Choosing the Best Park Home for You

Choosing the best park home for you to live in is a big decision. Financially, it is a significant investment with prices typically beginning at £70,000 pounds and going up as far as £300,000 pounds (and don’t forget to calculate pitch fees). Also, in terms of your life and lifestyle, it can be a major change that you will want to think about carefully. This is especially true for you if you are looking to spend your retirement in your park home, as you will probably want to go through the stress that can be moving only once. Here we have brought together some of the considerations worth thinking about, so you can be confident in your choices.

Location

This is the first thing you may want to consider. Most people will buy their park home from a park with existing vacant homes or plans to expand and site new ones. The location of your residential park is crucial if you are to enjoy your new surroundings. So too is the quality of the park itself.

The park

Having established the basics, such as whether your park is licensed to live on all year round and is a registered residential park, as opposed to just a holiday park, what kind of amenities there are and of course the cost, there are other aspects you may also want to consider.

Security

It might be worth investigating the level of security in your park. The more secure it is, the easier you might find it to relax and enjoy your home. Nearly all residential parks are gated and have key or code entry that is only open to residents. You may feel better with a little more security though and may want to only consider the growing number of parks with their own security patrols. You might also want to investigate the residents’ own neighbourhood-watch type arrangements, if they exist.

Age restrictions

Other aspects of your proposed park may also be crucial in your decision-making process. Does the park have age restrictions, for instance? If peace and quiet are what you are looking for, will you actually find it on a park with residents of all ages? Many parks will have a lower age limit of say, fifty, which tends to mean quieter living.

Pets

If you have pets, you will naturally want to check if they are allowed on your park, as this is a potential deal breaker. It may also be worth noting that where pets are allowed there are sometimes further requirements made by the park. Leads on dogs may be required everywhere or just in certain areas. You may also need to invest in some fencing around your pitch, so that your pets can be allowed outside without causing a nuisance.

Vehicles

Another thing worth considering early on, to save yourself wasted time later, is any requirements you have for parking vehicles. Residential parks will usually have an upper limit on the number of vehicles you are allowed to keep on-site.

Life-style

Finally, you may want to talk to the park management and other residents before you commit, about what life is like on the specific park you’re looking at. Do you want lots of opportunities to meet new people and engage in interesting activities? If you do, then probably a larger park containing social meeting places and the like would suit you best. If you are simply after peace and solitude after a hectic working life, a smaller park in a pleasant spot may be a better choice.

The area

It may be the wider area that really swings your decision for you. Is it well-provided with the basics you will need for shopping and other services? Are the good walks you look forward to actually realistically within reach of your park? What relationship does your park have with the local area? The more you can find out about this, the better, as it may help you avoid any nasty shocks later into your residence. For example, it is worth asking park management and residents what happens in the school summer holidays in the area? You don’t want to have moved in only to find that the favourite hang-out for bored children on holiday, is right next to your park!

The park home

As for the park home itself, there are many things to consider when choosing the best one for you.

Size and storage

Especially if you are downsizing, it can be difficult to estimate how much storage you will need and therefore, the size of your new park home and whether it includes any outbuildings. It may be worth quizzing existing residents about this. It could help you to get an idea of the possibilities in the different models of home on the park that you’re looking at.

Condition

If your park home is brand new, then its present condition should not be an issue. If, on the other hand, you are looking to buy from an existing resident, you may want to ask if they have any recent surveys or to get one done yourself. A thorough survey can alert you to potential problems and even affect the price you finally pay for your home.

Maintenance

Another aspect to bear in mind is maintenance. All parks (and indeed park home insurance cover) have minimum requirements for maintenance of your home. Thinking in advance about who would carry out these tasks and the potential cost, can be an important aspect of your decision making. If DIY is no problem or even fun for you, for example, you may be happy saving some money on an older model that needs a bit more repair and upkeep.

We hope this brief overview helps you in your decision-making process and helps you choose the best park home for you. The range of park homes out there is large and you are likely to be able to find the best one for you if you look with these considerations in mind.

Whichever home you choose, you can find specialised, comprehensive insurance cover from an award-winning team just by phoning 01604 946 796 or online here: https://www.parkhomeassist.co.uk

This is a marketing article from Park Home Assist, multi-award-winning providers of residential park home insurance.  If you would like to speak to an advisor regarding insurance for your park home, please contact our friendly team in our Northampton office on 01604 946 796.

Please note that all insurance cover is subject to acceptance of terms and conditions.

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Published – 18/08/23