Finding love or making new friends is a tough task at any age, but it can be particularly difficult for the over-50s, who may have experienced divorce or the loss of a partner. However, one place where over-50s are finding new love is within the like-minded park home community.

Research from park home specialists Quickmove Properties shows that over the last eight years, 43% of park home buyers downsizing to a park have been single.

These close–knit communities are a welcoming place for those in later life to not only downsize and release equity, but to meet like–minded others and reignite their social life with a ready-made network of friendly, sociable neighbours.

“We walked our dogs together”

Quickmove spoke to one such park resident, Tracy from a modern development in Pevensey Bay, East Sussex, who met her partner, Graham after moving there two and half years ago.

Tracy had two dogs when she moved into her park home, and that’s how she met Graham.

“We were walking our dogs at the same time in the morning because we both worked. We walked them together for a good part of a year before we became a couple. We went out for a meal and that was it! We’ve now been a couple for coming up to 18 months.”

“It has been wonderful, especially in our ‘mature’ years, when you think you’re going to be on your own and that’s it. And when you’re not looking for something, and neither of us were looking for anything, you find it!”

“I’ve never met so many lovely people”

Tracy and Graham still enjoy walking their dogs Ted, Sydney and Freddie around the park in the local area. Being a sociable and pet-friendly development, Castle View Court has become a thriving and welcoming community.

Reflecting on her move to the park lifestyle, Tracy said

“It’s the best thing I ever did. I have never met so many lovely people. And we both have a lovely social life with other people on the park. It’s definitely the best thing that I’ve ever done”

“Quite a lot of us go out together, which is really nice, it’s lovely to have a social side of things that I didn’t have before, especially when you’ve got children and other stuff going on.”

Tracy didn’t move far, she had always lived in the local area, but she wanted to downsize to a bungalow and needed somewhere that was dog-friendly. Castle View Court ticked all the boxes.

So easy with a 2-week license to occupy

Tracy used Quickmove’s Part Exchange service to move into her park home. This allowed her to make a quick and hassle-free move in a matter of weeks AND keep the keys to her existing home for two weeks while she moved.

“Anyone who comes on to the park and they’re buying something new, I always say to them, to use Quickmove. It was so quick. I was moved in six weeks. I said I’m going on holiday and I really, really need to be moved by then! It was amazing.”

“I used the 2-week license to occupy because I moved myself and that did make a big difference. It’s such a good benefit to have. By doing it that way it was very easy.”