see what all the fuss was about and find out if park home living really could be what they were looking for.
“We were really impressed on our first visit to the park. As soon as we drove in we could see how well kept it was. The whole park was surrounded by trees and woodlands. It felt like we were going right out into the countryside. We were only 3 miles away from our flat, but it seemed like a world away.”
Keen to make the move
Getting the guided tour of his colleague’s home Ray and Roz were able to experience life on the park first-hand and get a real sense of what it would be like to live there. “We were quietly surprised by the size and quality of the home too” adds Roz. “We hadn’t seen a park home before but were very pleased with what we saw”.
Following their visit to the park Ray and Roz decided that park living was indeed suited to them. They put their flat on the market and registered their interest with Tingdene Parks. Keen to make the move quickly they looked at pre-occupied homes but they did not meet all their criteria.
“The next thing we knew Tingdene were on the phone asking us whether we would be interested in a new plot that had become available. After a short deliberation we put down the £1000 deposit. We couldn’t quite believe we had secured a place for our new home quite so quickly.”
Design and visualisation
Unlike a bricks and mortar house, the idea of simply buying a plot and then designing your home can be a difficult concept for some people to grasp. Visualising your dream home from a blank plot is not always easy. It is great to visit the show homes on display and get some ideas. Another good piece of advice is to ask residents whom have already been through the process. It can be a daunting process planning a complete home. It’s amazing how even the most simple suggestions can help turn your dreams turn to reality.
Returning to the site Ray and Roz went to see their newly reserved plot. “To be honest we were a little taken a back when we saw the blank space. We couldn’t quite visualise how it would turn out. So we took a trip to the seaside to clear our heads and let our imagination take us away. The following day we returned to the park for a second look. We walked around and really got a feel for the size of the whole plot” he continues, “it was then I knew we had made the right decision for us.”