Buying your first holiday home?
It’s as easy as... 1, 2, 3
Check out our buying guide. It'll help you keep a clear head and stay focussed so you end up with the perfect plot, perfect home and perfect park!
1: Find The Right Park
This is the most important decision you're going to make.
It's vital that the park you choose suits your needs. If it doesn't, you may find yourself not visiting as often as you had planned. You'll be paying for something that you're not properly using.
To choose the perfect park for you, the three top considerations are distance from home, park facilities and the surrounding area. These are THE compelling reasons to buy, especially when you consider that the exact same holiday home you like is probably available on a number of other parks too.
Consider:
- Travel distance from home
- Location
- The local area
- Site fees / running costs
- On-park facilities
- Children (are they catered for?)
- Pets (what facilities are available?)
Travel distance from home/Location
Can you be on your decking with a glass of wine in less than two hours from home? Short travelling distance means impromptu visits with friends and family. Leave clothes in your holiday home and you won't have to waste time packing a bag.
If you live in the Midlands or South Wales, the Lake District or Cornwall might sound very attractive, but travel time is many hours. Why get to your happy place at 9.30pm when you could be there at 7pm?
Local area
Even at Discover Parks it's been known to rain (honestly!). Where can you go and what can you do on a rainy day? Especially if the children and grandchildren are staying. Are there plenty of attractions and events, places of interest - things to see and do. And don't forget the mundane things either. Fuel? Local shops? Nearby pubs? Supermarkets? Check out these details -
Site fees and running costs
We always try and quote you a 'moving in' price - the price of the holiday home, pro-rata fees for site fees, rates and insurance. We can offer a group policy* for the insurance, although you can get your own if you prefer.
There's no hidden costs. It's important you allow for annual running costs as well as factoring in any additional costs required to get you on park and settled.
Once purchased, annual running costs are site fees, rates, insurance, gas and electric. Gas and electric are metered as used and at Discover Parks we bill you twice a year.
*Discover Parks Ltd is an Appointed Representative of Bspoke Lifestyle Ltd and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, FRN number 413858. Compass Insurance is a trading name of Bspoke Lifestyle Ltd, registered in England and Wales under Company Number: 11429456 at Registered address: 7 Pullman Court, Great Western Road, Gloucester GL1 3ND. Bspoke Lifestyle Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, FRN Number: 820727.
RUNNING COSTS ARROW BANK RUNNING COSTS PEARL LAKE RUNNING COSTS ROCKBRIDGE
On-park facilities at Discover Parks
Arrow Bank is a very relaxing, quiet park. Situated on the edge of the black and white village of Eardisland. There's fishing on the River Arrow which meanders through the park and there's Jennifer's Pool for fishing too or just enjoying the peace. Plenty of open space and heaps of local walks.
Pearl Lake has a relaxing atmosphere but also has a lot of on-park facilities. Arrow Bank owners can also use these facilities. 9-hole golf course, bowls, fishing on the Lake, woodland walks, play equipment and field for the children, Lakeside bar and bistro. There are dog exercise areas on all parks as well as dog washes so you can keep your holiday home splash free.
Rockbridge is the perfect rural escape. The compelling reason to purchase at Rockbridge is that it is the perfect antidote to the frenetic pace of a modern lifestyle - the calm energy, clear skies, the sparkling River Lugg. The town of Presteigne is just under a mile away to restock on the essentials. The Rockbridge Retreat, a brand new development of fabulous Holiday Homes will be completed during 2024.
SEE WHAT DISCOVER PARKS CAN OFFER YOU
What about the kids?
If you have children or grandchildren you'll want to keep them occupied on-park? At Discover Parks there's wi-fi, play areas, including zip wires, bike tracks and fields for a good kick about.
If you like a quieter park for yourselves, will the kids be catered for? What's available locally for them? Owners can access facilities on all three of our parks and they're all within a 15 minute drive of each other or even a longer cycle ride.
Pearl Lake is great FOR THE CHILDREN
Dog friendly
We love dogs at Discover Parks! Each park has a dedicated, secure, off-lead dog exercise field. We also have a dog wash on each park!
So when considering your park location - is there somewhere to walk the dog as soon as you arrive after your journey? Are the nearby pubs and cafes pet friendly?
2: Choose Your Holiday Home
Consider:
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Outlook patio doors
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2 or 3 bedrooms
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Open plan or separate lounge and kitchen
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Bath or shower
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En-suite bathroom?
Do you want patio doors?
Almost all holiday homes have patio doors - either to the front or side elevation, sometimes both. If you choose to have decking, you could walk straight out through the patio doors from the living area. This can make the most of your view and your plot location. Perfect for that morning coffee or sunset glass of wine!
How many bedrooms?
Would you like your holiday home to suit just the two of you most of the time or would you like it to accommodate visitors all of the time? It is easy to believe you need a 3 bedroom holiday home if you want to have guests a few weekends per year then. However, most holiday homes have a sofa bed in the living area and this can double up as a third / guest bedroom for the few times when needed. Thus, a 2 bedroom holiday home could offer a better layout for the majority of your time on park. If, however, there will be 6+ people sleeping every time you visit then a 3 bedroom holiday home offers much more flexibility for you.
Open plan living area?
Aa separate lounge (closed off by doors from the kitchen / dining area) can be more cosy in the lounge and also allow the lounge the privacy to work as a third bedroom for visitors.
An open plan living area can have the advantage of being more sociable, with all the family / friends spending time in one large space.
What type of bath / shower room would you like?
Is a bath on your list of 'must haves'? How will the bathroom rota work out if there are more than just the two of you?
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Some holiday homes have bath and shower
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Some have just a shower room
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Some come with a shower over the bath.
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Would you like your en-suite to be a bathroom, shower room or just a W.C?
At the very least an additional / en-suite shower room can be more flexible when friends and family come to stay.
3: Choose Your Plot
Not all holiday homes have a choice of plots. Nevertheless these are the important points to consider.
Consider:
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Orientation
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Location
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View
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Access
Orientation
Would you prefer to have a shady spot or are you a ‘sun worshipper’?
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How much sun will your location have?
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Consider where the sun will rise and set each day.
If you have decking, do you want the sun to be on it all day or is an alfresco, sun rise breakfast more important to you that a relaxing sunset glass of wine? Of course, you can want (and have) both.
Location.
Where do you want to be on park?
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Would you like access to fishing or golf right outside your front door?
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Is a plot with a short walk to village / restaurant & bar more suitable?
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Do you want to be close to / have easy access to the surrounding walks?
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Do you want to see your children on the play area?
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Would you like to be in the centre of the community, chatting to others as they stroll past?
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Is a plot in a quiet corner watching the world go by more suitable for you?
View.
Coupled with the location (above) the view can be an enormous driver for your plot decision. Of course it is possible to fulfil more than one of your requirements. E.g. easy access to the village with a view of the river.
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Do you want to see your neighbours or just the wildlife through the patio doors?
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Do you want to see golfers coming down the home stretch, or be looking out across the water?
Access.
A dedicated parking space ia allocated to almost every holiday home at Discover Parks. Most have an adjacent, private parking space for at least 1 vehicle, otherwise there will be nearby 'communal' parking with just a short walk to your home.
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How important is the access for you when you have just arrived on park with your bags?
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What will it be like (in the unlikely event of rain!) returning laden from a shopping trip?
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Do you need access for a mobility scooter (Ramps can be fitted to decking)?
_1.jpg?itok=6kdgk-a0 "Beautiful rural retreat at Rockbridge, Wales")
