How To Make The Most Of Park Viewings and Open Events

A ONE-STOP SHOP TO ASK QUESTIONS

Whatever stage you’re at, park viewings and open events are so useful. From finding out what the park lifestyle is all about, to feeling confident enough to take the last leap of faith towards buying your own park home, you can only benefit by going to them.

So what happens at a typical open event? They vary in format but the best bring together all you need to know, from all the right people. Park sales managers and manufacturer representatives will often be on hand, along with information about buying options such as part exchange if you have an existing property to sell. Even park residents are usually available to give you first-hand knowledge of park life!

Open event visitors are welcomed from all areas and at different stages in their hunt for a dream home. Many are considering park home ownership for the first time and just wanting to find out the basics, meaning you won’t be alone. Either way, make sure your key criteria are met by the park, such as location, age limitations and whether they allow pets.

Whichever stage you’re at, an open event gives you the potential to ask as many questions as you want, none of which will sound daft as they will have probably been asked many times before!

FRIENDLY FACES AND A WARM WELCOME

Existing residents often pitch in with their presence at open events and that’s always a good sign. They can be invaluable mines of useful information and will be welcoming friendly faces if you end up moving to the park.

Time time to ask about their experience with the park operator, this can be very insightful!

WHAT TO EXPECT

Often events last throughout a weekend, or at least a day, and you’ll be offered refreshments and time to sit and take a break if you need to, so you’ll be able to pace yourself comfortably. It’s always a good idea to book an appointment rather than just turn up – this ensures the right people are available to show you around the park facilities and show homes. In peak times, the park staff could be busy, and that appointment ensures that you don’t have to sit about waiting. Let independent specialists Quickmove arrange a VIP Tour for you – they liaise with park owners throughout the process and can negotiate on your behalf to ensure you can move on park easily and at a time that suits.

Make sure you allow enough time too; at least an hour or two on park, with an hour or two spare afterwards to check out local amenities if you don’t know the area. Doing it the other way round means you might not actually know what you’re looking for and where, so it’ll take longer and you might run out of time to see everything you want to on-park!

DID YOU KNOW?

Very often you might just walk into a home and find it feels right for you and like the plot too, and that’s great. If that doesn’t happen it doesn’t necessarily mean the park isn’t right for you though. Many have plots also available for a home of your choice in addition to show homes already sited, so if you don’t see what you want or like the look of a particular spot, just ask – they may even have further plots in the pipeline not shown yet.

BE PREPARED

It’s always good to go well prepared with comfortable shoes for walking around a park, an umbrella and waterproof in the car – standard kit for any day out! Add a notepad and pen to jot down your likes and dislikes, plots numbers, models and names as you look round them, as sometimes they can all blend into one later.

On that subject, if you’re looking at multiple plots and homes and are worried about remembering which was which, there’s an easy way if you have a phone camera on you. Take a picture of each property’s plot number (shown on the park plan) before you go in, then take a few more photos of that home’s interior. This means that when you get home you’ll have a record of which models you were interested in.

ENGAGING BOTH HEART AND MIND

While all this may sound very sensible and rightly so, going to an open day is as much about the heart as the head. Taking time to absorb the ambience of the park, exploring the homes, trying to imagine yourself living there, and meeting other residents are all key parts of the experience.

You’ll be able to book a second appointment to go through the paperwork if you need to – the main priority is finding out if the thought of living on the park fills you with excitement, or simply highlights the elements you don’t want to help you narrow down your search for your next park visit. The least you will come away with is useful information and it’ll be a nice day out, so you have absolutely nothing to lose!

To make the process even easier why not ask Quick Move for help? They have details of recommended park open days in your areas of interest, can arrange viewings and negotiate on your behalf if you decide to buy. That way you won’t miss the best plots when they come up, and you’ll have all the support you might need ready to hand if it goes well.