Retire or Downsize to the Ayrshire Coast
Apart from the way they are constructed, a park home is almost exactly the same as a modern bungalow. Most Park homes have central heating, double glazed windows, pitched roofs and new homes are normally supplied fully furnished. It is the way of life that is special. Residential Park Home estates are usually sited in rural or coastal areas, attract older and retired people and are generally regarded as very secure and possessing a sense of community often lost elsewhere.
In every respect park homes are modern homes with all the usual facilities of fitted kitchens, often two bathrooms (one ensuite), bedrooms with fitted wardrobes and access to broadband and satellite TV.
What makes park home communities different is that, like Millglen, they are usually located in rural or seaside areas (in our case both!), and they tend to attract older residents (indeed as at Millglen, many parks restrict residency to older people) and so there is a greater sense of community with a greater likelihood of knowing all your neighbours not just one or two. This is the park home lifestyle.
Why a Park Home?
The main difference is in the legal tenure of the property. You buy and own the home but the ground it sits on is usually rented from a site owner who levies a monthly rent (or pitch fee) for the services provided such as drainage, street lighting etc. Here at Millglen, gas and electricity are site supplied and metered and while we enjoy the public water supply the site has its own sewage facilities which reduces this element of the Council Tax. The park enjoys full telephone and broadband coverage.
On the matter of pitch fees, at Millglen these are set currently at £1985.50 per annum, covering maintenance of the park and associated services. This cost is offset by the lowest Council Tax rate, being set at Band A.