Retirees move to perfect new home in just six weeks

The couple chose HarperCrewe’s neighbourhood in Hodthorpe for its proximity to the forest on the Welbeck Estate, and so they could be close to their children and grandchildren. They chose their new HarperCrewe home for its high-quality build, size and low maintenance.

Terry and Carol were set on downsizing from their home in Retford where they’d lived for five years after returning to the UK from the French Alpes. Whilst in France, they had run their own chalet business offering guided skiing and mountain biking holidays. The home they’d bought in Retford wasn’t right; they’d had issues around quality and the location - the same as sea level – was affecting Terry’s health.

For three years the couple had been looking for a new home with a higher quality build in a better location - closer to a forest for mountain biking and walks. When they came across HarperCrewe’s development on the Welbeck Estate at Hodthorpe in November 2024, they decided to take a look.

Terry explains: “We wanted to downsize because we wanted somewhere that’s less work, where we can relax more and make the most of the countryside, which we can do here – the forest is right on our doorstep. We wanted to live somewhere that suits our love of the outdoors, but it had to be a high-quality build.”

Terry and Carol loved the location and chose a four-bedroom ‘Murphy’ house style, with its own driveway and garage, as well as plenty of room for family to visit.

Opting to use HarperCrewe’s Assisted Move scheme also helped the couple secure the home and plot they really wanted, without the pressure of having to deal with the administration around selling their existing home first. The sale and purchase went through in a matter of weeks, and they moved in at the end of January 2025.

Terry adds: “The sales team managed the whole process for us and rang us if they needed more information or to keep us updated. Having them deal with the administration meant it was all taken care of; it was easy and worth doing. The sales team were great, they did exactly what should be done, when it should be done.”

When asked about what they love about their new home, Terry said: “We love the big kitchen / diner plus room with a sofa at the back of the house, it’s a fantastic layout with French doors onto the garden – you can sit in there all day. We like to sit at the table to eat and when the family comes, we have plenty of room.

“Our house has the look of a traditional miner’s house, like the one I grew up in, but with all the benefits of being brand new and modern, and less work, which is the whole point. The big windows and high ceilings let in lots of light, but without taking up wall space. We have loads of room to put our furniture, much better than our last house. Seeing Carol here makes me smile – she loves being here.”

And when asked whether he and Carol would recommend HarperCrewe and the new development at Hodthorpe, Terry was resolute: “HarperCrewe’s build is amazing!” he said.

“In our experience, most new builds are not great, but here at Hodthorpe you can see the workers are not being pushed and rushed and they’re taking their time to do things properly. We have not had any snagging yet - there’s nothing that hasn’t been done properly.”

Terry adds: “It’s everything we hoped for. I don't know where we’ve have gone if we hadn't got this house. Our favourite thing about it is we can get on our bikes here and go straight down the lane and away into the forest. We love the fresh air here; being in from a mining area originally, I’ve had breathing issues all my life, that’s why I ended up in the Alps. When we came back to the UK where we were living was so damp I couldn't breathe. Now we’re here, I'm perfect!”

Terry and Carol have already recommended HarperCrewe and Hodthorpe to their grandson who is looking to move homes.