Marilyn and Stewart Briggs, who live in South Yorkshire, bought a luxury timber lodge at the Hollicars Holiday Park near York.
They bought their lodge off-plan in March 2005. Marilyn tells whathouse.co.uk about their purchase.
Why did you purchase a lodge at Hollicars?
“We had always had a touring caravan and used to use a site near Hollicarrs. We had toyed with the idea of buying something abroad but could never decide which part of the world we would want to keep visiting. York is such a beautiful city, we never tire of it.
“We went along to see how the lodges are made (which happens to be in York) and my husband was impressed by the quality of the materials used. I must admit that I was more attracted to the interior design!
“We live in a very old former manor house, so we thought by buying a modern lodge, we would have the best of both worlds. We decided on the lodge because we can use it all year round, as it is only 45 minutes away from home.”
How often do you use the lodge and what are your neighbours like?
“We visit at least three or four days a week as we can commute easily to work from here. We have met some very nice people and made some good friends.”
I understand the lodges are sold as leasehold. Was this straightforward?
“We have a 99-year lease and we found this very straightforward. As long as we maintain the lodge to the required standard, we shouldn’t have any problems over the coming years.”
What are your thoughts on the park’s conservation philosophy? Are residents encouraged to get involved?
“We are very impressed by the way the park is developing. It is so peaceful and we just love to sit and watch the wildlife. We are encouraged to use ecological products for washing up, etc. No chemicals are allowed for car washing, and so on. We have bottle and paper banks at the entrance of the site.
“Nature walks and talks are arranged with visiting speakers from English Nature on a regular basis during the summer months. The team work very hard to maintain the surroundings and the site has been awarded the David Bellamy Gold Award for Conservation, and the 5-star Visit Britain award.”
How did you finance the lodge?
“We paid a £5,000 deposit initially to secure the plot we wanted, and then paid the remainder with savings plus a small short-term loan.”
How much are the bills?
“We pay around £2,400 a year for ground rent etc, and our gas and electricity bills are paid quarterly. These we find very reasonable as the lodge is so well insulated that it keeps very snug in the winter.”
In general, how is the resale potential on the lodge? Are there any restrictions?
“I would think that once the whole site is full, then resales will take off. As the site is in its infancy, everyone seems happy at the moment. We’re certainly not thinking of selling in the near future.
“We would have to pay 10% commission to the site if we did sell. We’re quite happy with this as we were one of the first to buy and the lodges have increased in value by around £20,000 in two years. We didn’t buy the lodge as an investment, more as something for us and our family to enjoy over the years.”
Do you own other second homes or investment properties?
“We don’t own any other investment or holiday homes. We’re hoping to buy something either abroad or nearer the coast once my husband retires next year. We will really have the best of all worlds then, hopefully.”
For more information on the The Hollicars Holiday Park, telephone 0800 980 8070.
By Sarah Speight
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This article was published on 13 March 2007