DEC 2012/JAN 2013 |www.opp-connect.com WORDS | John Howell Practical Retirement


Continuing our focus on the fastest growing property market in the world – retirement – we take some expert opinions on the more practical aspects of building and selling for the silver dollar. Where do people want to buy? What do they want to see when they get there? Is there a market for sheltered housing? Find out here


background information set out in our retirement feature (OPP November issue, pages 43-45) and it is a virtual Round Table – picking up on the content of the OPPLive seminar about retirement and subsequent discussions with people interested in the subject rather than refl ecting the views expressed at a special lunch held for the purpose.


T As we reported at length in last


month’s issue, the retirement market is vast. Not only is the number of over- 60s and over-65s increasing rapidly in all of our traditional markets, the rate of increase is accelerating.


Better still, the same population groups are also increasing rapidly in China and other emerging markets and large numbers of these people have the money and the wish to retire overseas


The Experts


Jeannie Lumb is a director of LaLuz Properties, based in the UK but deal- ing with property throughout southern Spain – one of Europe’s foremost retirement destinations. She is also a board member of AIPP. She can be contacted by email at jeannie@laluzproperty.com or on +44 1937 843131.


Alasdair Macdonald is a director of Knight Knox International, based in the UK but dealing with properties in US, Turkey, Thailand, Brazil, Egypt and Germany. He can be contacted by email at Alasdair@knightknox.com or on +44 161 772 1370.


Danny Silver is a founder of the Villages Group, based in France. They specialise in self-contained retirement villages closely integrated with local French communities. He can be contacted by email at danny@pdfparis.com or on +33 1 40 07 86 25.


John Trucillo is not only a Realtor™ in Florida but also Chief Economist of Florida Realtors. Florida, of course, is one of the world’s most important retire- ment destinations.


He can be contacted by email via vania@floridarealtors.com.


Where do people want to buy? Overwhelmingly, people buy retirement property in places that have a good climate. Fortunately, people’s defi nition of a “good climate” varies substantially. Generally, they’re looking for warm winter temperatures and summer temperatures that are not too hot. They are looking for places with some, but not excessive, rainfall. They


his is an unusual “Round Table”. It is not self-contained. It picks up on all of the


– normally to a place where the climate is a lot more agreeable than they fi nd at home and where they will fi nd other people from their own country. The two graphs (Fig 1 and Fig 2), previously printed last month, make the point with startling clarity.


For the purposes of this article we have moved beyond – and taken for granted – the size and potential of this market and we’re looking at the practical issues that will help you get your fair share of it.


are looking for places with plenty of sunshine. However, there are many locations around the world that meet these perimeters because people’s thresholds of what is acceptable


“People buy retirement property in places that have a good climate. What that defi nes does vary”


vary greatly. Many fi nd the summer temperatures in Spain too hot for comfort whilst others fi nd the summer


weather in Normandy rather cool. Both locations, therefore, have great retirement potential.


There is even a market for retirement property in places that don’t even come close to fi tting these perimeters. People buy retirement homes in the mountains of Bulgaria or on the ski slopes in Aspen.


Often, these will be second homes


which offers us the delightful prospect that people retiring may buy not just one but multiple properties to enjoy during their years of leisure. True, not that many can afford to do so, but the numbers are quite surprising. Many people are selling very valuable properties in major cities around the world and generate more than enough money to buy a nice principle retirement home and a small secondary home.


Often, that secondary home could be near their children.


ROUND TABLE


RETIREMENT | 43


In the chair John Howell: Editorial director of OPP john.howell@opp.org.uk


One man’s paradise | Not all retirees are looking for a place in the sun


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76