There’s not time like the present
Age is nothing but a (legal) number. This is a fact that everyone – especially people who believe they are too old to achieve something – needs to remember.
And it seems like a former care home resident knows this as he celebrates ‘becoming Britain’s oldest first-time buyer’ – after purchasing a house at the age of 86.
Pensioner Edward Simon Jones has only just got his first pad, which is a £147,000 bungalow in Flintshire, Wales and believes he is the oldest person in the country to achieve the milestone.
Edward, known better as Simon, spent his whole life living on his family’s farm before moving into assisted care facility Marleyfield House, where he has spent the past year.
But he has always wanted to have his own home – and bought the bungalow so he could spend the last years of his life in his own surroundings.
Simon said: “I’m so excited to finally have a place of my own, I loved it at Marleyfield but I want to spend the remaining years I have in my own home.
“It’s been a long time coming but it’s certainly worth the wait.”
Simon’s niece, Lynne Palin, said he is delighted to finally have the keys to his own home – and thought having solar panels on the bungalow would give him free electricity.
She said: “His solicitor joked that he must be the oldest person in Wales to buy their first home.
‘”He lived on the Bychton Hall family farm in Mostyn for all his life, before moving in to Marleyfield.
“At Marleyfield he was known as being a real character, and a bit of a lady’s man – so no doubt he’ll be missed there. The home’s cat, Mikey, even slept on his bed every night.
“But Simon’s always maintained that he wants to spend the last years of his life in his own place, and he’s absolutely delighted to have the keys to his new bungalow. He has solar panels on the roof of the bungalow, and he thought that means he’ll be getting free electricity.”
In August it was reported first-time buyers would need an extra £12,000 on their pay to get on the property ladder as interest rates soar.
In short, it’s no easy task buying a home and the warning by property firm Zoopla was another hammer blow for those struggling to get a mortgage this year as the cost of living crunch leaves more people priced out of the market.
The figures are not any prettier in the South East with buyers needing an extra £15,750 in income, while in London it is as high as £34,500. In the North East, the increase will be less than £5,000.
Richard Donnell, of Zoopla, said: “Some outpriced first-time buyers will look to buy smaller, lower value homes as rising interest rates impact affordability. They may also consider moving further afield as post-pandemic circumstances allow many to continue hybrid working. Higher mortgage rates for new loans have more than doubled since January 2022.”
Making Simon’s achievement, wether he is the oldest or not, even sweeter
Relatable links:
- Brits to get £1,100 payment to help with cost of living
- Mortgage affordability test scrapped in game-changing move that may get buyers onto property ladder
- TikTok star reveals how you can feed your family for £1 a head
- New Utilita scheme rewards customers for not using energy during peak times
- UK headed for longest recession in century, says Bank of England
